SWZ Maritime 6 - 2024

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SE A Europe calls for European maritime strategy

Securing orders from shipowners in Europe, especially in strategic sectors, is essential. By doing so, Europe will fortify its economic resilience and competitiveness and s trengthen its strategic autonomy.

The Dutch maritime manufacturing industry has an important role to play in solving current and future social challenges. The Maritime Master Plan was created to seize opportunities and address threats.

Contents

Ammonia is coming to the fore in the search for clean alternative fuels. The technology employed in order to use liquid ammonia as a fuel must be hermetically tight and guarantee maximum operational safety.

A June edition featuring the 2023 annual review

After the harsh Covid years, the Dutch shipbuilding industry fared better again last year, but it really needs to bring in more work to stay on track. That, in short, is the main conclusion to be drawn from the 2023 annual results that interest group NMT was able to distil from its member surveys. The annual review by our editor Gerrit J. de Boer in this June issue is traditionally accompanied by the publication of the unsurpassed map of the Netherlands with all Dutch shipyards and their deliveries over the past year. This once again makes it an issue worth saving.

The most important short-sea shipbuilders along the Winschoterdiep in Groningen, Royal Bodewes Group and Ferus Smit, are doing well in particular. And Thecla Bodewes, too, can get on with its order book for a while. The large yacht building industry, which unlike many other sectors did manage to secure many orders during Covid, is still doing well. Perhaps in his tussle with Jef Bezos for the title of richest man in the world, Elon Musk, like Bezos did, should also order a beautiful high-tech superyacht in the Netherlands.

But despite the good news from short-sea shipbuilders, shipyards are still going bankrupt, such as GS Yard in Foxhol in early April, although it did make a restart. And anyone following the news from just across the border about the illustrious Meyer Werft in Papenburg knows how financially vulnerable shipbuilding is. Despite a wonderful order book, Meyer is now hundreds of millions short to pay its staff and much-needed materials to build the cruise ships it has on order.

In this context, it is good to read especially SEA Europe's article on what, according to the shipbuilders' interest group, is needed to keep shipbuilding in Europe afloat. Shipbuilding is a politically and strategically crucial sector, which is of great importance for the survival of the European economy and the democratic freedom to make political choices. As such, this sector deserves all political support.

Furthermore, this issue once again focuses on the question of which fuels will be needed in the future to make shipping more sustainable. Particularly interesting in that regard is the article by Reinier Dick, fleet manager of SNSPOOL, on how this operator of supply ships from Den Helder manages to achieve lower emissions by adding enzymes to the marine fuels used.

On behalf of the editors of SWZ|Maritime, I may again offer you an edition well worth reading, and don't forget to check the call for new contributors in the KNVTS announcements.

Queen christens Máxima and Alexia during Delfsail

In the presence of 2000 employees and domestic and foreign guests, Her Majesty Queen Máxima performed the christening of Royal Wagenborg's Easymax vessels Máxima and Alexia during Delfsail on Friday, June 14. After a welcome speech and address by CEO Egbert Vuursteen, Queen Máxima performed the world's first naming and christening ceremony by drone. Pressing a button, a drone flew to shipyard Niestern Sander a mile away, where construction of the Easymax ship is nearing completion, and christened yard number 853 Alexia.

Queen Máxima went on to christen her “own” ship. For this special event, the ship Máxima was berthed alongside the terminal of Royal Niestern Sander shipyard in Wagenborg's home port of Delfzijl. After the naming and christening ceremony, 42 flag dancers representing all the countries

present gave a spectacular performance. Her Majesty Queen Máxima spoke with the shipbuilders, who build both Easymax ships, various guests closely involved with Wagenborg and the new generation of Wagenborg/Vuursteen, who shared their ideas about a sustainable future. During a tour of the port, Queen Máxima met several captains of the tall ships.

During the programme, Wagenborg looked back on 126 years of Wagenborg and cast a glance at the future of the family business. The Easymax ships play a prominent role in this future.

Egbert Vuursteen, CEO Royal Wagenborg:

‘In 1995, we had the christening of Kroonborg by then Crown Prince Willem Alexander. In 2009, then Queen Beatrix christened our Beatrix and now Her Majesty Queen Máxima was our guest of honour during Delfsail. I am very happy that she wanted

to christen no less than two ships.’

The Easymax is the latest ice-reinforced vessel type with unmatched fuel efficiency. With the lowest carbon footprint per tonne of cargo carried, the Easymax series leads the global Energy Efficiency Design Index today. The ship has the traditional Wagenborg red-gray colors, but it could have been all green.

Parliament gives green light to Dutch submarine contract

A motion to delay the decision on who will build the new Dutch submarines has been rejected. It means French Naval Group is nearly certain that it will build the four new submarines. The only possible remaining stumbling block is the court case brought by Germany’s Thyssenkrupp Marine Systems. Following a debate on 3 June, several motions were put up for a vote, of which the one by Member of Parliament Chris Stoffer (political party SGP) would have the most

impact. He proposed to postpone the decision on who will build the four new submarines for the Royal Netherlands Navy until the new government has been installed. He hoped the new Cabinet might change its mind and that the contract would end up with the Saab-Damen combination after all.

A majority voted against this motion, however, which depended on the support of Dutch political party PVV. It means there is now almost nothing standing in the way for

Van Oord dredger hits bunker vessel causing oil spill

Van Oord’s trailing suction hopper dredger

Vox Máxima allided with a stationary Singapore-flagged bunker vessel, the Marine Honour, on 14 June. Damage to the bunker vessel has resulted in an oil spill. The Maritime & Port Authority of Singapore (MPA)

states the Vox Maxima suffered a sudden loss in engine and steering control before its allision.

At the time of the incident, the Marine Honour was alongside a container vessel berthed at the Pasir Panjang Terminal. The allision took place at about 2:20 pm local time. The allision caused a rupture of one of the Marine Honour’s oil cargo tanks, and its contents of low-sulphur fuel oil were released to the sea.

Both vessels are currently anchored safely, are in stable condition, with some damage above the waterline. There is no injury reported. Some oil from the damaged cargo

State Secretary of Defence Christophe van der Maat or his successor to conclude the contract with Naval in the summer.

The last hurdle to take will now be a court case filed by the third contender for the multi-billion-euro contract, German Thyssenkrupp. This company decided to taken the Dutch government to court over the choice for Naval. According to Marineschepen.nl, this court case will take place on 26 June.

tank has washed up on several beaches in Singapore. At the time of writing, oil spill response efforts both on the water and ashore are ongoing. Eighteen oil spill response craft are involved in the clean-up. The affected cargo tank has been isolated and the spill contained.

Investigations into the accident by the MPA are ongoing. The master of the vessel and its crew are currently assisting in investigations. Van Oord states: ‘We are cooperating with the authorities’ investigations. While the investigations are ongoing, we cannot provide further substantive information in the interest of these investigations.’

The Marine Honour on 14 June after being hit by the Vox Máxima (photo by MPA).
CEO Egbert Vuursteen and Queen Máxima waving to the dancers on board the Máxima (photo Royal Wagenborg).

DUTCH NEWS

Construction of Mine Countermeasure Vessel IJmuiden kicks off

Construction of the new Mine Countermeasure Vessel IJmuiden has begun. The ship’s keel was laid on 11 June in Romania. Once the hull is ready, the ship will be finished in France. The IJmuiden is scheduled to be completed by 2030 at the latest. When the keel was laid, a coin was welded into the hull of the vessel. This tradition from Roman times is supposed to bring good luck to the ship and its crew. The IJmuiden is one of twelve new Mine Countermeasure Vessels that the navy has purchased jointly with Belgium. Both countries will get six. This is the third Dutch ship now under construction. The current minehunters are nearing the end of their service life and are therefore due for replacement.

The new minehunters have a revolutionary design. The vessels will be equipped with modern sensors that can detect mines. There is also room for unmanned sailing and flying drones. This eliminates the need for the vessels to pass through areas

Damen introduces fully electric FCS 3210

At this year’s Seawork show in Southampton, UK, Damen Shipyards Group has unveiled its latest vessel. The fully electric Fast Crew Supplier (FCS) 3210 E represents the next step forward in crew transfer solutions, paving the way to zero emissions transportation of crew and cargo to offshore locations.

Damen has developed the FCS 3210 in response to feedback from the market calling for a larger crew transfer vessel. The design is based on the FCS 2710. It features the same combination of Damen’s Axe Bow hull shape with a rounded tunnel. The result of this is optimal comfort, reduced wet deck slamming and minimal resistance in the water. With the increased length of the FCS 3210, this effect is even further pro-

nounced ensuring increased uptime. Aft, the FCS 3210 offers increased space for a larger deckhouse and more deck capacity. Shortly after the introduction of the FCS 3210, Damen received an order for three diesel-electric versions from Purus. Following this, Damen has taken the next step with the development of a fully electric version. The vessel features a fully electrical Volvo IPS system, enabling it to sail exclusively on battery power. With this, the FCS 3210 E is able to sail at high speeds to offshore wind farms up to 25 nautical miles from shore. On arrival, it will recharge at a charging system integrated to a turbine, substation or SOV before returning to shore.

To operate the FCS 3210 at locations farther

Shipping risks in packed North Sea poorly understood

Shipping routes, wind farms, and oil rigs are all competing for space in the North Sea. The increasing number of fixed objects poses risks for shipping. However, those risks are not properly understood. That’s the Dutch Safety Board’s conclusion in its report “Compromise on room to manoeuvre – Managing the safety of shipping in an increasingly crowded North Sea”. In the North Sea, wind-sensitive vessels such as ultra large container ships can already encounter problems in a wind force

where there may be sea mines or other explosives. Instead, the crew can remotely detect and defuse mines. It is customary to give naval vessels the name of a naval hero, celestial body, province or city. In the case of the Dutch minehunters, they chose port cities that the ships actually call at. This connects the IJmuiden with the inhabitants of the city of the same name.

The first new minehunter for the Royal Netherlands Navy is the Vlissingen. This has already been launched, but is not yet operational. That will happen next year. Only then will the ship get HNLMS for its name. Similarly, the IJmuiden will not be “entitled” HNLMS until it is operational.

from shore, Damen has also developed a full methanol propulsion version. At the present time, the engine technology enabling a vessel in this power range to sail on methanol has not reached maturity. When it does, the FCS 3210 Hybrid is prepared for a fast, cost-efficient conversion.

of just 6 Beaufort. There is not enough room for those vessels to make a complete turn in case of an emergency. And in hazardous situations, the current emergency response towing vessels cannot always assist them.

To prevent nasty surprises for shipping and the environment, the Dutch Safety Board recommends that the Dutch Minister of Infrastructure and Water Management improves how risks to the safety of shipping are managed. When decisions are made on

the layout for the various activities, the North Sea should be viewed as a single entity, and the Netherlands should cooperate with the six other North Sea coastal states. The Dutch Safety Board’s report was triggered by the problems faced by the Maltese bulk carrier Julietta D during storm Corrie in early 2022. As the vessel drifted towards the Dutch coast, it first collided with another ship and then with two structures that form part of a wind farm under construction.

