ALSO IN THIS ISSUE: SeaTech Project | Exhaust gas to carbon capture | State of UK Shipbuilding
CARBON NEUTRAL FUEL PATHWAYS and TRANSFORMATIONAL TECHNOLOGIES
This year’s ABS Outlook explores the carbon neutral fuel pathways and the transformational technologies that will support the maritime industry’s challenging journey to 2050, including an updated fuel mix forecast, potential net zero scenarios and detailed analysis of the capacity of the maritime ecosystem to support decarbonization. Download your copy today at www.eagle.org/2024Outlook
14 Corvus Energy Blue Whale awarded RINA approval
Corvus Energy has received Type Approval from RINA for its latest large-scale marine energy storage system.
37 Historic shipbuilder’s CEO out after funding failure
The boss of UK RMS Titanic builder Harland & Wolff has taken a leave of absence after failing to secure a financial bailout from the government.
37 Wartsilä to supply CSL with hybrid engine
Wärtsilä will supply a hybrid-electric propulsion system for an 11,000 dwt Limestone Carrier contracted by Montreal-based CSL Group.
12 Leader Briefing
Former Maersk Supply Services CEO joins AD Ports as takeover looms.
44 Design for Performance
Building on a versatile Ro-Pax platform. A Greek commitment to Stena RoRo’s E-Flexer concept has demonstrated the ever-widening market reach of the design involved.
14 LNG: “That’s just chemistry”
David Stevenson speaks to SEA-LNG about liquid natural gas to see what role it might play in decarbonisation.
16 Rotor Sail’s design for minimal structural alterations in fitting Luke McEwan, technical director at Anemoi Marine Technologies, discusses his company’s Rotor Sails.
22 Methanol gains ground in net zero race
Bill Thomson examines where the maritime industry is in terms of using methanol as a cleaner fuel looking at engine types, fuel supply systems, storage and safety.
26 SeaTech project ends in ultra-low emissions
Wendy Laursen reports on the outcome of an initiative launched by Wärtsilä and six others in 2020 dubbed SeaTech finding reductions in fuel consumption and emissions.
&
50 Ship Description 15 heavy lifters for German specialist. The 13,400dwt BBC Leer made her debut with an export freight loaded in China.
54 50 Years Ago
The July 1974 edition of The Motor Ship was published amid the Middle East oil crisis.
34 Hydrogen’s viability for long haul ferries
With hydrogen currently in use by a ferry company in Northern Europe, Kari Reinikainen finds the use of the fuel for longer distances may still lie a few years ahead.
Fuels Conference will 17-19 November 2020 in Hamburg, Germany. propulsionconference.com The Motorship’s Propulsion and Future Fuels Conference will take place this year in Hamburg, Germany. Stay in touch at propulsionconference.com
VIEWPOINT
DAVID STEVENSON | Editor dstevenson@motorship.com
Is shipbuilding a priority for government?
At June’s Posidonia event, I spoke to representatives of Sea Europe, the Shipyards' & Maritime Equipment Association of Europe. Their cause includes European shipbuilders choosing Asian shipyards to build vessels largely due to costs being up to 40% less. This, they say, is due to financial incentives in the form of Chinese subsidies which if the European Commission doesn’t act soon, could see the EU lose further market share. Especially if China moves into the cruise construction market, one of the last strongholds of Europe.
Recently we saw Spanish shipbuilder Grupo Ibaizabal choose Chinese shipyard Hudong-Zhonghua to build TotalEnergies new LNG bunkering vessel. Closer to home, Harland and Wolff, the Belfastbased builder of the Titanic, is on the brink of collapse due in part to the government refusing a loan guarantee. This saw the immediate departure of CEO John Wood as the company scrambles to find a way to escape falling into administration. Again.
On page 8, David Tinsley details how Liverpool-based Bibby Marine won £20m ($25.5m) in UK government funding for its electrically-powered commissioning service operation vessel design. The ship is to be built at Spain ‘s Astelleros Gondan shipyard which David state’s is a “wake up call” for those hoping of a revival in British shipbuilding.
One time business partner of Harland and Wolff is MAN Energy Solutions, which formed a JV with the UK company in 1978 to build medium speed diesel engines designed in what was then West Germany for manufacture in Belfast. MAN features on page 22 where former editor Bill Thomson gives an overview of where the industry is with methanol as an alternative fuel including MAN’s recent foray into the 4-stroke methanol market.
It seems perhaps that what’s left of the UK’s maritime strength lies in its advances of cleaner propulsion systems. Bibby Marine won its funding for a zero emissions vessel and the former UK government was promoting the country as being at the forefront of hydrogen fuel advances.
In this issue, we look at the feasibility of using hydrogen for long haul ferries on page 34, its viability for use in fuel cells for deep sea voyages on page 32, while chemical engineer Paul Martin explains why hydrogen is a “wasteful fuel” on page 30.
A more tried and tested “greener” fuel is discussed on page 14 where I speak to Steve Esau, chief operating officer at Sea-LNG, about the prospects of LNG. This one-time darling of lower carbon shipping turned villain after revelations of methane slippage were reported in the global press. But with cleaner formulations such as bio-LNG and vast existing bunkering infrastructure, it may have a part to play in a multi-fuel future.
On page 16 we feature a piece written by Luke Ewan, technical director of UK-based Anemoi Marine about the progress of the company’s Rotor Sails which can be installed on large vessels like bulkers and tankers.
Does Britannia still rule the waves? Perhaps not but it may well have an influential voice over what innovative propulsion systems are being used to navigate them.
Corvus Energy Blue Whale awarded RINA approval
Corvus Energy has received Type Approval from RINA for its largescale marine energy storage system, the Blue Whale ESS.
RINA Type Approval means the Blue Whale ESS complies with RINA rules for the certification of lithium battery systems. This approval, along with recently awarded type approval from DNV, suggests that the largescale energy storage system complies with the most stringent rules, regulations, and safety requirements in the industry, as defined by leading maritime class societies.
The Blue Whale ESS, which cost millions of dollars to develop, is designed specifically for large vessels, like cruise ships, Ro-Pax and Service Operation Vessels (SOV), and any vessels that require a large amount of energy.
The Blue Whale design incorporates the unsurpassed safety features of the Corvus Orca ESS, the worlds most installed marine energy storage system, along with additional features that make it better equipped to meet the energy demands of large vessels. For example, optimised energy density enables the Blue Whale to deliver more power. This in turn can extend the vessel’s ability to achieve and maintain zeroemission operations, including during transit through emissionsrestricted zones and port stays.
“We’re pleased that the Blue Whale ESS design has now received type approvals from both RINA and DNV, meeting the highest safety standards in the industry,” said Fredrik Witte,
CEO of Corvus Energy.
He added: “A large-scale battery system designed to meet the energy demands of larger vessels, including cruise ships and large passenger and vehicle transport vessels, is key to support the advancement of maritime decarbonisation and emissions reduction efforts.”
In addition to securing type approval from RINA and DNV, Corvus Energy is pursuing type approval from other classification societies such as BV and ABS for the Blue Whale ESS. Both the RINA and DNV Type Approvals for the Blue Whale ESS include approval of the North Americanbased production facility where the Corvus Blue Whale product is produced, which is located in Canada outside of Vancouver.
More than fifteen Blue Whale orders, cumulatively totalling over 95 MWh, are already confirmed for delivery in 2024, 2025 and 2026, and the production facility is scaled for future capacity needs. Corvus itself supplies over half of the world’s global fleet with its zero-emission technology.
The company offers a portfolio of energy storage and fuel cell systems suitable for many types of vessels, providing power systems in the form of modular lithium-ion battery systems and Hydrogen PEM fuel cell systems. The Blue Whale ESS is a significant step forward in the maritime industry's transition to cleaner and more sustainable operations.
■ Rendering of a Corvus Blue Whale ESS installation
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Hall A4 Stand 235
HISTORIC SHIPBUILDER’S CEO OUT AFTER FUNDING FAILURE
The boss of UK RMS Titanic builder Harland & Wolff has taken a leave of absence after failing to secure a financial bailout from the government.
The company told the London Stock Exchange in a statement that CEO John Wood’s leave would occur with “immediate effect”.
Harland & Wolff is now banking on financial support from Riverstone Credit Management after failing to secure the £200m ($258m) government export development guarantee it sought to avoid slipping into administration again.
The company began making diesel engines in 1921 and has produced well over 2,000 complete sets with an aggregate output in excess of 6.2 million bhp since that time.
However, it has fallen on hard times recently, seeing its shares suspended from trading in July after failing to post its
ECOsubsea loan
2023 financial results by the June 30 deadline.
Harland may become a victim of a practice it has used in the past, preying on distressed assets. In 2021, the company bought two BiFab yards at Methil and Arnish in Scotland which had fallen into administration. Navy Outlook wrote an article about Harland as recently as June this year dubbed “The revival of UK shipbuilding”, it may well have been a tad premature.
Warning bells had been ringing for the company since The Times reported that former Chancellor Jeremy Hunt was to block the financial support package being sought to keep the company afloat. Harland denied the accuracy of the report.
A change in government has not proved to be beneficial to the company with new business secretary Jonathan Reynolds recently stating that offering financial support to Harland and
WinGD use Chevron
Wolff meant "a very substantial risk that taxpayer money would be lost".
In 1978, Harland and Wolff entered into an agreement with MAN to establish a joint venture that saw the German company supply the Belfast-based entity with medium speed diesel engines in return to access to what was then the lucrative UK market.
While MAN ES went on to establish itself as one of the main marine engine makers in the world, Harland and Wolf’s fortunes went in the opposite direction, with the company going into administration in July 2020. There’s now a real possibility of this happening again, putting 1500 jobs at risk at the company’s sites in Belfast, Scotland and England.
Steerprop contract
Wärtsilä to supply CSL with hybrid engine
Wärtsilä will supply a hybridelectric propulsion system for an 11,000 dwt Limestone Carrier contracted by Montreal-based CSL Group (CSL) with CCCC Shanghai Equipment Engineering and Jingjiang Nanyang Shipbuilding.
The system will provide redundancy when operating in confined waters to improve safety, while at the same time improving efficiency and reducing fuel consumption.
The Limestone Carrier, when delivered in 2026, will be the world’s first fully electric batterycapable self-unloading vessel. It will initially run on a hybrid diesel and battery system, with 50% of total battery capacity installed replacing diesel with electric power. By 2031, the aim is to run the ship entirely on electric power, further reducing carbon emissions to less than 10%.
For this vessel, Wärtsilä will supply the whole hybrid electric propulsion system, including generators, DC hub, energy and power management system, main propulsion e-motors, bow thruster e-motors, and the battery solution. Delivery is scheduled for early 2025.
“Wärtsilä is committed to making decarbonised shipping possible, we are delighted to be supporting CSL,” said Torsten Büssow, director, electrical & power systems Wärtsilä Marine.
BRIEFS
ABS backs AM parts
Norwegian in-water ship cleaning company ECOsubsea has bolstered its presence in Singapore thanks to a $3.2m loan from Innovation Norway. Traditional hull cleaning methods, often infrequent and abrasive, pose a significant environmental threat. ECOsubsea’s solution uses remotely operated underwater vehicles equipped with advanced cleaning technology. These robots capture waste for conversion into biogas.
Chevron Marine Lubricants’
Ports must be able to check the background of all vessels and show bodies such as OFAC that they have the technology to screen ships for suspected sanctions evasion ‘‘
Taro Ultra Advanced 40 formulation has been granted LNG Validation status by Swiss marine engine maker WinGD. It covers all WinGD gas (LNG burning) engines. Taro Ultra Advanced 40 helps keep pistons clean at moderate base number and oil ash level. It provides cylinder lubrication for the latest generation marine diesel engines equipped with exhaust abatement technologies.
Finnish maritime technology firm Steerprop has secured a contract to provide the propulsion system for the Fleeming Jenkin, the world’s largest cable-laying vessel (CLV) currently under construction. The company will provide a propulsion system designed to meet the specific needs of the Fleeming Jenkin, ensuring optimal performance and environmental efficiency for deep-sea cable-laying operations.
ABS and the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) are working together to develop an additive manufacturing (AM) qualification for the maritime industry aiming to reduce lead time and costs. Traditional manufacturing processes rely on physical tests for verification and validation of their performance. AM, while also dependent on physical tests, may adopt model-based approaches to streamline qualification.
■ The 46 year-old Scillonian III built by Harland and Wolff
Credit: Isles of Scilly Steamship
REALITY CHECK FOR UK SHIPBUILDING
A resilient force in UK shipowning, Liverpool-based Bibby Marine has demonstrated its long-term mindset and propensity for innovation by ordering what is claimed to be the world’s first truly zero-emission, electrically-powered commissioning service operation vessel (eCSOV)
The technical project has had the benefit of £20m ($25.5m) in UK government funding, awarded to a Bibby-led research consortium by the Department for Transport under the Zero Emission Vessel & Infrastructure (ZEVI) scheme. The design of the newbuild, which will feature a hybrid, 20MWh battery system complemented by methanol dual-fuel genset engines, is a UK endeavour, realised by the shipowner in cooperation with Longitude Engineering.
After a tendering process that involved a number of yards in the UK and overseas, construction of the ship has been awarded to Astilleros Gondan, on the strength of cost and delivery competitiveness, along with the builder’s proven quality and a track record in bespoke, specialised vessel production, including CSOVs.
Notwithstanding the UK input and the contribution that the nascent, UK-registered asset will make over potentially many years to the country’s maritime industry, the fact that yet another high added-value vessel project for British account is to be fulfilled abroad constitutes something of a reality check for those seeking and advocating the revival of the commercial shipbuilding sector in the UK.
The direction of the work is a measure of the expertise available at affordable or acceptable cost and terms elsewhere, in this instance northern Spain’s dynamic shipbuilding and maritime industrial cluster. Bibby’s affirmation that “This project will demonstrate that clean ships can be built at the same total cost of ownership as a conventional, fossil fuel-burning vessel, coupled with significantly reduced operating costs,” is indicative of the competitiveness of the Spanish yard’s contractual offering.
The fact that no compulsion to UK production is appended to multifarious R&D projects sponsored by public money under the ZEVI initiative is in line with the country’s freemarket, laissez-faire approach, and at variance with policies practised by other economies.
British made?
A hoped-for revitalisation of the industry had been signalled by the UK Government’s publication in March 2022 of the ‘refreshed’ National Shipbuilding Strategy (NSbS). While retaining the earlier(2017) policy’s central focus on naval shipbuilding, the revised plan as a whole gave much closer attention than before to commercial construction and the supply chain. A key element was the delineation of a £4bn($5bn) public procurement programme over the next 30 years, the so-called “shipbuilding pipeline” embracing not only naval ships but also other state-owned and agency vessels, including ferries and specialised work vessels.
The objective of the listing, covering more than 150 vessels and craft, was to outline long-term requirements, so as to instil confidence among shipbuilders that there would be continuity in demand. By providing greater certainty of government investment in the 30-year shipbuilding pipeline, it was considered that shipyards would better be able to continue to invest, maintain a skilled and adaptable workforce, and raise productivity, and thereby also improve competitiveness for commercial vessel contracts. All orders, though, would have to be secured on a fully competitive basis.
A solid move to help support endeavours to replenish UK orderbooks was implemented last July in the shape of the Shipbuilding Credit Guarantee Scheme (SCGS). This had been originally proposed within the context of the original NSbS as the Home Shipbuilding Credit Guarantee Scheme, aimed at assisting shipowners and operators to access finance for newbuild contracts and vessel upgrade projects assigned to UK yards.
By providing government guarantees of up to 80% on commercial loans over a maximum period of 12 years, it was anticipated that the facility would give lenders an added level of protection and encourage backing for placing orders with UK yards. Although the mitigation of risk is lower than the 90-
■ Bibby’s zero-emission commissioning service operation vessel(CSOV) will be built in Spain
95% government export credit said to be available from China and South Korea, the SCGS was a welcome development.
Of course, the recent Bibby contract, being in the private domain, is outside the terms of reference of the pipeline of work identified under the NSbS. However, a number of the public sector projects in the list figure among the stream of newbuild orders that have been placed abroad by UK interests since the document’s publication.
In fact, one such newbuild, the multi-function lighthouse/ buoy tender for Edinburgh-based Northern Lighthouse Board(NLB), represented Astilleros Gondan’s preceding success in the UK market before the Bibby contract. The specification for the £51.8m ($66m) NLB vessel features a hybrid power system to minimise environmental impact in sensitive Scottish and Manx waters, in keeping with ambitious environmental targets set out in the government’s Clean Maritime Plan.
International cooperation
Although sourcing of such tonnage abroad runs counter to the industrial aspirations expressed in the NSbS, the deal with the family-owned Spanish builder called for a minimum £2m ($2.5m)-worth of work to be placed with UK suppliers. It also required Gondan to create a special internship programme for up to 15 UK-based students to gain experience through placements at the yard during the vessel’s construction. Trinity House, NLB’s counterpart for work around England, Wales, the Channel Islands and Gibraltar, is also planning a multi-function tender. Its previous fleet additions have come from Poland.
