MAGAZINE
DECEMBER 2023
ON THE LINE: Drydocking pre-inspection avoids future pain SPOTLIGHT: Schottel explains the importance of proper planning AREA REVIEW: New yards, acquisition and upgrades in the Americas
REGULATORY
Trends and Impact
2023
An overview of upcoming INTERNATIONAL AND REGIONAL regulatory developments DOWNLOAD your copy today
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In this issue…
ON THE LINE Pre-docking inspections provide an increasingly powerful means of ensuring a successful drydocking, according to MacGregor
MARKET INTELLIGENCE Stuart Fuller, Market Liaison & Product Manager for Engine Oils in the Marine & Power division of TotalEnergies, provides his insights and thoughts on the key drivers shaping the evolution of marine lubrication CRUISE & FERRY Palumbo, Trimline, Tallink Grupp, Kongsberg Maritime, Wärtsilä, Foreship, Halton Marine and ABB have all been busy upgrading passenger ships, both aesthetically and environmentally
MAGAZINE
DECEMBER 2023
Contents 4
8
ON THE LINE: Drydocking pre-inspection avoids future pain SPOTLIGHT: Schottel explains the importance of proper planning AREA REVIEW: New yards, acquisition and upgrades in the Americas
Colombo Dockyard has completed grounding damage repairs on the Carevos Liberty, which extended to over 160 tons of steel renewal. The yard brought shipbuilding techniques into ship repair to reduce the lead time for the shipyard and downtime for the shipowner.
Face the Facts
Colombo Dockyard’s new MD/CEO looks to provide dynamic and visionary leadership to take the company on a sustainable path in the future
On the Line
Drydocking pre-inspection provides an increasingly powerful means of ensuring a successful drydocking and helps avoid future pain, MacGregor explains
14 Spotlight on Germany
Schottel looks at the importance of proper planning of modernisations, retrofits and overhauls and MAN Energy Solutions develops engine concepts for reducing methane slip
22 Area Review
ABS reduces risk through maintenance management, and we feature new yards, acquisitions and upgrades in the Americas
38 In Focus
The Americas theme continues with applications by OnAim Conservation, Ecospeed and GIT
56 Market Intelligence
Stuart Fuller, Market Liaison & Product Manager for Engine Oils in the Marine & Power division of TotalEnergies, provides insight and thoughts on the key drivers shaping the evolution of marine lubrication
64 Cruise & Ferry Update Issue: December 2023 Volume No.47 No.4 ISSN No. 0143-5000
Editor: Mark Langdon Advertisement Manager: Nick Carugati Production Manager: Tatum Le Patourel Design: Fiona Andreanelli Accounts: Claire Long Subscriptions: Emma Hardy Publisher: Andrew Deere
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Palumbo, Trimline, Tallink Grupp, Kongsberg Maritime, Wärtsilä, Foreship, Halton Marine and ABB have recently upgraded cruiseships and ferries
76 Mechanical Matters
ABS looks to class a 3D-printed propeller, a proof-of-concept thruster remanufacture project and an improved propeller efficiency solution from Wärtsilä
80 Analysis
Wind installations on even larger vessels and an innovative project to retrofit a crew transfer vessel with hydrogen fuel cells
90 Worldwide
The next generation of hull-cleaning robots and Hindustan Shipyard completes the renewal survey of an ONGC drill ship
94 News MPI Group Peel House, Upper South View Farnham, Surrey GU9 7JN, UK Tel: +44 (0)1252 732220 info@mpigroup.co.uk www.mpigroup.co.uk
MPI Group, as a body, are not responsible for any opinions expressed in DryDock by contributors. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior permission of MPI Group. © Marine Publications International Ltd 2023
The latest products, appointments and news
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SERVICES
GREEN WAVE SOLUTIONS
• Inspections
• Decarbonization solutions
• Design & Engineering (IN-HOUSE D&E BUREAU)
• Exhaust gas cleaning systems
• General repair services (ALL-IN-HOUSE CONCEPT)
• Transition to alternative fuels • Hybrid solutions
• Retrofit
• Shore power connection
• Conversion and modernization
• Wind propulsion system
• Afloat repairs
• Ballast water treatment systems
EVERY DETAIL MATTERS
4 – FACE THE FACTS 2023
One step ahead Colombo Dockyard’s new MD/CEO looks to provide dynamic and visionary leadership to take the company on a sustainable path in the future. Established in 1974, Colombo Dockyard is conveniently located within the port of Colombo, the hub of all the major shipping lanes connecting the west, Middle East and Far East, as well as Africa and Australia. Thimira S Godakumbura took over as Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer on 19 April 2023.
Godakumbura obtained a BSc Eng Degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Moratuwa, Sri Lanka in 1999. He has gained vast experience and knowledge in the shipbuilding and ship repair industries with training in Onomichi Dockyard and Drydocks World. He holds an MBA, is a Chartered Mechanical Engineer and a Corporate Member and a Fellow of the Institution of Engineers Sri Lanka and a Fellow Member of the Royal Institution of Naval Architects, UK. He is also serving as a member of the Indian Committee of Nippon Kaiji Kyokai (ClassNK) and Det Norske Veritas (DNV). During his 23-year career at CDPLC Godakumbura has held many positions and served as Production Manager, Special Projects Manager & Asst General Manager (new construction), and General Manager (new construction). He was appointed as the Chief Operating Officer (COO) of the company in March 2022 and continued to hold office till his appointment as MD/CEO on 19 April 2023.
DRYDOCK 2023 – 5
6 – FACE THE FACTS 2023
WE CARRY OUT ON AVERAGE 200+ SHIP REPAIR PROJECTS EVERY YEAR, 100 PROJECTS IN DRYDOCK AND ANOTHER 100 IN AFLOAT CONDITION.
Q. What was the key rationale behind your new appointment in April?
Q. How many vessel repairs do you carry out each year?
A. The challenges Colombo Dockyard encounters today are unprecedented, being highly uncertain and volatile. To take up these new challenges, the company was looking for dynamic and visionary leadership to take the company on a sustainable path. I was appointed as new Managing Director/ CEO to do this, and I do believe that I can do what the company expects of me.
A. We carry out on average 200+ ship repair projects every year, 100 projects in drydock and another 100 in afloat condition.
Q. Now that you have been in the position for over six months, do you have any plans to change the way the yard is run? A. I have worked at Colombo Dockyard for over 23 years and have held many positions (see above), and as a young engineer, I was also fortunate to acquire some foreign shipyard exposure in Dubai and in Japan. With all these experiences gained and challenges confronted, I have a strong belief that I can take Colombo Dockyard to the next level, no matter how difficult the path becomes. Human resources are our biggest strength, and my main focus will be to enrich a new market culture by adopting proven methodologies such as lean manufacturing. I will utilise all my experience to make every possible improvement. Q. What is your current newbuilding/ ship repair mix? A. We have always had a balanced portfolio of ship repair and shipbuilding in our strategy with minor adjustments made as the market requires. With the involvement of a local labour force, the ship repair sector provides optimum value addition to the company, while shipbuilding has provided us with technological advancements over time. The new technology and the system developments in the shipbuilding sector always reflect positively in the ship repair sector, which can be an added advantage when convincing our ship repair clients of our capabilities.
Q. Do you have any plans to change the vessel repair mix at Colombo Dockyard? A. Given our drydock capacity from 30,000–125,000dwt, we usually handle a wide spectrum of vessel types from tankers, bulk carriers, containerships, dredgers, offshore vessels, and trawlers, etc. This mix varies depending on the global market conditions. We have a proactive approach to adapt to any changes and are ready to handle them when needed. Q. Are you targeting any new market sectors? A. This is a challenging decision; we are mindful of the market conditions and with the uptake in the offshore industry in recent times, we are looking at expanding our reach into serving this sector more aggressively. We have been successful in registering as a service provider to ADNOC, which we expect will open up more opportunities in this area. When it comes to newbuilding, our main focus is on the cable layer market, where we have a strong track record by delivering two vessels to Japan and France in a very short time span of five years. Q. How successful is the afloat repairs business? A. Establishment of the Rapid Response Afloat Repair sector has been one of the best decisions to enhance our market share in this sector. We have established afloat repair service stations in Trincomalee, Hambantota and Galle and thus expanded our reach to clients. This has been a good opportunity for many first-time owners to test out our professionalism and speed on voyage repairs, resulting in them becoming regular callers for afloat and drydocking repairs. We have observed a steady, healthy growth in this sector in recent times.
DRYDOCK 2023 – 7
Q. Do you have any plans for new equipment or upgrades in the yard?
hubs, we have been continuing in our odyssey of excellence.
A. We have installed a 70-ton shipyard rail crane with extended reach to augment cranage services at the north repair pier, to handle double-banked vessels comfortably. We are also looking at upgrading our systems to optimise energy utilisation, and renewable energy sources are also on the cards.
Speed, timing and flexibility in all our representations make us stand out from the rest.
Meanwhile we want to develop our strength in basic ship design, where we currently only engage in detail design, which will enable significant savings allowing us to reach new customers, especially in the smaller-scale vessel segment. Q. What do you think makes Colombo Dockyard stand out? A. Our unique service proposition is founded on the solution-based approach, backed up by Japanese work ethics, thereby providing a premium Japanese-quality service at an economical Sri Lankan price. Located at one of the most geographic strategic
Q. Is there anything you would like to add? A. Until recently we only served local and Indian Subcontinent needs, but now we are a competitive shipyard – not only in our part of the world but for European clientele as well. On the shipbuilding front we are currently building a series of Hybrid Eco bulkers for a Norwegian client, and have already delivered three that have met the owner’s expectations. We are making efforts to improve ourselves day by day. Our willingness to learn and see the overall viewpoint and empathy has enabled us to see things differently. We do believe that we always focus on being one step ahead.
Colombo Dockyard carries out on average 200+ ship repair projects every year, with 100 of those in drydock
8 – ON THE LINE 2023
An inspection being carried out on a hatch cover in Shanghai
DRYDOCK 2023 – 9
Drydocking pre-inspection avoids future pain
10 – ON THE LINE 2023
Pre-docking inspections provide an increasingly powerful means of ensuring a successful drydocking, according to MacGregor.
Luca Andreozzi (left) & Kai Büsing (right)
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ometimes costly, periodically mandatory and ultimately inevitable, the drydocking is part of the normal life of a ship. However, with days in dock also experienced as lost earnings, the stakes are high for what is a rare opportunity to deal with the safety, environmental and efficiency issues that cannot be handled in service. MacGregor recently created a new drydocking superintendent function within its organisation to provide internal and customer-facing focal points for project delivery. The loadhandling specialist says that adding new oversight changes the nature of its drydocking service relationship with clients and offers a chance to increase mitigation against the risk of late ship redelivery. Among those filling the newly formalised ‘Drydock Superintendent’ role are Luca Andreozzi and Kai Büsing, two individuals with long industry experience who have been appointed from within the MacGregor ranks. Both superintendents coordinate drydocking to support MacGregor’s broad portfolio of cargo access and load handling equipment, liaising with the supplier’s teams of locally-based experts who support shipyards and owners in maintaining OEM-based equipment performance standards.
Scheduled planning Büsing says that MacGregor is now offering to start planning as much as a year ahead of a scheduled drydock, to ensure that all parts are fully tested, approved and in position for timely installation. “It’s no secret, with supply chains routinely disrupted, that ordering steel parts that must be fabricated or sophisticated electronic parts should be done on a ‘sooner the better’ basis,” comments Andreozzi. “Late redelivery
after a drydocking is counted in off-hire time and resulting costs.” With Andreozzi covering ships drydocking around the Mediterranean and Büsing mainly focusing on Germany, the superintendents offer different accounts of customer attitudes and expectations where repair services are concerned. However, both emphasise pre-docking inspection (PDI) as an increasingly powerful tool for ensuring that drydock work is planned for relevance, thoroughness and time efficiency.
Formal approach “Crew report maintenance issues to the ship’s owner or manager on a continuous basis, while marine engineers are renowned for their resourcefulness in getting machinery working,” explains Andreozzi. “However, checking equipment prior to drydocking against the operating manual to establish condition, based on safety parameters, potential operating risks and repair requirements needs a formalised approach.” “After the engine, the readiness of the handling and access equipment to do their job will determine whether the ship itself can work,” says Büsing. “In simple terms, if the quarter ramp is stuck in the open position, then the ship can’t leave port, but suboptimal equipment performance is also of relevance to the charter party agreement, or the vessel’s attractiveness for future hire. Our focus is to maximise our operational availability and to minimise unplanned downtime.” Where the conventional approach will see planning based on experience, owners will wait for the drydock to take full stock of requirements. The PDI allows MacGregor to identify current issues long before the drydocking and make its recommendations ahead of
DRYDOCK 2023 – 11
time. “We are not in direct contact with individual ships as such, but as exservice engineers we are fully aware of the nuances involved in the dialogue,” adds Büsing. Once the PDI is underway on board, capturing digital images is a key part of establishing the real condition of equipment in service, he says, so that effective maintenance can be planned for – “not just general requirements based on its age.”
Planning resource “We are anticipating forthcoming surveys and liaising directly with
customers to share our insights with them on what their needs will be and the advantages of planning for potential solutions,” Büsing adds. “We already have the service reports for our equipment in the system to access before we go on board.” Sometimes, customers use competitor services so MacGregor may not have access to all documentation, Büsing acknowledges, while Andreozzi says that customer records may not always be exhaustive. Nevertheless, the PDI is a ‘value add’ just because it works from the most comprehensive records available to the
An engineer carrying out an inspection in the port of Bremerhaven
12 – ON THE LINE 2023
OVER THE YEARS, MACGREGOR HAS SUPPLIED EQUIPMENT FOR INSTALLATION ON BOARD SOMETHING LIKE 30,000 COMMERCIAL SHIPS, SO YOU CAN SEE THAT PRE-INSPECTION SERVICE CAPABILITY IS SIGNIFICANT FOR DRYDOCKING EFFICIENCY – FOR US, BUT ALSO FOR A REASONABLE SLICE OF COMMERCIAL SHIPPING. OEM and provides a platform for better drydocking management for the client. “Over the years, MacGregor has supplied equipment for installation on board something like 30,000 commercial ships, so you can see that pre-inspection service capability is significant for drydocking efficiency – for us, but also for a reasonable slice of commercial shipping,” Andreozzi observes. However, Büsing adds that customers can overlook benefits where straightforward maintenance is concerned. “Customers will feel comfortable taking care of hatchcover renewal or deck machinery maintenance and see the PDI as only relevant when they know that cranes or steering gear need to be repaired or upgraded.”
Simplicity itself “The pre-docking inspection gives MacGregor the opportunity not only to assess and coordinate parts despatch, but also to coordinate where and when those parts are most usefully delivered, and at what point MacGregor personnel should attend the docking project,” adds Andreozzi. The PDI also offers an opportunity for MacGregor to give clients fair warning of obsolescence or any approaching non-compliance issue where their shipboard systems are concerned. “In a recent case involving a postPanamax container ship, we identified that steering gear pumps were
obsolete four months ahead of drydocking. While the system was still functional, our health check led on to pump exchange and refurbishment being included seamlessly in the drydocking. That project led on to another with the same owner.” Andreozzi points out that an owner ordering well in advance of a drydocking is also less vulnerable to price inflation than one seeking parts for immediate delivery, adding that the moderate costs associated with a PDI can be quickly dwarfed by a hard-to-find spare. But so convinced is MacGregor that the PDI approach works that the company is offering daily inspection prices that are not only fixed but deductible from the cost of spares over a pre-agreed minimum. “I think it’s fair to say that once we get the PDI service in front of customers they immediately see benefits,” adds Büsing, “but perhaps they still don’t recognise the full potential. They see that doing this now and saving two weeks off-hire later is a clear win, but still struggle with the cost of travel for a service engineer. That’s why we came up with the fixed day rate offer that is also deductible.” “If you bought a certain number of spares, I suppose you could look at it as a free pre-inspection,” comments Andreozzi. “But I think it’s really more of an acknowledgement that the PDI has mutual benefits for both sides.”
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14 – SPOTLIGHT 2023
SPOTLIGHT ON GERMANY
DRYDOCK 2023 – 15
Schottel explains the importance of proper planning of modernisations, retrofits and overhauls and MAN Energy Solutions looks at developing engine concepts for hydrogen-fuelled, medium-speed engines using hydrogen and reducing methane slip.
16 – SPOTLIGHT 2023
Meeting high requirements and growing demands Last summer the 55m long and 18m wide Wind, a dedicated jackup vessel belonging to Danish offshore wind industry services and maintenance specialist Ziton, went into drydock for its scheduled five-year overhaul in accordance with class requirements. While in the dock, two azimuth thrusters (550kW each) and one retractable rudder propeller (450kW) needed to be overhauled to ensure that the already high and steadily growing demands of the wind installation business can be met for many years to come. Ziton contacted Thomas Nielsen, Schottel’s representative in Denmark, who planned the complex project together with the field service and repair team at Schottel’s German headquarters.
No impediments to schedule
In some cases newly required thruster performance features can be achieved with the help of modifications which preserve most of the existing units
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rolonged downtimes can have a dramatic impact on vessel owners’ outgoings for necessary modernisations, retrofits and overhaul procedures. Meticulous planning and coordination on the part of service teams, yards and manufacturers are always necessary to keep customer fleets up and running and prevent the possible loss of contracts due to unexpected vessel inoperability. Besides measures that maintain a vessel’s efficiency and performance, such as the necessary regular servicing, changing its operational profile sometimes requires considerable modernisation or retrofitting of the propulsion system. However, in some cases newly-required thruster performance features can be achieved with the help of modifications which preserve most of the existing units.