Damen FCS 2710 Hybrid, FCS 3210 Electric and FCS 3210 Methanol prepared (by Damen).
The hull of minehunter IJmuiden in a workshop in Romania (by Dutch Ministry of Defence).

RIJKSREDERIJ LAAT SCHEEPSBOUW (TE LANG) WACHTEN OP ORDERS

Politiek en overheid verwachten heel veel van de verduurzaming van de scheepsbouw en scheepvaart, maar vooralsnog blijft de rijksoverheid vooral met de armen over elkaar zitten als het gaat om het investeren in en bestellen van klimaatvriendelijkere, minder CO2-uitstotende schepen voor de eigen Rijksrederij. Met een presentatie op de NMT-netwerkbijeenkomst op donderdag 16 mei bij Krohne in Dordrecht weet de achterban van scheepsbouwbelangenbehartiger NMT heel veel meer over de organisatie van de Rijksrederij en vooral zijn nieuwe directeur Willem de Vries, maar zicht op nieuwbouworders kon hij de scheepsbouwers en hun toeleveranciers niet bieden.

En dat is een hard gelag voor de Nederlandse scheepsbouwwereld, want zonder orders voor nieuwe schepen kan er niet worden gewerkt aan en geëxperimenteerd met de bouw van nieuwe klimaatvriendelijkere, CO2-neutrale schepen. Want voor het overleven van de Nederlandse scheepsbouw is de sector afhankelijk van opdrachten. Zonder opdrachten geen werk en geen inkomsten en uiteindelijk kunnen de werven hun deuren sluiten en verdwijnen de toeleveranciers, zoals vele voor hen, naar Azië omdat ze daar wel het belang van het behoud van scheepsbouw inzien.

Koplopersregeling

Ja, het klopt dat de rijksoverheid zich via het Nationaal Groeifonds be-

reid heeft verklaard maximaal € 210 miljoen te investeren in het Maritiem Masterplan 2.0. Hiervan is inmiddels € 100 miljoen definitief en € 110 miljoen voorwaardelijk toegekend. Daarnaast is er € 85 miljoen subsidie beschikbaar voor de Koplopersregeling Maritiem Masterplan. Dat geld is bedoeld om investeringen in de doorontwikkeling en demonstratie van emissieloze schepen op waterstof (€ 40 miljoen), methanol (€ 25 miljoen) of carbon capture (CO2-afvang) met een LNG-aandrijflijn als brandstof (€ 20 miljoen) te stimuleren.

De aanvraagperiode is op 11 juni opengesteld en loopt tot 1 oktober. Een breed scala aan doelgroepen komt in aanmerking, waaronder mkb’ers en onderzoeks- en kennisinstellingen. De penvoerder (leider van het project en subsidieaanvrager) moet echter altijd een in Nederland gevestigde natuurlijke persoon of rechtspersoon zijn. Een andere belangrijke voorwaarde is dat er moet worden samengewerkt tussen minimaal twee (niet in een groep verbonden) ondernemingen al dan niet gesteund door een onderzoeks- of kennisinstelling.

Binnen zes maanden

Voorwaarde is ook dat binnen zes maanden na de subsidieverlening het onderzoeks- en demonstratieproject voor ontwerp, ontwikkeling en demonstratie van een technologie op een schip moet worden begonnen. Voor een werf betekent dit dat je dan moet weten voor wie je wat voor schip gaat ontwerpen en bouwen. Als het gaat om nieuwbouw voor de Rijksrederij, veronderstelt dit dat het nieuwe kabinet al in de komende Prinsjesdagbegroting voor 2025 moet kunnen aangeven waar het naartoe moet met de vloot. Maar dit is hoogst onzeker, want daarover kon de nieuwe directeur van de Rijksrederij op 16 mei nog niets zeggen.

Eerst reorganiseren was de boodschap om personeel en vloot beter inzetbaar te maken of zoals de titel van de presentatie van De Vries luidde: Koersvast op weg naar een robuuste en toekomstbestendige Rijksrederij. De vernieuwing van de honderd vaartuigen tellende vloot is cruciaal voor het slagen van het Maritiem Masterplan 2.0. Het doel hiervan is betrouwbare en modulaire klimaatneutrale schepen te ontwikkelen, bouwen en gebruiken in een cyclische innovatieketen.

MARKETS

Nationale veiligheidsbelangen

Het Masterplan beoogt bij te dragen aan de versnelling van de mondiale energietransitie, het versterken van de Nederlandse economie en het beschermen van de nationale veiligheidsbelangen. Het moet de energietransitie versnellen door het ontwikkelen en demonstreren van technologieën voor het gebruik van hernieuwbare brandstoffen (waterstof, methanol, LNG met carbon capture). Private consortia en de overheid (Defensie en Rijksrederij) moeten de demonstraties uitvoeren. Hierbij zijn de plannenmakers vanuit de sector ervan uitgegaan dat de overheid als launching customer optreedt, degene die de eerste orders plaatst, voor deze technologieën. De focus hierbij ligt op de voor de Nederlandse scheepsbouw strategisch belangrijke sectoren als short sea shipping , wind op zee, waterbouw en maritieme veiligheid en dienstverlening. Dat zijn de sectoren waarmee de Nederlandse scheepsbouw het meeste geld verdient. Tweederde van de omzet haalt de Nederlandse scheepsbouw uit de export. De ontwikkeling en bouw van klimaatneutrale schepen moet de concurrentiepositie van de Nederlandse scheepsbouwsector versterken.

Nieuwbouworders overheid

Daarom is het dus zo belangrijk dat ook de Rijksrederij over de brug komt met nieuwbouworders. Het kabinet heeft dat inmiddels gedaan voor de marine met de aanzet voor de bouw van vier nieuwe luchtdoelfregatten en zes amfibische transportschepen. Alleen de opdracht voor de vier nieuwe onderzeeërs is jammerlijk genoeg naar de Fransen gegaan. Een nieuw bevoorradingschip en zes nieuwe mijnenbestrijdingsvaartuigen zijn in aanbouw en voor de bouw van twee nieuwe onderzeebootbestrijdingsfregatten is het contract getekend. Jammer is alleen dat ook die mijnenbestrijdingsvaartuigen in Frankrijk worden gebouwd, maar in ruil daarvoor mag Damen wel twee zusterschepen van de onderzeebootbestrijdingsfregatten voor de Belgen bouwen. Maar ook het toekomstbestendig maken van de vloot van de Rijksrederij is voor de Nederlandse scheepsbouwsector een niet te versmaden klus en cruciaal om te kunnen overleven. Een troost is dat de Rijksrederij met De Vries sinds vorig jaar een manager heeft die gepokt en gemazeld is in de sector. Hij geeft leiding aan 370 medewerkers waarvan 290 aan boord van de vloot, variërend van grote zeegaande schepen tot zelfstandig opererende RHIB’s.

Drie ministeries als klant

De Rijksrederij is verantwoordelijk voor de uitvoering van een breed aantal taken van drie ministeries met vier diensten. Voor het onder het ministerie van Infrastructuur en Waterstaat vallende Rijkswaterstaat (58 procent van de omzet) doet de Rijksrederij inspectie en handhaving, vaarwegmarkering, incidentmanagement en verkeersbegeleiding en wordt ingezet voor waterkwaliteit en -kwantiteit en hydrografisch onderzoek. Voor de onder hetzelfde ministerie vallende Kustwacht (28 procent omzet) en de onder Financiën vallende Douane (3 procent omzet) is de Rijksrederij verantwoordelijk voor inspectie en handhaving op zee en in de kustwateren. Voor het ministerie van Landbouw en Visserij (11 procent omzet) doet de Rijksrederij aan visserijonderzoek en -beheer. Het vernieuwingsprogramma van de Rijksrederij loopt voorlopig tot 2030. Vooralsnog gaat het om vooral de kleinste, en dus minst complexe, vaartuigen zoals vorig jaar de opdracht voor de vervanging van de

RHIBS’s voor Douane/politie en dit jaar de kleine meetvaartuigen die op een trailer kunnen worden vervoerd en de vervanging van de Stern die vooral voor LNV vaart. Voor 2025 staat de aanschaf van een extra handhavingsvaartuig voor de Kustwacht op de rol. Pas voor 2030 zijn dan de vervanging van de ERTV’s (grote noodhulpsleepboten) voor de Kustwacht, de betonningsvaartuigen voor Rijkswaterstaat, de inspectievaartuigen voor LNV, de “Arenden” voor de Kustwacht en de andere patrouillevaartuigen voor de Douane en Rijkswaterstaat aan de orde. De Nederlandse scheepsbouw moet dus nog behoorlijk lang wachten voordat het daadwerkelijk kan gaan bouwen.

Ontwerpen in plaats van bouwen

De vraag is of dit niet te lang is voor het overeind houden van veel Nederlandse werven, want hier zijn op korte termijn plannen voor nodig en er moeten daadwerkelijk schepen worden besteld, ook door de Rijksrederij. De wijze waarop de Nederlandse politiek en overheid in de jaren tachtig afscheid hebben genomen van de scheepsbouw en deze volledig hebben overgelaten aan het oneerlijke spel van de internationale concurrentie mag zich niet herhalen.

Anders loopt de Nederlandse scheepsbouw het risico te verworden tot een ontwerpfabriek waarbij het daadwerkelijk in elkaar zetten van de schepen in het buitenland gebeurt. Zo heeft Damen zijn ontwerpcapaciteit in Gorinchem fors uitgebreid, maar worden naast de productie van kleine werkschepen door Damen Shipyards Hardinxveld weinig schepen meer daadwerkelijk in elkaar gezet in Nederland. Marineschepen worden al sinds jaar en dag voor het grootste deel in Roemenië gebouwd en vervolgens in Vlissingen afgebouwd.

Wisselwerking met klanten

Dat betekent dat het werk in de Nederlandse scheepsbouwsector steeds meer verschuift van daadwerkelijk bouwen naar vooral ontwerpen. Daar zijn de Nederlandse scheepsontwerpbureaus als C-Job, DEKc, Groot Ship Design of Conoship heel goed in. Maar ook dat duurt tot de Chinezen zich op deze markt storten en met veel lagere prijzen voor een totaalpakket van ontwerpen en bouwen in China zich ook deze markt toe-eigenen. Bovendien is er in de scheepsbouw ook sprake van wisselwerking waarbij scheepsbouwers moeten leren van de praktijkervaringen van hun opdrachtgevers om elke keer weer tot het voor hun klanten optimale scheepsontwerp te kunnen komen.

Als er in Nederland geen schepen meer kunnen worden ontworpen en gebouwd, hebben ook de Nederlandse overheid en politiek niets meer te vertellen en eisen en maken we ons volledig afhankelijk van Azië. Dan bepalen zij wat er wordt gebouwd tegen welke prijs. Nu al zijn de prijzen in de belangrijkste scheepsbouwsectoren ook in Azië sterk opgelopen. De Rijksrederij kan dus niet wachten tot 2030.