This project will demonstrate that clean ships can be built at the same total cost of ownership as a conventional, fossil fuel-burning vessel
Elsewhere within the public domain, Scottish Governmentowned Caledonian Maritime Assets (CMAL) endorsed foreign construction hard on the heels of the release of the refreshed NSbS by entrusting Cemre Marin Endustri of Turkey with a £105m ($133.7m) order for two 95m ro-pax ferries, to be assigned to the Caledonian MacBrayne (CalMac) service network. A subsequent repeat order extended the series at the Yalova yard to four ships.
CMAL had invited four overseas builders to bid for the initial pair, the Scottish nationalised yard of Ferguson Marine having been excluded from the shortlist. The Turkish builder’s contractual performance to date, with two ships now fitting out and on schedule, contrasts with the situation at the Ferguson yard, where two 102m dual-fuel ro-pax newbuilds are already six years late and three times over-budget.
Also listed under the NSbS shipbuilding pipeline, a 72m passenger ferry and 45m cargo vessel to maintain lifeline services between the Isles of Scilly and English mainland were ordered in January this year from French shipbuilder Piriou. Penzance-based Isles of Scilly Steamship Group secured private financing through Lombard rather than seek UK Government Levelling Up Funding (LUF), which it regards as imposing too many restrictions and uncertainties.
UK maritime plc still open for business
Although merchant shipbuilding has virtually disappeared from the UK, the country’s activities in naval shipbuilding,
commercial small vessels and craft and lightweight ferry construction, yacht and boat building, ship repair and marine equipment production, collectively continue to form an important and high value part of the economy. The sector employs around 42,000 people and contributes over £2bn ($2.5bn) annually to the UK economy. The creation of new shipbuilding halls at the Rosyth and Govan premises of, respectively, Babcock and BAE Systems, to boost productivity in frigate and potentially other warship production are current examples of UK capability and renewal.
The overall package that constitutes the revised NSbS, instigated under former Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s watch, denoted the most significant, positive intervention in the UK’s maritime industries since the 1970s.
Over the decades in between, UK governments of both main colours have been either negative, indifferent or inconsistent in their approach to shipbuilding. Whether or not the objectives of the strategy will be achieved over time hinges on cooperation, consistency and industrial will being maintained through future years, irrespective of changes in the Westminster administration. Addressing the skills gap and attracting young people into the industry is of paramount importance, and is a sphere wherein government must give succour to companies which are putting extra resources into training and recruitment.
Seen by some as a bad omen, an important modification to the pipeline of work took place only eight months on from the release of the revised Strategy whereby the much-vaunted, £250m ($318.3m) national flagship scheme was abruptly cancelled. The vessel was to have been primarily a UK trade and technology promotion platform, and could have put the shipbuilding sector back on the path to passengership construction. The project was pulled in favour of expenditure on two specialist vessels to protect underwater infrastructure, one a newbuild in the UK and one a converted acquisition. A contract for a newbuild is still awaited.
On the plus side, the commitment to naval programmes has so far been carried through, with further investment most recently signalled by confirmation that the Ministry of Defence had entered the design concept phase for a new generation of Royal Navy multi-role amphibious support ships. In the meantime, Harland & Wolff’s subcontract on the three 216m Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) newbuilds presages a return to large-ship production at Belfast.
■ Clydeside shipbuilding prowess: Type 26 frigate under construction by BAE Systems
THE US NATIONAL SHIPBUILDING RESEARCH PROGRAM
Darren Guillory, technical solutions specialist, SSI discusses how the NSRP has helped to create competitive advantage for US shipbuilders
The US National Shipbuilding Research Program (NSRP) was established in 1971 to identify areas for improvement within US shipbuilding. Working with shipbuilders and the supply chain the NSRP identifies and partially funds projects that will provide value to a broad sector of US shipbuilders. The result is that participants get to share knowledge in a way that is often talked about but not always in evidence in the commercial shipbuilding sector.
The NSRP provides research and development grants to help shipyards develop and deliver concepts that add value to shipbuilding projects and support an investment case for the US Navy and government. Fulfilling these contracts represents a huge investment of time for shipyards; they need an “innovation” mindset that can anticipate complex requirements that are likely to change over time. The NSRP provides a framework for that innovation and tools that enable all interested US shipyards to adopt benefits identified by the program.
The NSRP also provides a means to improve technology development and adoption to the wider benefit of the defense shipbuilding sector. Yards still bid competitively for projects but since all NSRP members have access to final reports, they stand to benefit from the shared knowledge. Ultimately the US ship design and building industry is better suited to serve the US Government through pooling of knowledge and capability.
SSI has invested heavily in many different NSRP projects since 2004, partnering with shipyards and vendors to crystallise innovation. The benefits are two-way since the program enables shipbuilders and participating partners to
direct their investment towards the US shipbuilder’s most pressing challenges.
Examples of NSRP projects include:
● Bollinger Shipyard together with Wolf Robotics and SSI worked under the NSRP to introduce computer-aided robotic welding and improve productivity. This two-year project resulted in the development of a first-of-its-kind streamlined process to export 3D model weld information to a robotic welder, which enables the shipyards to focus their workforce on higher-value activity and leave the simpler panel welding process to a machine.
● Austal Shipyard with support from SSI and the NSRP automated the forming of steel plates using a Nieland press. SSI provided the press with a chart for pressure settings and a grid for pressures needed to shape the steel. Connecting the ship model to the hull forming press allows shipyards to form hull steel plates to the correct design and on the required schedule without relying on physical templates.
● SSI and DotProduct Dot3D’s scanning platform supported an NSRP project to create a workflow to provide information to a comparison tool, reducing the risk of differences between part descriptions and delivered components. Using complete scans of components and equipment allows for the export of modeled components to be checked for accuracy, enabling minimal interruption of the construction process due to inaccurate components. The same process can be used to check that equipment matches the specification on the data sheet provided and is suitable for installation. This enables design teams to
■ SSI - Side Ship Deconstructed Credit: SSI
When change happens, a data-driven approach can transform expensive showstoppers to a streamlined workflow process drawing on real world data.
import 3D equipment scans, overlay them onto the model, and confirm if the component is suitable for connections and mountings. The increasing use of 3D plans for ship design and construction can be used to manage project risks of all sizes.
● SSI has worked on the NSRP LiftShip project since 2016, initially providing data from the 3D model to inform weight studies. Using 3D data enables the shipyard to virtually position portions of the ship within the construction area and predict the forces resulting from lifting. The critical aspect of this process is understanding what impact the lift may have on the structure.
The first phase examined the impact of lifting and turning steel sections, exporting the model to a failure effect analysis (FEA) tool to perform a dynamic turn. The second phase added a further layer of innovation, adding metadata that better describes the structure and can reduce the time needed for analysis, enabling modifications to be made more quickly.
In the third phase - LiftShip examined how to capture and relay information gathered during the simulation, including recommendations that can inform the construction process. By importing information back to assembly drawings, the operator can note potential deficiencies which can be used to add strengthening to the section and minimize the risk of damage.
Floorganise, HII – Ingalls Shipbuilding, Austal USA, General Dynamics BIW, Fincantieri Marinette Marine, and other shipyards, with the support of SSI are working within an NSRP project to automate the detail planning process and coordinate the project plan through a direct integration with the product model. The outcome of these projects will increase shipyard planning efficiency, using the information from the 3D product model to support earlier procurement, planning, and resource planning before the design is finalised.
The integrated solution integrates directly with engineering data from the 3D detailed design model and with other shipyard planning and scheduling systems. For example, through an early released BOM from a shipbuildingspecific PLM system to connect engineering data directly to planning teams and the shop floor.
Key dates
● 1971-79 — NSRP funded and administered by MARAD
● 1980-85 — NSRP administered by MARAD, funded by Navy Manufacturing Technology Program (ManTech), which was under Naval Materials Commmand Office
● 1986-91 — NSRP administered by Naval Surface Warfare Center-Carderock (NSWCC), funded by by ManTech,
Looking ahead
The NSRP through private sector participation and investment, will continue to explore areas to improve US shipbuilding. With more shipyards moving towards a Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) approach to vessel construction, comes an opportunity to harness the benefits of better functional data to incorporate innovation into ship design and construction.
Using a 3D ship model within a PLM framework will not just improve cost estimation, it can unlock huge efficiency gains and improve the ability to manage change, enabling delivery in shorter timelines and lower total costs. When change happens, a data-driven approach can transform expensive showstoppers to a streamlined workflow process drawing on real world data.
History of NSRP
The founding NSRP began as an R&D program in 1971 under the guidance of MARAD (U.S. Maritime Administration). The Program’s initial goal was to respond to the direction given to the Secretary of Commerce in the Merchant Marine Act of 1970 [Section 212(c)] to collaborate with shipbuilders in developing plans for the economic construction of vessels. To provide industry management and technical input, MARAD selected the SNAME (Society of Naval Architects & Marine Engineers) T&R (Technical & Research) Ship Production Committee to carry out these responsibilities. Since its inception the NSRP’s goal has remained the same: to reduce production costs and to accelerate delivery schedules through improved shipbuilding methods.
moved to Assistant Secretary of the Navy (ASN)
● 1992-94 — NSRP funded by ManTech, now administered at Office of Naval Research (ONR)
● 1995-97 — ManTech and DARPA (Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency) MARITECH (Maritime Technology) jointly funded NSRP, again with NSWCC
managing the program in cooperation with MARAD and ONR
● 1998-present — in early 1998, NSRP moved to NAVSEA, where funding, administration and management functions were performed. In mid-1998, the NSRP-ASE collaboration of (then) nine shipyards was formed and NAVSEA charged the collaboration to manage the program.
■ Shipbuilding software will aid simplification of data exchange between class, shipyards and vessel designers
FORMER MAERSK BOSS JOINS
AD PORTS DURING M&A
Former chief executive of Maersk Supply Service (MSS) Steen Karstensen has taken the position as CEO for the offshore and subsea business of Abu Dhabi-based ports and logistics giant AD Ports Group
Karstensen (pictured) served as CEO from 2016 to 2023. He announced his new appointment on LinkedIn more than a year after he had left MSS, following DOF Group’s takeover announcement.
His tenure at Maersk spanned over three decades, during which he held various leadership positions across the organisation. Under his leadership, Maersk Supply Service navigated a complex and challenging market, demonstrating resilience and adaptability in the face of industry headwinds.
AD Ports Group is a dynamic and fast-growing company with a strong commitment to expanding its presence in the offshore and subsea sectors. The company’s Maritime & Shipping pillar, one of five core business divisions, owns a substantial fleet of offshore vessels that support critical operations for oil companies across the Middle East and Asia. For example, in November of last year, the company agreed to buy 10 offshore vessels from E-NAV for $200m to bolster offshore operations in the region.
His move comes at a pivotal time for the offshore and subsea industry
Karstensen’s appointment is a strategic move by AD Ports Group to strengthen its position as a leading player in the offshore and subsea market. His deep industry knowledge and proven track record will be instrumental in driving the growth and development of the company’s offshore and subsea business.
His move comes at a pivotal time for the offshore and subsea industry, which is experiencing a resurgence driven by increasing energy demand and technological advancements. For instance, his previous company MSS is in the process of takeover proceedings by Norwegian offshore vessel owner DOF.
Deal highlights
● Further strengthens DOF Group’s integrated service offering and position, towards a strong oil & gas market and a growing offshore wind market
● Immediate fleet expansion without need for substantial newbuild lead time, and with significantly lower per vessel investment requirement
● Modern and high-quality fleet of 22 vessels, consisting of eight high- specification CSV vessels, 13 high-specification AHTS vessels and one cable layer vessel
DOF looks to acquire Maersk Supply Services Norway’s DOF Group has entered into an agreement to acquire Maersk Supply Service (MSS) as it looks to cement its position as a major integrated offshore services provider.
The deal is said to be worth around $1.1 billion. MSS will at the time of completion of the transaction own 22 high-quality subsea and AHTS vessels, following a carve-out of certain entities, vessels, assets and liabilities.
The combined company, operating under the DOF Group name and brand, will be a leading offshore service provider with comprehensive scale and a wide range of services across all continents in the offshore energy industries. DOF and MSS’ current operations are both strategically and geographically complementary, and future growth ambitions are strongly aligned. Leveraging the two global organisations’ strong capabilities and competencies that will further enhance the combined company’s position as a major integrated offshore services provider. The combined company will be one of the largest oil services companies listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange.
● Positions DOF Group with a total fleet of 65 owned vessels, creating a strong fleet among core players in the competitive landscape, and reducing the value weighted fleet age from 11.7 years to 10.7 years
● Complementary operations and geographical fit between the two companies, strengthening scale and presence
● Substantial MSS fleet earnings growth potential from both renewal of legacy contracts and through adding subsea services earnings to the offering
● Attractively priced assets with a gross asset value of USD 1,319 million
● Further strengthening of existing shareholder base with A.P. Moller Holding, a globally recognised industrial investor in the maritime and energy industry
● Creating one of the largest oil services companies listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange, with a combined market cap of approximately USD 2.3 billion
■ Steen Karstensen takes role as CEO of AD Ports
LNG: 'THAT'S JUST CHEMISTRY'
Ammonia and methanol dominate discussions about the future of maritime fuels but David Stevenson speaks to SEA-LNG about liquid natural gas, the most common choice for lower carbon ships, to see what role it might play in decarbonisation
“For all alternative fuels, you’re on a pathway. For LNG, it’s exactly the same pathway. You start with LNG, and you go to liquefied biomethane, then liquefied e-methane. It’s the same as the methanol pathway, it’s the same as the ammonia pathway, it’s the same as the hydrogen pathway,” says Steve Esau (pictured), chief operating officer of SEALNG before adding rather ominously: “there’s been a very successful campaign to discredit LNG in many circles”.
Esau’s organisation SEA-LNG has been representing LNG’s interests in the maritime industry sector for around eight years, during which time the fuel has seen an increase in charges of methane slip against it.
Last summer Bloomberg published The invisible climate impact of a cruise ship, an article regarding LNG-powered vessels’ emissions impact “still being understood” in light of methane slippage evidence. Esau says that while methane slip is a “recognised issue”, there are nuances that should be considered.
For instance, he says a lot of the issues with LNG methane slip focus on older Otto cycle engines which were not developed avoiding this in mind. However, in the last 20 years, methane slip has been addressed resulting in a 7580% reduction in the phenomenon according to Esau.
“The FuelEU Maritime Regulation GHG emissions are regulated on a well-to-wake basis, including methane, so there’s a much stronger incentive for low pressure engine
manufacturers to deal with the issue of methane slip,” says Esau.
The impact of regulation on the LNG market is not limited to methane slip, FuelEU Maritime may act as a catalyst for the greater adoption of green variations of the fuel like bioLNG. The pooling mechanism under the EU regulation allows for shipowners’ emissions to be calculated across two or more ships, meaning a steep reduction in emissions in one vessel can reap rewards for an entire fleet.
“We have in our membership [SEA-LNG] a range of companies who are willing to offer liquefied biomethane. They’ve made investments in liquefied biomethane and with the regulations coming in, there’s going to be a real incentive to use it and they can supply it,” Esau says.
Drop in the ocean
One way posited to hit ambitious net zero targets by 2050 is by using drop in fuels, an ambition shared by SEA-LNG. Given that bio-LNG is almost chemically identical to fossil fuelderived LNG, not only do engines not need to be retrofitted, but existing bunker infrastructure will also support the cleaner formation. Compared to ammonia, an alternative fuel which as a substance is widely available due to its use as a fertiliser but its toxicity and potential dangers have resulted in no bunkering whatsoever, bio-LNG may be an option.
“Data from the IEA and Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller Center for
■ Global LNG bunkering map, both existing and planned
Our view is that there’s a lot the other fuels can learn from the experience of LNG
Zero Carbon Shipping shows that if you look at sustainable biomass and the biomethane that you can produce from that biomass, you’re looking at a resource which is multiples of what shipping’s total energy demand is,” says Esau, adding that this is a macro picture and when the demands of other sectors such as aviation are taken into account, using bioLNG as a drop in fuel makes sense.
Chemically, bio-LNG and green-methanol are produced in a similar manner. Esau says: “If you look at most of the green methanol, and it’s a tiny amount that’s being produced, it’s being produced from biomethane [same substance used for liquefied biomethane].” Esau states that he finds that “a little bit perplexing” because only 65% is recovered as green methanol compared to 95% using the same molecule for liquefied biomethane production, adding “and that’s just chemistry” to sum up this apparent paradox.
Balancing out the equation
Using bio-LNG for a cleaner maritime fleet would work in a similar manner to how power markets decarbonised. This is to say separate power infrastructure wasn’t built, moreover green energy production was incentivised with the cleaner result flowing through existing infrastructure. This is mass balance.
Esau says: “The same thing applies to the gas markets. You can have a biomethane producer inject the biomethane into a gas grid, and then you can take the liquefied biomethane. Which is offered at a terminal with a sort of guarantee of origin.” The latter point is vital because under FuelEU Maritime, verifiers are employed to determine a marine fuel’s carbon footprint throughout its entire lifetime making a certified green fuel at source an attractive proposition for shipowners. Especially when progressively more punitive financial penalties are imposed for not hitting the regulation’s emissions target from 2026.
Extensive existing infrastructure supporting bio-LNG for bunkering, coupled with the mass balance scenario, makes the fuel look well placed to flourish in an increasingly hostile regulatory environment. Even traditional LNG should be permissible under FuelEU Maritime until 2039 according to Esau but with green versions of the popular fuel available its presence in the maritime market might be extended indefinitely.