“Thomas discussed the scope of the docking with the customer and provided us with all the relevant data,” explains explains Michael Sabel, Head of Field Service & Repair at Schottel. “This close cooperation enabled us to coordinate deployment and spare parts planning with precision and thoroughly prepare the overhaul. The customer also requested that there were to be no impediments that could impact the vessel’s tight schedule.” The stern thrusters were dismantled by the shipyard in the Netherlands, overhauled by Schottel’s service partner in Denmark and reinstalled at the shipyard. The retractable unit was dismantled on site. Individual components were repaired at the Schottel Netherlands subsidiary workshop in nearby Zoetermeer. The entire operation was monitored on site by a field service technician from the German headquarters in Spay and completed within the vessel’s scheduled docking time. “We benefited from Schottel’s diversified after-sales service, including OEM workshops, subsidiaries and local partners,” says Ziton’s Technical Superintendent Daniel Falk Gregersen.
DRYDOCK 2023 – 17
“Thanks to this, the entire overhaul could be carried out on time – from perfect planning and implementation to on-site support. This is how a service job should work.”
Ferry retrofit for more challenging conditions Earlier this year, the Croatian ferry Krk, operated by the national Jadrolinija shipping company, was retrofitted to cater for a new route with stronger winds and currents. For this purpose, the open propellers of the Krk’s thrusters were equipped with Schottel VarioDuct SDV45 nozzles and new optimised propellers. The thruster upgrade comprised a mixture of overhauls and modernisations in accordance with the vessel’s planned maintenance cycle. The entire retrofit process took place during the annual lay days between seasons. The thrusters were dismounted and reinstalled in Croatia by Schottel partner Alfa Marine. The conversion work on the thrusters themselves was carried out at the Schottel service workshop in Spay, Germany. A cost saving of around 50% was achieved by overhauling the existing thrusters – including the transportation costs to Germany – as opposed to purchasing new ones.
Results exceed expectations The results of the Krk’s modernisation exceed all of Jadrolinija’s expectations. The ferry is responding more accurately to steering manoeuvres and the autopilot makes fewer corrections thanks to the much-increased coursekeeping stability. Hydrodynamical analyses from Schottel predicted the now-realised top speed of 13kt and various other advantages gained from using the SDV45 nozzle. In addition to the vessel’s increased course-keeping stability, the new nozzles also ensure smoother operation of the thrusters. Due to the much-improved thrust and performance values of the Krk, Jadrolinija is now able to tighten the ferry’s schedule.
Expanding the service network Schottel Australia and propulsion systems repair specialist Fremantle Foundry and Engineering Co. Pty Ltd (FFE) signed a service agreement. This cooperation will expand the Schottel service network and strengthen OEMquality repairs for Schottel products in Western Australia. FFE provides expert marine maintenance both onshore in its modern workshops and offshore. The company, which was founded in 1902, is an accredited NATA (National Association of Testing Authorities) facility as well as a DNV-certified fabrication workshop. Fifteen mechanical technicians with up to 30 years of experience ensure the professional services of FFE.
The Croatian ferry Krk was retrofitted with optimised propellers to cater for a new route with stronger winds and currents
18 – SPOTLIGHT 2023
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Victor Zhang, Managing Director of Schottel Australia, sums up the new partnership as follows: “Two companies with a long heritage and strong experience in propulsion systems have now joined forces with the common goal of supporting Schottel customers in Australia and keeping their fleets up and running with minimum downtime.” With more than 100 sales and service stations already in place around the globe, Schottel is further expanding its service network, aiming for ever greater proximity of its service and repair sites to its customers. Experienced professionals provide individual services throughout a vessel’s entire lifecycle, ensuring maximum equipment availability and efficiency. In addition, Schottel’s After Sales Service offers customised repair solutions and 24/7 spare parts delivery.
MAN ENERGY SOLUTIONS PROJECTS AND DEVELOPMENTS MAN Energy Solutions has announced a partnership with industry leaders and research institutes that will develop
engine concepts for hydrogen-fuelled, medium-speed engines in the maritime sector. Dubbed ‘HydroPoLEn’, the project is supported and funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action. It aims to transform propulsion systems within shipping and develop key technologies such as injection, ignition and advanced tribological systems, while part of its remit is also to develop a concept for the integration of power unit and fuel storage as a single system. Besides challenges related to the combustion process, the project will also address engine efficiency, safety issues and the main steps concerning the integration of the technology in ships. Such integration is intended to enhance the efficiency, performance, and durability of a hydrogen-fuelled engine, paving the way for sustainable propulsion in the maritime sector. “Hydrogen plays a key role in MAN Energy Solutions’ strategy and is the base for carbon-free fuels such as hydrogen itself and ammonia, as well as synthetic carbon-neutral fuels like methane and methanol,” explains
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20 – SPOTLIGHT 2023
AFTER THE RELEASE OF OUR 25% HYDROGEN ENGINES IN 2021, A PUREHYDROGEN ENGINE IS THE NEXT LOGICAL STEP FOR US. MAN Energy Solutions will develop engine concepts for hydrogenfuelled, medium-speed engines in the maritime sector
Alexander Knafl, Head of Four-Stroke R&D, MAN Energy Solutions. “Along with this, our product portfolio comprises electrolysers – through our subsidiary, H-Tec Systems – for the production of hydrogen based on green energy. We already have several products and key technologies for carbon capture and storage, for example for blue-hydrogen production and for the production of methanol, synthetic methane and ammonia. Furthermore, in our engine portfolio, hydrogen plays a major role. After the release of our 25% hydrogen engines in 2021, a pure-hydrogen engine is the next logical step for us.” Christian Kunkel, Head of Combustion Development, Four-Stroke R&D, MAN Energy Solutions, said: “Hydrogen and ammonia are by far the two most promising carbon-free fuels with the advantage that their combustion produces absolutely no CO2 emissions. Hydrogen can be produced off a base of green energy and electrolysis – green hydrogen – or based off natural gas and carbon capture and storage, known as blue hydrogen; both production methods are climate-neutral. In the long run, we are convinced that green hydrogen will be the cheapest way to produce hydrogen. In the meantime, when the infrastructure and production capacity for green hydrogen are established, we will need a mix of green and blue hydrogen to decarbonise industry. As such, I am very happy to see the HydroPoLEn project started; the results I have seen so far and the collaboration with the partners look very promising.”
Project members and aims HydroPoLEn brings together the collective expertise and resources of industry leaders from the cruise sector (Carnival Maritime GmbH) and marine propulsion (MAN Energy Solutions SE), along with renowned research institutes specialising in pioneering green energy solutions (WTZ Roßlau gGmbH, NMA TUM) and a key-component supplier (Tenneco Inc). The partnership intends to foster innovation, knowledge exchange, and multidisciplinary research ensuring the development of a robust concept fulfilling the key buying criteria. The hydrogen-fuelled, medium-speed engine concept developed through this collaboration will significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions and contribute to the maritime sector’s defossilisation efforts. By promoting a sustainable future for shipping, the project aligns with global goals for carbon reduction and clean-energy adoption.
Reducing methane slip MAN Energy Solutions has also announced that it is developing an oxidation catalyst for four-stroke engines that will significantly reduce methane slip. Called IMOKAT II and developed at MAN Energy Solutions’ headquarters in Augsburg, Germany, the research project is currently undergoing testing at the company’s Frederikshavn, Denmark facility. Funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economics and Climate Action,
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ANOTHER SIGNIFICANT HURDLE IS OPTIMISING THE DYNAMIC BEHAVIOUR OF THE ENGINE WITH A CATALYST APPLIED. the new project will investigate the operational experience of a pre-turbo methane-oxidation catalyst, ultimately aiming for a 70% reduction of methane emissions at 100% load. Whereas predecessor project IMOKAT I investigated different catalytic materials and uncovered a sulfur-resistant material without any precious metals that facilitated high methane-conversion, IMOKAT II is a prototype and technology demonstrator. In this context, it is currently investigating the material’s potential on a test engine with the major goal of designing a catalyst solution that can be applied to a full-scale engine to reduce methane emissions in the field. Field testing aboard a vessel is scheduled for Q1 2024. “Part of the project involved studying different approaches to methane reduction,” says Hans-Philipp Walther, Head of Exhaust Gas Aftertreatment, MAN Energy Solutions. “Previous attempts to use precious-metal catalysts have resulted in the catalyst elements themselves becoming significantly expensive. Additionally, due to poisoning, you either have to use a lot of such material or install additional technology to protect it. IMOKAT II is therefore not only more robust but also more economical and requires less installation space. As no commerciallyavailable technology yet exists on the market, the field test will be the first time ever that a vessel sails with a methane catalyst.”
The catalyst material chosen without precious metals is sulfur-resistant, which is an important design consideration as – even during gas operation – pilot- and lube-oils contain traces of sulfur. It also means that it is possible to preheat the catalyst in diesel mode before switching to gas operation, where a cold catalyst would not be able to perform optimally and methane slip would occur.”
Engine and catalyst optimisation MAN Energy Solutions reports that preturbocharger integration of the catalyst is necessary because of the exhaust gas pressure and temperature level there. Integration is much more complex there compared to a post-turbocharger installation, as is found with SCR (Selective Catalytic Reduction). “The greatest challenge to developing this catalyst is reaching the highest conversion rates since engine and catalyst must be optimised together,” explains Walther. “Another significant hurdle is optimising the dynamic behaviour of the engine with a catalyst applied, especially if the catalyst is cold. Therefore, a bypass flap and additional software functions will be necessary. However, as part of MAN Energy Solutions’ decarbonisation strategy, we are confident we will overcome these challenges and that the catalyst will become available for retrofit and newbuild applications in due course.”
IMOKAT II is currently undergoing testing in Frederikshavn, Denmark
22 – AREA REVIEW 2023
Reducing risk in maintenance management
DRYDOCK 2023 – 23
An integrated approach to maintenance scheduling and safety management can cut onboard risk and administrative inefficiency, explains ABS Wavesight Director of Product John Hathaway.
24 – AREA REVIEW 2023
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oordinating the scheduled maintenance that keeps ships running well is a complicated task, with multiple potential pitfalls that threaten to derail the process. It’s not just human error that can throw a spanner in the works. Sometimes the systems that ship operators use to plan maintenance fail to keep up with the inevitable stops, starts and changes as crew workload fluctuates and operational priorities shift. With systems working in alignment however, allowing the right people to see the right data at the right time, the never-ending task list of onboard engineers can be tackled with peace of mind – saving resources wasted on re-planning and duplicated efforts while minimising the risk of safety incidents. It’s an approach that is integral to maintaining the high standards of operational efficiency and safety that the world’s biggest oil majors demand. Some of those companies spend millions on bespoke systems to meet their needs, but after a recent project with one such company, ABS Wavesight can offer similar benefits through a simple integration as part of its Nautical Systems platform.
The Nautical Systems mobile app allows engineers to input outcomes or issues as they happen
A key challenge for conventional maintenance planning is the safety management that accompanies it. For every task there is a string of safety requirements, from the initial job safety assessment (JSA) – identifying the necessary precautions for the job type – through to the final pre-work inspection that will define extra safety measures based on conditions on the day. These
various levels of assessment and approval are naturally time-limited; a JSA will not possibly take into account the true facts of a prospective work environment a month after it has been conducted. But changes to the schedule are inevitable. It’s not simply a question of having the right parts and the right skills at your disposal, although these too need careful and adaptive planning. There’s the workload of the crew, the sailing status and location of the vessel and even weather conditions to take account of. Those delays are where a traditional approach to maintenance planning falls down. Unpicking then rethreading the string of assessments and authorisations means not only conducting inspections all over again and re-permitting work – it also dramatically increases the risk of crucial safety steps being missed.
Keeping track With maintenance planning and safety management unconnected, it can become difficult to track safety elements when schedules change. In some cases the two systems may come from totally different suppliers, managed by different parts of the ship operating company and with no way of exchanging data. In some cases, at least one of these processes is managed manually, with written schedules or printed-out permits. For customers of ABS Wavesight, those two elements are now connected through the Nautical Systems vessel management. The maintenance schedule can be defined from the outset and updated depending on when the work is finally ready to be carried out. It also contains pre-defined, adaptable templates for each step in the safety management process. With each update, the associated safety ‘paper trail’ moves with the schedule, and key documents remains visible and updatable from the same screen. The manual crosschecking of systems that can cause double effort is eliminated, as is the risk of crucial safety steps being missed. For crew onboard, that integration offers new levels of flexibility in planning
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their workload. Through one screen the chief engineer or other project manager can view maintenance tasks, decide which ones can be done on that day, ensuring that JSAs and permits are up to date – or amending them if not – and approving the task. The clarity that this systematic approach brings can be a significant factor in preventing crew from becoming overloaded or fatigued. There are other benefits too. Safety incidents or near misses that occur during scheduled maintenance can be thoroughly investigated thanks to a new integration with Nautical Systems’ HSQE module, meaning that essential lessons are learned, not lost in a digital archive or a pile of paper. Crew and contractors can be given full visibility of a ship’s actual, up-to-date maintenance schedule and the related safety documentation, allowing to plan their involvement – or if not involved, to see where work will be taking place.
Instant updates The advantages of integrated scheduling and safety management are also evident when the work is actually being carried out. The Nautical Systems mobile app allows engineers to input outcomes or issues as they happen, rather than taking notes to be transferred into a logbook once the job is finished. As the system updates instantly, the risk of human error in logging issues during maintenance is minimised. This kind of integrated approach can reduce bureaucracy and risk for all ship operators, but tanker operators have been among the earliest adopters. The environmental and safety risks associated with their cargoes mean that safety management is critical, and systems that improve this will offer added reassurance to charterers. The Nautical Systems integration is the result of extensive co-development with an oil major, allowing ABS Wavesight insight into the real-life planning challenges on a significant fleet. The resulting solution has now been deployed across that tanker fleet. The combination of scheduling and safety management enabled by the new
maintenance management integration also has the potential to benefit other areas. One consideration is a further integration with Nautical Systems’ drydocking management module. Drydocking is the single most expensive and extensive maintenance event in a vessel’s life, and a monumental scheduling task for both ship operators and yards. Integrating a ship operator’s digital safety management process with yard systems is bound to unlock efficiencies, safety improvements and greater transparency and visibility. Well maintained ships are more efficient and safer, but too often maintenance can be the cause of excessive administration, delay and risk. With seamlessly integrated digital solutions, ship operators can finally give themselves the whole picture through a single window, enabling complex scheduling without compromising safety.
ON TIME DRY DOCK, MAKES ALL THE DIFFERENCE.
we make ship repairs simple. www.carell.gr
Need for Speed & Precision The shipping industry remains a core foundation of global commerce. Serving as arteries for international trade, ships command constant attention to ensure their operations run without a hitch and repairs are paramount. Ship management companies often grapple with the decision: Where is the optimum location for top-tier ship repair? In this vast scape, Greece thanks to its strategic geographical location and storied maritime history emerges as an unbeatable option known for its sturdy infrastructure and streamlined operational capacities. Moreover, CARELL in Greece has been serving global maritime leaders for almost 70 years for every type of Afloat Repairs or Dry Docking projects. The provided Flexibility, Commitment & Accountability to the shipowners over the years have built a reputation for
delivering on promises, ensuring that ships are back on their voyages without undue delays. Aknowledging the needs of the shipowners seems to be the most crucial element for ship repairs.
Meticulous Project Planning Every ship is a complex web of systems, structures, and machinery. A successful dry dock project demands more than a mere checklist; it demands a blueprint. This involves a comprehensive assessment, resource allocation, scheduling, and setting lucid objectives, daily monitoring and agility to quickly adapt to every day needs of the project.
DRY DOCKINGS
AFLOAT REPAIRS
MARINE ENGINEERING
Technical Expertise creates Trust At its core, shiprepair is a technical venture. CARELL’s engineers have vast experience on all exotic engineering aspects from Tailshaft and Propeller Hub Overhauling, In Situ Stern Tube machining, Laser Alignment Services, Rudder & Rudderstock repairs as well as new fabrications with their global specialized partners’ network. During a ship repair project the true value creation to the shipowner it's about diagnosing underlying problems and foreseeing potential future challenges. CARELL, backed by its technical know-how, always points out a latent issue to the shipowner, which might have otherwise gone unnoticed, it showcases proactive care.
BWTS INSTALLATIONS
HYDROGEN ENGINEERING
ROBOTIC WELDING
This not only saves the shipowner potential future costs but solidifies the shipyard's position as a trusted advisor. The maritime realm is unpredictable. When unforeseen challenges arise, a shipyard's technical expertise becomes the beacon. How the repair partner for the shipowner addresses emergencies, devises solutions, and mitigates issues showcases its technical depth. And in these moments of crisis resolution, trust is either fortified or fractured. Conistency of CARELL on these situations have resulted a strong recurring clients’ percentage of 98% and the focus of all team members is always the company’s true north: “make ship repairs simple.”
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New yards, acquisition & upgrades
North Vancouver drydock looks to increase capacity, Davie buys Helsinki Shipyard, Jamaica gets its first floating dock, Avantis & MDO collaborate on large-scale life extensions of US offshore vessels, Metalock Brasil carries out some complex repairs and Scania repowers two Alaskan ferries.