Antoon Oosting

Freelance maritiem journalist en hoofdredacteur van SWZ|Maritime, swz.rotterdam@knvts.nl

Roadmap for nuclear power at sea

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) calls for a roadmap for nuclear energy to become a viable option to reduce commercial shipping’s greenhouse gas emissions. The IAEA is an autonomous organisation within the United Nations, just like the International Maritime Organization (IMO). Additionally, the Nuclear Energy Maritime Organization (NEMO) was also founded recently, an NGO aiming to assist nuclear and maritime regulators in the development of appropriate standards and rules for the deployment, operation and decommissioning of floating nuclear power. Members include shipyards, reactor builders, classification societies and power companies. The former head of IAEA’s safety assessment section is NEMO’s first chairman. (Splash247 and NEMO)

Fuel savings of 17% by wind

Shofu Maru, the world’s first Wind Challenger equipped coal carrier, achieves fuel savings of seventeen per cent. Mitsui

O.S.K. Lines (MOL) announced that its ship, with this hard sail wind propulsion system, has completed seven round-trip voyages to Japan, transporting coal from Australia, Indonesia and North America for Tohoku Electric Power. For about eighteen months, MOL has measured the Wind Challenger's performance continuously on actual voyages and confirmed that the sail system reduced daily fuel consumption by up to seventeen per cent and five to eight per cent per voyage on average. This is in line with what was expected and MOL plans to launch 25 vessels equipped with the Wind Challenger by 2030, increasing to eighty by 2035. (swzmaritime.nl)

Propulsion on biomass pellets

Japanese shipping company NYK, Tsuneishi Shipbuilding and British energy company Drax will develop both the world’s first biomass-fuelled ship (bioship) and the technology that could power it. Biomass plays a growing role in Japan’s transition from fossil fuel power to low carbon and renewable electricity. The country’s demand for biomass pellets, sourced primarily from North America and composed of sawmill and forestry residues, is increasing. The companies will conduct research to develop the new technology for an onboard biomass fuel plant. This plant will use a gasifier to combust biomass at high temperatures and create gases including carbon monoxide, hydrogen and methane. These gases will be used to power a generator for propulsion and other consumers on board. It is claimed that such a plant could see a 22 per cent reduction in well-to-wake carbon emissions in bioships when compared to using fossil fuels. (hellenicshippingnews)

Graphene coating

Stolt Tankers is the first shipping company in the world to apply a new, graphene-based coating to the hull of one of its chemical tankers. The hard foul release technology offers a low-friction surface and helps to keep the ship clean and reduce drag. The coating has been developed by the company Graphite Innovation & Technologies (GIT) Coatings. Before deciding for a complete hull coating, Stolt already worked with GIT Coatings to apply the graphene coatings to the propellers of more than forty ships. Fuel efficiency is not the only aspect, GIT’s coatings also absorb underwater radiant noise which can reduce stress on sensitive marine life and ecosystems. Nanoparticles such as graphene, carbon nanotubes and nanosilver have been incorporated into coating formulations to enhance strength, durability and antifouling properties. Graphene has exceptional mechanical strength and lubricating properties. The coating is expected to last for approximately ten years, with an evaluation at five years to confirm if any maintenance is needed. (Hansa)

A large dark tanker fleet

Russia has established a so-called “dark fleet” of tankers with obscure ownership and jurisdiction to circumvent sanctions on its crude and petroleum products. The growth of this dark fleet in the wake of the war between Russia and Ukraine has seen many previously obscure flags double or triple in size. The IMO recently called on flag states to crack down on the illicit activities of shadow tankers and enforce regulations on ship-to-ship cargo transfers. However, countering the illicit trade, claimed to involve 800 tankers, is proving difficult, as smuggling networks employ sophisticated methods and there is continued demand for discounted oil in Asia. It is not a compliment for shipping that so many ships have been made available to Russia. It is not only a political, but also a safety problem as these mostly old and poorly maintained ships operate without proper insurance and as such undermine the safety and environmental standards developed by IMO. According to global insurer Allianz, such vessels have been involved in at least fifty incidents to date, including fires, engine failures, collisions, loss of steerage, and oil spills. It is further suggested that this dark fleet may soon be extended to include LNG carriers, probably old steam turbine vessels which would otherwise be scrapped. (Lloyd’s List and Splash247)

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RUBRIEK EVENTS

A CHANGE OF COURSE Froude celebrates 120th anniversary with symposium

The TU Delft's Marine Technology study association S.G. “William Froude” celebrates its 120th anniversary this year. In honour of the 24th lustrum, the students organised a symposium on 16 May at Hal4 aan de Maas, Rotterdam. Developments abound in the maritime sector; artificial intelligence and machine learning are developing quickly, global political relations are subject to change and the sector is switching to alternative fuels. Under the motto “A change of course”, 200 guests discussed these three topics and their impact on the maritime sector under the guidance of Bas Buchner, the chairman of the day.

The day started with a presentation of professor of ship hydromechanics Gabriel Weymouth of the TU Delft. He provided insight into artificial intelligence and both the possibilities and limits of its use. Conventional research models are physics based and very precise. To match these results with machine learning, a lot of data is needed. This data is not always available. The use of physics based constraints in a machine learning model creates a model that can be near perfect with little data. Extrapolating outside the limits of the input, however, still poses a challenge. A showcase of the use of artificial intelligence in reality was then given by Fanny Rebiffé (MARIN). MARIN developed a model that through a lot of trial and error taught itself how to sail an Optimist. The model learned how to sail upwind in the basin of MARIN. This project was the first milestone in developing AI-driven models at MARIN.

Changes at the world stage

The second block of the day was started by Frank Bekkers (The Hague Centre for Strategic Studies). He gave a brief overview of the current status of world politics. Geopolitics is back on the table and resources and goods are used more and more for political gain. This, combined with an alteration of the energy mix and hence new patterns of bulk transport, will cause changes at the world stage. After his presentation, Bekkers was joined by Richard Keulen (Damen), Annet Koster (KVNR), Marius Ottolini (HMC) and Maarten Vink (Jumbo Maritime) to discuss the impact of these political developments on the Dutch maritime sector. The general consensus was, that it is important for Europe to think of its geopolitical position and how to maintain it in a changing world.

Stay open minded

Harry Linskens (DEKc Maritime) opened the final block with an overview of the four major alternative fuels. A comparison between LNG, methanol, ammonia and hydrogen was made. Having the same energy storage as diesel with alternative fuels requires a lot more space. A change in ship redundancy requirements could be a solu-

tion. Also, different ship types will use different fuels as their operational profiles will be different.

Dick Heidelberg (Wärtsilä) followed with an example of a methanol conversion on the Stena Germanica and showcased the changes needed on board. An overview was also given on an ammonia set up with the Wärtsilä 25 ammonia engine.

It is important for Europe to think of its geopolitical position and how to maintain it in a changing world

This block was concluded by Peter de Vos (TU Delft). During his presentation, he focused on the feasibility of alternative energy sources on board ships. Abandoning existing starting points in the design process, gives room for new ideas when working with new systems and fuels. At the start of the design process, everything is possible and he encouraged the students in the room to stay open minded when solving future problems. The day was concluded with a panel consisting of two students, two PhD students and two professionals elaborating on the lessons learned that day. A change of course coming up and a new generation with a little more knowledge to tackle the challenges ahead.

Bas Lenferink

Maritime Technology student at the TU Delft and one of SWZ|Maritime's editors, lenferinkb@outlook.com

NO MAJOR CHANGES AT ACTA AFTER FRENCH TAKEOVER

Seawork remains important trade fair

Offshore service provider Acta Jifmar from Den Helder, formerly known as Acta Marine, exhibits at Seawork every year. 'We meet a large part of the sector here,’ says commercial manager Bert de Ruiter of Acta Jifmar. ‘Especially British owners of workboats have traditionally been represented here. The fact that there is a Dutch pavilion for the first time this year shows that the international importance of this fair is increasing.’

Acta Jifmar wants to pay extra attention to the new organisation, after the merger of Acta Marine Workboats with France’s Jifmar Offshore Services. ‘With the merger of the workboats of Acta and Jifmar, we now have a fleet of more than seventy workboats,’ says De Ruiter. 'The organisation is split into two divisions. A charter branch, which is purely concerned with the rental of work vessels, and a contracting unit, which looks at taking on maintenance and installation work for the offshore, dredging and construction industries.’

Seawork, which took place 11-13 June, is Europe's largest on-water commercial maritime and workboat exhibition and is also important to Acta Jifmar because of the way it promotes the interests of the

sector. For example, there are meetings with the Workboat Association, the British flag state authority MCA, and the British Tugowners Association.

Hydrogen and HVO

Acta Jifmar highlighted various sustainable developments at Seawork. ‘For example, we have completed the hybridisation of one of our supply vessels. In daily work, the ship now sails completely electrically on hydrogen, while for longer distances, or situations in which more power is temporarily needed, the diesel engines are still available,’ explains De Ruiter. ‘A wonderful, circular development in which we have fully upgraded an existing ship with completely new technology, in close collaboration with one of our regular customers and a number of subcontractors.’

‘In addition, we present a number of smaller sustainable developments, such as a test with bamboo planks for protecting work decks and a CO2 certificate, which we can provide to our client at the end of each project with a summary of the CO2 and other emissions emitted. We also explain that our ships are fully equipped for the use of HVO (hydrotreated vegetable oil), a vegetable alternative to diesel oil.'

British cooperation

Local presence is important for obtaining orders in the UK. 'The

Photo: This recent photo of the multi-purpose support vessel Coastal Chariot (37.00 x 11.84 metres) illustrates the current state of the integration of Acta Marine into the Jifmar group as Acta Jifmar. The ship combines the new company colours of Acta Jifmar with the old Acta Marine logos. The Coastal Chariot is currently active in the Persian Gulf (photo Acta Jifmar).

WORKBOATS

people here want to get to know you, have a pint,’ says De Ruiter. ‘They want to work together on the basis of trust. As the years go by, it is nice to see how people we previously worked with keep popping up in the sector, sometimes at a different company or in a different capacity, but always involved and with a focus on the work.'

Originally, Acta Jifmar provided its services in the UK mainly to large international contractors, such as Boskalis and Van Oord. ‘But we now have a strong foothold in the British market with Jifmar Scotland, which consists of the former companies of Northwest Marine and Delta Marine,’ says De Ruiter. ‘Various activities are offered to the aquaculture market from the offices in Oban and Stirling, such as cleaning and installing offshore fishponds and diving work. In addition, we regularly supply ships to British contractors, for example for laying or burying cables and soil research.’

French takeover

According to De Ruiter, the takeover of Acta Marine at the end of last year by French peer Jifmar Offshore Services in Aix-enProvence, has not brought about any major changes. 'A lot has remained the same. The spot market chartering of our workboats is coordinated from our office in Den Helder. Our organisation in Den Helder is also mainly concerned with the deployment and maintenance of all ships. The ships sailing under the French and British

‘We have completed the hybridisation of one of our supply vessels’

flag have now established their base for the North and Baltic Sea area in Den Helder. Our workshop and logistics centre there is ideally located to optimally maintain and forage ships between projects. We are now fully engaged in fully integrating and optimising the French, Scottish and Dutch organisations, to become a European company that works worldwide.’