When asked why the entire maritime industry is not just waiting for greater amounts of bio-LNG to become available and use regular LNG in the meantime, Esau says it could be reluctance to endorse fossil fuel infrastructure investment during the wait. He says: “The argument would be if
everyone’s going to just wait for green LNG then they’ll build a whole lot of fossil infrastructure.”
To sum up LNG’s role as a potential future maritime fuel, Esau says: “We see a multi-fuel future. Is LNG there? It’s sort of paved the pathway for greenhouse gas reduction, and then you’re on to a longer-term biosynthetic pathway. Our view is that there’s a lot the other fuels can learn from the experience of LNG.”
LNG as a fuel was first delivered by a vessel named ironically enough “Methane Pioneer” in 1959 from Louisiana to Canvey Island in Essex. There is concern over its continued use as a maritime fuel as seen with pressure groups such as “Say no to LNG” but given its availability, existing infrastructure and greener variations, LNG may well endure.
■ FuelEU Maritime GHG Intensity Limit of Energy used on-board by a ship
■ Steve Esau, Chief operating officer of SEA-LNG
ROTOR SAIL’s DESIGNED FOR MINIMAL ALTERATION
“Sailing knowledge is coming back to shipping,” explains Luke McEwen, technical director at Anemoi Marine Technologies, as he sets out how Anemoi’s Rotor Sails are designed for minimal structural alterations during fitting, minimal impact on port and cargo operations, whilst delivering significant fuel and emissions savings
As ship owners continue to look for ways to reduce green-house gas emissions and the impact on the planet, harnessing the power of wind has become one of the best ways in which owners and operators can make meaningful efficiencies today.
The IMO has set carbon reduction targets, calling for CO2 emissions to be reduced by an average of at least 40% by 2030, with an overall aim to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by or around 2050. The introduction of the Carbon Intensity Indicator (CII) and the Energy Efficiency Existing Ship Index (EEXI), which will become increasingly stringent in the years to come, is compelling ship owners to seek both substantial and incremental efficiency improvements to ensure their vessels remain within acceptable rating boundaries.
Whilst there are four main technology types in the windpropulsion sector today, “What makes Rotor Sails the most technologically advanced of those options is that they produce a lot of thrust for a relatively small device that can save a significant amount of fuel” said Luke McEwen, technical director at Anemoi Marine Technologies, the UKbased developer and provider of Rotor Sails for the global shipping industry.
Anemoi’s biggest Rotor Sail currently on the market is 35 m tall and 5 m wide, a fraction of the size of a 360m long bulk carrier that weighs 500,000 tonnes when fully loaded, and very compact compared to the 120m length of modern wind turbine blades.
“Being a small piece of equipment is possible because
Rotor Sails generate a huge amount of aerodynamic lift for their size. You don’t get something for nothing but with a Rotor Sail, if you put a small amount of power in, you can generate 8-10 times the power back through renewable energy,” McEwen added.
Utilising an aerodynamic phenomenon termed the ‘Magnus Effect’, these cylinders generate forward thrust for the vessel, enabling it to reduce power from its main engines, reduce fuel consumption, and curtail its carbon emissions. Data from contemporary Rotor Sail systems has demonstrated that this technology can achieve fuel savings of up to 30% on routes with good wind conditions.
Installation
Rotor Sails are also straightforward to install. They do not require large-scale modifications to the vessel’s structure during drydocking, rendering them ideal for retrofitting, and each Rotor Sail can be installed in a single crane lift and connected to the foundation on the ship’s deck. Crucially, this technology is viable for nearly all vessel types and can be equipped with bespoke deployment systems, including folding the sails from their vertical position or, as developed by Anemoi, moving them on a rail system along or across the deck, to minimise disruption to cargo loading and unloading operations, and avoid low-clearance bridges.
“Rotor Sails are relatively plug-and-play so that makes them easy to install. The most important element of installation is in the sail’s foundations. A taller wind-assisted
■
Anemoi Rotor Sails in action
device will want to tip over more, so you need a bigger and stronger foundation that typically means installing reinforcement under the deck. That means installing scaffolding and getting steel support beams through small hatches in the deck. It’s a hugely expensive undertaking to reinforce the deck from below. For the majority of Anemoi’s installations, this work is not required, instead our foundation designs generally only require steel work above the deck,” McEwen explained.
Bulk carriers and tankers boast ample deck real estates, an invaluable asset for accommodating multiple Rotor Sails in an optimised arrangement that capitalises on prevailing wind patterns, thereby maximising fuel economies. The generous space also facilitates the installation of larger and a higher number of Rotor Sails, further amplifying their performance impact. Anemoi’s data illustrates that a 310,000 dwt Very Large Crude Carrier (VLCC) sailing the BonnyNingbo route, when equipped with five Rotor Sails, could potentially slash annual fuel consumption and emissions by over 13% – a staggering reduction equating to more than 1,600 tonnes of fuel and approximately 5,000 tonnes of carbon saved per annum.
Use on large vessels
The benefits of Rotor Sails for bulk carriers have been recently exemplified through the installation of three sails, mounted on Anemoi’s patented rail deployment system, aboard the 82,000 dwt Kamsarmax vessel TR Lady last year.
“Preliminary data from the vessel’s maiden voyage from China to Australia indicates that it could potentially realise annual fuel and emissions savings of approximately 10%, directly attributable to the Rotor Sails” remarked McEwan. Anemoi are continuing to meticulously evaluate the performance of the vessel and Rotor Sails with verified data expected in due course.
Sailing knowledge is coming back to shipping as a result of wind technology
In a landmark development, Anemoi announced in November 2023 its collaboration with Brazilian mining giant Vale to install five Rotor Sails aboard the world’s largest ore carrier, the 400,000 dwt Very Large Ore Carrier (VLOC) Sohar Max. This initiative represents a significant stride towards reducing the carbon footprint associated with the maritime transportation of iron ore by enhancing the vessel’s energy efficiency.
Vale’s fleet of Valemax vessels typically trades on deepsea routes between Brazil, China and the Middle East, which are particularly well-suited for wind propulsion. As a result, the installation of Anemoi Rotor Sails is expected to bring significant fuel and emission savings with an expected 6% fuel reduction and cutting CO2 equivalent emissions by up to 3,000 tons per ship per year.
Anemoi’s Rotor Sails are equipped to deal with external forces a ship faces when at sea. “In particularly strong seas, our Rotor Sails are simply designed to turn off to prevent excess amounts of force impacting a vessel,” according to McEwen. He goes on to explain that this is different to many other types of sails which would have to be folded away in a storm, requiring greater intervention by the crew.
At present, Anemoi has 21 Rotor Sails in production, but with escalating demand, the company is ramping up its capacity to an annual production rate of 50 Rotor Sails per year.
February 2024 was a landmark month for the company. First, they were awarded funding for a £1.9m project from the UK Government’s Clean Maritime Demonstration Competition (CMDC) Round 4 to develop and test its 3.5m Rotor Sail design. Then, they were awarded Approval in Principle by the Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI) Maritime Administrator following a review of two bespoke configurations of Anemoi’s wind-propulsion technology.
150 years ago, vessels were optimised for wind propulsion. Now, everything from the hydrodynamics, the design, the size, the type of engine, to the propeller and everything in between, is designed for a motorship. To ensure efficiency on modern vessels, Rotor Sail designs have had to take that into consideration.
“Anemoi has already done this so that owners and yards do not have to,” McEwen describes. “For example, the control system is designed to work with the existing engine management and power management systems, propeller, hull, rudder and autopilot to avoid any need to modify them to work with the Rotor Sails.”
Controls
Anemoi’s system is designed to sense the rudder angle and feed that data into the control system. McEwen explains, “If you were to put all your Rotor Sails near the bow or stern then that will tend to push the ship sideways requiring more steering to compensate. So, we take the rudder angle into consideration in the control system and adjust the speed of the Rotor Sails to balance out exactly as a sailor would do on a pure sailing boat.”
As he puts it, “in a way, sailing knowledge is coming back to shipping as a result of wind technology.”
That analogy is also backed up by what we are seeing across the industry. In late March 2024, there were 37 wind propulsion-installed vessels along with 11 wind-ready ships according to the International Windship Association. Their combined total was 2.5 million dwt.
In the preceding 12 months to March 2024, there were 22 installations and wind-ready ships delivered compared to eight in the year before.
Aside from green fuels, it is easy to see why many shipowners are embracing alternative propulsion methods, such as Anemoi’s Rotor Sails, as the industry continues its global decarbonisation journey.
Wind-assisted propulsion systems are strong contenders for significant emission reductions, and the unique deployment systems of Anemoi which limit the impact on cargo operations are helping give wind propulsion the place it deserves.
■ Rotor Sail on a bulk carrier
Credit: Anemoi
VISUALISING THE FRONTLINE OF SHIPPING TECHNOLOGY
Technologies for simulation, visualisation and modelling are advancing rapidly, writes Patrick Ryan, senior vice president, global technology & digital products and chief technology officer, ABS
A host of new modelling and simulation technologies; Augmented Reality (AR), Virtual Reality (VR) and the use of 3D ship models are reshaping approaches to vessel design, safe operations and training.
AR is finding application enhancing real world environments, overlaying digital information such as schematics or navigational information onto physical objects. To achieve this, cameras, accelerometers, gyroscopes, and depth sensors continuously monitor the environment to answer help users understand position, environment and distance.
The resulting data collection and processing happen nearly simultaneously as a digital overlay is projected to the user. Augmented reality headsets are providing constant real time information to crewmembers freeing them from computer screens and mobile devices.
VR on the other hand, immerses users completely into a virtual world. Computer games in VR are common today. This is ideal to provide a scalable, low-cost solution simulating environments for training purposes. ABS calls this environment ‘MetaShips’ and its ability to be reconfigured digitally makes it a great training tool.
Today, advances in spatial information capture with tools like 3D scanning or 360 degree cameras enhance the more traditional CAD or gaming object libraries to build even more realistic VR experiences. This allows for more realistic training scenarios than navigating 3D models, though perhaps with less ability to customize them.
VR and AR are well-developed technologies, though they
have room to grow. They both can be used with wearables like head-mounted displays or standard hand-held devices like tablets, laptops, or smartphones.
AR, VR and Mixed Reality (MR) can enhance decisionmaking by allowing users to interact with and relate to an asset they are viewing. These technologies have the potential to help reduce cognitive load by providing users with visuals that support understanding and provide context.
These visualisation technologies can be used both on and away from the asset or vessel in a collaborative fashion –giving operations teams an ability to communicate and collaborate in ways that were previously impossible.
Real World Models
Modelling and simulation involve creating and using a mathematical representation of a system to analyse its behaviour under different conditions. The mathematical models are created with multiple physical and software attributes, which allows users to quickly evaluate different solutions and determine their performance, identify software vulnerability, and cost-effectiveness.
Model development depends on the complexity of the system, the data available - and its accuracy - and the intended use case. Physics-based models characterise a real-world system’s behaviour using physics or first principles. These models are consistent and not limited to the range of data collected. Data-driven models use data collected to predict the system’s state.
■ ABS’s simulation interface
As shipboard systems become more interconnected and software driven, modelling and simulation tools will allow designers to understand the interoperability issues from multiple systems.
Multi-physics models certainly need a variety of visualisation solutions for the engineer to really understand the behaviour of the design or operation. The model and simulation technology are really about the mathematics and understanding of the constraints of the design or situation.
Communicating this design intent, whether a product design like a ship or a process design like emergency response, needs great visualisation technology to be effective. So now we are getting beyond static images from CAD or laser scans and understanding dynamic situations with high degrees of complexity. VR is very well suited to help human understanding of all that math.
Project Applications
As with all new technology, safety needs to remain at the forefront to mitigate unintended risks. To this end, ABS is funding research at Texas A&M University to better understand the safety implications of utilizing wearable devices in a field environment. These features include analyzing various AR hardware devices, fitness for purpose, UI design, hazard perception capabilities, and maintaining situational awareness.
In 2023, ABS joined Crowley’s new service network using augmented reality onboard their vessels. This joint mission enabled crew members to present technicians with realtime visuals. This collaboration will lead to quicker maintenance and upgrades. The focus of ABS is to explore what is possible for future survey operations as well as safety.
Different simulation techniques can be applied based on the objectives. For example, a continuous simulation provides insights into variables such as temperature, power, or fluid flow, which change continuously over time. A discrete-event simulation can be used to model processes that change at given points in time.
Both techniques give the user a bird’s eye view, identifying bottlenecks that build up over time. An agent-based simulation can help predict outcomes by predicting the interaction of two entities and revealing patterns and insights in complex systems to users.
In this role, ABS has supported studies using simulation tools to optimise various areas of maritime operations. In one study, ABS used advanced modelling and simulation
ABS has also launched a pioneering Green Shipping Corridors Simulation service to support international design and development of clean energy initiatives. The service offers a simulation of the complex network of stakeholders involved in corridor development.
Informing Vessel Design
Visualisation also impacts the vessel design process, enabling a 3D model-based approach to engineering and ship construction. 3D model-based systems engineering (MBSE) is an end-to-end 3D design process which applies 3D models instead of traditional 2D drawings to improve collaboration across the asset lifecycle, saving time and resources.
3D models provide an improved view of a design, helping to identify potential problems at an early stage. While this practice broadly benefits new designs, 3D models can also be developed to help with retrofitting new systems for older vessels.
Improved integration of 3D design tools like computeraided design (CAD) and computer-aided engineering (CAE) tools will contribute to MBSE and set-based design. They typically also allow engineers to bring richer design tools like
modelling and simulation into the process. This synthesis design model can improve feedback cycles between design, engineering and construction teams.
Visualisation in the design process helps mitigate the risk of late-stage changes. Such changes can have escalating costs in time and resources the longer they go unnoticed. Of course, these same models can be used later in the lifecycle of the vessel for training, operations, and other opportunities after the design work is complete.
Testing for Safety
As systems become increasingly complex and software driven, ABS is working to ensure that more robust virtual testing cane used to drive safety of new systems.
Virtual testing is the practice of using simulations to verify and validate the performance and functionality of a system. This practice can speed up development and implementation time by reducing the need for physical testing.
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3D models provide an improved view of a design, helping to identify potential problems at an early stage
Physical testing of unproven systems can be an impractical and slow process, consuming finite resources. Virtual testing, alternatively, allows a wide range of testing options that can be performed simultaneously without impacting real-world assets or prototypes.
Thousands of specific requirements in new software are not practical to perform manual testing. Ensuring software is tested in different conditions, scenarios and parameters reduces risk and cost in the hardware testing phases.
The development of highly detailed and accurate virtual models of complex maritime systems is key to technology’s journey. Access to more high-quality data will help inform more accurate models. This data will come from the growing number of sensors on board modern and future assets.
BERGEN EXPANDS FUTURE FUEL OPTIONS
As a bastion of European medium-speed technology, Bergen Engines has taken a further step in its advance to cleaner powering solutions by offering a 25% hydrogen blend in its natural gas engine range for both marine and landside applications
The move follows the commercialisation of a 15% hydrogen blend in 2022, after tests using a B35:40 lean-burn gas engine, and accords both with the Norwegian company’s goals and parent UK group’s overarching, long-term sustainability agenda.
The purchase of Bergen Engines from Rolls-Royce by privately-owned Langley Holdings on 31 December 2021 has given added momentum to the Hordvikneset factory’s drive to explore and expand future fuel options for the energy transition.
Last year, group chairman Tony Langley challenged the Bergen team to have a 100% hydrogen engine operating by the end of 2024. The 25% hydrogen blend development, designed to be applied without the need for modifications, was announced in June this year. It was reported then that technicians were on track to reach the goal of a 100% hydrogen-fuelled model before the close of 2024.
A versatile and clean energy carrier, hydrogen presents several key benefits besides environmental gains when blended with natural gas in reciprocating, medium-speed machinery. There are yields in terms of improved combustion efficiency and operational flexibility, in addition to significantly lower CO2 emissions. As higher volumes of hydrogen are incrementally incorporated into the fuel mix over the course of the development programme, engine running stability is a pivotal consideration.
global energy transition, but considers that it could be a decade or more before hydrogen is produced at scale. While the current work at Bergen is intended to ensure that the business will be ready to meet demand at that juncture, the company is in the meantime heavily engaged in the development of methanol- and ammonia-capable engines, and also biofuelcompatible options. It received a DNV-approved notation for its methanol-ready offering in February 2024.
Bergen’s modular engine design approach prioritises fuel flexibility, acknowledging the uncertainties that customers face when making long-term investments in ships and plant, as regards future fuel availability, costs, and regulatory landscapes, including potential CO2 taxes. Flexibility has to come with reliability and top efficiency ratings, whatever fuel type or combination is adopted.
The continuing evolution of the Bergen range is testament to the unremitting investment in R&D and production wherewithal at the Hordvikneset factory, which is widely associated with lean-burn K-G series gas engine technology introduced into the four-stroke portfolio in 1990.
Langley’s long-term mindset and commitment to research was swiftly confirmed after the takeover, backing Bergen Engines in the Ammonia Zero Emissions (AMAZE) project, a three-year study to develop technology for a high-pressure, multi-fuel, internal combustion engine using carbon-free
Tony Langley expects hydrogen to become central to the
■ Fuel flexibility increasingly permeates Bergen Engines’ production at Hordvikneset Credit: Bergen
ammonia as the primary fuel. Advanced fuel injection and combustion technology is expected to ensure high efficiency and close to zero emissions. Bergen’s collaborators in the endeavour, part-funded by the Research Council of Norway, include the Norwegian University of Science & Technology (NTNU) and energy group Equinor.