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Davie has recently announced it had finalised the acquisition of the assets of Finland’s Helsinki Shipyard
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easpan Shipyards, a division of Seaspan ULC, is a leader in Canada’s shipbuilding and ship repair industry. With modern facilities and a dedicated workforce of 3,600 in North Vancouver and Victoria, Seaspan Shipyards has proved itself to be a trusted partner on a range of complex projects for both government and the private sector. At Vancouver Drydock, it was a busy end to summer/autumn. The facility had its typical array of different barges, both large and small, in for prep and paint work, including Alaska Marine Line’s Kamakani, CenterLine’s Dugan Pearsall, Orion Marine’s Rainier and Kiewit’s DB Columbia and DB Patrick in for small steel repairs as well. The yard also hosted a pair of ‘siblings’ in the last few months. These were Edison Chouest’s Contender and Challenger tugs in consecutive months for mechanical work, and the Burrard Pacific Breeze and Burrard Chinook Seabus for maintenance and painting. Work is also being finished on a project which began at Victoria Shipyards earlier in the year. The CSL Tecumseh bulk carrier was in the Panamax drydock from mid-July into August for shaft and stern tube work and a full blast and paint. The yard also had the Star Breeze cruiseship alongside for assistance on mechanical work.
A rendering of the Seaspan VDC Operations Centre
Leading into winter, the most notable project currently underway is an extensive refit of CCGS Sir Wilfid Laurier, which will continue through to April 2024 and consists of a number of different jobs including blast and
painting, repair and refit of the rudder/ shafting, propulsion genset replacement of the three 42-tonne engines, and installation of a new shipboard integrated communication system.
Yard extension plan Seaspan has consolidated its ship repair and maintenance projects at Vancouver Drydock, resulting in the shipyard running at or near capacity for several years. In October, Seaspan also received permit approval from the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority to extend its North Vancouver drydock facilities to increase capacity and service additional vessels. The expansion will increase Seaspan’s capacity for ship repair projects by about 30%, and will result in approximately 100 new, well-paying jobs. “Seaspan Vancouver Drydock plays an integral role in supporting the West Coast marine industry and creating long-term work for BC’s skilled workforce,” says said Paul Hebson, Vice President and General Manager of Vancouver Drydock. “By investing in improvements to better use our land and the space within our water lots, we will be able to serve more customers, create new jobs and harness new economic activity for our communities. The input and feedback we gathered during the public engagement process for the drydock expansion allowed us to develop meaningful measures to address concerns and helped us created a stronger, more responsive project.” The expansion includes a drydock enlargement, a new operations building and a complete upgrade and extension
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to the current careen deck to enhance its capabilities. The drydock expansion includes extending Seaspan’s current water lot by 40m and the addition of two new smaller drydocks and a floating work pontoon to the west of the two existing drydocks. The project is expected to take approximately a year to complete, with the drydocks and work pontoon arriving by water fully assembled. The new operations building for Seaspan’s growing workforce is designed to accommodate up to 300 people over two shifts. Construction will commence soon and is expected to be complete by late 2024. Vancouver Drydock currently has a skilled team of about 200 people who complete maintenance, repair and refit on more than 50 vessel projects per year, including tugs, ferries, large freighters, Canadian Coast Guard vessels, cruiseships, fishing vessels and barges.
DAVIE SHIPYARD UPGRADE PROGRAMME Davie has continued to perform midlife refits on the Canadian naval fleet whilst carrying out its C$500m shipyard upgrade programme to begin building ships under the National Shipbuilding Strategy. “We have had some availability in Davie’s large drydock and performed some work on the Hamburg cruise vessel last month,” says Alex Vicefield, Chairman and CEO of Inocea Group, the parent company of Davie Shipbuilding and Federal Fleet Services. Davie also recently announced it had finalised the acquisition of the assets of Finland’s Helsinki Shipyard Oy (HSO). The historic transaction combines the skills, experience and capabilities of two leaders in Arctic shipbuilding and other high-value products. While the Canadian and Finnish shipyards will be
Leading into winter, the most notable project currently underway in Vancouver DryDock is an extensive refit of CCGS Sir Wilfid Laurier
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This was followed in April by the signing of a business purchase agreement, and on July 4 Davie secured a new 50-year land lease from the City of Helsinki.
The Hamburg cruise vessel was recently in Davie’s large drydock
separate legal and operating entities, the business headquarters will remain in Québec. The transaction will create opportunities for employees, encourage collaboration, facilitate the transfer of know-how, provide access to resources, and stimulate export potential. While the details of the business purchase agreement are confidential, the transaction was made possible by a combination of Davie’s own funds and by €77M (C$110M) of financing from the Québec government consisting of an equity investment of €30M (C$43M) and a loan of €47M (C$67M). A significant proportion of the funds will go to ensuring the shipyard has working capital while it gets up and running and secures new business. Importantly, the Canadian government has looked favourably on the potential synergies resulting from the transaction for the construction of icebreakers under the National Shipbuilding Strategy. Together, Davie and Helsinki Shipyard will deliver critical expertise for government and commercial customers. Both shipbuilders, renowned for their leadership and expert knowledge in clean energy solutions, will contribute to the creation of a greener and more sustainable oceangoing fleet. The completion of the transaction is the culmination of a series of milestones, beginning in December 2022. In March 2023, Davie exercised an exclusive option to purchase the assets of HSO.
“We are delighted to bring two historic and highly complementary businesses together,” says James Davies, Davie President and CEO, and co-owner. “We are confident our talented people and world-class supply chain will quickly form the preeminent global centre of excellence for green Arctic shipbuilding, and other specialised products. Empowered by Helsinki shipyard’s unique know-how, Québec can also more efficiently deliver Canada’s polar icebreaker orderbook, which is the western world’s largest.” Vicefield said: “Linking together the capabilities, capacity and expertise of the two global leaders in ice-class vessel and icebreaker construction is a strategically important development for the western world. The Arctic is critical for future security, trade, navigation and the environment and Inocea is proud to be at the forefront of this next frontier.” “This is the best possible news for Helsinki shipyard, our talented workforce and our supply chain,” comments Kim Salmi, Managing Director, Helsinki Shipyard. “After months of planning, our top priority is to rapidly return this business to what it does best – designing and building world-class ships quickly, efficiently and cost-effectively.”
JAMAICA’S FIRST FLOATING DOCK It all started in 2015, with funding from the Commonwealth Secretariat, when the Maritime Authority of Jamaica commissioned a study Ship Repair in Jamaica, to demonstrate Jamaica’s strategic position to viably manage and operate a drydock for large cargo vessels. It has culminated in a private joint venture of German, Turkish and Jamaican investors, German Ship Repair Jamaica Limited (GSRJ) welcoming its first floating dock to the country. The 215m long Panamax-size dock was towed across the Atlantic by the deep-
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sea tug Titan from its previous home port in Bremerhaven. The dock arrived in Kingston on August 24, 2023, and is now at its new home port at the GSRJ Shipyard in Kingston Harbour. Since arriving, the floating dock has been registered with the Jamaica Ship Registry, which is administered by the Maritime Authority of Jamaica (MAJ), and has now been renamed from Dock V to JAM-DOCK 1. The GSRJ shipyard has been approved as a Special Economic Freezone under the Jamaica Special Economic Zone Authority and has been granted all required environmental permits from the National Environment and Planning Agency. The drydock has also seen its first vessel for drydocking. The Mexican Giant, which arrived on November 19, was drydocked at the newly established JAM-DOCK 1 the following day. The heavy-lift vessel is in for comprehensive repairs and servicing. “We are extremely happy to see this multi-million-dollar project finally culminating in this historic arrival of the first dock to be commissioned in Jamaica,” said Colonel Martin Rickman, Chief Executive Officer of GSRJ. “This provides a golden opportunity for local and international vessels to be repaired in Jamaica. This will lift Jamaica’s profile in the international maritime sphere. Rear Admiral (Ret’d) Peter Brady, Director General of the MAJ, added: “It is very gratifying, after so many years of planning and organising, to see the first floating dock arrive and be made ready for operation.”
The reasoning behind acquisition “Our German investors operated a shipping line/feeder service in the Caribbean and needed a shipyard,” says a spokesperson for the Maritime Authority of Jamaica. “The idea developed, together with interest in Jamaica in building a shipyard and Jamaican partners joined. Our Turkish partners were identified by the German partners. Hat-San, a reliable, and efficient shipyard from Turkey, proved a good source for qualified and skilled workers. The company has wide
experience in ship repair and conversion, even newbuildings, and Hat-San is a well-known brand name for the building of floating docks. “More Jamaican partners have joined to fund the project, and a great partnership has developed in order to build the new shipyard in Jamaica. Each partner brings their own unique business background and expertise, from the maritime sector and from other industries.” When asked why they opted for the Bremerhaven Dock V the spokesperson said: “We were looking around for a suitable dock when Dieter Petram, a friend of the founder Peter Harren, decided to sell one of his docks, which had the perfect dimensions for Jamaica and was in excellent shape. “He offered the dock to GSRJ for a competitive price and the purchase was concluded soon thereafter. Finding a suitable floating dock, both commercial and technical, requires a lot of effort and study as there are not many for sale due to the intensive maintenance and repair works of shipyards.” On the question of which vessels the yard is targeting, he said: “The main market is cargo vessels trading in the region. These include container vessels, bulk carriers, tankers, heavy lift vessels, support vessels for the oil industry, and other ships. It is estimated that there are more than 16,000 ships operating in the Caribbean Region on a daily basis, which includes calls to Jamaica. In addition, the
The 215m long Panamax-size dock was towed across the Atlantic by the deepsea tug Titan from its previous home port in Bremerhaven
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Speaking about the agreement, MDO President Raj Sengupta commented: “Marine Design & Operations, Inc. is looking forward to this strategic collaboration with Avantis. We anticipate bringing unique and creative project design and engineering solutions for many types of projects, such as newbuild vessels, repower and conversion of existing vessels, including green technology solutions and heavy cargo project design and engineering. This is an exciting opportunity for Avantis and MDO which we are confident will benefit the maritime industry.”
Avantis Marine fitting an EGCS inlet section for installation onboard a vessel in Vancouver
ship traffic traversing the Panama Canal daily positions Jamaica geographically in an ideal position to offer ship drydocking and repair services.”
Metalock Brasil has recently performed a crack repair on a ship that runs the South America-Central America-North America route.
The yard also has plans to grow, as he explains: “We have plans for future phases, including additional docking space, but the timing will be determined after the setting up of Phase 1.”
During a routine inspection in the US, the crew of a containership found a crack in the vessel’s main engine block. The crack reached 930mm in length and was located in the upper part of cylinder seven in the main combustion engine, on the receiving side of the exhaust air.
US OFFSHORE FLEET LIFE EXTENSION COLLABORATION Avantis – a global leader of environmental and energy optimising solutions for the marine, offshore and power generation markets – has inked a strategic Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with New Jersey-based Marine Design and Operations, Inc. (MDO). The MoU will see Avantis and MDO collaborate on large-scale life extensions of ageing assets and decarbonisation projects focused on US fleets.
Opposite page: The crack was located in the upper part of cylinder seven in the main combustion engine, on the receiving side of the exhaust air
COMPLEX METALOCK REPAIRS
Speaking about the partnership, Avantis Chief Executive Officer Thomas David said: “We have a tried and tested working relationship with MDO, having been working together on projects internationally for the last three years. This enhanced strategic collaboration is the next logical step for both companies, enabling us to offer larger and more complex project solutions – so it will be a major boon to our existing and future client base.”
Metalock Brasil performed an onboard inspection and established a repair plan using its unique Lloyd’s Registerapproved and patented cold repair process. This is a process that allows repairs to be carried out without the need to remove the ship from operation. As it was a complex repair in a difficult to access location inside the engine room, Metalock Brasil worked with three specialist technicians. It was necessary to dismantle several peripheral pipes, as well as the cylinder liner and the engine cylinder head, to work properly in the affected region. The service was successfully completed between August 31 and September 3, 2023, in Port Hueneme, California.
Complex sail repair Metalock Brasil has also carried out structural services to the metal sails of a pioneering cargo ship in terms of energy efficiency. The team included seven specialised and certified
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Metalock Brasil carried out structural services to the metal sails of a cargo ship
technicians, working for two weeks on board the ship, which has the potential to reduce pollutant emissions by up to 30%, compared with other vessels of its type. All the services were carried out on board, during the ship’s stay at internal anchorage and when moored at the Port of Paranaguá, in the state of Paraná (Brazil). Several video conferences were held before the work was carried out, involving Metalock Brasil engineers, the shipowner and the manufacturers of the equipment, with the work being supervised on site by technicians from the windsail designer and the shipowner’s superintendents. Metalock Brasil carried out the structural reinforcement of the windsails’ foundation plinth plates on both the fore and aft foundations, on port and starboard sides. Metalock Brasil technicians also coldwelded a crack found in the ship’s cargo hold, as well as strengthening a wing support and replacing the locking pad interface with a new stainless-steel pad. The completed repair work was tested and found to be satisfactory.
SCANIA ALASKAN FERRY REPOWER Scania, one of the world’s leading manufacturers of engines for boats, trucks, buses and industrial applications, has been selected by Allen Marine Tours to power a pair of their eco tour vessels. The two 78ft (24m) QUAD powered vessels will each be repowered with Scania V8 DI16 082M, 800 HP engines delivered by the Cascade Engine Center. The custom-built catamarans are capable of 30-plus knots at their full capacity of 150 passengers, and speeds in excess of 35kt with a lighter load. “We have seen a lot of interest in our V8,16-litre engines by tour operators in ecologically sensitive areas like Alaska due to their low environmental impact, high power-to-weight ratio, and fuel efficiency,” explains David Hughes, Sales Manager of Marine Products for Scania USA. “Allen Marine Tours is a well-known and established operator, and gaining their trust to repower two of their vessels, each with QUAD V8s, is an honour. We are confident that they will be extremely satisfied with the performance of the engines as they move toward a
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standardised propulsion system. We hope this is the first of many repowers they will be commissioning in the years to come.” “The growing reputation of the reliability, high performance and efficiency of Scania engines for this type of vessel has been instrumental in our decision to select them for this project,” said Jamey Cagle, CEO, Allen Marine Tours. “Managing an entire fleet of more than 45 COI (Certificate of Inspection) tour vessels throughout the Southeast Alaskan region is quite an undertaking and we don’t take major decisions like purchasing eight engines lightly. Our experience with Scania and Cascade Engine Center has been incredible, and we’re confident this relationship will continue to grow as we update the rest of our fleet to become more sustainable.”
Non-turbo engine Allen Marine Tours is a family-owned business and one of the oldest tour companies in Alaska, having been operating in the pristine waters of the Inside Passage for over 50 years. Currently operating vessels from the ports of Juneau, Ketchikan, Sitka,
Scania has been selected by Allen Marine Tours to repower a pair of their eco tour vessels (above) with Scania V8 DI16 082M, 800 HP engines (left)
Gustavus and Yakutat, Allen Marine Tours designs their day excursions to provide guests with the best means possible to view wilderness and wildlife, and learn about the culture and human history of Southeast Alaska. The vessels they operate are custombuilt at their own shipyard in Sitka. Built on a Compacted Graphite Iron (CGI) engine block and employing a reliable wastegate turbocharger, the Scania V8,16-litre engines deliver top-of-class performance without the need for additional turbos or superchargers. The resulting lighter weight, proprietary EMS (Engine Management System) and XPI injection system (common rail extra high-pressure), optimises fuel delivery, enabling impressive torque, lower noise and exceptional fuel efficiency.
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The last surviving Dreadnoughtclass battleship, USS Texas, is being painstakingly restored in Galveston, Texas. In the course of the work, a World War II operations map was discovered on a cabin wall, having been painted over and later cut into. Described here are the careful steps taken by Ariane Roesch and Zak Miano, who own OnAim Conservation, to fully reveal what remained of the map, rectify the damage and restore it as best possible using modern materials to its original state.
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CONSERVING A WORLD WAR II RELIC
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terrible either. What was truly terrible is that a window was cut into the bulkhead right in the middle of the map some time in the late 1970s, after the map and compartment were painted white. The Battleship Texas Foundation believes that because the map had been painted over and knowledge of the map lost, those who made that decision did not know it was there.
The only known historic photo of the map
C
ommissioned in 1914, the battleship USS Texas is credited with the introduction and innovation in gunnery, aviation and radar. It is the last surviving dreadnought and the only battleship still in existence that fought in both World War I and World War II. It is currently undergoing a major refit by Gulf Copper in the US after the shipyard retrieved and purchased a large floating drydock that had been sunk, broken over its length and cut in half during salvage in the Bahamas. The approximately 8ft x 8ft (2.4 x 2.4m) map of the WWII Atlantic theatre was painted on a bulkhead in the captain’s cabin after September 1944 (based on references in the map). It shows the ports of call USS Texas made during WWII (white dots with anchors in them), where she performed shore bombardment (noted by little explosions), national capitals (yellow triangles), and a few surprise discoveries as the map was conserved. Some time after 1966, which is when the only known historic photo of the map was taken, the map, along with the rest of the captain’s cabin, was painted white. That act was not great, but not
Fast forward to around 2000, when the map began to reveal itself as the white paint began to flake off and the map was rediscovered during the planning for the captain’s cabin restoration. When the captain’s cabin was restored, the window was welded up and the map was partially uncovered, exposing the Mediterranean and most of Europe. In 2009, the 1966 picture of Chief McKeown with the map in the background was discovered, which spurred a lot of excitement about what possibly survived. However, due to budgetary constraints no real conservation treatments could be carried out on the map. The map then sat partially uncovered and untouched until last summer. In partnership with TPWD (Texas Parks & Wildlife Department) Cultural Resources, OnAim Conservation was hired to stabilise the remaining paint on the bulkhead, just prior to the tow to Galveston. This initial step preserved what remained and protected it from any vibrations from the tow and/or shipyard work.