The construction branch is being further expanded from the head office in Aix-en-Provence. ‘They are involved in long-term contracts for, among others, the French government, with the Canopée, the innovative sailing cargo ship that transports parts for the Ariane rockets between Europe and Central America and a variety of other activities, such as dam inspections, ROV and diving work.’

Hans Heynen Maritime journalist, hans.heynen@casema.nl

SEA EUROPE CALLS FOR EUROPEAN MARITIME STRATEGY

Building 10,000 sustainable and digitalised vessels in Europe by 2035

It is essential to regain and secure in Europe orders from shipowners, including European, especially in the strategic sectors of the Blue Economy. By doing so, Europe will fortify its economic resilience and competitiveness, reduce dependency on external markets, deliver the objectives of the European Green Deal, and bolster its defence capabilities, thereby strengthening strategic autonomy.

According to SEA Europe, a maritime strategy that includes building 10,000 sustainable and digitalised vessels in Europe by 2035 will help to achieve this.

TEXT AND GRAPHS: SEA EUROPE, INFO@SEAEUROPE.EU

Eighty per cent of Europe’s external trade is carried by sea. Therefore, the maritime technology industry is fundamental for Europe’s economic vitality and strategic autonomy, enabling both internal and external trade while playing a crucial role in energy supply and Blue Economy sectors [1]. However, Asia’s aggressive subsidies and protectionist policies have eroded Europe’s competitiveness, leading to a substantial loss of shipbuilding capacity. This jeopardises Europe’s economic security and its defence capabilities.

Global leadership in complex shipbuilding

The European maritime technology industry comprises some 300 shipyards and over 28,000 maritime equipment manufacturers and technology providers, which together generate an annual production value of € 128 billion and create 1.1 million – mainly highly skilled – jobs in Europe [2]. With nine per cent of its annual turnover invested in research, development and innovation, it is one of Europe’s most innovative industries.

European shipyards are global leaders in complex commercial and

Global

MARITIME STRATEGY

naval shipbuilding. They also provide strong expertise in fixed and floating platforms (including for wind energy), as well as in ship maintenance, repair, conversion, and retrofit. They are integrators of (advanced) systems, equipment and technologies produced by a supply chain of European maritime equipment manufacturers and technology suppliers.

At least seventy per cent of a complex ship’s value is made up of material, equipment and systems. European maritime equipment manufacturers own nearly a fifty per cent global market share. They provide a wide array of systems, equipment and services contributing to decarbonisation and digitalisation.

The backbone of Europe's Blue Economy

‘How strategic is shipbuilding?’ asked a senior EU official during the European Shipping Summit in September 2023. The answer dates back from the days of Themistocles (524-459 BC): ‘Whoever controls the sea controls everything.’

Eighty per cent of Europe’s external trade and forty per cent of its internal trade are carried by sea. Ships and maritime technologies are critical for Europe’s economy, trade, and supply of energy, food and raw materials. Therefore, the maritime technology industry plays a key role in Europe’s strategic autonomy, its access to global and domestic trade, and energy transition, as it builds, equips and maintains the vessels and platforms that carry cargo and passen-

SEA EUROPE

SEA Europe represents the European shipbuilding industry in sixteen nations, encompassing the production, maintenance, repair, retrofit and conversion of all types of ships and floating structures, commercial as well as naval, including the full supply chain with the various producers of maritime systems, equipment material, and services.

gers, connect maritime regions, and support the exploration and exploitation of a wide range of Blue Economy activities (in particular waterborne transport and offshore renewable energy). Besides, it is the key enabler for the green and digital transitions of waterborne transport and the Blue Economy, thereby contributing inter alia to the European Green Deal.

Asia’s aggressive subsidies and protectionist policies have eroded Europe’s

The maritime technology industry is also critical for Europe’s defence and security. It produces naval capabilities (vessels, platforms, technologies – including underwater) that are paramount for preserving Europe’s strategic autonomy, defending its maritime borders, and securing its (critical) maritime and underwater infrastructure. The European naval industry is very innovative and efficient thanks to a robust cross-fertilisation between commercial and naval shipbuilding, which fosters dual-use applications, resilient supply chains and groundbreaking innovations by leveraging commercial innovations into naval shipyards and vice versa. There is no security and defence at sea without a strong commercial shipbuilding industry.

Strategic autonomy at risk

The European maritime technology industry has been facing competition distortions from Asia for decades. China considers its shipbuilding supply chain strategic to achieve global maritime leader-

Overview

MARITIME STRATEGY

Completions by main shipbuilding areas in number of vessels per length category

South Korea

EU27+UK+Norway

Completions by main shipbuilding areas in number of vessels per length category.

NOTE: In most cases, large vessels hold the upper hand in terms of both revenue generation and workload. Of course, it also depends on the complexity of the vessel ( cruise ships, dredgers, research vessels, ferries). However, the construction of 'small' workboats is also of significant strategic importance. The value chain, including maintenance, holds unprecedented significance to European autonomy.

NOTE: Some vessels were built in non-European countries but registered in the country of the shipbuilder group’s headquarters (‘CountryOfBuild’ is used from S&P Global). It appears that this is mostly the case for European shipbuilding groups because they own some foreign yards outside the EU27+UK+N. Therefore, the number of vessels built in the EU27+UK+N might be (slightly) lower. This exerts a greater impact on the total number of vessels and a lesser effect on the total volume.

MARITIME STRATEGY Global technological

leadership is a strong basis to turn the tide and bounce back

ship, thus grants massive subsidies and applies distortive practices including protectionism [3]. South Korea [4] and the United States [5] also have national support policies and protectionist measures in support of their domestic industry. These practices have harmed the level playing field for European shipyards and their supply chain. Hence, Europe has not only lost most of its merchant and part of its offshore shipbuilding to Asia, but also saw a serious decline of its industrial capacity to build and maintain ships, in contrast to Asia. As a consequence of this decline in European shipbuilding, the European supply chain of maritime equipment manufacturers and technology providers is also being relocated to Asia. The supply chain follows the shipbuilding. As a result of these distortions and protectionist measures, European shipowners – who control nearly forty per cent of the world fleet – choose Asian shipyards over European yards due to price differences of thirty to forty per cent [6]. This is also affecting Europe’s leading position in maritime equipment manufacturing, as Asian shipyards are increasingly encouraged to use local content at the expense of European equipment.

Moreover, Chinese banks offer very attractive ship finance and favourable financial incentives to shipowners, whilst keeping the ownership of the vessels, which they lease to shipowners (including European shipowners) [7]. The fact that Chinese banks own ships that are sailing in European waters creates significant risks for Europe’s economy and trade.

Furthermore, a decline of Europe’s shipbuilding capacity creates a major threat to its defence and security. To build and maintain advanced naval military assets efficiently, a strong industrial supply chain in commercial shipbuilding is critical. By conquering commercial dominance in global shipbuilding, China has been able to build up naval shipbuilding capabilities that outmatch those of Europe and the United States combined by far [8].

In the context of the current geopolitical tensions, a further decline of Europe’s shipbuilding capacity would be devastating for its strategic autonomy and for the security of its citizens. It is therefore urgent to consolidate and reinforce this capacity.

Turn the tide

The innovative know-how of the European maritime technology industry, combined with a global technological leadership, is a strong basis to turn the tide and bounce back. In this respect, the sustainable and digital transitions are major opportunities for Europe to outperform its international competitors on quality, efficiency and safety.

Enhanced maritime industrial capacity will enable Europe to:

• Be the global leader in sustainable and digitalised ships and maritime technologies, thereby achieving the European Green Deal and the EU Digital Agenda.

• Safeguard the economic security of its Blue Economy and waterborne value chains, thereby de-risking from its current dependency from Asia.

• Strengthen its strategic autonomy and defence by developing and building state of the art naval military assets for both surface and underwater purposes.

The European maritime technology industry can contribute to achieving these goals through the following two-step strategic plan:

1. By 2035: Consolidate Europe’s global leadership in complex shipbuilding and maritime equipment manufacturing, and regain strategic ship types for the European Blue Economy.

MARITIME STRATEGY

To this end, the industry has the ambition to supply, by 2035, 10,000 sustainable and digitalised vessels [9]. More concretely, the industry has the willingness to build, equip and maintain:

• State of the art commercial vessels in accordance with EU policy ambitions.

• Vessels and platforms necessary to secure Europe’s energy and food supply, as well as energy transition, including carriers of sustainable alternative fuels.

• Specialised vessels for the construction and maintenance of offshore (wind) installations to deliver upon Europe’s ambitions for offshore renewable energy.

• The necessary innovative military assets and technologies to European navies.

• The industry will also retrofit existing vessels to enhance their sustainability and energy efficiency.

To achieve these objectives, the industry aims, by 2035, to invest more than € 10 billion in highly efficient, automated and sustainable production facilities, and to recruit and re/upskill a total of 500,000 qualified workers.

2. By 2050: Compete successfully in all shipbuilding markets strategic for Europe.

A European maritime industrial strategy

To achieve these goals, the European maritime technology industry needs facilitating framework conditions along a holistic approach. It is crucial to amplify the advantages of the EU internal market and

EUROPEAN MARITIME INDUSTRIAL STRATEGY

I. Industrial sovereignty and competitiveness

The main issue for the European maritime technology industry is the longstanding market distortion from Asia. To reinforce Europe’s industrial sovereignty and its strategic autonomy, it is essential to regain and secure orders from shipowners, including European, especially in the strategic sectors of the Blue Economy, that is, cabotage, shortsea shipping, passenger transport, fishing, aquaculture, offshore renewable energy and carriers of sustainable alternative fuels. In concrete terms, the EU should:

• Introduce “made in Europe” requirements and non-price criteria in strategic public procurement markets (such as patrol vessels, ferries, research vessels, offshore platforms).

• Provide financial incentives for shipowners to build and retrofit vessels in Europe. These incentives should reduce the price gap between European and Asian shipyards, especially through tax benefits framed by a European scheme. To avoid competitive distortions between member states, they should be implemented uniformly within the EU internal market, and be notified to and monitored by the European Commission.

• Introduce conditionalities in EU financial instruments to prevent European taxpayers’ money from being used for investments outside Europe, for instance for building or retrofitting vessels in Asian shipyards whilst these vessels are destined for Europe.

• Provide an effective instrument to protect the competitiveness of European shipyards against injurious pricing of foreign competitors, by making Regulation 2016/1035 applicable [10].

II. Supportive regulatory framework Regulations should create the framework conditions that

support business cases, address market failures, de-risk investment, and offer legal certainty. To this end, the EU should:

• Introduce a Maritime Industr y Act supporting the business case for sustainable and digitalised waterborne transport, ship production and Blue Economy [11].

• Set up an Industrial Alliance for Blue Economy Value Chains, in combination with “Important Projects of Common European Interest”, to facilitate collaboration among Blue Economy stakeholders and create project pipelines (for example for carriers of sustainable alternative fuels, and vessels supporting offshore renewable energy infrastructure) [12].

III. Technological leadership

Whilst promising innovative solutions are available, more needs to be done in terms of research and scaling-up of sustainable and digital technologies. To this end, the EU should:

• Continue to support the industr y’s investment in research, development and innovation, such as with the coprogrammed Partnership on Zero-Emission Waterborne Transport, and introduce a new co-programmed Partnership on digitalised and automated waterborne transport and ship production.