Earlier this year, Bergen also threw its weight behind the work of the FME Maritime Energy Transition Center(MarTrans). Sponsored by the Research Council of Norway to the tune of more than NOK300m ($28m), the initiative is one of the largest maritime research programmes of its kind worldwide, involving 65 partners from across the industry and academia, and spanning an eight-year timescale.
Bergen Engines, whose catalogue comprises liquidfuelled and gas fuel engines with ratings in the 1,40011,800kW band, now forms the core of Langley’s new Power Solutions Division. Within the Division, the Norwegian producer works closely with two other Langley subsidiaries, Piller Power Systems of Germany and Marelli Motori of Italy. For instance, the latter’s alternators provide pairing opportunities with Bergen prime movers in marine gensets.
The shipping market’s pressing need for solutions that promise flexibility while meeting efficiency and regulatory criteria has been illustrated by several new contract awards so far this year. One of these concerns four 7,000dwt shortsea, multi-purpose cargo vessels ordered by Norwegian operator Skarv Shipping from Huanghai Shibuilding in China.
The newbuilds have been specified with Bergen C25:33L6A gensets, featuring variable valve timing and variable-speed technology, under a deal which provides for future conversion
Tony Langley challenged the Bergen team to have a 100% hydrogen engine operating by the end of 2024
of the engines from diesel to ammonia operation, pending the owner’s decision.
Bergen C25:33 generators, using eight-cylinder engine drives, have also been selected as part of the power installations in two 117m hydrogen ro-pax ferry newbuilds for Torghatten Nord. Each double-ended newbuild will employ the gensets in support of the hydrogen-fed fuel cell plant which will provide main propulsion. Hydrogen-electric will be the primary operating mode, and diesel-electric the secondary mode. Furthermore, the Bergen engines will have the capability to burn hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO), such that regular sailings with the vessels will entail a hybrid mix of 85% hydrogen and 15% biofuel.
Scheduled for commissioning during 2026, and constituting something of a milestone in the industry’s shift to cleaner energy sources, the shipbuilding contract has been awarded to western Norway’s Myklebust Verft, which has assigned hull fabrication to Cemre Shipyard of Turkey. With the vessels in operation, CO2 emissions on the Vestfjord ferry connection, among the longest in the coastal network, are expected to be cut by 26,500t per annum.
METHANOL GAINS GROUND IN NET ZERO RACE
The use of methanol is one of several alternative fuel pathways that are being promoted as a route to compliance with the IMO zero-carbon strategy, which aims for shipping to reach net zero by or around 2050
According to the Methanol Institute, there are no obstacles to using methanol fuel in most types of ship. Converting Diesel engines is technically feasible, and given proper handling, the fuel is safe. Compared with heavy fuel oil, methanol can reduce emissions of SOx by 99%, NOx by up to 80%, and particulate matter by 95%.
Methanol can be produced in a variety of ways; typically using natural gas, but if renewable feedstocks such as agricultural, industrial or municipal waste can be used, in conjunction with renewable electricity and captured CO2, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions can be virtually eliminated on a well-to- wake basis. It is simpler to store, bunker and transfer than many other alternative fuels. On the other hand, its corrosiveness, toxicity and low flashpoint means additional safety provisions are needed, and because of its lower energy density, larger storage tanks are needed than for conventional marine fuels.
Methanol was identified as a potential low-emission alternative in 2015, when the ferry Stena Germanica was converted to run on methanol fuel, the first large vessel to be capable of burning methanol in its four Sulzer (Wärtsilä) 8ZAL40S medium-speed engines.
In 2016, Waterfront Shipping, a joint venture between Canadian methanol producer Methanex and Mitsui OSK Lines (MOL) of Japan, began operating some tankers on methanol, and now over half of the company’s 32-strong fleet have dual-fuel methanol-capable engines. These were
the first ocean-going ships to use the fuel, being equipped with MAN B&W ME-LGI two-stroke dual fuel engines.
Since then, the methanol-capable fleet has steadily expanded, culminating in the launch of Maersk’s 16,000 TEU methanol-fuelled container vessels, 18 of which have been ordered for 2024/5 delivery.
Methanol for four-stroke
MAN Energy Solutions says it has sold over 200 methanolready dual-fuel engines to date. As well as its ME-LGI twostroke, MAN ES sees a bright future for methanol-fuelled medium speed engines. Its recently-introduced MAN L27/38DF-M and 21/31DF-M four-strokes are aimed at propulsion of coastal and short-sea ships as well as methanol-fuelled auxiliaries on larger ME-LGI powered vessels. This is underlined by a recent order for three 6L21/31DF-M-powered gensets which will be prime movers for an electrically-powered bunker tanker to provide methanol fuel to vessels in the Port of Singapore.
Bjarne Foldager, MAN ES country manager, Denmark said: “Seeing our trusted MAN L21/31 gensets go into these ships as a methanol-fuelled version shows that maritime decarbonisation is a prominent consideration for shipowners in all vessel segments and sizes. It also clearly illustrates, regardless of the market one serves as shipowner, that our broad, dual-fuel portfolio enables everyone to take part in the green transition.”
■ Ane Maersk’ is the first large vessel capable of running on green methanol Credit: Maersk
4-STROKE ENGINES
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Many of the vessels purchased today will be sailing in 2050, so the engine solutions for carbon-neutral methanol cannot wait
Dominik Schneiter, WinGD CEO
The high speed engine sector is now embracing methanol fuel; shipbuilder Ulstein Verft has ordered two shipsets of three methanol-ready MAN 12V175D-MEV engines to power new Commissioning Service Operation Vessels (CSOVs) ordered by operator Bernard Schulte Offshore.
Florian Keiler, head of high speed, MAN ES said: “This first order for MAN 175D DNV-approved, fuel-ready engines proves MAN Energy Solutions’ commitment to support the marine industry transition into sustainable fuels.”
In addition, MAN is working with towage company Svitzer to develop the methanol-fuelled version of its 175D high speed engine for tug applications.
Fuel supply systems
According to Alfa Laval, methanol will demand new technologies and a different way of looking at the energy balance on board. The company’s FCM Methanol is a lowflashpoint fuel supply system (LFSS) that can be adapted to any kind of marine engine and vessel design. The technology has been operating on methanol fuelled vessels since 2016, and the company has delivered close to 100 FCM Methanol supply systems.
The company’s latest development is a joint agreement with MAN Energy Solutions to develop a methanol fuelsupply solution for MAN four-stroke engines. This comes as a result of MAN ES developing a retrofit solution for its fourstroke engines, meaning that as from 2025 four-stroke engine types will be capable of converting to methanol operation. MAN ES and Alfa Laval previously collaborated on developing methanol fuel systems for two-stroke marine, and Alfa Laval claims over 150,000 hours of operation for its LFSS at sea.
Viktor Friberg, Alfa Laval head of marine separation and fuel supply systems, said: “Alfa Laval supports all types of customer at all stages of the fuel transition by adapting our technology to support their choice of engine and fuel. We are proud to cooperate with MAN Energy Solutions in developing this new solution, which follows our long-standing and successful relationship within two-stroke marine engines.”
WinGD’S methanol-fuelled two-stroke engines rely too on the Alfa Laval LFSS. Dominik Schneiter, CEO, WinGD said: “Many of the vessels purchased today will be sailing in 2050, so the engine solutions for carbon-neutral methanol cannot wait. To bring reliable solutions quickly to WinGD customers, we need a knowledgeable partner in the fuel supply application. We are confident in the expertise Alfa Laval will bring to this collaboration.”
Alfa Laval’s experience with methanol fuel systems has allowed it to adapt the LFSS design for the latest generation of low-emission WinGD engines. As well as the LFSS itself, Alfa Laval is providing WinGD with the control system, fuel valve train and auxiliary functions like the purging system.
Auramarine of Finland was contracted by Meyer Turku shipyard for a methanol fuel supply system and associated equipment for the Mein Schiff 7 cruise vessel currently being completed for TUI Cruises. This is believed to be the first methanol-fuelled cruise ship, and aligns with TUI Cruises’
strategy of offering climate-neutral cruises by 2030. Auramarine’s methanol fuel supply system ensures the safe delivery of methanol from the service tank to the master fuel valve, regulating the flow, pressure and temperature to meet the specific requirements of the engine. The system actively maintains the supply pressure during load changes and filters the fuel to eliminate impurities. As part of the order, Auramarine is supplying the methanol bunker and transfer systems including automation and safety systems that ensure safe and reliable operations. A gas detection system and a methanol bilge system are included.
Japanese company Mitsui E&S, a licensee for both MAN B&W and WinGD engine designs, has developed its own methanol fuel supply system, which has gained approval in principle (AiP) from ClassNK, signifying that the system meets the requirements of guidelines published by IMO and ClassNK.
Danish company Eltronic FuelTech has signed a contract with CSSC Marine Power Zhenjiang of China for the delivery of two sets of fuel systems to be installed on the first ro-ro PCTC newbuilds to operate on green methanol. The vessels will have dual-fuel main and auxiliary engines, and the Eltronic systems have been developed in conjunction with MAN ES Holeby for the vessels’ MAN L21/31DF-M methanol genset engines.
Fuel cells use eMethanol
Green methanol can play its part in fuel cell technology, which is seen as offering potential for auxiliary power in large vessels. US company Advent Technologies, with collaborative partners including Meyer Neptun, Siemens and Lloyd’s Register, has received funding for its RiverCell 3 project, which aims to develop a maritime fuel cell system with a total capacity exceeding 500kW. This will be based on Advent’s modular 50kW eMethanol-powered systems, known as Serene, incorporating Advent’s Ion-Pair membrane electrode assembly (MEA) technology. The Ion Pair MEA technology is expected to enable extending the expected lifespan of fuel cells by at least three times and doubling the power density compared to earlier systems.
Morten Sørensen, SVP Advent Technologies said: “The growing adoption of eMethanol as an environmentally friendly fuel in maritime settings stems from its notable energy density, convenient handling, and minimal emissions. As the maritime sector intensifies its endeavours to cut carbon footprints and comply with environmental regulations, Advent’s eMethanol
■ WinGD’s methanol test engine at the Engine Research and Innovation Centre in Switzerland
4-STROKE ENGINES
fuel cells stand out as the preferred choice, providing a compelling substitute for conventional diesel generators and engines that can be easily embraced today.”
Methanol storage
Although methanol is relatively easy to store, compared with other alternative fuels, its lower energy density means that it takes twice as much in terms of volume to generate the same energy as traditional marine fuels. This can be a major issue onboard, taking up space that could be used for cargo. Although methanol tanks can generally be incorporated in new vessel designs, the extra volume could prove a major stumbling block in converting to methanol fuel. The problem is exacerbated by fire risks which can mean storing low flashpoint fuel tanks like methanol require cofferdams at least 600mm in thickness.
An Estonian company says it has found a solution. SRC Group’s Methanol Superstorage uses proven SPS (Sandwich Plate System) technology instead of cofferdams, meaning that a 25mm thick SPS protective barrier performs the same function as a 600mm cofferdam. This, says SRC, offers an increase of up to 85% in effective methanol storage capacity, as well as being simpler to instal and maintain. The SPS composite material comprises a polymer core between two steel plates, which has, according to the company, been used over a long period in various offshore and maritime applications. The material has an A60 fire rating, and the design concept has been granted AiP from Lloyd’s Register, showing that there are no major conceptual issues that would prevent gaining full classification and regulatory compliance.
The concept is now being brought to market through a collaborative agreement between SRC Group and Danish advisory and project management company Green Marine.
Hannes Lilp, CEO, SRC Group said: “Following the huge initial impact made by Methanol Superstorage, SRC and Green Marine will work together to provide comprehensive technical coverage for methanol integration. With Green Marine’s extensive experience in methanol projects and overall technical knowledge of the entire process, combined with SRC’s expertise in methanol storage and over 23 years of experience in ship refits and conversions, we are well-placed to onboard Methanol Superstorage for both retrofit and new build vessels, and establish a mature sales framework to enable global adoption.”
Training for crews
Operating sophisticated methanol dual fuel vessels requires qualified and well-trained seafarers and offers different challenges from conventional fuels. As well as training offered by engine and equipment suppliers such as MAN PrimeServ, and on simulators in training academies, specialist training providers are offering courses for ships’ crews in handling and using alternative fuels.
Green Marine is one such provider, having developed a comprehensive methanol dual fuel training curriculum, to educate seafarers, superintendents, technical managers and others needing to supplement the mandatory Basic and Advanced IGF Code training. The courses are based on actual onboard operational experience from methanol dualfuel vessels, focusing on all the components and systems involved in operating methanol dual-fuel technology, and the rules and regulations concerning safety systems. Green Marine is working with Maersk to provide methanol training for its crews.
Fire safety
Survival technology company Survitec has carried out comparative fire tests on dual-fuel marine engines using diesel oil and methanol, and found that methanol, with a much lower flashpoint of 12°C, burns in a completely different way from hydrocarbon fuels. Clear test protocols for alcoholbased fuels such as methanol have yet to be developed.
Michał Sadzyński, product manager, Water Mist Systems, Survitec said: “Our tests confirm that traditional water mist fire suppression mechanisms do not perform as expected on methanol pool fires and methanol spray fires. A completely different approach is required if these ships are to remain safe.”
The test findings indicate that if existing vessels are retrofitted to run on methanol, they would need to completely redesign fixed fire-fighting arrangements.
Maciej Nieścioruk, product manager, foam systems, Survitec said: “We are seeing a significant uptake in orders for methanol-fuelled vessels. With more methanol-powered ships being built every year, the industry must act now to prevent dangerous gaps in fire safety We encourage all stakeholders to come together to address methanol’s unique fire risks and create clear standards, new testing protocols and updated safety rules for methanol.”
■ Alfa Laval’s latest-generation FCM-Methanol fuel supply system
SeaTech PROJECT ENDS IN ULTRA-LOW EMISSIONS
The SeaTech project has wrapped up with Wärtsilä ready to roll out its new NextDF engine technology
The SeaTech project, launched by Wärtsilä and six partner organisations in 2020, has now culminated in enhanced combustion control technology that brings significant reductions in fuel consumption and emissions.
The objective of the project was to make a meaningful contribution towards the marine industry’s climate goals by achieving unprecedented emission reductions. It sought to combine new ship engine and propulsion innovations, whilst demonstrating that these could be retrofitted to make existing vessels more fuel efficient.
“There are thousands of ships that use old technologies and run on fossil fuels,” said Anders Öster, SeaTech project coordinator at Wärtsilä. “We identified new innovations we thought could address this and help significantly reduce emissions.”
The SeaTech project concluded that the combination of new engine control and new propulsion technologies, such as the bow foils tested during the project, create a very high energy conversion efficiency that can result in a reduction in fuel consumption of up to 30%.
Good investment
Shipowners can expect a return-on investment of as much as 400% due to the fuel and operational cost savings. In a Lifecycle Cost Analysis undertaken at the University of Tromsø in Norway, a vessel operating with an engine running on marine diesel was compared with the ultra-low emissions Wärtsilä 31DF engine operating with LNG fuel. The analysis took into consideration various costs, including construction and maintenance, as well as operating costs, such as fluctuating fuel prices and expected carbon emission costs.
methane emissions by 10%, were verified through an independent study conducted in December 2022 by VTT, the Technical Research Centre of Finland.
In comparing the total CO2 emissions from these two vessels over a 20-year period, the analysis concluded that a vessel operating with one LNG-fuelled NextDF Wärtsilä 31DF engine would save between EUR 5.5 million and EUR 10.8 million in carbon costs compared to the vessel operating with a standard diesel-fuelled engine.
An estimation of future carbon prices was made based on three OECD scenarios, namely, stated policies, sustainable development, and net zero emissions by 2050. The variation in anticipated cost savings reflected the difference in the three possible scenarios. “Assuming that just 10% of European short-sea vessels were to be retrofitted in such a way, 32.5 million tons of CO2 would be eliminated annually,” says Öster. “This is the equivalent of the emissions from 200,000 passenger cars.”
An engine upgrade for the Wärtsilä 31DF will not alter the outline dimensions, and the new engine version was trialled on one of the four W8V31DF engines on board Wasaline’s Aurora Botnia ferry. The retrofit work took place in September 2022 and by the end of 2022 the engine had accumulated about 300 hours in gas mode. It’s been in operation ever since and accumulated more than 4000 running hours. The operational results, which indicated that the engine combustion solution had reduced the Aurora Botnia’s
Technological upgrades
The NextDF technology employs a two-stage turbocharger design consisting of one low pressure and one high pressure turbocharger arranged in series, like that introduced with the 46TS-DF engine in 2022. It also incorporates stepless valve timing on both inlet and exhaust valves, which makes it possible to adjust the timing of the inlet valve and exhaust valve whilst operating the engine, within a range, in a stepless manner, for each cylinder. This optimises air supply and combustion which, together with its two-stage turbocharging, improves combustion stability and efficiency across the load range.