Conservation procedures The restoration of the Atlantic theatre map in the captain’s quarters was completed in three phases over the course of a year and a half, starting when the battleship was still at its old location by the San Jacinto monument in Texas and completed after its journey to drydock in Galveston for repair.
Phase I: Stabilisation Before beginning the first phase, which was to stabilise the map in its current state, the captain’s cabin was first cleaned and wiped down to prevent dust accumulation. An AC unit was also
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installed to regulate the temperature surrounding the map wall. Once the work area was prepared, OnAim began testing two adhesives and their compatibility with a methylene chloride base paint stripper using paint chip samples acquired from the map. The B-72 adhesive solution and PC universal glue adhesives were graded on their evaporation rate and overall quality. During testing, the B-72 adhesive reacted adversely with the base paint stripper and resulted in an undesirable high evaporation rate, whereas the PC universal glue had no adverse reactions with the paint stripper and showed a low evaporation rate which would provide ample work time. OnAim concluded that the PC universal glue yielded the best results and was chosen as the desired adhesive for the procedure. OnAim removed the protective wood frame from the wall to begin applying the PC universal glue to the flaking paint layers of the map. The process began by diluting the glue in distilled water and applying the solution between the cracks of the flaking paint surface using a small paintbrush. Larger paint flakes were treated using a monojet syringe to apply the solution behind the paint. Any excess glue was removed by blotting the surface with a damp rag. OnAim then used a heated tacking iron (between 250-300°F) to set and adhere the flaking paint flat onto the surface. To prevent the adhesive from sticking to the iron and pulling paint, silicone relief paper was placed between iron and paint. This process was repeated until the surface was fully consolidated. After the adhesive cured, the map wall was cleaned with a solution containing 50ml of distilled water and 5ml of Vulpex museum-grade liquid soap. It was applied using a clean rag then wiped down with distilled water between each scrubbing. The sections of the map that were visible (top right corner) were cleaned with extra precaution to avoid removing any of its parts. Once the surface was fully clean and dry, OnAim applied two coats of a varnishing solution containing 25ml of satin Damar varnish and 5ml of distilled
turpentine to the visible sections of the map and the compass rose (bottom right section), using a natural hair oil brush to seal the surface and create a sacrificial layer. As part of this first phase of stabilising the Atlantic theatre map, OnAim conducted various tests to prepare for the following two phases: a paint removal analysis to decide on the best type of product for the chemical removal of the top layer of paint that is overlaying the map, and a paint analysis conducted by Ignite Diagnostic Solutions LLC to identify the original colours used on the map and compare them to the 1939 Navy paint formulas to see which was the closest match.
Chemical paint removal analysis: “Due to the age of the paint and possible chemical makeup, we were thinking that only a chemical stripper containing methylene chloride would yield the desired results since it is easily controlled and has a shorter wait time,” explains Ariane Roesch, who with her husband Zak Miano, owns
A window was cut into the bulkhead right in the middle of the map some time in the late 1970s
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Phase II: Paint removal
Glue was applied to the flaking paint layers of the map
OnAim Conservation. “We tested three commonly bought paint strippers (see attached chemical paint removal analysis) to remove paint on the Atlantic theatre map: CitriStrip, Klean Strip, Strypeeze (with methylene chloride), and 100% methylene chloride. Out of all, the CitriStrip gave the best results due to its non-toxic gelatinous nature that works well on vertical surfaces, plus its easy clean-up using mineral spirits, soap and water. Since it is non-toxic it also does not need a well-ventilated room, making it easier to environmentally-control the space. A thick layer has to be applied for it to work.”
Paint sample analysis: Ignite Diagnostic Solutions removed a variety of paint chips to analyse, each with about 14 layers of paint. Under OnAim’s directive, the goal was to analyse not only the abundant ‘green’ paint, but primarily the ‘red’ paint used to demarcate land masses on the map, as well as the ‘bluegrey’ paint that demarcated the water. Based on the 1939 Navy paint formula library, the ‘red’ paint sample matched most closely with the red lead formula, matching the makeup of the paint suppliers National Starch and Goodrich. The ‘green’ sample (middle layer) most closely matched the ‘semi-flat’ formula. Based on the data, it was concluded that the ‘green’ sample (top layer) matched the ‘light green gloss’ formula, and the ‘green sample’ (bottom layer) matched the ‘green motor boat’ formula. The ‘blue-grey’ sample matched the ‘blue stripping paint’ formula.
Using the results of the paint analysis and paint stripper tests, OnAim applied CitriStrip to remove the top white layer of paint that had been sealing the map. This process consisted of first allowing a 3”x 3” (76 x 76mm) thick layer of citrus strip to sit on the paint layer for an average of 15 minutes. After an allotted time, a scalpel was utilised to carefully scrape away the white layer. OnAim then used a #0000 steel wool pad soaked in an aqueous solution of Dawn to neutralise the stripper and gently scrub away leftover residue, any remaining paint then being scraped away with a scalpel. This method proved to be the best to ensure that a minimal part of the original layers would be compromised. Rust blooms and other structurally-compromising issues throughout the mural were addressed at this time. Once the remainder of the map was exposed, it was thoroughly cleaned with an aqueous solution of Dawn and then the mural was documented in detail. Damar varnish was applied to the entire surface to protect this original layer.
Findings OnAim was able to uncover quite a bit of the original map, with really only the cut-out window and any heat-damaged metal parts being areas that were a complete loss. “While the reveal itself was amazing, there were two unique findings that altered our expectations of what the final map would look like,” says Roesch. One was the surprising find of lettering on the left panel just above where the window was cut. Starting with an ‘N’ and ending in ‘h’, it was clear that it said ‘North’. “After some research, we found that most maps read North Atlantic Ocean when looking at Earth with just this section showing,” explains Zak Miano. “Anything north of the equator is considered North Atlantic, and looking at the USS Texas map, the floor is just a bit further south than the equator. After discussing the addition with TPWD and The Battleship Texas Foundation, all parties agreed that ‘Atlantic Ocean’ should be added.”
Our passion is not new!
We work with the same passion since the day we started, despite the high demand on quality, and always with the same commitment.
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“OnAim and The Battleship Texas Foundation agreed that the paint infill should be done in such a way as to tell the story of the map, memorialise the actions that were taken, and not obscure what had occurred,” says Miano. “It was decided that anything that is added should match in colour to the original but would be set apart by having a smooth newly-painted appearance. Using the ship’s paint index from 1939, colours were matched and tinted accordingly. For example, the US east coast, which was completely lost due to the bulkhead viewing window being cut out, would be painted using a brown that matched the colour of the original land masses but would stand out due to its smooth, non-cracked appearance.”
The state of Texas, in an orange hue, superimposed over Africa with the compass rose situated over the Panhandle and West Texas
“The other find was the state of Texas, in an orange hue, superimposed over Africa with the compass rose situated over the Panhandle and West Texas,” explains Roesch. “While parts of the compass rose were already exposed and one could see a faint outline of Africa before stripping the top white layer, there had been no indication that Texas was somehow incorporated on the map.”
Phase III: Restoration The third and final phase was to restore the map through paint infill, using the newly unearthed original parts as guides to complete the full map, as well as historical maps of that era to assist with layout and content. OnAim subcontracted Kati Ozanic, a local painter, teacher, and artistic director who has experience painting murals and could work within the confined area, to transcribe the missing parts of the map.
Kati Ozanic started by tracing all unveiled land masses on tracing paper. Using that as a reference, she tried to match it with various projections of maps. Judging by the expanding grid pattern painted along the edge, the original artist seemed to have had experience in maps and navigation. They had painted the map with an eye towards perspective and curvature of the globe. “This is why the land masses up top, like Canada, seem to be more stretched out and areas along the bottom, like Africa, seem to be more compact,” says Roesch. Referencing the historical photo from 1966 and using both projections and visual artistic interpretation, Ozanic was able to finalise the land masses on the tracing paper. This tracing was then transferred onto the bulkhead using Saral transfer paper. Once transferred and outlined, areas were then painted in. “The next step was to label the capitals, ports, and areas of interest, as well as mark any points of conflict with an explosion – just as things were demarcated on the original map,” says Miano. Using a tracing of the existing lettering, research was done regarding font type and size. OnAim settled on the American Type Founders (ATF) collection based on the map’s timeframe and considering what type of font would have been widely available. ATF Alternate Gothic was used for labelling all cities and areas (32pt height, 25pt kerning). The
DRYDOCK 2023 – 45
The lettering was found on the left panel just above where the window was cut out
first letters of ‘North Atlantic Ocean’ most closely matched and are based on the ATF Livermore Script font. The remaining letters were created based on the forms of the original lettering on ‘North’. Using the existing delineations on the compass rose, the missing parts were added and painted. The gradations per quadrant, as is faintly evident in the historical photo, are based on the various brown tones used in the map’s land masses. The light switch to the right had originally been painted a brown to blend in with the mural’s land masses. The metal housing was removed, cleaned, and stripped of existing paint before painting it again using the same colour as was used on the land masses.
Paint and varnish details OnAim utilised the 1941 ship colour swatches provided by the Battleship Texas Foundation to colour-match the colours used in the map painting. All exposed steel was first primed using Sherwin-Williams Rust Beater red oxide primer. “We used Sherwin-Williams All Surface Enamel for the topcoat,” says Roesch. “While the colour-matched paint was close to the original colours, a Mixol tint system was used to tint them to be a closer match.” OnAim used Damar varnish for a sacrificial sealant as well as a sealant tint. With a variation of grey, green, ochre, and yellow oxide tints in Damar varnish, OnAim used these for the dual purpose of sealing and ‘ageing’ the new paint so that the aesthetic differences between old and new were not too stark. That was then allowed to dry and then finally a clear coat of Damar varnish was applied to the whole of the painting. Damar varnish was used because it is both durable and easily reversible. Whilst the stabilisation and conservation of the map has been completed, the restoration of the ‘superdreadnought’ USS Texas continues apace at Gulf Copper.
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46 – IN FOCUS 2023
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A superior ice coating
In April 2021, Fednav’s Umiak I, one of the world’s most powerful icebreaking cargo ships, had its entire hull from keel to gunwale coated with Ecospeed Ice, replacing the existing hull coating. So, more than two years of heavy icebreaking later, how is the coating holding up?
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C
raig Verge, the superintendent of the Umiak I, works for Canship Ugland Ltd, the St. John’s NLbased ship management company that manages a variety of vessels including this 189m icebreaking bulk carrier. He says: “I was out and had a look at the hull coating in Long Harbor, [near St. John’s in Newfoundland & Labrador, Canada]. The Ecospeed is holding up well – as far as I can see there does not appear to be any damage from ice whatsoever. There is also only minimal mechanical damage from chains on fenders and tugs, and marks from tires.” This report is from August 2023, more than two full years of service since the ship’s hull coating was changed to Ecospeed Ice.
Fednav Ltd The Umiak I is owned by Fednav Limited. With more than 75 years in the international shipping business, Montreal-based Fednav is Canada’s largest oceangoing, dry-bulk shipowning and chartering group. Fednav’s maritime freight division annually transports over 30 million tons of mainly dry-bulk, including agricultural products, sugar, fertilisers, and industrial minerals as well as steel and other general cargo on its fleet of 120 owned and chartered vessels. The fleet is comprised of Handysize, Supramax and Ultramax bulk carriers. Renowned for Arctic trading expertise, Fednav boasts the world’s largest fleet of ice-class bulk vessels. Specialising for six decades in the St. Lawrence-Great Lakes Seaway System and in the ice-covered waters of the Arctic, today, Fednav’s wider focus is on the transportation of bulk and breakbulk on a worldwide basis. Having participated in every major shipping project in the Canadian Arctic since the late 1950s, Fednav’s Arctic Operations department knows how to deliver innovative and effective solutions for that challenging region. The company owns and operates both the 31,500-tonne Umiak I and Nunavik, the most powerful icebreaking bulk carriers of their kind, as well as the Arvik I, an icebreaking vessel powerful enough to navigate unescorted through icecovered waters. Fednav knows ice!
The Umiak I Built in Japan at the Universal Shipbuilding Corporation’s Maizuru shipyard, the Umiak I was delivered in 2006. At the time it was the highest iceclass, non-nuclear cargo vessel in the world with DNV ICE-15 classification. Umiak is the native Inuktitut name for a supply boat. The ship was purposebuilt to transport nickel ore from the Voisey’s Bay mine in Labrador, Canada to the Long Harbour Nickel Processing Plant on Newfoundland’s south coast. Umiak I makes 12 trips per year,
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BASED ON THE SUCCESS OF THE TEST PATCHES, IN EARLY 2021 IT WAS DECIDED TO REPLACE THE UMIAK I’S ENTIRE HULL COATING WITH ECOSPEED ICE. transporting a total of 360,000 tonnes of nickel concentrate worth 1.5 billion Canadian dollars. On the return trip, the icebreaking cargo ship carries re-supply cargoes for the Voisey’s Bay mine. The Umiak I’s main engine is coupled directly to a ducted controllablepitch propeller. This allows backing and ramming in heavy ice conditions without reversing the engine, and the nozzle protects it from ice impacts and provides additional thrust.
Umiak I and Ecospeed Ice As can be expected, the hull coating on the Umiak I is subjected to some of the harshest treatment any hull coating can receive. The original coating was not holding up as well as desired. Thus it was that in the ship’s 2016 drydocking, it was decided to apply two test patches of Ecospeed Ice, a coating that had been very successful in other ice applications including the British Antarctic Survey’s Antarctic research and supply vessel, the RSS Ernest Shackleton. For the next five winter seasons, the test patches were closely monitored and found to be holding up remarkably well. Based on the success of the test patches, in early 2021 it was decided to replace the Umiak I’s entire hull coating with Ecospeed Ice. The application was carried out in Remontowa Ship repair Yard in Gdansk, Poland. Where the steel had been severely pitted from ice abrasion, particularly on the bow and the nozzle, the surface was first repaired with Ecofix, a compatible filler designed for use with Subsea Industries coatings. Ecospeed can be applied over Ecofix with only a one-hour overcoat time, which can save a great deal of time in the yard.
Results to date The Umiak I maintained its regular schedule for the next two years, forcing its way through heavy ice up and down the Labrador coast carrying its valuable cargo in the usual harsh conditions. It was in July 2023, over two years after the Ecospeed Ice application, that ship’s superintendent Craig Verge inspected and photographed the hull when the ship was moored at Long Harbour. The photos confirm his report that the hull coating had suffered no ice damage whatsoever. Verge says: “The crew did report some minor coating damage from ice on the leading edge of the nozzle.” This is not surprising considering the role the nozzle plays in the repeated backing and ramming operation the ship employs to make its way through heavy ice. However, the nature of Ecospeed prevents undercreep and is also very easy to repair in drydock since it is one homogenous coating rather than a complex scheme of different types of paint. The repair blends in perfectly with the original hull coating.
Conclusion David Williams, Senior Manager, Technical Services Fleet Management at Fednav, was the naval architect responsible for introducing Ecospeed Ice to the company and initiating the test patches applied at the Verreault shipyard in Quebec in 2016. Looking back on that decision, in light of the results shown by the recent inspection after two years of the Umiak I’s sailing with Ecospeed Ice, Williams says: “Fednav has operational experience with various ice resistant hull coatings over our history as owners and operators of ice class vessels. Service experience with Ecospeed test patches, and later a full application of Ecospeed, on the Umiak I has demonstrated to us that Ecospeed is the leading hull coating product, of those we have tested, for this application.”
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A SEA CHANGE IN SUSTAINABLE SHIPPING The shipping industry has long been searching for an environmentally-friendly solution to combat biofouling. Increased fuel consumption and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, slower ship operating speeds at constant power, and transfer of invasive aquatic species are problems that cost the shipping industry billions of dollars each year. Canadian company GIT Coatings has developed a graphene-based hard foul release solution to help shipowners save money on fuel and boost overall efficiency whilst having the smallest impact on the environment.
F
or decades, antifouling coatings have been used by the marine industry to prevent the accumulation of marine organisms on ships’ hulls. However, they work by leaching toxic substances like copper, cuprous oxide and heavy metals. Additionally, they break down into microplastics through a shedding process, contributing to the increase of microplastic pollution in our oceans. In a study published in 2022, it was estimated that 1.9 million tonnes of paint end up in oceans and waterways every year, representing approximately
58% of all microplastics entering water, with some 18% estimated to come from the maintenance and operations of ships and offshore rigs alone. In 2008, the use of TBT-containing antifouling coatings was banned by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) due to its detrimental impact on marine life. This led to innovations in fouling control coatings, including the development of soft foul release silicone-based coatings that rely on less invasive mechanisms for antifouling protection.
Right: Graphene-based hard foul release coatings are an environmentally friendly alternative to conventional toxic antifouling and soft foul release options
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Although some silicone-based coatings are biocide-free and have been developed as an environmentallyfriendly solution for marine vessels, they still contain silicone oils which are released into the ocean over time. Further to that, they cannot be cleaned without damage and require a more difficult application process.