• Facilitate European Investment Bank guarantees at preferential terms to enlarge risk capacities for investment in the waterborne value chain, Blue Economy and defence.

• Provide financial support to scale-up maritime innovation and enhance maritime manufacturing capacity through:

- A € 10 billion European Maritime Technology Fund in the next programming period, building on the current European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund.

MARITIME STRATEGY

the tools of EU industrial policy with a focus on the maritime industry. Since the current EU horizontal framework has failed to bridge the competitiveness gaps of the maritime technology industry, the EU should urgently issue a sectoral Maritime Industrial Strategy, based on the building blocks outlined in the text box. It is time for urgent policy action. Achieving Europe’s strategic autonomy in the maritime domain demands a robust domestic industrial capacity to bolster and accelerate the production of commercial and military vessels. Currently, Europe risks to relinquish this critical capacity. To avert this peril, it is imperative for Europe to swiftly turn the tide and transition from merely a maritime actor to a sea power.

REFERENCES/NOTES

1. The Blue Economy comprises all sectoral and crosssectoral economic activities based on or related to the oceans, seas and coasts, for example waterborne transport (of goods, passengers, energy), fishing, aquaculture, offshore renewable energy.

2. Source: BALance Technology Consulting, 2019.

3. For example, Made in China 2025 and the Belt and Road Initiative.

4. For example, the South Korean government announced in March 2024 a programme involving investment of $ 6.75 billion over the next five years aiming to give South Korean yards world leadership in ship design, shipbuilding technology and maritime innovation.

5. For example, the Jones Act and Inflation Reduction Act.

6. Chinese shipyards offer injurious prices by selling ships below production cost.

- A stronger maritime dimension in all relevant EU financial instruments (for example Innovation Fund, Connecting Europe Facility, structural funds) via dedicated calls and earmarking, and through a full flowback of the revenues from the Emission Trading System (ETS) and FuelEU Maritime to maritime investment.

• Earmark at least t wenty per cent of the budget of the current and future EU defence programmes (for instance European Defence Fund, European Defence Industry Programme) for the naval segment.

IV. Skilled workforce

The maritime technology industry provides high-level jobs requiring advanced skills. With the sustainable and digital transitions, retaining and up/reskilling the workforce is crucial for the future of the industry. Furthermore, the cyclical nature of shipbuilding and ship repair [13] requires a high level of workforce mobility across Europe to match workers availability with production needs. To facilitate the recruitment, retainment and re/upskilling of workers in the maritime technology industry, the EU should:

• Support communication campaigns promoting the sust ainable and innovative image of the maritime technology industry to attract and retain workers, especially young people and women.

• Support companies’ efforts to upskill and reskill workers in the maritime technology industry, including through EU-wide educational and training programmes, and the recognition of trainings and qualifications across the EU.

• Est ablish a pool of qualified workforce across Europe to ensure the availability of workers in the context of the cyclical nature of shipbuilding and ship repair.

7. Because of strict European prudential requirements, European commercial banks have become risk-averse and are no longer active in ship finance. Chinese banks thus became global leaders in ship finance.

8. Cf. for example Every Ship a Warship (Jonathan Holslag, 2022) and China’s Shipyards Are Ready for a Protracted War. America’s Aren’t (The Wall Street Journal, 2024).

9. This target comprises: 1) seagoing vessels 2) any type of professionally operated vessel (including inland vessels), and 3) retrofits of existing vessels. A forecast under the current policy framework suggests an output of around 7000 vessels by 2035. SEA Europe believes that a more favourable policy framework as of 2025 would enable the industry to supply 10,000 vessels.

10. Pursuant to Regulation 2016/1035 on protection against injurious pricing of vessels, a harmful pricing charge may be levied on the builder of an injuriously priced vessel whose sale to a buyer outside the country in which the vessel originates causes injury to European shipbuilding industry. However, the entry into force of this Regulation is conditional upon the ratification of the OECD Shipbuilding Agreement of 1994, which will never happen. Hence, it is only a “paper regulation” without any effect so far.

11. This framework legislation should build on the model of the Net-Zero Industry Act along a maritime sectoral approach.

12. This new Industrial Alliance should operate in synergy with the existing Industrial Alliance for Renewable and LowCarbon Fuels Value Chain, which needs continuous political support from the EU and member states.

13. Shipbuilding is cyclical because demand for new ships is influenced by global economic conditions, trade volumes and shipping rates. During economic booms, increased trade and economic activity leads to higher demand for shipping, resulting in a surge in ship orders. Conversely, economic downturns can reduce trade and shipping demand, leading to a decline in new ship orders. Additionally, advancements in technology and changes in environmental regulations can impact the need for updated or more efficient vessels, contributing to the cyclical nature of the shipbuilding industry.

DUTCH SHIPBUILDING INDUSTRY UP 10% IN 2023

The Dutch maritime manufacturing industry has an important role to play in solving current and future social challenges, such as sustainable transport, tapping clean energy sources, coastal protection and defence. To capitalise on the opportunities for the Dutch maritime manufacturing industry and face up to threats, the Maritime Master Plan was created. The Maritime Master Plan aims to develop, build and deploy innovative and competitive climate-neutral ships with government support. These ships should boost the position of the maritime sector in the Netherlands.

The strategy is set out in the Dutch Maritime Manufacturing Industry Sector Agenda drawn up by NMT and the Dutch government, which was also the basis for such an agenda by SEA Europe at a European level. The Ministry of Economic Affairs has appointed former MP Kees van der Staaij as ambassador for the Dutch maritime manufacturing industry. Total employment in the Dutch maritime technology sector was 33,875 FTE, which is 2.9% more than in 2022 (32,907 FTE). Total employment was divided into 12,327 FTE employed by shipyards and 21,548 FTE by maritime suppliers. Continuing concern remains resource scarcity and finding well-trained professionals. Total turnover of the Dutch maritime technology sector increased by 10% compared to 2022 to € 8.8 billion.

Newbuilding

The slow upward trend of recent years has continued for newbuilding (seagoing vessels of 100 GT and above, excluding superyachts and fishing vessels) in 2023. In 2023, 34 seagoing vessels (143,530 CGT) were delivered with a combined estimated value of about € 410 million, 72% more than the 31 vessels (102,000 CGT) with a value of € 297 million in 2022. A total of fifty new orders (218,830 CGT) were secured with a total value of € 876 million, up 44% from 2022. The

most significant order was for Royal IHC – the 31,000-m3 trailing suction hopper dredger for Boskalis. There were 98 ocean-going vessels (490,519 CGT) in the order book at the end of 2023, with a total value of around € 1.5 billion. The order book has grown significantly compared to 2022, when it included 82 seagoing vessels (289,000 CGT) with a combined value of € 1.1 billion. The short-sea vessel sub-segment remains a top contributor in this category. The number of short-sea vessels delivered increased from fourteen (71,475 CGT) in 2022 to twenty (110,377 CGT) in 2023. Furthermore, order intake is again good; 29 new orders (172.508 CGT) were placed in 2023 so that by the end of 2023, the order book comprised 71 short-sea vessels (416,665 CGT). The short-sea yards on the Winschoterdiep are well engaged. Royal Bodewes is building series of self-unloading EcoTraders hybrid and minibulkers at three locations until the end of 2026. Noteworthy are two orders from the Far East for a cement carrier and a RoRo ship. Ferus Smit is almost fully booked until the end of 2027 with series of minibulkers and chemical tankers for Swedish shipping company Erik Thun and two Ecobox vessels for FWN. GS Yard has switched entirely from inland shipping to short sea and is building fourteen Eco Freighters 3700 until the end of 2025. Royal Niestern Sander in Delfzijl continues to build EasyMax type vessels. Thecla Bodewes Kampen is working on a se-

Photo: Holland Shipyards, Hardinxveld, with at the finishing quay all hybrid or electric vessels: the Alvaret for Stockholm, the NZK 103 for the North Sea Canal (warranty docking), the Laboe and Dietrichsdorf for Kiel, and the Altena IV and Gorinchem XII for Riveer (ferry service on the Merwede river).

RUBRIEK SHIPBUILDING

ries of fourteen Labrax 7000s until mid-2027. A newcomer in the construction of short-sea vessels is the Holland Shipyards Group in Hardinxveld and Werkendam. Besides hybrid and fully electric ferries for Dutch, German and Scandinavian principals, the yard has started completing short-sea vessels of type CIP 3600 (4x) and 3800 (8x) the hulls of which come from China. Notable is the order for a 12,500-DWT cement carrier.

Ship repair and maintenance

2023 was another good year for repair yards. Turnover increased compared to 2022 and employment also showed a slight increase. Dock occupancy was good with an increase of almost 5% compared to 2022. Stricter climate regulations for shipowners (CII and EEXI, among others) require many ships to be refitted. Investments are being made in modifications to propellers and bulb bows, carbon capture systems, shore power systems and optimisations of propulsion systems, but major investments in truly sustainable technology are still lagging behind because of the many uncertainties.

Superyachts

By the end of 2023, the Netherlands held the third position in the world in respect of the number of yachts (all types of yachts from 24 metres in length) in the order book and even second in terms of total volume. Dutch shipyards were also well occupied with superyacht construction in 2023. Nineteen superyachts (57,056 CGT) with a total value of € 1.277 billion were delivered. These figures are similar to those of 2021 and 2022, but are significantly higher than those of previous years. In 2023, fourteen orders (43.115 CGT) were placed for new superyachts with a total value of € 1.389 billion. The number of superyachts in the order book (excluding the eleven built on speculation with a total value of between € 500 and 600 million) at the end of 2023 was slightly lower than the previous year, with 64 (258.050 CGT, value € 6.650 billion) compared to 69 (278.180 CGT, value € 6.594 billion) in 2022. Nonetheless, the total value of the order book increased by 1.6%, reaching € 6.650 billion. The length of the superyachts in the order book varies between 24 and 120 metres, including 22 yachts with a length of 79 metres or more. Furthermore, some Dutch yards also focused on the refit of superyachts.

Inland shipping, fishing, dredging and small seagoing vessels up to 100 GT

This category includes seagoing vessels up to 100 GT, all fishing vessels and all types of inland waterway vessels. In 2023, shipyards in this category received construction orders for 111 vessels (189,416 GT), an increase of five compared to 2022 (106 vessels, 124,205 GT). 97 ships (108,560 GT) were delivered, ten more when compared to the 87 (82,676 GT) in 2022. The order book rose to 150 ships (268,933 GT). That was 142 ships (193,799 GT) a year earlier. By 2023, 52 tankers and dry cargo vessels (94,250 GT) had been delivered. This was an increase on the forty (60,000 GT) in 2022. The order intake was higher at 64 (174,850 GT) compared to 2022, when 54 orders were placed. Noteworthy is that more larger vessels were ordered compared to the previous year. The order book at the end of 2023 for cargo-carrying vessels grew from 84 (166,250 GT) to 94

(241,150 GT), but in terms of GT, the size of the order book increased more than 40%. Heavy-lift ships regularly arrive in Rotterdam with hulls from China to be finished in the Netherlands.