“We are actively controlling the in-cylinder thermodynamic condition with an updated fuel injection and valve train system, as well as a further developed monitoring and control system,” says Öster. “In this way we can maintain a more stable and controlled combustion process. The resulting thermodynamic process is fast and complete with a significant reduction in terms of hydrocarbon emissions while leading to a superior efficiency.”
The combustion is now more spatial distributed and stable, avoiding stochastic flame propagation, especially in the medium and low load range. It has been described in a paper published at the CIMAC World Congress 2023. The increased control achieves a “combustion pattern”
■ Wärtsilä 31 4-stroke engine
resembling knocking but controlled. “The knocking event is determined by the pressure-temperature history of the fuel mix during the firing compression stroke, when a certain thermodynamic condition is met, the charge self-ignites in a violent and complete combustion. This is a situation typically unwanted but if domesticated and made controllable, would result in optimal engine performance.”
The in-cylinder thermodynamic condition is actively controlled at the edge of the auto-ignition limit by the fuel injection and valve train systems in combination with cylinder wise triggers. This enables the control of combustion regardless of the specific volumetric efficiency or charge air temperature and pressure. The process requires a higher airfuel ratio compared to a standard DF engine, and this results in a very low combustion peak temperature that reduces NOx formation.
“Comparing diesel to NextDF we see an average reduction in CO2 emission at 33%,” says Öster. “We also see a reduction of NOx, SOx and PM by over 90%. Comparing the 31DF without and with the NextDF feature, we see a 56% reduction in methane emissions and 12% reduction of CO2eq at 50% load. Using the NextDF feature, there’s no need for additional methane abatement technology.”
Using the NextDF feature, there’s no need for additional methane abatement technology ‘‘
Anders Öster, SeaTech project coordinator at Wärtsilä
The SeaTech technology enables a vessel to be kept at a steady speed when, for example, the bow foil developed in the project is active and giving extra forward thrust. The power output from the engines is reduced, and this reduces the emissions from the engines further.
And the newly developed combustion technology goes beyond LNG applications. The enhanced hardware flexibility of the fuel injection and valve train systems, combined with the advanced combustion closed-loop controls, will serve as a solid platform for building effective performance concepts largely based on hydrogen and ammonia. Early laboratory tests indicate this potential, and Wärtsilä plans to roll out the technology to other engine types in the future.
Part of the development work, along with engine and large-scale model testing, has involved the development of a digital twin and comprehensive data science environment that was being used to predict the performance of the systems and their lifecycle costs. Key to that development was the desire to create something with the flexibility to evaluate other new technologies in the future.
The SeaTech project partners were Wärtsilä, Huygens Engineers, Liewenthal Electronics, National Technology University of Athens, Arctic University of Norway, University of Southampton, and Utkilen. The project received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program.
First orders and development history of NextDF Wärtsilä will supply its NextDF technology for two new ropax ferries being built for French operator La Méridionale, a subsidiary of CMA CGM. The vessels are to be built at the China Merchants Jinling Shipyard (Weihai). For each ship, Wärtsilä will supply two 12-cylinder, one 10-cylinder and one 8-cylinder Wärtsilä 31DF engines with NextDF technology.
The 180-metre-long ships will be able to accommodate 1,000 passengers as well as cargo freight. The Wärtsilä equipment for these ferries is scheduled to be delivered in mid-2025, with the ferries expected to enter service during the first half of 2027, operating between Marseille and Corsica.
The development of the next generation DF low pressure concept actually started back in 2017, said Wärtsilä researchers Diego Delneri, Martin Axelsson, Mika Varjosaari, Giangiorgio Sirch, and Heikki Korpi in a presentation to CIMAC in 2023. The focus of the early internal research was to address the weak points of the lean burn otto combustion: the high sensitiveness to air-fuel ratio and varying cylinder specific condition, cycle-to-cycle instability, and the flame quenching towards the combustion chamber walls and crevices. This creates dead volumes that make it difficult to burn gas trapped in crevices.
The variation in the cylinder thermal condition and air-gas mixture composition generates instability that results in suboptimal engine performance at part load and increases carbon monoxide and methane emissions.
The research aimed to minimise: “the incomplete combustion at the periphery of the combustion chamber (bulk quenching), the short circuit between intake and exhaust port (scavenging losses) and the cylinder dead volumes (crevices).”
The researchers indicated that the biggest challenge was to compile effective algorithms for the closed-loop controls based on processed data from the in-cylinder pressure signal to act effectively on the fuel injection and valve train both dynamically and as mapped values versus load and engine speed.
To address this, valve timing and compression ratio were customised, piston top shape and injector were modified, and the computational capability of the combustion control
NH3 COMBUSTION ENGINES vs FUEL CELLS
Approvals for ammonia-fuelled vessels increased in the run-up to Posidonia and featured both combustion engine and fuel cell power systems
2023 marked a breakout year for ammonia, and new orders have continued this year with at least 13 orders for vessels to date, according to DNV’s Alternative Fuels Insight (AFI) platform.
Orders include the May announcement from Trafigura that it has signed a contract for four ammonia dual-fuel gas carriers from HD Hyundai Mipo Dockyard. This followed news of Exmar’s latest newbuilding gas carriers which will be the first oceangoing vessels to be propelled by dual-fuel engines capable of operating with ammonia. Four vessels were originally ordered to operate on LPG, but in October last year, Exmar declared an option to change the fuel system to ammonia.
The engines for the Exmar vessels will be provided by WinGD, and the engine designer is also working with Korean shipbuilder K Shipbuilding (KSB), Alfa Laval and ABS on the development of an ammonia-fuelled MR tanker design.
In May, WinGD also secured an order for its X-DF-A ammoniafuelled engines in what will be the world’s first ammonia dualfuel Aframax tankers. Two vessels ordered by Singapore based shipowner and operator AET will be built at Dalian Shipbuilding Industry with six-cylinder X62DF-A engines.
The X52DF-A engine is the smallest bore size available in WinGD’s ammonia-fuelled X-DF-A series, and the first to be developed. WinGD has secured orders for it for ammonia carriers as well as X72DF-A engines for bulk carriers. The 52 and 72-bore variants will be delivered in 2025 followed by the 62 bore and other engine sizes from 2026, according to market needs, accommodating a wide range of vessel types from small tankers and car carriers to very large tankers. The engines operate according to the Diesel principle in both diesel and ammonia modes, with the same cylinder
configurations and rating fields as WinGD’s diesel-fuelled X-Engine range.
“First adopters of ammonia fuel are signalling confidence in the viability of both the fuel and the technology to use it,” said WinGD director of sales, Volkmar Galke.
Separately, WinGD has continued to develop the safety credentials for ammonia-engines, securing approvals in principle (AiPs) from four classification societies: Lloyd’s Register, Bureau Veritas, China Classification Society, and ClassNK.
Lloyd’s Register has granted approvals for a range of ammonia-fuelled designs including:
● an 8,200 teu container ship design from SDARI, Mediterranean Shipping Co and MAN Energy Solutions
● a 12,800 CEU dual-fuel PCTC and a 360,000dwt dual-fuel ore carrier from MARIC
● a very large ammonia carrier from Samsung Heavy Industries using Amogy’s ammonia-to-power fuel cell system
● a container feeder from HD Hyundai Mipo Dockyard and Korea Shipbuilding and Offshore using Amogy’s ammoniato-power system
● a 3,500 TEU container feeder from an industry taskforce including A. P. Møller-Mærsk, MAN Energy Solutions, Deltamarin, Eltronic FuelTech, ABS, and LR, which was led by the Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller Center for Zero Carbon Shipping.
A joint study into ammonia safety onboard ships was published last year by LR’s Maritime Decarbonisation Hub and the Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller Center for Zero Carbon Shipping (MMMCZCS). It was the result of a quantitative risk assessment analysis that identified vessel design and
■ Wärtsilä to deliver ammonia fuel system for two EXMAR Medium size Gas Carriers
operational measures that would reduce ammonia risks to be “as low as reasonably practicable” (ALARP).
LR's decarbonisation risk specialist, Samie Parkar, says the work identified that the safety impacts of an ammonia leak differ depending on the ammonia’s storage pressure and temperature. “It is recommended that ammonia fuel is stored at as low a temperature as possible,” says Parkar. When stored in a non-pressurized condition at -33°C, an ammonia leak will form a pool that will evaporate as it heats up. This evaporation is relatively slow compared to a pressurised and warm condition, where the leaked ammonia evaporates immediately when the pressure is released, leading to a bigger cloud.
Additionally, secondary containment mechanisms, such as double-walled piping, used for ammonia related equipment outside of already-restricted areas significantly reduce risk. The number of leak sources in a single space should be minimised. For example, the fuel preparation room could be divided into two or more separate spaces containing different groups of equipment that could leak ammonia. Ventilation outlets from spaces containing ammonia equipment should be placed in a safe location adequately separated from areas accessed by crew. Multiple sensors of different types to detect ammonia leaks should also be installed.
“One of the main considerations for the location of an ammonia storage tank is protection against tank rupture (and loss of containment) in the event of a collision,” says Parkar. “This risk can be reduced by adherence to the B/5 criteria as per the IGF code (a minimum safe distance between the storage fuel tank and the ship’s shell of 1/5th of the ship’s beam, B). This is particularly relevant for vessels where the fuel tank is in the hold. A tank on deck would be less likely to be impacted by a striking ship.”
Release the Kraken
The NH3 Kraken, the world’s first carbon-free ammoniapowered tug is set to sail later this year. The NH3 Kraken will take its maiden voyage in an inland waterway in New York.
The tugboat was originally built in 1957 and used diesel generators and electric motors. Amogy is retrofitting the NH3 Kraken with its ammonia-to-electrical power system, as part of its final technical demonstration as the company heads toward product commercialization.
The company has recently announced several partnerships focused on integrating the Amogy system into vessel designs. These collaborations vary in scope, but our containerized solution is modular, allowing for multiple systems onboard to achieve desired power outputs, says Anastasija Kuprijanova, director of maritime business development at Amogy. “For instance, we've partnered with HD Hyundai Mipo Dockyard and Korea Shipbuilding and Offshore Engineering to design a feeder ship incorporating our system for both main and auxiliary propulsion, resulting in a combined power output of 8,000kW. This design recently received approval in principle (AiP) from Lloyd’s Register.
“Additionally, we've joined forces with HD Hyundai Heavy Industries and Capital Gas Ship Management to develop a 93,000cbm ammonia carrier equipped with our technology providing approximately 1,400 kW of auxiliary power. This design has received AiP from both ABS and the Liberian Registry. These examples highlight the adaptability of our technology.”
Amogy’s ammonia-to-electrical power system cracks liquid ammonia into its base elements of hydrogen and nitrogen, which then funnels the hydrogen into a fuel cell. The system is fuel cell agnostic and Amogy has collaborated with several fuel cell providers to ensure the system can be integrated with their technology. Its partnerships include a
contract with Hanwha Ocean for marine applications that combine the Amogy cracking system with Hanwha Aerospace’s hydrogen fuel cell system.
The system’s waste heat is used in multiple applications including ammonia fuel vaporization and preheating. Its operation is carbon-free. “While combusting ammonia typically leads to substantial NOx emissions, we are cracking ammonia, which allows us to avoid these emissions. This is a significant advantage of our system over ammonia internal combustion engines. Furthermore, combusting ammonia requires the use of a pilot fuel, such as diesel, which generates carbon emissions,” says Kuprijanova.
A tank on deck would be less likely to be impacted by a striking ship ‘‘
Alma targets deepsea shipping with SOFC technology
The deepsea shipping segment holds the greatest potential for solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) technology, says Ivar Singstad, vice-president of business development at Alma during an Ocean Hyway Cluster webinar in June. A key reason for that is that the system requires 24 hours to reach operating temperature of 800oC for the first time and a few hours from idle mode.
A key advantage over ammonia combustion engines is that it achieves over 60% electrical efficiency and it is fuel flexible – capable of running on natural gas, methanol, ammonia, and hydrogen without the need for a separate cracking step. The SOFC runs at maximum efficiency at around 50-60% load.
Despite the higher capex than a combustion engine, Singstad calculates a payback period of two years given that fuel costs by far outweigh any other OPEX expenses.
Another advantage: “SOFC is also ideal for carbon capture since you never mix fuel and air,” says Singstad. “You have a lower exhaust volume and then higher CO2 concentration.”
Lab tests last year on a 6kW system test using ammonia achieved 61-69% efficiency. A 100kW system is now being tested under maritime conditions, and Alma is targeting 70% efficiency. The product launch is expected in 2025, and a 500kW system will be installed on the cruise ship Helenus using LNG as fuel in collaboration with Chantiers de l'atlantique and MSC in 2026.
■ ABS and LR award new ammonia vessel design AiP
■ Anastasija Kuprijanova, director of maritime business development at Amogy
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HYDROGEN IS A WASTEFUL FUEL
Paul Martin, chemical engineer and process development expert, explains the challenges of using hydrogen as a fuel
When you start looking in earnest at hydrogen as a fuel, it becomes apparent that it is a fuel which is difficult to move and store, and its energy density per unit volume under all conditions is extremely poor, even though the energy density of hydrogen per unit mass is excellent.
The most obvious options are high pressure gas storage and making liquid hydrogen (LH2). For transportation fuel uses, compressed gas storage is the least bad of a terrible set of choices. However, even at 700 bar (10,000 psig or 5 tons per square inch of pressure), hydrogen is still only 41 kg/m3
Hydrogen becomes a liquid at atmospheric pressure at a temperature of around -253C, or 20 Kelvin, i.e. 20 degrees above absolute zero. At that mind-bogglingly low temperature, it is still not very dense: only 71 kg/m3. And whereas to compress hydrogen from the 30-70 bar pressure at the output of an electrolyzer to 700 bar(g) can be accomplished for about 10% of the energy in the hydrogen, liquefying hydrogen takes 25-35% of the lower or net heating value energy in the hydrogen you’ve compressed. For methane, to make LNG, that amount is about 8-10%.
Turning hydrogen into a liquid
The problems of hydrogen liquefaction are considerable. First, hydrogen heats up when you expand it any time you start at a temperature above about -73C (200 Kelvin). This behaviour arises from hydrogen’s unusual negative JouleThomson coefficient above 200 Kelvin. That means, if you want to liquefy hydrogen, you first have to cool it down considerably as a gas before you begin. Generally liquid nitrogen precooling is used for this purpose, necessitating an air liquefaction plant as part of the works.
After precooling, the hydrogen can be liquefied by either a helium or hydrogen Claude refrigeration cycle. The energy input required is considerable. And hydrogen has another wrinkle: spin isomerization. The electron spins of the two hydrogen atoms in a hydrogen molecule can be either aligned (ortho) or opposite (para). When you condense gaseous hydrogen, you get a mixture of about 75% ortho and 25% para-hydrogen. As the liquid sits in storage, ortho gradually converts to para, releasing heat. And that released heat escapes the only way it can - by boiling hydrogen you’ve spent so much energy to cool and condense.
A catalyst is required to carry out the conversion more quickly so the heat can be recovered prior to storage, rather than causing excessive boil-off while the LH2 is being stored, but you’re still recovering that heat at 20 Kelvin and rejecting it to the environment at 293 Kelvin. That takes a lot of work (electricity), regardless of how you slice it.
Storing liquid hydrogen
With some liquefied gases, such as anhydrous ammonia, you can keep them liquid at room temperature merely by keeping the pressure high enough. But forget about doing that with hydrogen. The critical temperature is -240C. Above that, the liquid phase no longer exists.
Keeping heat out of LH2 at 20 Kelvin is easier said than done. Vacuum insulated “dewar” type tanks can be constructed, and for applications like this, spherical containers
are the optimal shape with the lowest surface area per unit volume. A land-based LH2 dewar tank about as big as you can make it, referred to as a Horton sphere, reportedly can have excellent performance, where only 0.2% of the hydrogen in the tank boils off each day. Any tank smaller than that, or of a less optimal cylindrical shape, allows even more to boil off per day. And in transit on a ship recapture and re-condensation of the boil-off gas is not possible due to the complexity of the refrigeration system required.
The problems of hydrogen liquefaction are considerable
The best you can do is to burn it, hopefully as a fuel, or if in port, just burn it to prevent it from becoming a greenhouse gas - hydrogen’s global warming potential is at least 11x as great as CO2 on the 100 year time horizon.
As this piece has shown hydrogen is extremely ineffective as a fuel. For those applications which require liquid fuels (limited to transoceanic aircraft and ships), it would be much more sensible to use biofuels, perhaps adding some green hydrogen to make up the hydrogen deficiency in biomass relative to the fuels we’ve become used to from petroleum. We should simply abandon the notion of using hydrogen or molecules whose sole energy content comes from hydrogen, as replacement fuels. That approach is just simple-minded fuel substitution thinking.
■ Paul Martin Chemical engineer
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Fuel cells aren’t likely to out-compete combustion engines any time soon, but their future is still bright
In May this year, a group of stakeholders led by the Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller Center for Zero Carbon Shipping published their research into the viability of fuel cells in the report: Fuel Cell Technologies and Applications for Deep-Sea Shipping. The focus was on replacing diesel generators with a fuel cell as the authors believe it appears unrealistic to assume that fuel cells will compete with or entirely replace internal combustion engines in the short term. Rather, it seems more likely that different technologies will co-exist for the foreseeable future due to the high initial costs currently associated with fuel cells and the adjustments that would be required in ships’ engine room design and standard operating procedures for crews.