Pioneering graphene in marine coatings In 2017, GIT Coatings started to pave the road to a new category of graphenebased marine coatings which present a viable option for the shipping industry to reach both their sustainability and profitability goals. These coatings are based on hard foul release technology and offer a full range of benefits for the shipping industry. Graphene is known for its high mechanical strength, low friction, and impressive toughness, which in addition to drag reduction makes it more resistant to mechanical damage compared to silicone-based coatings.
XGIT-FUEL offers considerable operational benefits for drydocks
Graphene-based hard foul release coatings are an environmentally friendly alternative to conventional toxic antifouling and soft foul release options as they eliminate the need for biocides, fluoropolymers, and unbound silicone oil release. This new type of coating incorporates more sustainable chemistry and predominantly uses more durable materials. It has virtually zero volatile organic compounds (VOCs) compared with existing antifouling coatings that can contain up to 40% by volume and do not leach any substances into the water column. IT Coatings was founded by two G materials engineers, Mo Algermozi and Marciel Gaier, who met at Dalhousie University, Nova Scotia, while researching graphene and its potential uses. As they delved into various applications for this excellent material, the maritime industry with its rough and toxic coatings emerged as a sector ripe for disruption. Recognising the industry’s shifting emphasis towards sustainable and efficient solutions, Algermozi and Gaier
identified the significant role of hull coatings in enhancing ship efficiency by reducing drag. This revelation steered GIT Coatings towards the development of XGIT-FUEL, a patented low-friction hard foul release hull coating which is gaining interest from shipowners across the globe. The company has later expanded its product line with a durable propeller coating system, XGIT-PROP, and underwater noise-reducing XGITURN.
Navigating challenges with sustainable solutions GIT’s graphene-based hull coating XGITFUEL has been independently validated and type-approved by the wellrecognised ship classification society Lloyd’s Register. LR’s study, carried out in 2021 and 2022, demonstrated an efficiency improvement of over 10% compared with traditional coatings. In addition, the Center for Corrosion and Biofouling Control at Florida Tech confirmed XGIT-FUEL’s exceptional foul-release capabilities and its superior durability during cleaning, which might be needed after extended vessel idling periods. This coating also aligns perfectly with proactive hull grooming, a practice recently endorsed by the IMO in its latest biofouling management guidelines. XGIT-FUEL also offers considerable operational benefits for drydocks. It requires fewer layers than alternatives, its application is more efficient, and its low VOC content enhances safety for workers while reducing environmental impact. Furthermore, the temperature range for applying XGIT-FUEL is from -5 to 40°C, which exceeds that of other high-performance coatings. This broadens the application period and enables shipowners to boost the efficiency of vessels scheduled for winter drydockings. This in turn accelerates the marine industry’s move towards decarbonisation. XGIT-PROP, a graphene-based propeller coating system, was designed to withstand the rigorous conditions faced by propellers. Combining a strong adhesive primer with a hard foul release
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topcoat, XGIT-PROP overcomes the shortcomings of conventional soft foul release coatings that often peel away from propeller blades, and ensures the propeller’s surface stays smooth over the drydocking cycle. In a study presented by one of the world’s leading tanker operators, Stolt Tankers, it was proved that XGIT-PROP has the potential to reduce fuel consumption by up to 4%. Recently, the shipping industry has started to address the issue of underwater radiated noise, a form of waterborne emission that can adversely impact whales and various marine species. GIT Coatings has formulated a unique coating, XGITURN, to combat this environmental challenge. Applied between the anticorrosive primer and the topcoat, XGIT-URN has been proved to minimise the noise and frequencies emitted from the hull. Following successful pilot tests with Transport Canada in 2020, this coating has been adopted on numerous vessels operating in environmentally sensitive areas.
Leading the wave of change GIT Coatings has been at the forefront of revolutionising the marine coatings industry. With a commitment to delivering environmentally friendly, efficient, and economically viable solutions, the company is helping shipowners in achieving their sustainability goals. Having coated more than 100 oceangoing vessels with its graphenebased coatings in 2023 and expanding its presence globally, GIT Coatings demonstrates a compelling growth trajectory. This momentum is set to continue, especially with plans to transition to a fully automated, carbonneutral production facility in 2024. GIT Coatings’ active participation in the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and other significant industry working groups signifies the company’s leadership and commitment to sustainable maritime future. Adoption and endorsements from industry leaders such as Eastern Pacific Shipping, Stolt Tankers and Kotug amongst many others further emphasise the effectiveness and potential of GIT Coatings’ innovations.
XGIT-PROP was designed to withstand the rigorous conditions faced by propellers
56 – MARKET INTELLIGENCE 2023
TotalEnergies Marine Fuels and the cruise division of MSC Group completed the first LNG bunkering operation in Marseille for MSC Cruises’ MSC World Europa in April this year
The evolution of marine lubrication
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Stuart Fuller, Market Liaison & Product Manager for Engine Oils in the Marine & Power division of TotalEnergies, recently spoke at the Nor-Shipping conference, providing insights and thoughts on the key drivers shaping the evolution of marine lubrication. Here, he captures some of the main points he shared with the audience of maritime professionals in Oslo.
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T
he shipping industry faces a dual challenge – more energy, with fewer emissions. It is a key target that we are working on tirelessly at TotalEnergies, with our customers, stakeholders and our partners.
Future fuels – navigating complexity
How we are supporting the shipping industry’s decarbonisation journey?
Decarbonisation of transport will rely on massive investment in sustainable liquid fuels along with biofuels, supplemented by e-fuels after 2030.
Tackling our responsibilities head on, TotalEnergies has joined forces with the Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller Center for Zero Carbon Shipping as a strategic partner, working with other industry partners to examine innovative technologies and what’s needed to build the infrastructure to support those technologies. We have so far committed three full-time colleagues that are seconded to the project, as well as enlisting the support of a further 12 colleagues on a part-time basis. TotalEnergies also actively participates in many other industry organisations working to improve combating climate change, such as the IMO, ISO, SEA/LNG, SGMF, Ammonia Energy Association, CIMAC and more, all with a shared goal of moving shipping into a carbon-free transport.
The market drivers – life after IMO 2020 Post IMO 2020, a number of drivers have been shaping the industry, namely: • Technology – new engine design (increased temperatures/pressures), exhaust gas after treatment, scrubbers, EGR/SCR • Regulatory – SOx, NOx, ECAs, CO2... • Fuels – high/low sulfur fuels, LNG, biofuels
Hammelmann GmbH
Currently the shipping industry is firmly focused on the directions that the future fuels market is likely to take.
The predicted take-up of H2-based e-fuels (including e-methanol and e-ammonia) is expected to take place between 2030 and 2050, and will be significant. It is also anticipated that LNG will remain in the mix but not significantly above the post-2030 volumes. So, we are undoubtedly heading towards a more complex market with multiple fuel solutions making up the landscape. And with 2050 just one ship life away, shipowners and operators are going to have to make strategic fuel choices which will impact the key components of the shipping industry, including engine manufacture, fuel supply, bunkering operations, global port developments and of course lubrication development.
Predicting the future – the OEM view A significant portion of the new engine orderbook today is occupied with engines able to operate on a dual fuel basis, notably LNG and/or methanol. But what does the future look like from an OEM perspective? What is clear is that it seems there is no one size fits all solution today.
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60 – MARKET INTELLIGENCE 2023
Challenges of product development – completing the formulation puzzle From a lubrication perspective, the multiple fuels landscape presents challenges that, as manufacturers, we have to address. Different fuels will potentially have different performance requirements, and collaboration across the industry – for example with engine OEMs – is vital.
special attention to the key areas of the combustion chamber, the ring pack, the exhaust valve and especially the piston top land and top ring area. For this we are focusing on low ash – for deposit control, and high detergency – for cleanliness. We also need to look at key operational drivers including:
When it comes to lubrication development the formulation puzzle includes key issues such as: • Finished product stability • Compatibility • Oxidation stability
Importance of ring groove cleanliness
• Thermal stability
The importance of good piston ring cleanliness cannot be overstated. This has been seen with the more recent Category II or HD – High Detergency – cylinder oils recently introduced to the market.
• Corrosion
So, our goal is to achieve:
• Hydrolysis • Detergency • Dispersancy
• Wear protection When formulating a lubricant, it is not as simple as selecting ‘ingredients’ and assuming they will work well when they are mixed. We can have particularly good components for each specific purpose, but they don’t always complement each other, meaning the researchers must reach a finely-tuned balance of performance, stability, compatibility, and of course cost. We also need time, and of course access to suitable engines, to study the effects of the proposed fuels on the lubricant. TotalEnergies has invested heavily in ammonia testing facilities which includes the conversion of some commercially available engines to run on NH3 so that we can begin to examine the effects.
New engine designs and cylinder oil specifications Demands placed on cylinder lubricants by modern fuels and highly-tuned engines mean that we must pay
whilst avoiding detergency problems which, if they occur, can result in….
If we start to get a build-up of deposits behind the rings, in the grooves, this restricts the movement of the ring in the piston groove and that affects its ability to properly seal, leading to blow-by, putting excess stresses on the ring pack which may lead to failure, excessive wear and scuffing.
New product development cycle When we look at a typical lubricant product development cycle, we can begin to understand the complexities and time needed to deliver a viable, approved, product to the market. First, we must identify the market needs, which takes into consideration any technical, environmental and regulatory
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requirements, as well as any specific requirements requested by the OEMs. From this we can begin to draw up a view of the desired specifications. Next, we rely heavily on the expertise and knowledge we have in our research centres to formulate candidates using components that can be known, or they can be new molecules, which are screened and modelled before selected candidates proceed to the engine bench. Following the performance testing and analysis of the bench test results, final candidates are ranked and discussed to select a candidate to move forward for field testing. For a cylinder oil, the testing will range from 2,000hrs for a first stage test through to 4,000hrs, or more for a full Non-Objection application to an OEM. This will often involve running the reference and candidate lubricants on a split engine. It requires at least two units to be overhauled and new parts fitted that are measured and recorded by the engine OEM. There are then intermediate inspections, generally noninvasive via the scavenge ports, before the final inspection where the candidate and reference units are dismantled, inspected and measured.
FOLLOWING THE PERFORMANCE TESTING AND ANALYSIS OF THE BENCH TEST RESULTS, FINAL CANDIDATES ARE RANKED AND DISCUSSED TO SELECT A CANDIDATE TO MOVE FORWARD FOR FIELD TESTING.
The process for a trunk piston engine would typically be 6,000hrs or more, and again two cylinders are normally overhauled at the start and end of the test, as well as interim borescope inspections. Assuming everything goes to plan we would hope to have a letter of non-objection, or approval, issued by the OEM. It’s at this point that the decision is made whether to commercialise the product, or not. Not every product that reaches approval status is commercialised. But the story doesn’t end there – in fact it’s just the beginning. From the time the first deliveries are made we start a process of monitoring the lubricant performance in a much wider set of circumstances than we could see with a field test. This data collection not only allows us to monitor the performance, but also to support our future R&D work.
Separating BN from cleanliness Here we are looking specifically at twostroke crosshead engine cylinder oils. When we consider the so-called classically formulated products in the market, we are looking at BN 40, BN 70, BN 100 and BN 140 products. They deliver an Ash Content Equivalent in addition to a Cleanliness Equivalent, of the typical BN value. Until recently the market correlated Base Number, or BN, with cleanliness. Typically, the higher the Base Number, the higher the content of calcium carbonate and hence the greater cleanliness performance. It is sometimes referred to as the basicity of the product. Generally, these products are formulated using the basic detergents of calcium sulfonate and calcium phenate. We refer to this as Conventional BN Chemistry. When products are formulated with calcium carbonate, which is used to neutralise sulfuric acids formed during combustion, there is a balance to be found. Too much alkalinity and we can find deposits forming around the piston crown and rings which can be hard, lead to liner scuffing and piston rings sticking. Too little alkalinity and we risk having insufficient neutralisation causing corrosion of the liner. This calcium brings with it ash. As we begin to explore lubricants for future fuels it’s clear that we must reduce the BN and the ash content, and this therefore means less calcium. But if we have said that we need the basicity (the calcium) to keep the engine clean, we face a challenge in reducing or removing it. As far back as its launch in 2007, an early innovation of Lubmarine was Talusia Universal, with a BN of 57 and a cleanliness equivalent of BN 70. This product ripped up the rule book and gave operators the ability to use a BN 57 in place of switching with a BN 40 and BN 70 depending on the fuel they used, in and out of ECA etc.
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It was one of the first oils to be dual-fuel validated by WinGD, and as demand for oils to fill the void of category II BN 40 increased, it has performed with excellent results as an interim solution, again to avoid switching oils. This oil gives us a reduction in ash content. More recently, MAN has asked lubricant manufacturers to come up with products that would have the cleanliness performance of a BN 100. These products are referred to by MAN as Category II cylinder lubricants. The demand also extended to having a product with the BN and ash equivalent of a BN 40 product. Here we have our Talusia HD 40. With these products it seems we have reached the limits of conventional chemistry, and there is now a need to do something different.
New lubrication development – the fuel economy innovation To highlight the processes faced by lubricant manufacturers in developing new products, our latest solution – Aurelia FE – has been developed to provide four-stroke engines with a significant decrease in fuel consumption, thus delivering reductions in operating costs and CO2 emissions. More recently the focus has shifted slightly from just looking at outright fuel economy, to the potential to deliver real-life CO2 and emissions reduction, through fuel economy. This becomes especially important with the recent introduction of the Carbon Intensity Index (CII) where an operator could offset some of their carbon liability by simply switching to a fuel economy lubricant. Aurelia FE BN20, BN30 and BN40 are multi-grade type lube oils designed with advanced chemical and physical properties for achieving fuel economy on engines running on MGO (BN20), VLSFO (BN30) or HSFO (BN40). A successful test conducted on a passenger vessel has demonstrated
an independently verified average fuel economy of 4.7% on main engines with good performance and reliability. Whilst Aurelia FE is not yet approved by engine OEMs and is not yet fully commercialised, we have been supplying the product to a RoPax operator as they found real benefit in the fuel economy performance. Today we continue to innovate the Aurelia Fuel Economy concept, and it is currently under test on board a large cruise vessel. Bench tests will shortly begin on the next generation of fuel economy lubricant. Watch this space!
More specialist solutions As we have discussed, the lubrication market is going to be an increasingly challenging one with multiple drivers shaping shipping operators’ needs. Lubricant manufacturers will have to rise to these challenges through collaboration, expertise, research, development and investment to create specialist solutions to support shipping’s journey to decarbonisation.
TotalEnergies Marine Fuels successfully completed the refuelling of a CMA CGM containership in Singapore with sustainable marine biofuel in September, 2022
64 – CRUISE & FERRY UPDATE 2023
ABB and Carnival Corporation have signed a long-term partnership agreement to collaborate on continued operational excellence and ship performance across the cruise company’s fleet
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Palumbo, Trimline, Tallink Grupp, Kongsberg Maritime, Wärtsilä, Foreship, Halton Marine and ABB have all been busy upgrading passenger ships, both aesthetically and environmentally.
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One of the most critical aspects of MSC Fantasia’s overhaul was the complete treatment of the underwater section of the vessel
ONE OF THE MOST CRITICAL ASPECTS OF THIS OVERHAUL WAS THE COMPLETE TREATMENT OF THE UNDERWATER SECTION OF THE VESSEL.
P
alumbo Shipyard in Malta recently accommodated the iconic cruiseship MSC Fantasia for a comprehensive overhaul. This extensive refurbishment encompassed a range of vital upgrades and maintenance tasks, marking a milestone in both the ship’s history and the shipyard’s growing reputation. One of the most critical aspects of this overhaul was the complete treatment of the underwater section of the vessel. This involved inspection, full hydrojetting and modern paint application. The underwater components of the ship are essential for safety and performance and Palumbo Shipyard did not overlook these vital elements, with the valves and scrubber fittings being checked and maintained, enhancing the ship’s operational safety and environmental responsibility.
Bridging the gap The yard did not just stop at underwater improvements either. The installation of ship-to-shore electrical plant and connections further enhances the ship’s capabilities, improving its efficiency and reducing its environmental footprint. This modernisation will allow the MSC Fantasia to easily dock at various ports and reduce emissions whilst in port. The shipyard also focused on enhancing the
structural and aesthetic aspects of the cruiseship. Hull access improvements ensure easy maintenance and efficient operation, whilst internal area upgrades aim to provide passengers with a more luxurious and comfortable experience.
Powering ahead In a significant feat, the main propellers were also replaced, ensuring the ship continues to be reliable and powerful. Additionally, the replacement of the satellite antennas enhances communication capabilities, providing passengers with seamless connectivity. MSC Fantasia’s windows received meticulous maintenance to ensure crystal-clear views of the surrounding seas. Moreover, window robots, responsible for their upkeep, were serviced to guarantee their efficiency. The recent overhaul of the MSC Fantasia in Malta solidifies Palumbo Shipyard’s reputation as a world-class facility for ship maintenance and refurbishment. Whilst the skilled hands at the Maltese yard were hard at work on the MSC Fantasia, the shipyard itself was a bustling hub of activity. Numerous other vessels were securely docked, seamlessly connected and energised through the existing ship-to-shore electrical connection infrastructure.