The river cruise sector improved in 2023 compared to 2022. Four newbuilding orders were placed with Dutch outfitting yards in 2023. At the end of 2023, there were eleven river cruisers (18,280 GT) in the order book. Delivered in 2023 were six river cruisers (9610 GT). For fishery, 2023 was another lean year. The future of fishing is not promising due to planned wind farms, stricter legislation and high fuel prices. Only three new fishing vessels were delivered and the number of new orders fell from three in 2022 to one in 2023. The order book included four vessels at the end of 2023.

The number of deliveries of workboats, tugs and pushers remained about the same at fourteen in 2023. The order book included nineteen vessels at the end of 2023. In the small dredging equipment segment, order intake increased from fifteen in 2022 to 25 in 2023. At Damen Shipyards, the construction of all-electric tugs of type RSD-E 2513 gained momentum following the delivery of the Sparky, as well as the all-electric ferries and Fast Crew Suppliers hybrid.

Suppliers

For some time now, there has been an upturn in the global shipbuilding market, both in newbuilding and repair and maintenance, and due to the trend of further sustainability and digitalisation in the maritime sector. This has favourable implications for the businesses in the maritime manufacturing industry. The total turnover of Dutch maritime suppliers rose again in 2023, this year by 11% to € 4.6 billion (2022: € 4.2 billion). The number of own employees rose from 18,577 in 2022 to 18,971 in 2023. The number of hired workers increased to 2577 people.

Shipbuilding overview

Although not complete due to a lack of information, the map on the middle pages is globally representative for the ships completed in the Netherlands during 2023. Ships built at foreign yards under supervision and/or licence of Dutch yards have been included. Subscribers can request a detailed overview of the ships delivered in 2023 and the order book (as far as known) for the period from 1 January 2024 by e-mail (secretariaat@knvts.nl). This list has been compiled by our editor Gerrit J. de Boer in cooperation with Michel Koopman, market analyst at NMT and René Cornel, Deventer. To request NMT's Sector Annual Report 2023, please contact them by e-mail: info@maritimetechnology.nl. The next pages show some highlights of Dutch shipbuilding in 2023.

Gerrit de Boer

Has been a maritime author for over fifty years and is one of SWZ|Maritime’s editors, gerritjdeboer@kpnmail.nl

SHIPBUILDING

KALLI

G.

Type: CombiFreighter 3850, general cargo ship, imo 9962938

Owner: Kalli G. Gerdes Schiffahrts (Gerdes Bereederungs), Haren-Ems (flag Antigua and Barbuda, St. John’s)

Yard: Damen Shipyards Yichang, yard number 559029, commissioned: 19 July 2023

Loa (pp) x B x D (d): 89.75 (84.97) x 12.65 x 7.00 (5.49) metres

Tonnage: 2518 GT, 1423 NT, 3798 DWT

Propulsion: ABC main engine, type 6DZC, with SCR (Tier III) (256 x 310) and an output of 1104 kW or 1502 hp at 800 rpm via WAF 1143 on a fixed pitch propeller with a diameter of 2600 mm for a speed of 11.8 knots. Bunker capacity: 228 m3 MGO.

The electric bow thruster in a tunnel has an output of 280 kW. The CF 3850 is equipped with an electric-hydraulic rudder spade type.

Class: Lloyd’s Register |100A1, Strengthened for Heavy Cargoes, Bottom Strengthened for Loading and Unloading Aground, Container Cargoes in Hold and on All Hatch Covers, ShipRight ACS(B)), *IWS, LI

Particulars: The hold dimensions are 62.50 x 10.10 x 8.40 metres (total capacity of 185,400 cft or 5250 m3), suitable for transport of general cargo, dry bulk, steel coils and forest products. The tank top is strengthened for heavy cargo up to 15 tonnes/m2. The container capacity is 172 TEU (108 TEU in hold and 64 TEU on deck). The Kalli G., the 29th CF 3850, was launched on 8 May 2023. Damen started building standard CombiFreighters 3850 in 2000. The hulls, which were built at various shipyards in Eastern Europe, were towed to Harlingen and consequently to Bergum for completion and back to

VERTOM JOY

Type: Caranx 11000, general cargo ship, imo 9706865

Owner: Joy BV (Vertom Bereederungs GmbH, Moormerland), Rhoon

Yard: Scheepswerf Peters BV, Kampen, yard number 1601, completed by Thecla Bodewes Shipyards BV, Kampen, yard number 337, commisioned 14 April 2023

Loa (pp) x B x D (d): 128.29 (124.41) x 18.70 x 11.30 (8.03) metres

Tonnage: 7906 GT, 4155 NT, 11,500 DWT, open-top deadweight: 8100 tonnes at a draught of 6.50 metres

Propulsion: Diesel-electric with a power management system from D&A Electric, including an innovative battery bank for peak shaving and reverse power absorption, with Wärtsilä and Volvo powered generator sets on two Schottel Ecopellers, speed 12 knots. The electrically driven bow thruster has an output of 995 kW.

Class: Lloyd’s Register |100A1, Strengthened for Heavy Cargoes, Container Cargoes in Hold and on Upper Deck and on Hatch Covers, *IWS, LI Hatch Covers May Be Omitted at a Maximum Draught of 6.50m., Hold Strengthened for Regular Discharge by Grabs (18t.), ShipRight (BWMP(T), IHM-EU+)

Particulars: Keel laid as DP2 pipe carrier CFL Shipmanagement BV on 4 October 2013, launched on 20 April 2016 as Joint

Harlingen for final fitting out. Due to increasing competition from Asia, shipbuilding activities in Bergum had to be discontinued in 2013. In fourteen years, Damen delivered 43 such vessels. The branch remained open in slimmed-down form for engineering, design, marketing and sales that could be carried out from the office. Shipbuilding activities were moved to Damen Yichang and the office to Drachten in 2020. The design of the successful CF 3850 was further improved and optimised to lower emissions and reduce fuel consumption, also resulting in a better EEDI (Energy Efficiency Design Index) and ESI (Environmental Ship Index) rating. Up to the end of 2023, thirty CFs 3850 were completed and more than twenty will follow between 2024 and 2026. A second yard in Asia, the Vietnamese Ba Son Shipyard, started with a series of ten in 2023.

Runner I and laid-up. Sold uncompleted on 16 June 2021. The christening ceremony, conducted by Joyce Schram, took place in Vlissingen on 8 December 2023. The Vertom Joy has a hold with a volume of 512,000 cft of 14,498 m3 (L x B x H = 82.50 x 15.20 x 11.79 metres) covered by twelve pontoon hatches with a maximum allowable load of 2 tonnes/m2. The maximum payload of the tank top is 18 tonnes/m2. The container capacity is 541 TEU. The Vertom Joy is equipped with two McGregor deck cranes on portside with a safe working load (SWL) of 2 x 80 tonnes.

Photo Flying Focus.
Photo Flying Focus.

SHIPBUILDING

THURGAU GOLD

Type: River cruiser, EU nr. 02339819

Owner: Sechzehnte PCE River Cruiser AG, Basel Thurgau Travel Cruises, Weinfelden

Yard: Jac. den Breejen Shipyard BV, Hardinxveld-Giessendam, yard number 3584

Loa (pp) x B x D (d): 135.00 x 11.45 x 3.15 (1.55) metres, air draught, at a draught of 1.95 metres: 6 metres

Propulsion: 2x MAN, type D2862LE44A (128 x 147), with an output of 2x 1000 hp or 2x 736 kW on 2x Veth Z-drives, type VZ900-CR. The Veth bow thruster, type 4-K-1200, has an output of 530 hp.

Particulars: The Thurgau Gold was christened at Basel by Linda Fah, Swiss singer and TV presenter, on 4 July 2023. With its reduced draught, the ship will mainly sail on the Rhine, Main, Mosel and Danube, mostly departing from homeport Basel. The engines are fuel-efficient and fitted with a scrubber system (catalytic converter system that reduces exhaust gases/CO2 and NOX emissions) and comply with Stage V requirements. The

ARKLOW RAMBLER

Type: Eco Trader 6600, general cargo ship, imo 9923231

Owner: Invermore Shipping Ltd. (Arklow Shipping ULC), Arklow Yard: Royal Bodewes Shipyards BV, Hoogezand, yard number 823, commissioned: 10 October 2023

Loa (pp) x B x D (d): 104.93 (102.98) x 15.00 x 9.50 (6.50) metres, air draught in ballast: 21 metres Tonnage: 4145 GT, 2101 NT, 6612 DWT

Propulsion: MaK main engine, type 6M25C (255 x 400), Tier II, with an output of 1740 kW at 720 rpm on a controllable pitch propeller in a nozzle, speed 12 knots. The electric bow thruster has an output of 300 kW.

Class: Registro Italiano Navale

Particulars: The Arklow Rambler is the third in a series of seven Eco Traders 6600 for which Royal Bodewes was contracted on

ALVIA

Type: Motor yacht, imo 9808853

Owner: Hanami Ltd., St. Helier, Jersey, flag: Isle of Man Yard: Feadship Royal Van Lent Shipyard BV, Kaag/Amsterdam, yard number 822, commissioned: 5 December 2023. Hull: NMC, Nieuw Lekkerland, launched on 8 September 2021 and towed to Kaag the next day.

Loa x B x D (d): 75.70 x 13.40 (3.40) metres

Tonnage: 2265 GT

Propulsion: A hybrid system, a combination of diesel engines and electric motors, twin propeller

Class: Lloyd’s Register ✠ 100 A1

Particulars: Number of guests and details about propulsion and range have not been disclosed. The Alvia has a flared-bow, three decks, large beach club, and a steel hull and aluminium super-

generators are driven by Paccar Euro VI-engines. The river cruiser is equipped with innovations like batteries for peak shaving, solar panels (photovoltaic cells built into the railings on deck 3) and a heat/energy recovery system that utilises about 85 per cent of the waste heat from the diesel engines' cooling water and excess steam. The interior design was prepaired by Omega Architects, Druten, in cooperation with the shipyard. The vessel has four decks and accommodates 182 passengers in 87 cabins (ca. 14-16 m2) and four suites (ca. 23 m2) as well as forty crew in 27 cabins.

18 March 2020. The first, the Arklow Racer, was delivered in February 2023, the last, the Arklow Rover, is scheduled for October 2024. This vessel type has two holds with a capacity of 8783 m3 or 310,174 cft. The maximum allowed load at the tanktop is 15 tonnes/m2 and on the hatches 2.35 tonnes/m2

structure. Susan Young Interiors provided the interior design together with RWD and owners. RWD was also responsible for exterior styling. Naval architecture and engineering comes from the yard’s own De Voogt Naval Architects.

Photo F.J. Olinga.
Photo J. Plug.