The investigation involved a desktop study of an 82,000dwt bulk carrier, an LR2 tanker, and a 15,000 TEU container ship. The fuel cell configurations considered were liquid hydrogen fuel for a PEM fuel cell, methanol fuel reformed for a PEM fuel cell, and methane fuel for an SOFC. These options were compared to generators running on either LSFO, biomethanol, or bio-methane.
Real-world data was used for vessel operational profiles so that energy efficiency, greenhouse gas emissions, and fuel and equipment costs could be evaluated from 2025 to 2040. The calculations included replacement costs for fuel cells which are expected to be significant, as approximately 30-40% of the initial system is likely to be replaced every 3-4 years.
The results indicate that fuel cells could reduce both onboard fuel demand and greenhouse gas emissions. The technologies do not appear to require design modifications that would affect ship operations or costs beyond what can be expected for the combination of alternative fuels and internal
combustion engines. However, as well as the high costs currently forecast for alternative fuels, the additional cost premium of fuel cells affects their competitiveness in the short and medium term. Long-term, the financial outlook improves but remains conditional on a carbon tax or similar mechanism.
Powercell was one of many companies that provided input for the study. Stig Kallestad, Business Manager, PowerCell Sweden, says while fuel cells can be a true zero emission solution, they do still have relatively high CAPEX versus legacy commoditised, fossil energy sources. However, this algorithm is altering swiftly in favour of fuel cells as economies of scale increase, carbon pricing ratchets up, commercial incentives rise, and legislation tightens.
“As regulations evolve and technology costs decrease, shipowners must constantly re-evaluate their decarbonisation options. Moreover, as the act of polluting becomes more costly through mechanisms like the EU Emissions Trading System, the payback period for zero-emission technology is shortened.”
He says the total addressable market for fuel cell gensets is huge and points to the fuel flexibility of PowerCell’s technology which is powered by hydrogen, pure or reformed, and can also handle other types of e-fuels when connected with reformer technology.
“In terms of vessel types, fuel cells can replace the primary propulsion systems on many fixed route and short-sea ships such as ropax ferries. This is the case with the recent O.S. Energy windfarm support vessel agreement. At PowerCell, we have been calling these vessels ‘the 15%’ – vessels under 5,000 deadweight tonnes - as they are estimated to account for 15% of shipping emissions, with larger ocean-going
■ HAV Hydrogen Zepod with Maris fleet Credit: HAV Hydrogen
vessels accounting for the remaining 85%. The 15% has been a focus because they are ready for decarbonisation today through fuel cells,” says Kallestad.
PowerCell released its Marine System 225 in June, an adaptation of its previous Marine System 200 that offers enhanced power output and improved operational efficiency while maintaining a compact footprint. It is expected to receive Lloyd’s Register type approval.
“While fuel cells will continue to rapidly evolve, it is important to recognise that this technology is now very much proven.”
Partnering with shipowners
HAV Hydrogen (pictured) has teamed up with shipowner Maris Fiducia and ship designer Ankerbeer on developing, building, and operating hydrogen-powered dry bulk vessels in Europe. The vessels will go on hire through a zero-emission time charter agreement with Schulte & Bruns and be coupled with Norwegian Hydrogen’s hydrogen infrastructure.
HAV Hydrogen has obtained Approval in Principle from DNV for its Zero Emission Pod, ZEPOD®, a deckhouse containing a complete hydrogen energy system that can be used for main propulsion systems or auxiliary power. “As a specialist supplier and integrator of maritime fuel cell solutions, there is obviously a limit to how much we can influence the maritime industry on our own. By collaborating with a shipowner and a producer of green hydrogen, we enable a value chain approach that can tear down further barriers towards realisation of hydrogen as maritime fuel,” says Kristian Osnes, managing director of HAV Hydrogen.
H2 storage above or below?
Torghatten Nord’s two hydrogen ferries, being built at Norwegian Myklebust Verft will have an installed fuel cell power of 6.4MW. Hyex Safety highlights that all hydrogen systems will be installed on the top deck well above passengers. The main reason for this is that the project was a commercial tender in which 10+ years of operational cost were included in the tender. The cost of hydrogen therefore dominated the total tender cost, and the significantly higher cost of LH2 made it necessary to use compressed hydrogen to win. For a car ferry, a storage below deck would also reduce the capacity to carry vehicles.
While fuel cells will continue to rapidly evolve, it is important to recognise that this technology is now very much proven ‘‘
Stig Kallestad, business manager, PowerCell Sweden
This contrasts with a superyacht launched this year by Feadship which includes a 92m3 LH2 storage tank to feed the 3MW PEM fuel cell systems from PowerCell. Hyex Safety considered LH2 storage a more practical solution than compressed hydrogen in this case as hydrogen is stored at a higher energy density as a liquid compared to a compressed storage, and much less space is required for a liquid tank.
A compressed storage will typically consist of numerous pressure vessels, each with valves and piping, at 300-500 bar. For an LH2 tank there are much fewer leak points at much lower pressure (< 10 bar). A lower likelihood for leaks would be expected with a liquid storage.
LH2 storage below deck was considered far safer in this case. An LH2 storage tank centrally below deck is well
protected against collision and impact loads. For comparison a tank above deck may be more exposed to collisions with vessels or bridges, dropped objects and projectiles.
An LH2 storage tank below deck is better protected against external fires as major fires in the lower part of the vessel can be prevented by eliminating flammable substances near the tank, or by stopping FSHS ventilation. A major impact breaking a tank placed above deck will form a cold hydrogen plume initially denser than air, potentially falling to lower deck areas representing a fire/explosion risk.
Hydrogen fuel project pipeline questioned Hydrogen fuel suppliers fear a lack of demand, according to a new Transport & Environment (T&E) study shows. T&E’s mapping of green hydrogen projects across Europe shows that nearly 4% of European shipping could run on green e-fuels by 2030, but fuel suppliers appear to be reluctant to commit financially to projects without more guarantees that there will be demand for these fuels in the near future. This means the vast majority of projects may never come online in this decade, warns T&E.
However, through the European Hydrogen Bank the European Commission is awarding nearly €720 million to seven renewable hydrogen projects in Europe using revenue from the EU Emissions Trading System. The winning bidders will receive a subsidy to bridge the price difference between their production costs and the market price for hydrogen.
According to Nick Edström, managing editor, Hydrogen at S&P Global: “The economics of expanding low carbon renewable ammonia supply and to an even greater extent low carbon renewable hydrogen supply remain challenging, with regulatory support required to bridge the gap in price expectations between suppliers and prospective buyers. Improved price transparency is needed, as this will play a key role in helping the evolution of these markets.”
■ Marine System 225 by Powercell
HYDROGEN’S VIABILITY FOR LONG HAUL FERRIES
Hydrogen and fuel cells are under the magnifying glass of several ferry companies in northern Europe with one currently in service. Kari Reinikainen finds the use of hydrogen on longer services that require more of the fuel may still lie a few years ahead
The world’s first hydrogen powered ferry, Hydra of the Norwegian domestic ferry operator Norled, has been in service for just over a year. Soon after its entry into service, Enova, the Norwegian government owned organisation that contributes to transition to a low emission society, introduced a programme to launch value chains for both hydrogen and ammonia as marine fuels.
Among the recipients of these grants was Samskip Kvitnos, a 2015 built, 120 metre long freight ferry that operates between Rotterdam and the west coast of Norway – a much longer run that that served by the 82 metre long Hydra. The grant covers a pre-project study of the viability to convert the vessel to run on hydrogen fuel and fuel cells in the future.
Many ferry operators face more pressure to go green compared to owners of many other types of ships, as they deal with passengers among their customers, rather than just freight owners that are corporate clients. A vessel that operates on green fuel can have a significant advantage in competition for passengers compared to a conventionally fuelled vessel.
Stena Line, one of the largest ferry companies in the world, had been studying a concept called Stena Elektra that involved a large ropax ferry for its Gothenburg- Fredrikshavn service. However, the company abandoned the battery pack and solar panel power concept in favour of Stena Hydra, a 212 metre long hydrogen fuel cell powered ropax with about 2,500 lame metres of freight capacity. The projected vessel would have two 7.5 MW propulsion motors and with net hydrogen storage of approximately 10 tons, the vessel would have a range of 150 miles and a top speed of 22 knots, the Swedish Environmental Research Institute (SERI) said in a report called “Concept Design and Environmental Report of a Fuel Cell Ropax Vessel.”
Hydrogen fuel cell ropax annual costs 40% higher than traditional vessel
Citing figures for the fuel cell installation is obtained from the fuel cell manufacturer Powercell, the report said fuel cell cost is assumed to be 1,400 EUR/kW, the installation cost is 280 EUR/kW, and the annual maintenance cost, including replacement due to degradation, is assumed to be 0.044 EUR/kWh. The figures are based on a lifetime and depreciation time of 15 years and a discount rate of 7.5%. All annual investments costs are calculated based on constant payments over the lifetime. “In addition, costs for electrical engines including maintenance as well as a redundancy/ range extending auxiliary diesel engine installation of 10 MW as well as a 2 MWh battery installation is included in the total propulsion system for which capital costs and maintenance costs are added,” the report said.
The report concluded that a hydrogen fuel cell driven ropax ship would be more costly from a total cost of ownership perspective than for example running a conventional ropax ship on MGO or LNG with conventional
marine diesel engines. “In total, measured in annual costs, the hydrogen fuel cell fuelled ship is estimated to be 40 per cent more costly, excluding EU ETS costs, respectively 25 per cent more costly with EU ETS costs taken into consideration, using an expected cost for emissions allowances of EUR100 per tonne CO2,” it pointed out.
However, there are several variables that can change over time and which can have a material effect on the calculations, such as the cost of hydrogen, that of fuel cell technology and e.g. emission trading rights in the EU. Potential unexpected costs connected to pilot projects, including technology that is less mature, and less used and widespread could also be substantial and even become a hinder for the development of hydrogen fuel cell powered ships.
“Such potential risks can be everything from delays connected to getting all permits in place, delays related to technology failures, risks for cost increases for the technology, the fuel or additional safety measures that might restrict the operations or any other obstacles that might be difficult to foresee or estimate on forehand,” the report that was published in August 2023 pointed out.
Maria Hellbjörn, communications manager at Stena Line in Gothenburg, told The Motorship that the company does not currently have a timetable to introduce the projected vessel, but that work is ongoing on the development of it.
DFDS, the Copenhagen based ferry major, has also been studying the use of hydrogen as fuel on long haul ferries. In the autumn of 2020, it unveiled a project to introduce hydrogen fuel cell powered ropax vessel on the overnight crossing between the Danish and Norwegian capitals. Using PEM fuel cell technology, the 1,800 passenger and 380 car
■ Brian Bender Madsen, head of machinery and systems, Knud E. Hansen
capacity vessel was intended to have 23 MW engine power and a bunkering interval of 48 hours – the same as the time a round trip would take. It had been due to enter service in 2027. However, earlier this spring, DFDS sold the route and the two cruise ferries that currently operate on it to Rederi Aktiebolaget Gotland, a Swedish company. Its main business is a service between Visby on the island of Gotland and Nynashamn on the Swedish mainland and the company has a project called Horizon that calls for the introduction of hydrogen powered vessels on that run. The project calls for a ropax vessel capable of 28 knots and with space for 1,900 passengers and 100 lorries with a crossing time of three hours and 15 minutes.
Given that Gotlandsbolaget, as the company is locally known, is interested in developing hydrogen powered ferries for its main service, the question arises whether it would also be interested in promoting the same technology on the newly acquired service between Denmark and Norway. “Our focus right now is to take over (the Denmark- Norway) service. In the long run, we have high ambitions when it comes to the climate and the environment on this service, as we also have with the service to and from Gotland. However, we cannot say more at this time, this will be something we will discuss a bit later in the future,” said Karin Bill, head of communications at Gotlandsbolaget.
Retrofit of large freight ferry to run on hydrogen “technically feasible and commercially viable”
Meanwhile, in December 2023, DFDS published the results of a study regarding the viability of converting Magnolia Seaways, a 199 metre long freight ferry, which operates between Esbjerg and Immingham, to use a hydrogenelectric power plant. Hydrogen would be supplied from a proposed plant near Esbjerg at a pressure of 40 bar, which would be increased to 500 bar by three compressors. A buffer storage facility capable of holding 49 tons of hydrogen would supply 10 tons of the fuel per hour to the ship, while Magnolia Seaways would use 18.8 tonnes of the fuel per round trip on average.
“On-ship safety concept envisages high-pressure installations above deck and low-pressure installations below deck. Approx. 27 t of hydrogen are stored in pressure vessels at 250 bar. This powers a fuel cell system delivering a max. output of 15 MW, which is accompanied by batteries with a gross capacity of 8 MWh. The rated power of the electrical motors is 15 MW,” the report said.
It concluded that the retrofit of Magnolia Seaways with a hydrogen fuelled propulsion system, under a set of basic assumptions, would be technically feasible and commercially viable. “Cost for hydrogen is of most significance for TCO. With H2 prices from production plant at pre- sent level, CO2 abatement cost in the range of 400 – 500 EUR/tCO2 are assumed. It is expected that the costs for H2 will be lower in the future, significantly reducing cost for decarbonisation,” the report summed up.
Dennis Kjærsgaard Sørensen, global head of media relations at DFDS, told The Motorship that the aim of the study had been to analyse the feasibility of retrofitting large ferries with a hydrogen propulsion system. “However, we are not planning to use hydrogen as a fuel in the very near future. The study was a part of our efforts to contribute to the development of knowledge on the use of hydrogen as we analyse possible net-zero scenarios for both vessels and road transport going forward. Our aim and ambition is to introduce six green vessels by 2030 powered by methanol, electricity and ammonia,” he stated.
The views of DFDS align with a report by the Norwegian
We are not planning to use hydrogen as a fuel in the very near future ‘‘
Dennis Kjærsgaard Sørensen, global head of media relations at DFDS
classification society DNV that was published in May, which forecasts that the uptake of hydrogen as marine fuel would be slow.
“In the maritime subsector, uptake will start in the mid2020s, but will take ten years to start scaling noticeably. Initially, some smaller vessels will be fuelled by pure hydrogen, but the vast majority of hydrogen use in maritime will be in the form of hydrogen derivatives,” DNV said in the report called energy Transition Outlook – Transport in Transition. Only from the middle of the 2030s could we expect to see hydrogen and other e- fuels to emerge in a significant scale as marine fuels, the report said.
Lack of bunkering infrastructure major obstacle
“According to DNV’s Alternative Fuels Insight… globally there are 10 smaller ships with hydrogen equipment installed, but not used, and another 24 ships on order as of March 2023. There are currently no bunkering facilities for hydrogen available,” the classification society pointed out.
Brian Bender Madsen, head of machinery and systems at Danish naval architect firm Knud E. Hansen also believes that a large scale take up of hydrogen as fuel for large ferries used on long services will take time. “For many years to come, I believe we will only see smaller ships or ships operating on short routes using hydrogen directly from hydrogen storage tanks,” he said, adding that this would be due to storage issues and cost.
Mia Elg, development manager, energy and environmental efficiency at Finnish consultant naval architect firm Deltamarin, is on the same lines: the technology needed to run ferries on hydrogen is largely there, but the infrastructure is not.
“Hydrogen is at its best on services that do not entail very long voyages and where ships use the same ports all the time. This will facilitate the development of bunkering infrastructure –we do not live in hydrogen economy yet,” she told The Motorship.
“I would assume that one will a first always optimise the battery capacity of a vessel and to use shore power for as far as possible. However, longer crossings will require another energy source as well and for this purpose, hydrogen is a potential zero emission fuel,” she continued.
Hydrogen molecules are very small and therefore they can easily escape in the case of a smallest leak, which Elg said is an important factor to bear in mind in particular in the case of high pressure hydrogen storage. Consequently, the hydrogen stores onboard should be kept moderate in size.
Ferries have a moderate hotel load energy consumption and their energy consumption for heating is also moderate, both factors that make hydrogen feasible as energy source. “To sum up, technology we do have, but the question about bunkering infrastructure comes always to mind first. In Norway, MF Hydra receives liquid hydrogen all the way from Germany –perhaps this will not be the final solution (to bunkering the vessel],” Elg concluded.
■ Mia Elg, development manager, Deltamarin
ALL-ELECTRIC TUGS: THE FUTURE IS HERE
The christening of the eWolf has signalled a step change in electric tug demand
The newly-christened all-electric tug eWolf has 6.2MWh of installed battery power, larger than any of the etugs in service or under construction. “It’s definitely the future, and the future is here,” says Bruce Strupp, ABB Marine & Ports’ VP of marine systems in the US and Canada. A lot of people have been hesitant about the technology, but it’s proven now, and Strupp is fielding project inquiries almost on a weekly basis.
Crowley’s eWolf is the first all-electric, ship assist harbour tugboat in the US, and it will undertake busy eight-hour shifts on a single charge in the Port of San Diego. The tug, built by Master Boat Builders, has a bollard pull of 70 tons.
ABB performed systems integration, engineering and automation on the newbuilding and supplied its Onboard DC Grid™ power distribution system platform, two 2.1MW permanent magnet propulsion motors, low-voltage switchboards, transformers, li-ion batteries from Corvus Energy, Schottel mechanical L-drive thrusters, and the ABB Ability™ Remote Diagnostics System for Marine for continuous equipment monitoring and predictive maintenance.