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TRIMLINE CELEBRATES INTERIOR REBRAND OF CONDOR ISLANDER Trimline has successfully completed the extensive interior rebrand of Condor Ferries’ newly purchased Condor Islander (formerly Straitsman) during wet dock in Poole, UK. Trimline delivered the full design and build project, completely revitalising the ferry’s interior and providing passengers with a welcoming and spacious environment, featuring premium options for Condor customers. Trimline’s in-house interior design team worked closely with Condor Ferries to maximise the interior space and create new inviting, luxurious and spacious areas. This comprehensive project encompassed the design and outfitting of all passenger spaces on the vessel, including the creation of a new main Brasserie, Kids Corner, Horizon Lounge, premium Club Lounge, premium Cove Restaurant, and the introduction of a brand-new duty-free shop. Trimline’s work extended to all 53 regular cabins, superior cabins, and a luxurious suite,
offering passengers a range of options to suit their preferences.
Further enhancements Further enhancements included upgrades to the crew’s accommodation and public restrooms. The lobbies and alleyways have new carpets, along with additional seating, providing quieter areas away from the bustling brasserie. The pet-friendly areas, exclusive to cabins, were designed with comfort and practicality in mind. In the brasserie, the dark ambiance was replaced with a light and airy atmosphere achieved through halfglass, half-wall partitions, giving passengers the opportunity to enjoy their meals while taking in views of the outside. The Cove restaurant offers a more private and premium dining experience, designed with a touch of French influence, characterised by the use of plants and foliage for added privacy. The Horizon Lounge was created to offer a calm and comfortable space with recliner seats for passengers to rest and unwind in during the ferry’s
Trimline’s refurbishment of Condor Islander included the creation of a new premium Cove Restaurant
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The Baltic Queen’s propeller blades were replaced with new and more innovatively-shaped blades
journeys, which can last up to 12 hours. The Club Lounge, with its premium feel, provides an exclusive experience, complete with an electronic keypad entry system and a small self-serve food servery. Matthew Shortt, Trimline Project Manager, expressed his satisfaction with the project’s success, stating: “Islander looks amazing and our team feels so proud to have carried out such a transformation. The team at Condor were a pleasure to work alongside. Their professionalism and responsiveness allowed us keep on track with deadlines through all phases of the project.” Katherine Larner, Trimline Interior Designer, shared her delight at the overall look of the interior, saying: “When I work with a client on an interior design brief, it often has to change during the design and build process, and the final result doesn’t always look exactly like my initial vision. But the end result on Condor Islander is almost exactly the
same as the design, which gives me great pride. It looks amazing and now offers a premium ferry experience.” Olly Futter, Head of Operations at Condor Ferries, concluded: “Islander looks outstanding and that is down to the design and craftsmanship of the Trimline team. They were a pleasure to work alongside during the rebrand of Condor Islander. Their professionalism and responsiveness from start to finish was exemplary and allowed us to keep on track with deadlines through all phases of the project.”
TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCEMENTS ON TALLINK GRUPP’S VESSELS In early September this year Tallink Grupp’s passenger ferry Baltic Queen, operating on the company’s TallinnStockholm route, underwent a planned technical maintenance in Naantali, Finland,
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where, in addition to work on the vessel’s hull and interior, various technological and environmentally-friendly renewals and upgrades were carried out. As one of the major technological upgrades, the vessel’s propeller blades were replaced with new and more innovatively-shaped blades which enable an increase in the efficiency of the ship’s propulsion device in accordance with the ship’s operational needs. This enables a reduction in the vessel’s fuel consumption and also cuts emissions at the same time. In addition, current testing results demonstrate that it has also been possible to reduce the underwater noise generated by the ship.
Noise reduction achieved Whereas the ship’s decreased fuel consumption already shows positive initial results, but still requires a more detailed additional analysis, the company already has the results which show the reduction in underwater noise.
To measure possible underwater noise reduction as a result of changing the vessel’s propeller blades, the shipping company partnered with Tallinn University of Technology (TalTech), which measured the initial underwater noise level produced by the former propeller blades prior to the vessel’s planned docking from August 30 to September 4 2023, and again after the docking and installation of the innovative new propeller blades, from September 15-25. The measured results showed a 40Hz decidecade source level with the new propeller blades, moving at 17.6kt, which is 16 ± 5dB decidecades lower. They also showed that the broadband source level in decidecades from 20 Hz to 20,000 Hz with the new propeller blades, moving at 17.6kt, is 8 ± 5 dB lower. This means that the acoustic pressure radiated into the water at low frequencies is now at least three times, and at all frequencies combined, at least twice as low, as with the old propeller blades.
The Baltic Queen is not only more efficient but also quieter after its propeller blades were replaced
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a level that does not harm the marine environment. Several international organisations, such as the International Maritime Organization (IMO), are also working hard to make shipping as environmentally friendly as possible.” According to Klauson, the measurement results once again prove that ship propellers are the main source of underwater noise, due to the fact that when the blades rotate, a phenomenon such as cavitation occurs (the formation of steam bubbles in the water near the rotating propeller blade).
Kongsberg Maritime partnered with Myklebust Verft shipyard to convert the Richard With to hybrid technology
REDUCING SHIP NOISE IS AN IMPORTANT ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUE, AS UNDERWATER NOISE DISTURBS MARINE MAMMALS AND FISH AND CAN LEAD TO HABITAT DEGRADATION AND DECLINES IN MARINE SPECIES POPULATIONS.
According to Tallink Grupp’s Head of Ship Management and Chief Captain Tarvi-Carlos Tuulik, such results are most gratifying and encourage the company to continue to look for and pilot environmentally-friendly solutions. “Every new solution which helps us as a company to reduce the negative impact on the natural environment around us is most positive indeed, and achieving good results inspires us to find more and more such solutions. Solutions that have a positive effect in multiple ways, such as Baltic Queen’s new propeller blades, are particularly pleasing as they reduce fuel consumption, emissions and underwater noise at the same time.” Commenting on the cooperation on measuring the underwater noise, Aleksander Klauson, Professor of Structural and Fluid Mechanics at TalTech’s Institute of Civil Engineering and Architecture, said: “Ships are a major source of continuous underwater noise at sea. Reducing ship noise is an important environmental issue, as underwater noise disturbs marine mammals and fish and can lead to habitat degradation and declines in marine species populations. “The European Union deals with the issue of human-induced marine underwater noise through The Marine Strategy Framework Directive, where one of the characteristics of good environmental status of the sea is that the continuous underwater noise is at
“The measurements demonstrated that by optimising the ship’s propeller, it is possible to mitigate cavitation and significantly reduce the underwater noise caused by the passenger ship,” added Klauson. The innovatively-shaped new propeller blades of Tallink’s Baltic Queen were designed and manufactured by Kongsberg Maritime Sweden AB especially for this type of ship, considering the speed ranges required for the ship’s operation. Fuel and emissions savings from the new blades are expected to be at least 14%. If the collected measuring results confirm the aforementioned savings and the pilot project of the new blades on the Baltic Queen is considered successful, Tallink Grupp will extend the use of the innovative blades to other ships across the company’s fleet.
KONGSBERG HYBRID CONVERSIONS Kongsberg Maritime has delivered a 23% cut in CO2 emissions on the 121m passenger vessel Richard With, owned by Hurtigruten, a coastal ship operator and adventure travel company. The vessel finished an extensive refit last summer using Kongsberg Maritime engineering and technology and has now completed its first year back in service. Last year, Kongsberg Maritime partnered with Myklebust Verft shipyard to convert three Hurtigruten ships to hybrid technology, promising reduced emissions and quieter operations. The
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Richard With, built in 1993, was the first of three ships to be relaunched, in August last year. The second ship, Kong Harald, returned to service in May, and the final ship, Nordlys, will be completed in 2025. The project is one of the largest of its kind in Europe, with an investment value of approximately €100m. “We have built our last fossil fuel ship for the Norwegian Coastal Express,” said Hurtigruten Coastal Express CEO Hedda Felin. “We had the opportunity to upgrade the fleet and give the ships the best of today’s technology. Plus, it’s more environmentally friendly to retrofit a vessel than to scrap and build a new one.” The refit programme for Richard With included the installation of two hybrid shaft generators, two SaveEnergy 1.120kWh lithium-ion batteries and two Bergen B33:45V engines. It also has new tunnel thruster motors, a retractable azimuth thruster and controllable pitch propeller blades, plus digital management systems. “We can do the full turnover of a vessel in four or five months. An entirely newbuild vessel takes much longer,” explains Geir Oscar Løseth, Kongsberg Maritime’s Vice President of Sales Aftermarket Advanced Offerings. “The vessel is also safer and smoother in the water. It gives the crew several layers of reassurance. They can operate on full battery, zero emission operation; they can run on auxiliary engines and they can run on main engines. So, there’s a high level of safety that meets the new requirements for lower-emission travel along the coast.” Shipowners and operators are working on how to deal with IMO regulations on emissions reduction, particularly for active vessels. “Our role is going to be to guide customers through this transition, with advisory services as well as the products and solutions that will make sure regulations are met. But we won’t do that simply by coming up with new products and solutions. We also need to look into existing fleets,” said
Lisa Edvardsen Haugan, President of Kongsberg Maritime.
NEW ULTRA-LOW EMISSIONS ENGINE Wärtsilä has introduced a new ultralow emissions version of its already efficient Wärtsilä 31DF engine. Whilst operating on LNG, this new version can further reduce methane emissions on a 50% load point by up to 56% and nitrogen oxide (NOx) by up to 86%. On a weighted average, this new technology can reduce methane emissions by 41% more than the standard Wärtsilä 31DF engine, which the company claims already has the lowest emission levels on the market. The new version, which is applied on one of the four engines on board Wasaline’s Aurora Botnia ferry, has already helped the Finnish-Swedish ferry operator further reduce the vessel’s methane emissions by 10%.
Concept pilot As part of the EU co-funded Green Ray and SeaTech projects, Wärtsilä piloted the ultra-low emissions concept on board the Aurora Botnia with exceptional results verified through an independent study conducted in December 2022 by VTT, the Technical Research Centre of Finland. This latest collaboration forms part of a long-term partnership between Wärtsilä and Wasaline to reduce emissions on the Aurora Botnia,
The new version of the Wärtsilä 31DF is applied on one of the four engines on board Wasaline’s Aurora Botnia ferry
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the world’s most environmentallyfriendly RoPax ferry. Encouraged by the positive results, Wärtsilä has now launched the new ultra-low emissions version of the Wärtsilä 31DF engine to the commercial market. “We are very committed to decarbonisation, and we have worked closely with Wärtsilä to make sustainable shipping a reality,” says Peter Ståhlberg, Managing Director of Wasaline. “It is a goal-oriented partnership that benefits both companies, as well as the industry as a whole. We have been pleased to allow the Aurora Botnia to be utilised as a floating laboratory, and we are excited to see the success of this latest Wärtsilä technology breakthrough.” Launched in 2015, the Wärtsilä 31DF engine platform is widely recognised for its exceptional fuel economy, high performance, and minimal GHG impact. The engine, as a standard version, already meets today’s regulatory requirements. The new version will enable operators to go even further in reducing methane emissions, helping to futureproof their vessels in the longer term against potentially tightening global requirements. What’s more, improving dual-fuel technology to enable methane emissions reduction will have a major impact on the longterm viability of LNG as a marine fuel. “Our work around reducing methane slip and GHG emissions is part of Wärtsilä’s effort to continuously improve efficiency and reduce emissions of our products, and this new innovation is one more very important step along the road to decarbonisation,” commented Stefan Nysjö, Vice President of Power Supply, Wärtsilä Marine Power. Nysjö continued: “The building of an LNG fuel infrastructure has been an important factor in shipping’s transition
towards cleaner operations, and Wärtsilä continues to create solutions that support this journey. Our focus has always been to improve and optimise existing solutions, and to develop exciting new ones. With this latest introduction, we are clearly delivering on this commitment.” Although methane slip from engines is a relatively small amount, from a percentage standpoint it is significantly more potent than CO2 – up to 28 times greater. Across the shipping industry, cutting methane emissions is one of the most effective ways to decrease overall GHG emissions from engines over the next 10 years, complementing other efforts to reduce CO2 emissions.
BULBOUS BOW RETROFITS Foreship recently quantified the gains available when a cruiseship is retrofitted with a bulbous bow based on latest designs and modern CFD hydrodynamics simulations. Rather than having to cut speed, an owner can secure fuel savings of more than 10% by reducing hull resistance. At a time of intense focus on reducing carbon emissions from ships, Foreship recently established the gains available from retrofitting new bulbous bow sections on two existing cruise vessels. Carried out on behalf of the same owner, two feasibility studies included a full risk assessment and weighed up the requirements and potential costs of the retrofit. The first considered replacing a surfacepiercing top and goose neck bow shape that is typical of ships delivered in the early 2000s. The second case considered modifying a ship delivered around the same time, but whose bow featured a slightly older ‘blunt’ design, in a retrofit project which also envisages a ducktail added behind the stern. In both instances, analysis showed that retrofitting new bulbous bows would have negligible consequences for vessel stability. In the case involving the bulbous bow replacement only, CFD analysis showed
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The existing (left) and new (below) bulbous bow
that the surface-piercing top and goose neck shape is efficient at the design point (design speed, draft and trim), but that performance is highly sensitive to variations in speed and draft. “CFD simulations available in 2023 allow bulbous bow designs to be optimised for the typical service speed range and loading conditions seen in reality,” says Janne Niittymäki, Head of Hydrodynamics, Foreship. “Overall, better hydrodynamic performance creates the potential for 9-2% in fuel savings in the speed range of 14-22kt and 13% at 12kt, based on the model testing of this specific case.”
Second study The second study compared overall performance gains available from replacing the blunt goose neck shaped bow section with an optimised bulbous bow, together with adding one of three ducktail options behind the stern. Here, in addition to CFD, model testing was needed to refine the fuel saving estimate and optimise the trim wedge/ interceptor configuration of the ducktail. In this case, Niittymäki says that similar fuel savings can be expected and will be seen after the model testing.
Hydrodynamics performers With the International Maritime Organization’s Carbon Intensity Indicator (CII) now part of owner considerations, as well as straightforward fuel economy, the Foreship Head of Hydrodynamics says the owner is looking favourably on taking up the retrofit option in both cases. Niittymäki says that both studies indicate that the new bulbous bows would call for a slight stretching forward of the backmost part of the stem line, with the forward end of the bulbous bow also moderately extended. “However, retrofitting an optimised bulbous bow has negligible consequences for stability: compliance with SOLAS regulations is also assured because modifications would be limited to an area ahead of the bow thruster and collision bulkhead. “Ultimately, measuring return on investment comes down to comparing the potential fuel and emissions savings against the costs (materials, installation, time penalty, etc) on a ship-by-ship basis,” he adds. “That calls for CFD modelling of the characteristics of an existing ship and of the optimised forms that will achieve the most significant performance gains.”
CFD SIMULATIONS AVAILABLE IN 2023 ALLOW BULBOUS BOW DESIGNS TO BE OPTIMISED FOR THE TYPICAL SERVICE SPEED RANGE AND LOADING CONDITIONS SEEN IN REALITY.
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emerged as a key player in this industry shift by delivering a growing number of retrofit energy-efficiency upgrades to major cruiseships. Despite the return of passengers to cruise vacations, the cruise industry is witnessing a decrease in the number of newbuilds ordered in comparison to pre-pandemic levels. Cruise operators are now channelling growing number of resources into refurbishing and modernising their current fleets. The reduction in newbuild projects has prompted cruiseship suppliers to diversify their offering to help their clients improve the operational efficiency of their existing fleets. Simultaneously, a clear demand for sustainable shipping practices has emerged from cruise owners, the market, regulatory bodies, and organisations such as the IMO. Manufacturers and suppliers are under increasing pressure to provide environmentally friendlier solutions.
Retrofit packages Halton Marine has been at the forefront of innovation in energy-efficient HVAC solutions for over two decades. The company has responded to market demands by making its energy-efficient solutions available as retrofit packages that can be seamlessly integrated into existing ship systems.
Halton Marine has delivered a growing number of retrofit energy-efficiency upgrades to major cruiseships
HVAC RETROFIT SOLUTIONS The global cruise industry is undergoing a transformation after the Covid-19 pandemic and its major impact on the industry. Tighter emissions regulations, the increased cost of fuels as well as the general drive towards sustainability are also having a profound effect on the industry. Halton Marine, a technology leader in HVAC energy-efficiency solutions, has
“We have had the privilege of supplying an increasing number of our energyefficient solutions to ships this year with our partners, and the trend appears to be gaining even more momentum for the next year,” says Sami Piirainen, Managing Director of Halton Marine. “Owners have been particularly interested in our MARVEL demandbased ventilation for galleys, which can deliver substantial energy savings. It has been estimated that this upgrade can reduce galley ventilation energy consumption by up to 40% compared to traditional systems. This translates into both financial and environmental benefits, making the investment pay for itself relatively quickly.” Sean S Grigsby, Managing Director of Halton Marine Americas, added: “We have recently
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completed the 20th refit on board with our partner, and we are expecting an increasing number of new orders.” This year alone, the implementation of Halton Marine’s MARVEL solutions aboard various ships has led to an impressive reduction in carbon emissions, achieving an estimated savings of 7,000 tons of CO2 , which is equivalent to emissions of over 600 new cars in use in a year. In addition to galley ventilation, Halton Marine also has a solution for cabin ventilation which is another significant energy consumer on board cruiseships. By modernising the stand-alone cabin ventilation units and connecting them into a network, energy can be saved by optimising the air handling unit’s fan speed and supply air temperature according to real demand. As the cruise industry continues to evolve, Halton Marine remains committed to providing customers with innovative solutions to enhance energy efficiency, reduce operational costs, and minimise their environmental impact.