SHIPBUILDING

FAIRPLAY 91

Type: RSD tug 2513, imo 9932177

Owner: Fairplay Schleppdampfschiffs-Reederei Richard

Borchard GmbH, Hamburg

Yard: Damen Song Cam Shipyard JSC, Haiphong, yard number 515027, commissioned: 20 January 2023

Loa (pp) x B x D (d): 24.73 (22.51) x 12.53 x 4.87 (3.60) metres

Tonnage: 326 GT, 97 NT, 101 DWT

Propulsion: 2x Caterpillar main engines, type 3516C TA HD/D (170 x 215), IMO Tier III with a total output of 5050 kW or 6862 hp at 1800 rpm on two RR azimuth thrusters, type US 255 FP/ P30, with a diameter of 3000 mm, bollard pull of 80.5 tonnes ahead, speed of 12.7 knots. The bunker capacity is 82.8 m3

Class: Bureau Veritas I Hull Mach Fire-fighting 1-water spraying, Escort tug design maximum escort speed design maximum braking force design maximum steering force, standardised design bollard pull, unrestricted navigation

Particulars: Two RSD Tugs 2513, the Fairplay 90 (yard number 515018, imo 9920485) and 91 arrived at Rotterdam on deck of the heavy lift ship Lone (2011 – 16,254 GT) on 3 April 2023. The Fairplay 91 arrived at Hamburg on 5 May and the Fairplay 90 at Swinoujscie three days later. At time of ordering, the two standard designed tugs were already under construction at Haiphong and will have been completed with a number of options to ensure their suitability for Fairplay’s requirements.

BELLA

Type: MultiCat 3313 SD, utility vessel, imo 9966207

Owner: Shoalbuster Brutus BV, Barendrecht

Yard: Damen Shipyards BV, Hardinxveld, yard number 571830, commissioned: 6 April 2023

Loa (pp) x B x D: 32.80 (30.60) x 12.50 x 3.46 metres, draught: 1.85 metres minimum and 2.20 metres maximum

Tonnage: 359 GT, 107 NT

Propulsion: 3x Caterpillar main engines, type C18 TTA Acert (145 x 162), IMO Tier II certified, with a total output of 2409 hp or 1797 kW at 2100 rpm via three Reintjes gearboxes, type WAF 364L (5.435:1), on three fixed pitch Promarin propellers with a diameter of 1600 mm in Optima nozzles, bollard pull of 30 tonnes, speed 10.8 knots. Equipped with three Fishtail rudders. The hydraulic bow thruster has an output of 294 kW or 400 hp. The bunker capacity is 131.26 m3

Class: Bureau Veritas I Hull Mach Offshore support vessel, Tug, standardised design bollard pull, unrestricted navigation

Particulars: This ultra shallow MultiCat was ordered by ST Marine Support BV (Rienk Switijnk & Vasco Tammes), Harlingen, however, before completion, it was taken over by Herman Sr. The keel had been laid at Safe Sp. z.o.o., Gdansk, on 17 December 2020 and it was launched on 20 June 2022. The hull was delivered at Dordrecht by the mt Ikar on 25 July 2022. The Bella was christened by Rolien Besançon, partner of Jack van Dodewaard on 23 March 2023. The work deck has a surface area of 200 m2 with a maximum permissible load of 8 tonnes/ m2. The container capacity is 9x 20” + 1x 10”. The MultiCat is equipped with two hydraulic Heila deck cranes, type AKC 410

Upon arrival of the tugs, Fairplay Towage ordered three additional tugs: two RSD Tugs 2513, the Fairplay 95 and 96 (yard numbers 515029, imo 9964041 and 515030, imo 9964053) and one ASD Tug 2813 (yard number 513330, imo 9949417). This contract marked the company’s seventh order with Damen Shipyards within eighteen months.

HE2, with a lifting capacity of 36.9 tonnes at 8.4 metres, and an HS Marine AKC 410/15.5 HE3 with a lifting capacity of 34 tonnes at 8.7 metres, a 6-metre bow roller with a diameter of 1200 mm, and an SWL of 130 tonnes. The Bella is equipped for offshore wind support, dredging support, salvage operations, anchor handling, supply, towing, plough dredging, hose handling and survey.

Photo R. van der Kloet.

SHIPBUILDING

FWN ATLANTIC

Type: Ecobox 12500 general cargo ship, imo 9931472

Owner: FWN Atlantic BV (ForestWave Navigation BV), Groningen

Yard: Scheepswerf Ferus Smit BV, Westerbroek/Leer, yard number 460, commissioned: 6 January 2023

Loa (pp) x B x D (d): 143.85 (140.87) x 18.00 x 10.25 (7.68)

metres

Tonnage: 8360 GT, 4276 NT, 12,575 DWT, 8620 DWT as open top with a maximum draught of 6.00 metres

Propulsion: Wärtsilä Vaasa main engine, type 6L32E (320 x 400) Tier III, with an output of 4484 hp or 3800 kW at 750 rpm running in fully automatic combinator mode on a controllable pitch propeller with a diameter of 3850 mm in a nozzle, speed 13.5 knots. The bunker capacity is 605 m3 MDO/biofuel and 235 m3 MGO. The bow thruster has an output of 720 kW.

Class: Bureau Veritas, 1A Finnish-Swedish ice class

Particulars: Launched on 18 November 2022 and completed as Symphony Atlantic for Symphony Atlantic BV (Symphony Shipping BV), Rotterdam. It was renamed at Amsterdam on 4 April 2023. The FWN Atlantic is the first in a series of four. The FWN Arctic (yard number 461, imo 9931484) was launched on 25 May 2023 and delivered on 9 July 2023. The FWN Antarctic (yard number 477, imo 9970521) and FWN Adriatic (yard number 478, imo 9970533) are under construction with planned deliveries in October 2024 and in March 2025. The Ecobox 12500 vessels have two deck cranes on portside, which can be

PRINSESSE INGRID ALEXANDRA

Type: Fishery research vessel, oceanographic/hydrographical research, imo 9941477

Owner: Havforskningsinstituttet (the Norwegian Institute for Maritime Research), Bergen/Tromsø

Yard: Holland Shipyards BV, Hardinxveld-Giessendam (hull number: H2020-0486), commissioned: 13 February 2023

Loa (pp) x B x D (d): 35.00 (31.86) x 10.00 x 4.60 (3.50) metres

Tonnage: 497 GT, 149 NT, 272 DWT

Propulsion: Diesel-direct by a MAN Truck & Bus SE main engine, type 2862LE447, IMO Tier III compliant, with an output of 736 kW via a Kumera reduction gear, type KMG-450, on a controllable pitch Helseth propeller with a diameter of 2100 mm, results in a speed of 10 knots. Separately, it is possible to change to diesel-electric propulsion by a Volvo Penta generator, type D13 (131 x 158), rated at 360 kW at 1500 rpm and a Volvo Penta generator, type D7A T (108 x 130), rated at 116 kW at 1500 rpm. With a power management system, the variable speed shaft generator (power take in (PTI) and power take off (PTO)), coupled to the reduction gearbox, is then converted into a 350 kW E-motor. The emergency generator is also a Volvo Penta D7A T. The Veth bow thruster, type VT320, has an output of 250 kW and the Veth stern thruster, VT180, of 150 kW. The Prinsesse Ingrid Alexandra is prepared for possible future installation of a battery bank for fully electric propulsion.

Class: DNV ✠ 1A E0 ER(SCR) R2

combined with the ship’s own 17-metre spreader beam with a lifting capacity of 85 tonnes at 23 metres; 65 tonnes at 26 metres or 50 tonnes at 33.5 metres. One box-shaped hold has a grain capacity of 538,000 cft or 15.234 m3 without tween deck.

Dimensions LH L x B x H = 100.32/TD 112.17 x 13.50 x 10.70 metres. The hatch measures 124.02 x 14 metres. Hatch covers: pontoon (17x), two bulkheads (four tween deck panels). Tank top strength: 20 tonnes/m2 non-uniform; 15 tonnes/m2 uniform. Tween deck strength: 3.5 tonnes/m2. Hatch cover strength: 2.4 tonnes/m2

Particulars: The vessel was designed by LMG Marin AS, Bergen, and specially built to operate along the harsh northern coastline for a joint venture between the Institute of Marine Research and Nord University. The Prinsesse Ingrid Alexandra, named after Crown Prince Haakon Magnus' 18-year-old daughter, has as tasks fishery, oceanographic/hydrographical research, including data collection, fish stock sampling and monitoring of Norway's coastal waters. For research duties at sea, the vessel is designed and equipped with two laboratories and a fishery acoustics centre allowing efficient execution of different research tasks simultaneously.

Photo R. Coster
Photo Media Creators.

SHIPBUILDING

GUST

Type: Liquefied gas carrier, type 2PG, imo 9876921

Owner: Chemgas Shipping BV, Rotterdam

Yard: Ship and Steelbuilding BV, Hoogezand, yard number 943, commissioned: 16 March 2023

Loa (pp) x B x D (d): 91.09 (89.99) x 14.80 x 7.00 (4.85) metres

Tonnage: 2999 GT, 899 NT, 2655 DWT

Propulsion: Mitsubishi main engine, type S8U-MPTk (240 x 260), with an output of 1343 kW or 1825 hp at 1060 rpm on a controllable pitch propeller in a nozzle, speed 10.5 knots. The bunker capacity is 217.58 m3

Class: Bureau Veritas I ✠ Hull ✠ Mach Unrestricted navigation

Particulars: The G tankers were designed by Ankerbeer BV, Kolham. The Gust was launched on 17 September 2021. The hull was towed to Delfzijl for installation of the two gas tanks on 19 September. The Gust was towed back to the shipyard for completion two days later. The tanker was towed to Delfzijl on 17 February for trials on the Ems on 22 and 28 February. The Gust then arrived at the Wiltonhaven, Schiedam, for the final touch. On 21 March, Gitte Falk-Larsen performed the festive naming ceremony at the Parkkade in Rotterdam. After the Gale (yard number 841, imo 9876335) and Ghibli (yard number 842, imo 9876347), the Gust is the third and last of the G series. The two cargo tanks have a capacity of 3523 m3 for liquefied gases under pressure (butane, LPG, vinyl-chloride monomer).

SOUTHERN ROCK

Type: R3, roll-on/roll-off cargo ship, imo 9965241

Owner: Southern Management BV (Hartman Seatrade BV), Tollebeek

Yard: Partner Sp z.o.o., Szczecin/Urk, yard number 014, commissioned: 19 June 2023

Loa (pp) x B x D (d): 108.25 (100.55) x 14.00 x 10.00 (5.52) metres

Tonnage: 3643 GT, 1092 NT, 4565 DWT

Propulsion: Wärtsilä Qiyao main engine, type 8L20 (200 x 280) with an output of 1600 kW or 2174 hp at 1000 rpm on a controllable pitch propeller, speed 11.5 knots. The bunker capacity is 233.65 m3

Class: Bureau Veritas ✠ I Hull ✠ Mach service Notations: general cargo ship - heavy cargo - occasional dry bulk cargo, ro-ro cargo

Particulars: The hull was delivered from Szczecin to Hartman

TEUNIS HUIBERTUS

Type: Beagle 4000, trailing suction hopper dredger, imo 9924156

Owner: Gebr. van der Lee BV, Hagestein

Yard: IHC Holland Krimpen aan den IJssel, yard number CO -1311, commissioned: 1 February 2023

Loa (pp) x B x D (d): 87.25 (79.10) x 19.60 x 7.50 (6.80) metres

Tonnage: 4465 GT, 6596 DWT, dredging mark: 6180 tonnes, hopper capacity: 4000 m3

Propulsion: Diesel-electric, 2x 1835 kW, twin propeller in nozzles, speed 12.9 knots. The electric installation consists of two main generators (2x 500 kW), two auxillary diesel generator sets (2x 560 kW) and one emergency diesel generator set (100 kW) with an exhaust gas treatment that meets the IMO Tier III emission standards. Two electrically driven bow thrusters have an output of 2 x 200 kW.