The energy storage capacity was determined based on the operational profile of existing Port of San Diego tugs. The tug also has backup diesel gensets for range extension.
“A rule of thumb that I have found to be true in most cases is that anytime you can take advantage of electricity that’s produced shoreside, it’s cheaper than electricity that’s produced on the vessel,” says Strupp, and much of the electricity produced on the west coast of the US is hydro, so it’s green.
Space and weight are key design constraint for tugs, but eWolf is very well laid out, says Strupp. “There’s a lot of space to work, to manoeuvre. There’s plenty of overhead space and plenty of room in the two battery spaces as well. Master Boat Builders and Crowley did a really good job making sure the space was used efficiently.”
Compared to traditional power systems involving two diesel engines, all-electric tugs are quieter and cheaper to operate and maintain. Maximum bollard pull is only required for a small portion of operations (around 5-10% for eWolf); most time is spent in transit or on standby. In a purely diesel engine configuration, this means running large engines at low, inefficient loads most of the time. In contrast, battery-electric drivetrains are very efficient across the required power range and can generate maximum thrust quickly when required.
Also entered into service over the last year was the first ElectRA 2800 series of battery-electric tugs designed by
■ The Crowley eWolf, all-electric tug boat
Visit us at SMM Sept 3-6, 2024 Hamburg, Germany
P2X SYSTEM SOLUTIONS
FOR A CLEANER, DECARBONIZED WORLD •
Robert Allan Ltd and built by Sanmar Shipyards. To date, three HaiSea all-electric tugboats, the Wamis, Wee’git, and the Brave, have arrived in Vancouver to provide ship-assist and escort towing services to LNG carriers at LNG Canada’s new export facility in Kitimat.
With 65+ tonnes bollard pull and 6.1MWh of Corvus Energy battery capacity each, the tugs will perform all their shipberthing and unberthing missions on battery power alone, using the ample clean hydroelectric power available in Kitimat to recharge. Like the eWolf, the vessels have diesel backup generators for range extension.
Anytime you can take advantage of electricity that’s produced shoreside, it’s cheaper than electricity that’s produced on the vessel ‘‘
Bruce
Strupp, ABB Marine & Ports’ VP of marine systems
When the energy storage levels in a fully electric tug drop too low, the vessel may be unable to perform certain duties. To manage this, operators rely on real-time monitoring systems that continuously track battery status and issue alerts when levels drop below safe thresholds. Operations are planned according to the battery’s state of charge, with energy budgets assigned to each task to ensure completion within available power limits. Load shedding and throttling can reduce power consumption, while maintaining a reserve capacity and having backup systems like auxiliary generators provide additional security.
Efficient management also involves strategically placed charging stations for energy replenishment and the use of predictive analytics to optimize battery usage. Safe operating
protocols dictate minimum battery levels, and crew members are trained to follow procedures that prioritize critical operations and safely return the tug to a charging base when necessary. By integrating these strategies, operators can maintain the tug’s operational efficiency and safety, even when energy levels are low.
Sanmar is delivering a further four ElectRA Series tugs: two to SAAM Towage in South America, one to Bukser og Berging in Norway, and one will also join Sanmar’s own fleet in Türkiye.
■ HaiSea Marine Wamis
■ Look inside eWolf at Corvus technology
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BUILDING ON A VERSATILE Ro-Pax PLATFORM
A recently formalised Greek commitment to Stena RoRo’s E-Flexer concept has given extra dimension to one of the industry’s most extensive ro-pax newbuild series projects to date and has demonstrated the ever-widening market reach of the design involved.
Marrying Nordic technical and operational know-how with cost-competitive Chinese production, the E-Flexer template provides for multiple configurations as regards hull length, payload capacity and mix, internal layout and powering arrangements. Besides the versatility as to delivered form and specification, the platform affords maximum flexibility for adapting to potential carbon-neutral fuels and systems in the coming decades.
The new deal takes the tally of confirmed orders to 15, and shipbuilding contractor CMI Jinling Weihai (formerly AVIC Weihai) has duly delivered 10 of the vessels so far. The business transacted by Stena RoRo involves established operators in commercially and geographically disparate spheres of the ferry business, including the Irish Sea, the eastern Channel, the western Channel and Anglo-Spanish traffic, the Canadian east coast, western Mediterranean and the Adriatic. The application of a core design to service areas and regions entailing substantially different sea conditions and scheduling demands speaks further to its adaptability.
While five of the ships booked to date have been enrolled into the short-sea network maintained by Stena RoRo’s sister company Stena Line, 10 have been fixed on a long-term basis to other, high-profile players.
Market soundings indicate sustained strong interest in the concept, and Stena RoRo has now broadened the offering with more freight-orientated ro-pax versions plus a pure roro design, the C-Flexer, of up to 5,050 lane-metre intake. The E-Flexer’s inherent flexibility is also embraced by the 147m NewMax version optimised for access to restricted ports, and which has already attracted orders for two newbuilds, also entrusted to CMI Jinling Weihai.
The latest endorsement of the E-Flexer design emanates from the Athena Group, an enterprising member of the
expansive Greek ferry community. Attica has entered into a long-term charter agreement against the two further vessels ordered in China by Stena RoRo, constituting the 14th and 15th in the series.
Customised to Attica’s Superfast-branded operation, the ferries are scheduled to be ready for Adriatic service during 2027. The 240m newbuilds rank among the largest E-Flexer variants to date, laid out for 1,500 passengers and 3,320 lanemetres of freight, equating to some 200 trucks.
The nature and extent of the commercial terms are similar to those underpinning previous E-Flexer contracts, whereby Attica will take the ships into its fleet under 10-year bareboat charter, with an option to purchase after the initial five years. Moreover, options on two more vessels are expected to be appended to the deal.
The Attica-assigned newbuilds are described by Stena RoRo as the most bespoke E-Flexers yet, testament to the utility built into the original design template by the Swedish company in collaboration with Finnish-based, Chineseowned consultancy Deltamarin. The latest iteration is the product of close cooperation between the Stena RoRo and Attica technical teams.
The Greek firm has shown its propensity for innovation over the years, notably with the original Superfast series that redefined Adriatic route connections in terms of speed and quality, followed by the Blue Star Patmos ro-pax type, and most recently by the 32-knot Aero Highspeed catamaran ferry class.
Specifications
Attica’s E-Flexers will each have a two main, medium-speed propulsion engines that can be run on conventional marine gas oil (MGO), heavy fuel oil (HFO) or biodiesel, while prepared also for future operation on methanol.
In addition, the specification and layout will accord with a classification society notation signifying readiness for future utilisation of batteries. When and if such a course of action is adopted will depend on energy storage system technological development and costings. Installation of a battery pack would mean less usage and reliance on diesel generators. The fact that battery packs in a range of capacities have been nominated for a number of E-Flexers currently on order will no doubt inform the latest project.
In any event, on scheduled completion in April and August 2027, the new vessels will have an substantial environmental impact from the outset, reducing the company’s greenhouse gas emissions per unit of transport by 60% relative to the existing vessels coming up for retirement.
E-Flexer deliveries started in November 2019 with the handover of the Stena Estrid to Stena Line for Irish Sea duty. As the ‘standard’ design, the vessel provides capacity for some 1,000 passengers 3,100 lane-metres of freight within a length of 214.5m on a 27.8m beam, and the subsequent five newbuilds, variously commissioned into the Stena, Brittany Ferries and DFDS fleets, embrace the same main parameters. The seventh and eighth ro-pax ships are extended versions of 240m, taking a vehicular payload of up to 3,600 lanemetres in Stena Line service.
Modified
Subsequent deliveries and orders have brought customisation to the fore, resulting in a range of lengths and capacities, albeit on the common, original beam of 27.8m. The 2024-delivered 10th in series Ala’suinu for Canadian company Marine Atlantic embodies a shorter version, at 203m due to port constraints. The Corsica Linea-fixed 13th newbuild, to be allocated to the Marseilles/Corsica traffic, will be of similar dimensions and capacity to the Ala’suinu.
Two E-Flexers in build for Brittany Ferries’ cross-Channel operations have been specified at 195m length in keeping with terminal and manoeuvring space criteria, but with differing provisions for freight according to the distinct routes involved. The forthcoming additions to the Attica fleet denote a return to the 240m length as employed for the Stena Estelle/Stena Ebba sisters completed in 2022.
Rather than the four-engine layout that has typified large ropax ferries hitherto, the E-Flexer is powered by two mediumspeed engines geared down to controllable pitch propellers for a speed in the region of 22-23 knots. The use of fullyfeathering screws means that, at speeds less than 18 knots, the ship can run more economically on a single propeller, with the other unit ‘feathered’ so as to reduce resistance.
The main engines in the diesel-mechanical installations driving the first five vessels are ‘gas ready’, to facilitate possible future conversion to LNG or methanol fuel, while the sixth ship, Brittany Ferries’ Salamanca, was fitted with LNG dual-fuel machinery from the outset. The adoption of a 2.3MWh battery pack in the Marine Atlantic ferry introduced a hybrid element into the E-Flexer series, and application of the technology to the design will reach a new scale by way of 11.3MWh battery installations to supplement the LNG dualfuel main plant in the Guillaume de Normandie and SaintMalo now taking shape in China for Brittany Ferries.
The initial use of MaK M43C medium-speed engines, whose production was terminated by the Caterpillar Group a couple of years ago, has been followed by the adoption of the Wartsila 46 wide-bore type, predominantly in its W46DF dual-fuel format.
As exercised through Stena RoRo, the Stena Group’s proficiency in structuring and managing turnkey projects, complementing its prowess in ship design and operational
It has given a major uplift to Chinese shipbuilding and helped the industry become the major global force in the ro-ro newbuild sector
know-how, quickly came to the fore in the mid 1970s, when the company entrusted a major programme to South Korea’s emergent shipbuilding industry. A series of 11 ro-ro freight vessels dubbed the Searunner class, delivered to various short-sea operators over the course of 1977 and 1978, not only put down a new template for the trade but also entailed a design that had been prepared from the outset for laterstage adaptation, be it jumboisation or conversion.
The twin Pielstick-engined Searunner became something of a standard in the trailership sector, and the flotilla proved highly productive over many years in different spheres, delivering what was regarded at the time as good efficiency. A number of the vessels actually went through more than one conversion.
The build
The bold move in taking such an extensive series to what was then a young shipyard, Hyundai Heavy Industries, which had little experience in ro-ro construction, was testament to Stena’s ability to identify promising, cost-competitive builders and undertake the requisite project management to ensure contractual performance and delivered quality.
The transaction helped drive the Hyundai Group’s ascendancy on the international stage. While Stena RoRo has fulfilled numerous other projects entailing multiple examples of new ro-ro and ro-pax designs throughout the intervening years, the E-Flexer programme provides a further illustration of the Swedish company’s skill in matching a suitable production resource with a design offering broad market reach through a concept that lends itself to customisation and modification.
It has given a major uplift to Chinese shipbuilding and helped the industry become the major global force in the roro newbuild sector. In fact, Chinese preparedness to adjust designs and specifications conceived fundamentally for serial construction to individual operators’ requirements can be seen as a strength, one that compares favourably with yards in other parts of the Orient which are far less amenable and/or highly price-sensitive to adjustments in the standard ‘package’.
■ The Stena Estrid, Dublin to Holyhead
EXHAUST GAS SCRUBBERS
MOVE INTO CARBON CAPTURE
Exhaust gas scrubbers had been around for a few years, on land more than at sea, before IMO imposed its universal 0.5% sulphur cap on heavy fuel oils (HFO) from 1 January 2020, not forgetting the 0.1% limit on sulphur content in designated emission control areas (ECAs) imposed five years previously
Alfa Laval, for example, says that its first PureSOx scrubber began operation in 2009. Wärtsilä offers three different scrubber families, to suit various shipboard applications. In addition, Wärtsilä’s lifecycle agreements can include scrubber equipment, such as a recent six-year agreement signed with Malaysia-based Nautica Ship Management, covering two vessels, and ensuring the equipment is maintained at maximum efficiency.
Leading up to the 2020 IMO deadline, scrubbers began to make commercial sense. The IMO rules allowed ships to continue burning high-sulphur HFO if the sulphur oxide gases in the exhaust could be removed so that the smoke stack emissions were reduced to the equivalent of burning 0.5% (or 0.1%) sulphur fuel. The alternative was to switch to lower sulphur fuels, such as distillates (MGO or MDO), which were not only more expensive, but had many other implications such as wear of fuel pumps and systems (the high viscosity and sulphur content associated with HFO offer inherent lubrication properties) and choice of cylinder lubricant (lower alkalinity, i.e. base number, is required for low-sulphur fuels). This latter point proved of particular concern if changing from high- to low-sulphur fuel in ECAs.
The disadvantages of exhaust gas scrubbers were that they were heavy and bulky, potentially taking up space that could be used for cargo or passengers, as well as costly. Whether the sums added up for fitting them to ships depended mainly on the price differential between HFO and low sulphur alternatives. The early adopters of scrubbers found themselves at a financial advantage, such was the cost difference. Although oil prices, and the residual/distillate differential, varies, the economic case was made, and ships continue to be fitted with scrubbers.
Scrubbers have not proved to be the ‘one type fits all’ solution that many of the manufacturers envisaged. Although effective at removing sulphur oxides and particulate matter from the exhaust, environmental attention has switched to carbon emissions – i.e. burning less fuel, or switching to an alternative, potentially lower-carbon, fuel such as LNG or bio-fuel.
Scrubbers in hot water
Another problem has been dealing with the wash water. Earlier scrubbers were of the open-loop type; the sulphur residues being discharged into the ocean. This may be acceptable in the open sea, but higher sulphur concentrations in some busy ports and coastal areas have given rise to concern. This has been partially addressed by development of closed-loop scrubbers, where residues are collected for safe disposal on shore, and hybrid scrubbers which can operate in either mode. As a result, many ports have imposed bans on the use of open-loop scrubbers, or a complete ban on scrubbers in port, so ships have had to switch to lowsulphur fuels anyway.
Among the latest countries to prohibit scrubber use is Denmark. From 1 July 2025, open-loop scrubbers are prohibited in Danish territorial waters, followed by a ban on all scrubbers from 1 July 2029. This is a controversial issue; although states are keen to show that they are taking positive steps to clean up their waters, the scrubber industry disputes the environmental risk.
According to Capt Michael Kaczmarek, chairman of the Clean Shipping Alliance: “The Danish members have seen this coming but now they have a timeline. The full news release has claims about risks to the environment but there
■ MOL’s LR1 tanker ‘Nexus Victoria’ is the largest vessel to be fitted with Value Maritime’s Filtree scrubber and carbon capture system
21 TO NOV 2024 19 Hamburg Germany
Provisional Conference Programme
Empire Riverside Hotel, Hamburg
Powering shipping’s emissions-cutting ambitions
Propulsion stream | Alternative fuels stream | Technical visit
Two days of conference streams commencing with a keynote panel focused on the cost of financing decarbonisation and who is going to pay, followed by sessions that will explore the Fuels for 2030, Safety challenges with new technology and the shortlisted nominations for the Motorship Awards. Within the streamed sessions on day 2 you can expect to learn about the specific challenges with LNG / bio methane, ammonia, methanol, liquefied hydrogen, retrofit solutions, advances in lubrications, and carbon capture.
Chairmen:
Lars Robert Pedersen, Deputy Secretary General, BIMCO
Dr. Markus Münz, Managing Director, VDMA Large Engines
visit: propulsionconference.com
contact: +44 1329 825335
email: conferences@propulsionconference.com
DAY ONE - TUESDAY 19 NOVEMBER 2024
08:00 Coffee & Registration
09:00 Chairman’s welcome
KEYNOTE PANEL: EU Regulatory Requirements and the Emerging Market for Carbon Capture: Challenges and Opportunities
Panel Moderator: Lars Robert Pedersen, Deputy Secretary General, BIMCO
Panellists include:
Rasmus Stute, Area Manager, Vice President, Maritime, DNV
Dr. Harry Conway, Chair, The Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC), IMO
Pernille Dahlgaard, Chief Government, Business & Analytics Officer, Zero Carbon Shipping
Patrick Van Cauwenberghe, International Trade Networks Manager, Port of Antwerp-Bruges*
10:30-10:50 Coffee and Networking
SESSION 1: Methanol: Lessons Learned from Expansion of Vessels Operating on Methanol
Moderator:
10:50-11:50 Sebastian Ebbing, Group Sustainability Officer, MPC Container Ships GmbH & Co. KG
Kjeld Aabo, Maritime Transport Senior Advisor, Methanol Institute Hannes Lilp, CEO and founder, SRC Group Thorbjoern Petersen, Founder, Smart-Marine
11:50-12:10 Q&A
12:10-13:40 Lunch & Networking
SESSION 2: LNG: Methane Slip Reductions, Advances in Engine Performance
Moderator:
13:40-14:40 Can Murtezaoglu, Business Development Manager, GTT
14:40-15:00 Q&A
15:00-15:30 Coffee and Networking
SESSION 3: THE MOTORSHIP AWARDS
15:30-16:50
16:50 Conference wrap-up and close
17:00-18:00 Drinks Reception
18:30 Conference Dinner
DAY TWO - Wednesday 20 November 2024
08:30 Coffee & Registration
09:00-09:15 Recap of day 1 by Chairmen
SESSION 4: Bio-Fuels: Operational Experience for 2-Stroke and 4-Stroke Engines
Panel Moderator: Lars Robert Pedersen, Deputy Secretary General, BIMCO
Hydrogen installations on board passenger ships status of art about hydrogen rules (IMO Guideline, class rules), hydrogen technology availability and technical challenges for the hydrogen and fuel cell installation on passenger ships in international trade.