LONG-TERM PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT ABB and Carnival Corporation have signed a long-term partnership agreement to collaborate on continued operational excellence and ship performance across the cruise company’s fleet using systematic maintenance planning, critical spares management, and cutting-edge digital solutions for condition monitoring. The contract was booked in Q3 2023. The 15-year agreement covers maintenance for Azipod XO propulsion systems powering vessels operating within several Carnival Corporation world-class brands. Azipod XO propulsion is ABB’s solution for high-power open water applications, particularly suited for cruise vessels. The agreement will simplify service management of Azipod XO propulsion units, with ABB experts remotely available 24/7 to support the vessels’ electric engineering crew on
maintenance, based on ABB Ability Remote Diagnostic System and ABB Ability Condition Monitoring for Azipod propulsion. The owner accumulates data about Azipod propulsion performance, making spare part management and drydock planning increasingly predictable and cost-efficient. “This agreement helps optimise our long-term fleet performance while supporting our ongoing efforts to further improve energy and fuel efficiency and reduce emissions throughout our global operations,” said Michael Kaczmarek, Senior Vice President, Marine Technology, Carnival Corporation. “We are also creating predictability on maintenance costs and spares planning which delivers significant gains for planning, procedures and ship performance over the long term. We see this strategic and collaborative agreement as an excellent example of what can be achieved in our ship performance objectives through collaboration with our key technology suppliers.”
First order ABB secured its first Azipod propulsion order for the Carnival Cruise Line ship Carnival Elation in 1995, and after selecting the solution for a second Fantasy-class vessel, Carnival has gone on to specify Azipod propulsion for more than 40 vessels for its various cruise brands. From its creation three decades ago to its leading position in shipping today, Azipod propulsion has revolutionised marine transport by delivering unparalleled gains for performance, efficiency, sustainability and reliability. The gearless, steerable propulsion system, with the electric drive motor in a pod outside the ship’s hull, can rotate 360o to increase vessel manoeuvrability and efficiency, while cutting fuel consumption by up to 20% compared with conventional shaftline systems. Since the first installation on a cruiseship over 25 years ago, Azipod technology has saved more than one million tons of fuel in the cruise segment alone.
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Revolving propeller innovations ABS to class a 3D-printed propeller, a proof-of-concept thruster remanufacture project and an improved propeller efficiency solution from Wärtsilä.
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A
BS is joining Mencast Marine (MMPL), the Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD), and the National Additive Manufacturing Innovation Cluster (NAMIC) on a project to manufacture and class a 3D-printed propeller. The collaborative project builds upon a Memorandum of Understanding signed by ABS and MMPL that is focused on additive manufacturing (AM), also known as 3D printing, for critical maritime components. The new initiative has an objective to 3D-print a ship propeller using cuttingedge Wire Arc Additive Manufacturing (WAAM) techniques with a goal to achieve high-quality, low build-time, and support-free prints aligned with the rigorous ABS Classification standards for propeller production. “AM technologies have a huge potential to revolutionise supply chain and maintenance procedures both in maritime and beyond, and ABS is committed to supporting these innovations without compromising safety. Singapore is a critical location of the emerging regional and global green ecosystems, in which Additive Manufacturing is certain to play a role,” said Gareth Burton, ABS Vice President of Technology. “Additive Manufacturing represents the dawn of limitless possibilities in the maritime industry. It emerges as the game-changer, revolutionising the way we approach complex and labour-intensive components,” said Glenndle Sim, CEO of Mencast Group. “At Mencast, we see it as the bridge between traditional craftsmanship and future-forward innovation.” “Singapore’s first class-certified ship propeller by ABS, commissioned by Mencast, will be developed and manufactured with SUTD’s proprietary hybrid wire-arc additive manufacturing platform (H-WAAM),” said Dr Ho Chaw Sing, CEO of NAMIC. “This marks a significant step towards supporting our local leading subject matter experts to transform towards digital and sustainable manufacturing processes
as part of Singapore Maritime’s industry transformation roadmap. This project represents the culmination of a multiyear effort riding on public-private partnerships, pulling through promising AM research into technology solutions that can be adopted by the industry, to support Singapore’s 2030 manufacturing vision and net-zero goals.” “We are excited to be part of Mencast’s innovation journey towards Industry 4.0 Transformation. We look forward to working with them to translate our hybrid wire arc AM research into the production of Class propellers,” said Dr Soh Gim Song, Associate Professor and Director of Education at SUTD.
GROUNDBREAKING PROOF-OF-CONCEPT PROJECT The Maritime Remanufacturing Network (MRN) has begun its first project to remanufacture an over-20-year-old ship thruster. The project will take place in a purpose-built remanufacturing laboratory set up by MRN founder AEGIR-Marine. Remanufacturing is the process of returning a used product or component to its ‘as new’ performance specifications. Remanufacturing can significantly prolong the lifespan of products, and thus yields economic as well as environmental advantages. This inaugural MRN project will be a case study using two identical tunnel thrusters. “We will be reconditioning one of these thrusters, bringing back its components to within the tolerances of its original manufacture,” says AEGIRMarine owner Ruud Muis. “We will remanufacture the second thruster, bringing it back to its ‘as new’ state – this is something that has never been done before in the maritime industry.” AEGIR-Marine is a globally-operating company that provides maintenance and repair services and spare parts for ship stern seal and propulsion systems. The company has decades of experience in repairing, overhauling and reconditioning jobs for its clients. “The maritime industry has been doing things
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the same way for so long. But the time has come to take a serious look at the environmental impact of our activities,” Muis continues. “This means looking for ways to reduce our use of new resources and decrease the carbon footprint of production. Remanufacturing is a way to achieve this.” The scientific foundation was researched by TU Delft and documented in an independent white paper. Established in Q1 2023, the MRN is a network of specialist companies and organisations that share knowledge and expertise on the subject of remanufacturing. In addition to addressing the technical challenges, the MRN intends to increase awareness of the benefits of remanufacturing to the widest public and political audience possible. Furthermore, because remanufacturing is a new concept for the maritime industry, the MRN aims to produce results that are both scientifically sound and approved by classification societies.
ENERGOFLOW AND ENERGOPROFIN SOLUTIONS Technology group Wärtsilä will supply its EnergoFlow and EnergoProFin solutions for 10 Bird Class oil and chemical tankers owned by Hafnia – the Singapore-headquartered global tanker operator. The combination of the two Wärtsilä systems ensures an optimised waterflow over and after the propeller, thereby improving propulsion efficiency considerably. The order was booked by Wärtsilä in October 2023. EnergoFlow is an innovative pre-swirl stator that creates an optimal inflow for the propeller, reducing fuel consumption and emissions in all operating conditions. The EnergoProFin is an energy-saving propeller cap with fins that rotate together with the propeller. It reduces the energy losses created by the propeller hub vortex, increasing overall propulsion efficiency and significantly reducing underwater noise. By improving the vessels’ fuel efficiency, emissions are reduced, operating costs
are lowered, and both the Carbon Intensity Indicator (CII) rating and Energy Efficiency Existing Ship Index (EEXI) value are improved. “There are many benefits to be gained by improving the operating efficiency of our vessels’ propulsion systems and we look forward to having these innovative Wärtsilä solutions installed,” said Ralph Juhl, EVP, Technical Director at Hafnia. “At Hafnia we are working hard to decarbonise our operations and these retrofitted solutions will support this commitment.” “Wärtsilä’s OPTI Design methodology takes advantage of computational fluid dynamics along with our extensive in-house know-how. The EnergoProFin propeller cap and EnergoFlow preswirl stator work together to deliver meaningful fuel savings and better environmental performance, which are key ambitions for today’s leading operators,” commented Francois Emin, Product Manager – Propulsion, Wärtsilä. The Wärtsilä equipment is scheduled to be delivered commencing in 2024. The project will be carried out over a twoyear period for the 10 vessels.
Wärtsilä is to supply EnergoFlow and EnergoProFin solutions (top) for 10 Bird Class oil and chemical tankers owned by Hafnia (above)
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Vale is to install Anemoi Rotor Sails on the world’s largest ore carrier
THE W CHAN IND O F G BLOW E KEE ING PS
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Wind insta l vess els a lations co n nt d An in nova actions g inue to b e tive p row t o sup installed rojec t to r i etrof port the u n greater it a c rew t se of win numbers d ransf o er ve propulsio n even la ssel with n techno rger l hydr ogen ogy. fuel c ells.
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B
razilian mining giant Vale SA has announced that it is to install five Rotor Sails from Anemoi Marine Technologies Ltd (Anemoi), one of the world’s leading suppliers of wind-assisted propulsion technology for commercial vessels, on board a 400,000dwt Valemax, the world’s largest ore carrier. The vessel is owned by Omani shipowner Asyad. The agreement between Vale and Anemoi will see five 35m tall, 5m diameter cylindrical sails installed on the Sohar Max VLOC. The Rotor Sails will be installed on Anemoi’s bespoke folding deployment system, whereby the sails can be folded from vertical to mitigate impact on air draft and cargo handling operations. The installation work is expected to be completed in the second quarter of 2024. Rotor Sails, also known as Flettner Rotors, are vertical cylinders that harness the renewable power of the wind to provide additional forward thrust and improve the energy efficiency of the vessel, along with significant cuts to carbon emissions. Vale’s fleet of Valemax vessels typically trade on deep-sea routes between Brazil, China and the Middle East, which are particularly well suited for wind propulsion and analysing the savings. 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. Of the installation, Vale’s Shipping Technical Manager Rodrigo Bermelho said: “Wind energy will play a central role in our strategy to decarbonise the maritime transportation of iron ore.” Anemoi has also been appointed by Vale to undertake a full array of technical services both pre- and post-delivery, including the vessel integration design with SDARI (Shanghai Ship Design and Research Institute), support with plan A approval, project management and onsite supervision, onboard training and after-sales services to name a few. Classification for the project will be awarded by Lloyd Register, which is
also providing services related to the Equipment Design Approval and Plan Approvals for vessel integration. This latest project from Anemoi follows the successful retrofit of three Rotor Sails with Rail Deployment Systems on an 82,000dwt Kamsarmax bulk carrier in June 2023. Initial data harvested from the vessel to date suggest that more than 10% average annual savings can be achieved. Rotor Sails are proving a popular choice for shipowners looking for net-zero technologies to improve the energy efficiency of their vessels and help their ships meet critical international emission reduction targets, including EEDI/EEXI and the Carbon Intensity Indicator (CII).
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WORLD’S MOST POWERFUL SAILING CARGO SHIP October saw Berge Bulk, one the world’s leading dry bulk shipowners, launching its Newcastlemax bulker Berge Olympus with four retrofitted BARTech WindWings by Yara Marine Technologies. The WindWings installation is part of Berge Bulk’s ambition to become carbon neutral by 2025 and marks the Berge Olympus as the world’s most powerful sailing cargo ship. With four WindWings installed, each possessing an aerodynamic span of 37.5m height and 20m width, the Berge Olympus will save six tonnes of fuel per day on an average worldwide route and,
in the process, reduce CO2 emissions by approximately 19.5 tonnes per day. With these fuel savings and CO2 reductions, Berge Bulk is evaluating the potential of installing WindWings on more of its vessels that trade on routes with favourable wind conditions. Berge Bulk’s WindWings project is a testament to its commitment to lead the way towards a zero-carbon future while enhancing vessel efficiency. This initiative aligns with the new IMO goals, to reach net-zero GHG emissions from international shipping by or around, i.e., close to, 2050, as well as indicative checkpoints for international shipping to reach net-zero GHG emissions for 2030 (by at least 20%, striving for 30%) and 2040 (by at least 70%, striving for 80%). Contributing to this mission, Berge Bulk’s
Five 35m tall, 5m diameter Rotor Sails will be installed on the Sohar Max
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WindWings project reflects its dedication to environmental sustainability and technological advancement.
Additional shaft generator
The Honourable Wilbur Heine, Minister of Education, Republic of Marshall Islands signing the MOU
In addition to the installation of the WindWings, Berge Olympus has been retrofitted with a shaft generator system. The shaft generator is driven by the main engine to supply electric power to the vessel, thus saving fuel and reducing emissions. With a 1MW capacity, it is sized to eliminate the need to operate auxiliary engines while at sea. This installation is itself groundbreaking and concludes a programme that saw multiple vessels retrofitted with the technology. As part of the global effort to reach future decarbonisation goals, Berge Bulk is forging a trail to carbon neutrality by 2025 through safe, efficient and sustainable shipping. To achieve this milestone, the company has deployed a four-pillar decarbonisation plan it calls the Marshall Plan that focuses on improving fleet efficiency, leveraging the latest maritime technology, piloting new fuels and investing in carbon capture. The company’s adoption of WindWings – the culmination of years of research by naval architect BAR Technologies – highlights the clear opportunity for vessel owners to swiftly retrofit new technologies to make a rapid and profound difference to the climate impact of their fleet. “At Berge Bulk, we are constantly striving to enhance our efficiency and reduce the environmental impact of our existing fleet,” explains James Marshall, Chief Executive Officer, Berge Bulk. “From 2008 until today, we have achieved a remarkable 46% reduction in our CO2 emissions per tonne mile, already surpassing the 2030 IMO target for reducing carbon emissions intensity. There’s still so much to do as we accelerate the transition to new fuel in the zero-carbon future. That is why we are proud to partner with BAR Technologies and Yara Marine Technologies to pioneer this WindWing system. The Berge Olympus is a testament to innovation and sustainability.”
NEW PACIFIC WIND PROPULSION HUB The Micronesian Center for Sustainable Transport (MCST) and the International Windship Association (IWSA) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to jointly mobilise regional and international resources and collaborate on actions to support the use of wind propulsion technology to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from ships in the Pacific region. This is through the establishment of a Pacific Wind Propulsion Hub. By formalising their partnership, the two organisations will build upon past collaborative efforts to establish and expand the hub, developing a local ecosystem to enable wind propulsion technology to take off in the region. The Pacific Wind Propulsion Hub will serve as an epicentre for building capacity and exchanging experience, knowledge and best practices around wind propulsion technology use. The hub will incubate and support maritime organisations and companies in the region by integrating indigenous knowledge, local development and international networks, as well as providing increased support for research and development, training and educational services. Gavin Allwright, Secretary General of the IWSA, says: “The Pacific Wind Propulsion Hub will create a level playing field for all stakeholders and lower the bar (and cost) on accessing finance and services, building a mutually beneficial virtual and physical network. This is the second wind propulsion hub established between IWSA and regional partners and we are certain the impact of this hub in fostering wind energy use by ships in the Pacific region and beyond will be significant.” Dr Peter Nuttall, Scientific and Technical Advisor at the Micronesian Center for Sustainable Transport, says: “The MCST is the vehicle for the Republic of the Marshall Islands to achieve our transport emissions reduction targets set under the Paris Agreement. In doing so, we want to act as a catalyst
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A pioneering project is aiming to retrofit a crew transfer vessel with hydrogen fuel cells
for our friends and neighbours in other Pacific Island states. Shipping and sea transport is the very lifeline of our maritime atoll nation, and our ocean region and wind propulsion played a major role in Pacific history. The Pacific Wind Propulsion Hub will enable wind power to return to the region to drive down emissions and create a sustainable shipping future.”
FIRST CREW TRANSFER VESSEL HYDROGEN REPOWER A pioneering project – supported by the UK’s national innovation agency, Innovate UK – is aiming to retrofit a CTV (crew transfer vessel) with hydrogen fuel cells, to cut CO2 and NOx emissions while servicing offshore wind farms. Phase 1 of Project Verdant is now underway involving a preliminary design and feasibility study. If the concept is deemed viable, subsequent project phases will seek to execute the concept design and test it in the field. The project consortium is led by Orkneybased Green Marine, which supports the offshore renewable energy sector across Europe with marine engineering services and a comprehensive fleet of workboats, CTVs, heavy lift and transportation barges. It is being supported by project partners Waves Group and EMEC (European Marine Energy Centre). Green Marine’s Managing Director Jason Schofield said the ultimate objective
is to capture sufficient learning from the operation of a retrofitted vessel to enable Green Marine to expand its fleet with newbuild ZE CTVs (zero emissions crew transfer vessels) and ultimately SOVs (service operation vessels), to support installation and maintenance activities in offshore wind farms in the UK and further afield.
Additional vessels required According to the Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult (OREC, claimed to be the UK’s leading innovation centre for offshore renewable energy), the offshore support sector will be worth around £26 billion by 2050, and an additional 1,200 vessels will be needed to service UK industry and support the transition to net zero. Approximately 400 CTVs are currently operating in offshore wind farms around the UK and Europe, and this could increase to 700 by 2030. “This is a highly ambitious project with potential to dramatically reduce the emissions associated with servicing and maintaining offshore wind farms,” said Jason Hayman, the naval architect leading Project Verdant for Green Marine. “In recent years several newbuild hydrogen-powered vessels have been launched, but our current objective is to develop a system that can be easily retrofitted to CTVs that would enable them to be powered by hydrogen fuels cells when in loiter mode for a substantial portion of the day. We are
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using new and innovative technologies, but we need to ensure that all aspects of our operation are inherently safe for our crew and passengers, and we need to be able to prove that to class and regulators. In the coming weeks and months, we will be engaging with industry leaders and technical experts to develop the design and specifications of the system. A viability assessment will then be undertaken to ensure any risks identified during the project can be adequately addressed or mitigated, and the design is capable of meeting or exceeding the criteria established.”
Conceptual design Project Verdant’s conceptual design incorporates hydrogen fuel cells that are connected to electric motors, which can work in conjunction with the existing diesel-fuelled engines, which can be shut down to enable zero emission operation at slow speed while working within offshore wind farms. This hybrid system could reduce the vessel’s CO2 emissions by up to 30% and NOx emissions by up to 40%. Marine consultancy Waves Group has partnered with Green Marine and EMEC to help solve the technical and regulatory challenges associated with this innovative project. Waves Group Associate Director and Marine Engineer Kenneth English said: “This feasibility study will form the foundation for the use of hydrogen as a marine fuel in the CTV market. The use and ease of its modular design will provide the versatility required to ensure
the operational profile of the vessel is maintained.” “This is a fantastic project, with realistic goals and timelines to really drive forward the knowledge base of designing, building and operating hydrogen marine vessels,” adds Waves Group Engineering Director Jeremy Panes. “Waves Group are proud to have worked closely with Green Marine and EMEC to develop a clear technology and regulatory pathway. We are bringing our knowledge in the handling and use of alternative marine fuels, together with our practical engineering expertise, to support this pioneering project.”
Further advice Project Verdant will further benefit from economic modelling and advice from EMEC on refuelling, logistics and safety. An early mover in hydrogen, EMEC operates a hydrogen R&D ecosystem demonstrating the full value chain from production and storage to transportation and end use including projects looking at zero-emission engines for commercial aviation, feasibility of hydrogen-powered ferries, and the creation of synthetic aviation fuel. Globally, the shipping industry is responsible for 940 million tonnes of CO2 – equating to around 2.5% of the world’s total CO2 emissions. The International Maritime Organization has set a target to cut these emissions by 50% by 2050, with the UK government being the first jurisdiction in the world to include emissions from international shipping in its domestic carbon budget.
THIS FEASIBILITY STUDY WILL FORM THE FOUNDATION FOR THE USE OF HYDROGEN AS A MARINE FUEL IN THE CTV MARKET. THE USE AND EASE OF ITS MODULAR DESIGN WILL PROVIDE THE VERSATILITY REQUIRED TO ENSURE THE OPERATIONAL PROFILE OF THE VESSEL IS MAINTAINED.
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Worldwide Ship Repair Roundup The next-generation EverClean service robot
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hull, significantly reducing the level of operator oversight required at the ship’s side, effortlessly detecting obstacles, and pausing only where required for human intervention. ‘Keep out’ zones are more intuitively defined within the software and the likelihood of brush or coating damage, already very low, has been reduced even further.
Further upgrades
G
reensea IQ, a leader in intelligent robotics and maritime solutions, has launched its most advanced, next-generation EverClean service robot. The innovative improvements represent a significant leap forward in the realm of supervised reliable autonomy with over the horizon (OTH) operational capability for underwater hull maintenance. EverClean claims it is the first and only service today ready to ensure that shipowners and operators can enjoy the benefits of an always-clean hull. Whether in port or through resident systems onboard the ship, the latest robots take full advantage of the 17 years of development in control, autonomy, and navigation Greensea IQ has brought to bear on the hull fouling problem. The latest enhancements underscore Greensea IQ’s commitment to the global shipping industry and its efforts to reduce carbon footprints by managing marine biofouling in a completely new way. Opensea is Greensea IQ’s extensively refined and modified software system that provides the next-generation EverClean robots’ capability to deliver fast and efficient hull cleaning. The EverClean robot is packed with features like depth-aided navigation, smarter obstacle avoidance, improved manoeuvring and enhanced user interaction capabilities. They provide even more precise hull-relative navigation than before, a crucial evolution in making the robots faster and more efficient in cleaning ships. The EverClean robots can autonomously cover areas up to 50m2 on a ship’s
The robot intelligence isn’t the only upgrade to the new EverClean robot though. It has also had significant improvements in the robot itself, starting by an increase in the brush deck size. The EverClean robots will be able to double their production rate over that of the first EverClean robots, meaning that any given area can be cleaned twice as fast in half the ‘stick time’ (duration of operator supervision), optimising cleaning efficiency and reducing operational drag for customers. The EverClean robots also benefit from enhanced thrusters, markedly elevating responsiveness and control between operator and robot. These thrusters have already been proven to bolster the service robots’ stability, agility, and adaptability in dynamic conditions. Not only this, but the thrusters have also been engineered for more efficient power utilisation and optimised distribution within the system. This means that the robots can do more with fewer amps of power, both significantly prolonging cleaning times on hull, while reducing recharging frequency to enable maximum robot availability. With heightened demand for a costeffective and sustainable solution to keep fleets perpetually clear of biofouling, it is also worth noting that the EverClean robots use fewer outsourced parts than predecessors, reducing production costs and improving manufacturability. Fewer high-risk and sole-source components mean a smaller, more robust supply chain, leading to shorter build times to meet increased market demand. “We are extremely proud of the new system,” says Rob Howard, CGO at
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Greensea IQ. “The latest enhancements represent a major milestone in providing a reliable robotic solution to providing always-clean hulls for shipowners and operators. The unrivalled capabilities and performance we can provide them with today is a comprehensive solution that redefines efficiency and safety in underwater maintenance which not only meets the current demands for better performance and lower emissions of the industry, but also anticipates future needs.”
Further enhancements These latest advancements in the robot follows EverClean’s recent launch of EverClean IQ. EverClean IQ is revolutionary in underwater vessel maintenance, leveraging intelligent data collected during cleaning operations for the very first time. Equipped with cutting-edge sensors and cameras, the robots can record brush pressure feedback which can be cross-referenced with prior readings using the highly accurate hull-relative navigation system. This allows the EverClean IQ system to build a unique dataset on each of the hulls it services. More than just a very accurate 3D, XYZreferenced hull map, this dataset is also an ever-evolving knowledge base of areas of the hull where biofouling happens faster or more slowly, informing future coatings management and enhancing future robot cleaning efficiencies. EverClean IQ not only manages this data for its own future use but also transforms it into clear, concise reports for customers, offering insights into hull conditions over time through a user-friendly interface. As part of EverClean’s mission to establish a global standard for consistently clean and environmentally safe hulls, EverClean IQ aims to build the most comprehensive dataset on ship hull fouling. This initiative includes developing a digital validation process for clean hulls, empowering vessel owners with accurate information for informed decisions on maintenance and performance.
HINDUSTAN SHIPYARD SUCCESS The Indian Register of Shipping (IRS) and Hindustan Shipyard Ltd (HSL) have achieved a remarkable milestone by successfully completing the renewal survey of the ONGC drill ship Modu Sagar Bhushan under the management of the Shipping Corporation of India (SCI). As part of the extensive scope of work for this project, more than 1,500 tons of steel was renewed, and major machinery items were newly installed, replacing old machinery, thereby expanding the scope of survey and certification. Despite these challenges, the project was completed in just 10 months, demonstrating the shipyard’s capability and IRS surveyors’ invaluable contributions. The ship was safely undocked and the vessel with all its newly-installed machinery passed its sea trials successfully. The success of this survey demonstrates the effectiveness of IRS surveys and the crucial role its surveyors play in ensuring ships adhere to rigorous safety and quality standards. The achievement marks the successful completion of HSL’s fourth ship in just four months, solidifying its reputation as the industry’s fastest turnaround shipyard. In all four cases, the IRS was involved in survey and certification of the ships. Commodore Hemant Khatri, Chairman and Managing Director of HSL, complimented the shipyard team and applauded IRS’ contribution on the success of the project.
Hindustan Shipyard has completed the renewal survey of the ONGC drill ship Modu Sagar Bhushan
Above left: Carlo Luzzatto, the future CEO and General Director of RINA SpA Above right: Klaus Heim, OMT’s new CEO
NEW CEO FOR RINA Carlo Luzzatto has been appointed as the future CEO and General Director of RINA SpA, a multinational inspection, certification and engineering consultancy company. The appointment is set to be formalised by the end of 2023, coinciding with Fondo Italiano d’Investimento’s acquisition of a minority stake of up to 33%. This transition perfectly aligns with the joint growth objectives established with Fondo Italiano d’Investimento, reinforcing RINA’s intention to make its stock market debut within the next three to five years. Ugo Salerno will continue to play an integral role in the running of the company, retaining his position as Executive President. The leadership transition is a natural progression in the group’s global growth journey and comes at a time of significant momentum for RINA, with a clear focus on pursuing the strategic plan, streamlining processes, and evolving towards business models and services that are increasingly centred on innovation and ESG principles.
INVESTING IN AI TECHNOLOGY Emerson has made a strategic investment in Frugal Technologies, which will use Emerson’s global organisation to accelerate sales of its fuel-saving AI technology for ships. With a control system based on artificial intelligence (AI), Frugal Technologies has helped shipping companies such as UniTankers, Christiania Shipping, and Royal Arctic Line to reduce fuel consumption on their ships by up to 15%.
Now, Frugal Technologies is adding strong international forces to speed up commercial development. Emerson, headquartered in St Louis, Missouri, has made a strategic investment in Denmark-based Frugal Technologies, bringing extensive expertise from more than 60 years in the marine industry as a recognised provider of technologies and services to optimise operations, safety, and efficiency on ships. There is great potential for classapproved solutions like Frugal Propulsion, which helps shipowners comply with EEXI requirements and, at the same time, optimise the ship’s CII score. “Emerson’s investment will help us accelerate sales, installation, and service worldwide,” says Peter Hauschildt, CEO and co-founder of Frugal Technologies. Frugal Propulsion is an algorithm-based technology that uses sensors and data to automatically optimise the engine and the propeller regarding draft, load, waves, and wind. Since early 2023, Frugal Propulsion has been approved by BV, LR and DNV.
NEW ACQUISITION OMT, a market leader in fuel injection for the two-stroke engine sector, has strengthened its ability to support shipping’s decarbonisation following its acquisition in its entirety by Accelleron, completed on July 20, 2023. OMT will continue to operate its global business independently as a standalone unit, retaining all employees, the company structure and the brand name. Together, Accelleron and OMT will advance the energy transition in shipping. Both companies remain committed to deepening relationships and collaborations with OEMs across all business segments.
Emerson has invested in Frugal Technologies
The move reinforces both OMT’s and Accelleron’s position as a partner of choice and leading innovator in the development of alternative fuel technologies – such as methanol, ammonia and hydrogen for marine engines and other large engine applications. Klaus Heim joined OMT in Turin, Italy on September 1, 2023, from WinGD (Winterthur Gas & Diesel Ltd), Switzerland, where he held the position of CEO from 2018. Prior to this, he was Chief Technology Officer at OMT for six years. As a member of Accelleron’s extended management team, Heim reports to Daniel Bischofberger, CEO of Accelleron. As of November 1, Heim has officially taken the position of OMT’s Chief Executive Officer.
ELECTRICAL POWER UPGRADE Echandia has received an order from Ö-varvet AB to supply two vessels, Älvsnabben 4 & 5, with battery systems to enable full electrical propulsion. The battery systems will each have a capacity of 496kWh.
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DUAL-FUEL RETROFITS
Team Electric has signed an agreement with Remontowa Ship repair Yard
Scandlines Germany has received the first intermediate ROV class certificate
“Electrification of the maritime industry is rapidly gaining traction. This order from Ö-varvet gives us further verification that our systems are a perfect match for vessels that require outstanding lifetime and safety in operations,” says Göran Fransson, CCO at Echandia.
Stein Maritime Consulting in collaboration with Vesselity Maritime Analytics.
The two vessels, first delivered in 1994 and 1995, will be rebuilt by Ö-varvet in Öckerö, Sweden. They are used for passenger traffic to both sides of the Göta älv river in Gothenburg.
NEW PROJECT FOR REMONTOWA Team Electric has signed an agreement with Remontowa Ship repair Yard, Gdansk to provide electric systems consultancy and installation services for three Polsteam RoPax ferries, in support of the project marking the extension of the Polish yard’s services to the newbuilding market. The threeyear agreement coincides with the Finnish turnkey engineering solutions provider opening Team Electric (Poland), Gdynia as a subsidiary. With capacity for 4,100 lane metres and 400 passengers, the three ships represent an auspicious debut for Remontowa as a newbuilding yard, given the ships’ use of liquefied natural gas as a fuel and the integration of battery power and state-ofthe-art hybrid propulsion systems.
ROV CLASS CERTIFICATE FIRST Scandlines Germany has received the first intermediate ROV class certificate without the presence of conventional divers. The certificate was awarded by Lloyd’s Register and the survey conducted by
The inspection took place using an underwater drone, an ROV manufactured in Norway by Blueye Robotics. The vessel inspected is a ferry with pod propulsion, operating between Germany and Denmark. “The acceptance of ROV class services for pod vessels opens a whole new market for robotic inspection in the cruise, ferry and service ship market and reflects a huge step towards maritime digitalisation,” says Michael Stein, the ROV pilot conducting the dive. According to Stein, unmanned class inspections can save 50% and more costs compared with conventional divers. “I used a 9kg micro-ROV system, a tablet and a USB gaming controller to conduct a fully-accepted class inspection in four hours alone with the surveyor. I am confident that the maritime industry will be open towards the economic benefits of ROV-based inspections and accept this new method.” “Scandlines understands the value of innovative approaches to advance the shipping industry into a safe and sustainable domain,” said Adam Hartmut, Fleet Manager, and Manuel Martin, Senior Captain of Scandlines Germany. “The operation of unmanned systems allows us to keep track of our fleet status, regarding marine fouling and propulsion deterioration. With drones, we can identify potential disturbances in advance before they negatively affect the energy efficiency of our vessels. We believe in the potential of robotics to maintain and to enhance the energy efficiency of our fleet and we are happy to be an early adopter of this emerging technology.”
COSCO Heavy Industry Shanghai has signed a contract with MAN Energy Solutions for the methanol retrofit of four main engines from COSCO Line’s Camellia and Virgo class vessels of 13,800 and 20,000teu respectively. Currently equipped with single-fuel MAN B&W 11S90ME-C10.5 engines, the vessels will be retrofitted to dual-fuel MAN B&W 11S90ME-LGIM10.5 units capable of operating on fuel-oil or methanol, in the process becoming the first vessels in COSCO’s fleet to sail on methanol. The contract also includes an option for the retrofit of an additional nine vessels from the line’s 20,000teu Virgo and Pisces classes. COSCO Heavy Industry Shanghai will act as complete turnkey solution provider for the COSCO Line retrofits. MAN Energy Solutions will provide a solution package comprising engineering, parts, project management, onsite technical assistance at yard, sea-trial assistance and recertification service for the engine retrofits. To this end, the company has undertaken an R&D programme and invested in a testbed to develop the S90-LGIM (Liquid Gas Injection Methanol) retrofit solution. The first vessel of the series is scheduled for retrofit in Q2 2025 when these vessels will also become the first fitted with S90LGIM engines to sail the world’s oceans. “It’s very promising to see one of the largest shipping companies globally choosing MAN Energy Solutions as a partner to attain their decarbonisation goals,” says Michael Petersen, Senior Vice President and Head of PrimeServ Denmark. “We are committed to bringing more retrofit solutions to the market and our investment in the S90-LGIM R&D and testbed programme is a fulfilment of this promise to our customers.” The new order follows on the heels of the recent methanol retrofit order by A.P. Moller – Maersk, the Danish integrated logistics company, for the retrofit of the G95 main engines aboard 11 of its container vessels to dual-fuel. More than 300 vessels globally are currently equipped with S90 engines and MAN Energy Solutions expects this
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new business to kick off a major wave of S90 retrofits. Petersen continued: “Our retrofit solutions are now accepted as a proven way of attaining dual-fuel capability to deliver lower emissions, and COSCO’s methanol retrofits are yet another instance of this. We are in the early days of a huge wave of dual-fuel retrofits and see many concrete projects coming online with the capacity to meet shipping’s demand for green fuels, such as e-methanol and bioLNG. We expect that owners who have opted to wait and watch over the past few years will ultimately also convert their tonnage to dual-fuel.”
PIONEERING METHANOL RETROFIT Alfa Laval fuel supply system FCM Methanol has been selected by Maersk for their pioneering methanol retrofit project to enable the container vessel Maersk Halifax to operate on methanol fuel. This project stands as a significant
achievement for both Alfa Laval and Maersk, underscoring the feasibility of retrofitting ships with the necessary equipment for methanol-based propulsion. Alfa Laval continues to drive the marine industry’s fuel transition with its methanol solutions, knowledge, and experience. The company has expanded its methanolrelated expertise to offer solutions that suit the unique requirements of both new and existing vessels. Alfa Laval will support A.P. Moller Maersk (Maersk) with the installation of FCM Methanol low-flashpoint fuel supply system (LFSS) on board the 15,000teu Maersk Halifax. The retrofit is scheduled by mid-2024. This pioneering container vessel conversion will enable the vessel to sail on green methanol with dual-fuel capabilities. “At Alfa Laval, we collaborate with the industry frontrunners in exploring and embracing innovative ways for decarbonisation,” says Viktor Friberg,
Big enough to handle it Small enough to care
Alfa Laval’s FCM Methanol 3rd generation
Head of Marine Separation & Fuel Supply Systems, Alfa Laval. “The project with Maersk gives us a unique opportunity to take up a new challenge retrofitting our equipment for methanol use, for the first time. We are immensely proud to extend our expertise to this innovative retrofit project.” The project will involve adding a new fuel line for methanol alongside the traditional fuel line, respecting the existing space constraints and the tight time schedule. The retrofit of the FCM Methanol is a landmark project that requires advanced engineering and an understanding of the practical considerations of working with methanol.
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“Drill Ship Aban Abraham” Heli pad removed at afloat at Hambantota Port