Patrizio Di Francesco, North Europe Special Projects Business Development Manager, RINA
Session 6.1: Ammonia: Challenges and Solutions (fuel supply, after treatment, new engines, pollution control, fuel tanks)
Moderator:
Kristian Mogensen, Promotion Manager, MAN Energy Solutions
Session 6.2: Wind Propulsion
Moderator: Gavin Allwright, IWSA
Taking fuel savings to the next level with integrated wind solutions
Holistic approach to wind assisted vessel design. Integration of wind propulsion with machinery and other energy saving measures. Introducing a novel bulker concept that will deliver fuel savings of 40-50%
Oskar Levander, VP Strategy & Business Development Integration & Energy, Kongsberg
Lubricants Enabling Alternative Fuels for Maritime Decarbonization
This study examines ammonia’s impact on engine oil degradation by artificial ageing. The aged oils’ performance was evaluated for oxidation, corrosion, deposit formation, and wear properties.
16:55-17:10 Conference Wrap up with Moderators and Chairmen
17:10 Conference Close
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does not appear to be any risk assessment. These are disappointing news from Denmark”.
The industry is gearing up for the future, looking at how carbon capture systems (CCS) can be integrated with exhaust gas scrubbers. The CCS being developed by Wärtsilä is based on solvent technology, used in land-based industries. This method uses either a liquid solvent (or solid sorbent) to absorb CO2 from the exhaust gas, and then uses pressure and/or temperature to release the CO2 from the solvent or sorbent. Onboard storage of the captured CO2 can be achieved in various ways.
Kashif Javaid, Wärtsilä sales director said: “Two of the main technical qualities we’re looking for in solvents are their lifetime and the heat demand associated with stripping the CO2. Different solvents require different temperatures, which also leads to cost implications. Our goal is to find a solvent that operates at a lower temperature so that the heat demand is lower.”
Although the Wärtsilä system is being developed separately from the standard scrubbers, the aim is to add carbon capture modules to the scrubbers in the future. With this in mind, the company say its has already received orders for carbon capture-ready scrubbers which are being installed on four newbuild container vessels.
According to Scott Oh, Wärtsilä director exhaust treatment Asia: “We are very excited to announce this world-first order for our CCS-Ready scrubber solution. By investing in a CCSReady scrubber, ship owners will future-proof their assets and enable a smooth transition to CCS adoption once the technology is mature in the very near future. CCS is one of the key solutions to enable maritime decarbonisation in a short timeframe, and we look forward to progressing our technology further.”
CCS is one of the key solutions to enable maritime decarbonisation in a short timeframe ‘‘
Scott Oh, Wärtsilä director exhaust treatment Asia
Previously, Norwegian shipowner Solvang signed a letter of intent with Wärtsilä to test CCS for shipboard installation. The companies are testing a CCS system in the Moss research centre, in a simulated ship environment before installing a full-scale CCS onboard Solvang’s ethylene carrier Clipper Eos. The resulting liquid CO2 will be transferred to deck tanks, ready to be processed for re-use in industry (e.g. to produce synthetic fuel), or long-term storage.
Another company active in marine CCS is Value Maritime (VM), in the Netherlands. The VM scrubber, known as ‘Filtree’(pictured), has been designed as a combined exhaust gas scrubber to remove sulphur and fine particulates, with the option for a patented CCS unit to be incorporated. Aimed initially at engines with output in the 3MW to 15MW range, though two systems can be combined for higher power applications, VM reports several successful installations for companies including Mitsui OSK Lines (MOL) and Ardmore Shipping.
The MOL installation is notable, not only as the first of what VM hopes will be many orders from Japan, but at 75,000 dwt, the vessel in question, LR1 product tanker Nexus Victoria, is the largest vessel to be equipped with the Filtree system.
VM commercial director Yvette van der Sommen said: “We have supplied a total of 54 emission systems for capturing sulphur oxides and soot. Of these, 24 are also equipped with
a CCS module, for capturing and storing part of the CO2 emissions from the ship’s engines.”
Exhaust gas passes first through the closed-loop scrubber, where it is cleansed and cooled before flowing into the exhaust gas boiler of the CCS module. The gas comes into contact with a stream of descending amine droplets. Thanks to the low exhaust temperature, part of the CO2 from the exhaust gas binds to the amine particles. The CO2-saturated amine is stored in a tank, and discharged onshore where the CO2 and the tank recharged with fresh amine.
The Filtree system typically removes around 10% of the CO2 from the exhaust, but can be uprated to remove around 30%.
Co2 storage
Greek company Erma First has developed an amine solvent CCS system which has received approval in principle from LR and DNV, and which will be fitted to a Capital Gas newbuild 22,000m3 liquid CO2 carrier under construction at Hyndai Mipo. Babcock is supplying a system to liquefy the CO2 gas for storage.
Earlier this year, ClassNK granted an ‘SCCS-Full’ class notation to Ever Top, a Neo-Panamax container vessel owned by Evergreen. The vessel has been equipped with an onboard CCS system, designed and developed by Shanghai Marine Diesel Engine Research Institute. The installation was carried out by Huarun Dadong Dockyard. ClassNK reviewed the system components, installation plan and risk assessments in accordance with its Guidelines for Shipboard CO2 Capture and Storage Systems
Finally, US company Stax Engineering offers a solution for removing sulphur from the exhausts of non-scrubber equipped vessels while in port, enabling compliance with local emissions regulations in areas such as California.
According to operations manager John Holmes: “What we do is capture and control. It’s one of the two options to comply with the at-berth regulations. One is cold ironing, which is plugging into the electrical grid, and the other is capture and control. Capture and control is an option that doesn’t require the ship to do anything. They don’t have to do any engineering modifications or retrofitting.”
The system uses an emission collection system mounted on a mobile barge, employing a vacuum system attached via a boom to the ship’s funnel. The system is powered by renewable diesel, for a lower environmental footprint, and removes virtually all particulate matter, NOx and SOx while capturing some CO2. The gases are processed through a patented catalytic converter treatment system.
■ Value Maritime’s Filtree system being fitted to an Ardmore Shipping vessel in China
RM Propulsion’s Test Rig for Stern Tube Seals
After several years of development, RM Propulsion has completed its test rig for testing stern tube seals.
Type approved Stern tube seal
In May this year, the first test runs were successfully made in order to obtain the DNV Type Approval for RM’s OCEAN SEAL. We have passed all these tests with flying colours.
Multifunctional test possibilities
Furthermore, we plan testing different sealing materials and the effects of bio degradable lubricants (EAL’s).
The test rig is best described as a vessel without a hull, accommodation, propeller or engine room. The only thing left is the stern tube, tail shaft and the FWD & AFT sealing system with its tanks.
Rather than having a simplified laboratory set-up with a test bench where you can test a single sealing ring, we decided to look at the real world on a vessel.
Therefore, we engineered a complete stern tube with a full-size propeller shaft, driven by a large E-motor. The shaft is supported by 2 plain bearings at both ends of the oil filled stern tube. The shaft and stern tube are sealed by our OCEAN SEAL O2 FWD and OCEAN SEAL O4 AFT system. The AFT seal is submersed in seawater. As on most vessels the system is equipped with a FWD, and AFT seal monitoring tank and a Gravity Tank to supply the stern tube with oil. With air pressure we regulate the pressure of both the oil and the sea water to simulate the vessel’s draft or to simulate waves. With heaters and coolers, we can regulate the temperatures of the oil and seawater.
Leakages, (seal) temperatures, pressures, power consumption, rpm etc. are all recorded digitally. Different kind of tests can be executed fully automated, for example operation under heavy seas or misalignment conditions. This test rig allows us to test any seal size, under any realistic operating conditions.
We believe this test set-up simulates the actual operating conditions as closely as possible.
The process of developing this test rig was a challenging one and we experienced a number
of issues during the built and the initial trial runs. At first, we underestimated the power needed to rotate the shaft at the required speed. When it was solved by a larger E-motor we managed to run the machine at full speed. Then we discovered that both the oil and water temperature ran out of control. So, a bigger cooler was needed as well as a serious upgrade of our electric power supply and a ventilation system to keep the ambient temperature at reasonable levels. Apart from these bigger challenges we faced minor problems related
to alignment, thrust bearing damage and the inevitable smaller engineering, production or judgement errors. But fortunately, no problems were observed with the seals. Each modification took considerable time and money to engineer and manufacture, but finally we are happy with the result.
All in all, a steep learning curve, but it is worthwhile because we now have all the possibilities to develop and test new products to meet the changing demands of the maritime industry.
Robin Mulders Owner/CEO RM Propulsion
FIFTEEN HEAVY LIFTERS FROM GERMAN SPECIALIST
Heralding a major new stage in the development of the multipurpose heavy-lift fleet deployed by BBC Chartering, the 13,400dwt BBC Leer made her service debut with an export freight loaded in China. The newbuild represents the leading edge of a 15-ship programme entrusted to Taizhou Sanfu’s yards on the Yangtze River
Developed by German owner Briese Schiffahrt and Dutch consultancy Groot Ship Design in accordance with the requirements of long-term charterer BBC, the 150m vessel type offers a high degree of cargo flexibility alongside enhanced efficiency in heavy load and project cargo transportation. While designed for worldwide trading, the type is dubbed the LakerMax class by virtue of dimensions allowing navigation throughout the St Lawrence Seaway and Great Lakes system, giving direct access to key North American markets.
The wherewithal for the ship’s mainstream role lies along the portside bulwark, in the shape of two 250t Liebherr deck cranes affording a 500t tandem lift capacity and conferring the requisite self-sufficiency in working cargo. The offset positioning of the gear also maximises space availability for weatherdeck-borne freight, as does the forward location of bridge and superstructure, an arrangement which in itself distinguishes the LakerMax from the many other units of the BBC fleet.
While incorporating two holds, the forward (No.1) hold is diminutive, the preponderance of underdeck revenueearning volume being within No.2 space, which also affords scope for vertical subdivision by way of two removable tweendecks. In total, the box-shaped holds provide a cargo
containment volume of almost 26,000m3 on a floor area of 4,850m2 when the tweendecks are in position.
Briese states that the particular configuration imbues a higher underdeck cargo capacity relative to heavy-lift tonnage of comparable size, resulting in a potential 30% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions per freight ton.
The main hold can accommodate items of freight at up to 104m in length, and of maximum 18.2m in width, so giving an extra edge to competitiveness in the project cargo market. The hold geometry in combination with the unobstructed, stackweight-rated weatherdeck give extra versatility in allowing for an overall container intake equating to 970TEU.
The core, heavy freight capability is expressed in the highstooled Liebherr cranes, each offering a lift force gradation from 250t at 18m outreach to 45t at 40m, complemented by provision for tanktop loadings of 20-25t/m2. The main deck hatch covers and tweendecks can accept 4t/m2. Authorisation to sail with open hatches is beneficial to business opportunities in the shipment of outsize or indivisible cargoes, such as steel structures, offshore and renewable energy equipment, and plant.
A single MAN two-stroke engine ensures transits at up to 15 knots, and the modest power rating of 6,000kW is indicative both of the efficacy of the propulsion installation
■ BBC Leer signals the debut of the versatile LakerMax class Credit: BBC Chartering
Briese has kept faith with the Chinese shipbuilding industry for its latest and considerable commitment to fleet renewal
and the underwater hull form. The IMO Tier II-certificated G45ME-C9.5 design chosen, albeit not the latest C9.7 model, has thereby been specified at a significantly lower rating than its nominal vemaximum continuous output of 8,340kW. The same type of ultra long-stroke engine, but in five-cylinder format, has been used in the preceding classes of ship commissioned into the BBC operation.
Briese has kept faith with the Chinese shipbuilding industry for its latest and considerable commitment to fleet renewal, the company’s previous stage of BBC-destined investment having entailed the F500-type heavy-lift/multipurpose class, completed by Taizhou Sanfu in 2020-2022. Before that, the 12,500dwt EcoTrader series of 2016/2017 also came from Chinese yards, as did the Edelstein class of 2011-2013, distinguished by an 800t lift capability.
For her first voyage, BBC Leer commenced loading at Nantong in June, taking on a cargo bound for the St Lawrence via the Panama Canal. Deliveries of the LakerMax newbuilds extend into 2026, with recent phases in the production programme having included the launch of third-of-class BBC Santiago, and keel-laying for the eighth vessel.
PRINCIPAL PARTICULARS - BBC Leer
Length overall 149.95m
Length bp 143.05m
Breadth, moulded 23.20m
Depth, to main deck 13.20m
Gross tonnage 15,629t
Deadweight, maximum (summer) 13,414t
Draught, maximum (summer) 8.50m
Deadweight, open-hatch mode 11,100t
Draught, open-hatch 7.85m
Heavy-lift cranes 2 x 250t
Cargo holds 2
Cargo hold capacity 25,795m3/910,941ft3
Floor space, underdeck 4,850m2
Floor space, on deck 2,830m2
Container capacity 970TEU
Main engine power 6,000kW
Speed, maximum 16.5kn
Speed, economical 13kn
Class Bureau Veritas
Class notations 1+Hull, +Mach, General cargo ship/heavy cargo/occasional dry bulk cargo/Equipped for carriage of containers, Unrestricted navigation, Flag/registry Antigua & Barbuda/St John’s
RIVERTRACE produces a range of products that meet and exceed the I.M.O. resolutions MEPC 107(49) and MEPC 108 (49) relating to water discharges from ships.
Torsional Vibration Dampers
Maintenance and Repair of Crankshaft Torsional Viscous Vibration Dampers
Hydrex offers underwater repair solutions to shipowners around the globe. Our experienced teams are qualified to perform all class-approved repair procedures in even the harshest conditions.
One outcome from the fuel uncertainties resulting from the Middle East crisis of 1973/4 (what’s new?) that had subsided by the time the July 1974 edition of The Motor Ship was published, was that ship operators were looking carefully at ways of cutting their fuel bills.
Our editorial predecessors reminded readers that the large Diesel Engine is particularly fuel-efficient, compared with other propulsion methods. Nevertheless, although it was felt that the technology had reached an advanced stage and there was little that could be done to cut specific fuel consumption further, there were savings to be made in other ways. One promising advance was in fuel treatment, with additives permitting cheaper, heavier grades of fuel oil to be burnt efficiently and reliably. Waste heat recovery was seen as another way of producing a useful energy boost.
The medium speed engine was still being regarded as the only serious challenger to the ‘cathedral’ type two-stroke; its growing popularity being celebrated in a special supplement, which noted that there were 22 different such engines in the market, capable of 600 bhp/cylinder and above.
Not all medium speed engines were for-stroke –the August 1974 issue told that work was resuming, after various takeover and consolidation measures in the UK industry, on the Doxford Seahorse. This opposed-piston two-stroke engine was quoted as being rated at 2,500 bhp/cylinder at 300 rpm. This meant a high output from fewer cylinders, considered advantageous for maintenance.
Ship descriptions took something of a back seat, the main one in August concerning the Al Mubarakiah, first of eight heavy lift cargo liners for Kuwait Shipping, delivered from the Govan yard. At 23,200 dwt, the owner considered these would offer an efficiency gain over the 12-15,000 dwt break-bulk vessels normally employed on the Europe-Middle East services. The ship was designed for simplicity of operation, to carry a variety of cargoes, including military vehicles and long pipes. Machinery was based on a single two-stroke Kincaid-B&W 6K74EF engine, rated at 11,400 bhp. The simple-to-operate
philosophy meant that the trend for more sophisticated control and monitoring was eschewed in this case, the engine being operated hydraulically from a console adjacent to the engine. Five main holds, each with a tweendeck, were divided by central bulkheads incorporating removable grain boards. Six cranes, including a 105t main derrick, were provided to handle the heavy cargoes. Back to engines, and an August article described the Stork-Werkspoor SWD TM620, at the time the most powerful medium speed engine – apart from the afore-mentioned Doxford Seahorse. The engine described was a six-cylinder unit, of 620mm bore and 660mm stroke, rated at 1700 bhp/cylinder, thus capable of a total output of 10,200 bhp, but with potential to increase this with further development. SWD’s market research had shown a demand for such high outputs, so the company developed a much larger version of its successful TM410. The intention was to offer in-line and V-form engines of six to 18 cylinders, i.e. up to 30,600bhp, thus providing serious competition to large low-speed machinery, in a more compact and lighter-weight package, stealing a march on Doxford, whose opposed-piston design resulted in the need for greater headroom. Finally, a type of ship about which we seldom hear today – the rail ferry. In August 1974, The Motor Ship was heralding “A new era for European Train Ferries”. At the time, there were some 60 such vessels in service worldwide, and one on order destined for a 550 mile Baltic route, travelling at 20 knots. German predictions suggested the popularity of containerised freight would spark an increase in ro-ro traffic, particularly containers carried on rail wagons.
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