Class: Lloyd’s Register | 100A1 Hopper Dredger, Maximum

Marine Shipbuilding, Urk, on 24 February 2023 to install the main engine and final outfitting. The identical Polar Rock (yard number 019, imo 9985344) was delivered on 31 December.

Dredging Draught of 6.80 m. in Sea States with Significant Wave Height Not Exceeding 2.50 m., ShipRight ACS(B)

Particulars: The Beagle 4000 is equipped with two electric jet pumps (2x 325 kW) and two suction pipes with a diameter of 600 mm. The dredging depth is 25 metres.

Photo M. Coster.
Photo K. Heidinga
Photo F.J. Olinga.

Royal IHC BV, Kinderdijk/Krimpen a/d IJssel 1x TSHD Beagle 4000 Several Beaver standard modular CSDs

Alblasserdam Yachtbuilding Shipyards BV (Oceanco), Alblasserdam/Zwijndrecht 1x 3-mst 127m yacht

Padmos Shipyard BV, Stellendam/Bruinisse

1x twin rigger 29.95 x 8.6

1x E-Pusher 15.98 x 7.58

Damen Maaskant Shipyards BV, Stellendam

1x 37.9 x 8.5 m 1x BT 3808

Zeeland Maritime Services BV, Wemeldinge

1x inland tanker 86 x 11.45

1x dry cargo 88 x 10

Damen Yachting BV, Vlissingen 2x 60m yacht

Dolderman BV, Dordrecht

2x inland tanker 135 x 17.50

9x inland tanker 110 x 11.45

1x inland container 256 TEU 135 x 11.45

Next Generation Shipyards, Lauwersoog 1x Endurance 2727 1x H2 direction vessel

Feadship Koninklijke Scheepsbouw de Vries BV, Aalsmeer 1x 84m yacht

Feadship Royal van Lent BV, Kaag/Amsterdam 1x 76.05m yacht 1x 67.4m yacht

Mulder Shipyard BV, Zoeterwoude-Rijndijk & Enkhuizen 1x 36m yacht

Jac. den Breejen BV, Hardinxveld-Giessendam 1x riverpax 135 x 11.45 1x

Koninklijke Hakvoort BV, Monnickendam 1x 45.2m yacht

Damen Shipyards Hardinxveld BV

1x MultiBuster 8020

1x MultiCat 3713

2x MultiCat 3313

4x MultiCat 1908

1x MultiCat 1506

2x Shoalbuster 3209

Wim van der Valk Continental Yachts BV, Waalwijk 1x 34m yacht 1x 23.56m yacht 1x 38.04m yacht 1x 21.27m yacht

Breko BV, Papendrecht

3x inland tanker 86 x 9.60

2x inland tanker 135 x 11.45 2x inland tanker 135 x 17.50

Concordia Damen Shipbuilding BV, Werkendam 1x inland container 256 TEU 135 x 11.45 6x Parsifal tanker 110 x 11.45

Nauplius Workboats BV, Groningen

1x UV 2713

GS Yard BV, Waterhuizen

1x inland dry cargo 110 x 11.45

Royal Bodewes Shipyards BV, Hoogezand

Vanquish Yachts BV, Marknesse

1x 36m yacht

Royal Huisman Shipyard BV, Vollenhove/Zaandam

1x 59.7m yacht

1x 46m yacht

Ship and Steelbuilding BV, Hoogezand 1x LPG-tanker 2655

Damen Dredging BV, Nijkerk several CSDs 650 & 500

Holland Shipyards BV, HardinxveldGiessendam

1x survey vessel 3510

1x hybrid ferry

32.4 x 8.8

2x e-ferry Urban Sprinter 100 1x e-survey vessel 1505

Teamco Shipyard BV, Heusden

1x inland tanker 135 x 11.45

2x inland tanker 135 x 17.5

1x inland gas tanker 110 x 11.45

1x riverpax 135 x 11.45

1x inland tanker 110 x 11.45

Moonen Shipyards BV, ’s-Hertogenbosch

1x 36.3m yacht

Asto BV, Raamsdonkveer

4x inland tanker 110 x 11.45

1x inland tanker 135 x 17.5

8x dry cargo River Drone 110 x 11.45

1x cement carrier 4200

2x Eco Trader 4800 hybrid

3x Eco Trader 6800

Ferus Smit BV, Westerbroek/Leer

2x Ecobox 12500

3x Trader 5150

1x Ecobulker 6460

Scheepswerf H. Poppen BV, Zwartsluis

1x inland dry cargo 86 x 8.50

Vitters Shipyard BV, Zwartsluis 1x 58m yacht

Thecla Bodewes Harlingen Shipyards BV, Kampen

1x Caranx 11000

2x Labrax 7000

Vahali BV, Gendt / Zasavica 3x riverpax 135 x 11.45

Heesen Yachts BV, Oss 1x 80.7m yacht

1x 59m yacht 1x 55m yacht

P.C. Kamp, Aalst

1x e-excursion vessel 39 x 7.70

1x inland tanker 110 x 11.45

Neptune Shipyards BV, Aalst/Hardinxveld

1x EuroTug 2008

1x EuroCarrier 2712

1x EuroCarrier 2611

1x EuroSupporter 3612

1x Windcat Mk 3.5

1x pilot tender CTV

1x pontoon 6022

Hartman Marine

Shipbuilding BV, Urk 2x R3 RoRo 4540

Damen Shipyards BV, Gorinchem*

3x StanTug 1606

2x StanTug 2309

1x StanTender 1905

2x ASD Tug 5016

2x ASD Tug 3212

2x ASD Tug 3010 ICE

1x ASD Tug 2609 ICE

9x ASD Tug 2811

9x ASD Tug 2813

7x ASD Tug 2312

4x RSD Tug 2513

1x StanPilot 1605 FRP

1x StanPilot 2205 FRP

3x FCS 2206 FRP

1x FCS 2710

4x Ferry 3508 E3

1x FastFerry 4412

2x YS-5712

1x StanPatrol 6211

2x StanPatrol 5509

5x StanPatrol 4708

1x StanPatrol 4207

12x CF 3850

Several StanPontoons

*Galati, Antalya, Singapore, Cape Town, Changde, Yichang; Albwardy Damen Shipyards, Sharjah; Nakilat Damen Shipyard

Qatar, Ras Laffan; Damen Song Cam Shipyard, Haiphong.

BUNKERING NEW FUELS AND ROTTERDAM'S ROLE

With over 28,000 seagoing vessel movements per year, Rotterdam is Europe's biggest port. As a hub, many vessels choose Rotterdam as their port to bunker. This also makes it Europe's biggest bunker port today. Conventional bunker fuels that the maritime industry has been using so far are a fossilbased product from the refining industry. With new, alternative, fuels entering the market, this will no longer be the case. What is the Port of Rotterdam's role in this changing bunker market?

Photo: Mass flow meter on the Vorstenbosch, the largest bunker ship in the Port of Rotterdam (photo Ries van Wendel de Joode).

This article came about after a conversation with the Port of Rotterdam Authority's Steven Jan van Hengel, sr. business development manager energy transition and focusing on future fuels, and Ronald Backers, advisor business intelligence liquid bulk.

Towards a new global market

Rotterdam is a full-service port. Because of the port's size and the many vessel movements concentrated within it, a lot of nautical service providers have set up shop in Rotterdam. Economies of scale make it lucrative for companies to provide bunker services and fuels are readily available in Rotterdam. The same goes for ports such as Singapore, Fujairah and Houston, all big bunker ports. We now see a change from pure heavy fuel oil (HFO) to HFO blended bio-diesel and LNG and a rise in methanol is expected in the next ten years, followed by demand for ammonia and (liquid) hydrogen. These are all, except for hydrogen, substances that are already being shipped to and stored in Rotterdam for uses in other industries. The infrastructure is already there. Tank terminals in Rotterdam are equipped to store both methanol and ammonia, but need to scale up for the future. Regulations around bunker procedures are in development for ammonia and hydrogen. Bunkering LNG and methanol is already allowed. Apart from a changing bunker market, it will become a market with new players. The new fuels are no longer an oil

industry product for which there is no alternative use, but a product in their own right. A new global market will develop as many of these fuels will be produced in other places than Rotterdam.

Port Readiness Levels

The Port of Rotterdam's objective is to be prepared for future fuels ahead of the market

To ensure a smooth development of new bunkering procedures, the Port of Rotterdam has created Port Readiness Levels (PRLs). The PRLs provide a framework for the implementation of new procedures and show the maturity of implementation. The frameworks are developed in cooperation with the suppliers, off takers, service providers and various authorities to ensure a smooth transition. The Port of Rotterdam's objective is to be prepared for future fuels ahead of the market. As a result, Rotterdam was the first port in which a ship-to-ship methanol bunkering procedure took place back in 2021 and the port can build on its extensive methanol hub. Following the same PRL approach, the Port of Rotterdam is currently getting ready for the bunkering of ammonia and hydrogen.

Cross-border cooperation

The Port of Rotterdam is also collaborating with the ports of Singapore and Goteborg to kick-start the use of alternative fuels. Between Rotterdam and these ports, a so-called Green Corridor is in development. The Green Corridor with Singapore is driven by a consortium of a dozen parties (port authorities, shipping companies and fuel suppliers) that join forces to ensure the availability of alternative bunker fuels. Stable availability allows shipping companies to make the investments needed to adapt their ships to new fuels. The Green Corridors are not the only cross-border cooperations regarding this topic. The PRLs have caught the eye of many other port authorities and by now, the Port of Rotterdam is teaming up with the IAPH (International Association of Ports and Harbours) for the adaptation and implementation of the PRL framework. Overall, a lot of focus is placed on making sure regulations and procedures are ready for a new era with new fuels. The Port of Rotterdam aims to be a driving force by creating the right conditions and facilitate pilots to be ready for future fuels.

Bas Lenferink

Maritime Technology student at TU Delft and one of the SWZ|Maritime's editors, lenferinkb@outlook.com

DAMEN ON FUTURE FUELS: ALL STAKEHOLDERS NEEDED

All around the world, new regulations are coming into force that will require maritime operators to report – and reduce – the carbon impact of their fleets. To say this presents a challenge to the industry is to understate the situation. Damen’s director products workboats Joost Mathôt takes a look at the multiple options fuelling the debate.

TEXT & PHOTOGRAPHY: DAMEN SHIPYARDS, INFO@DAMEN.COM

For one thing, carbon reduction technology requires an increase in CAPEX – and frequently OPEX, too – at a time when it offers no increase in earning potential. A further challenge exists; in most cases, the technology has not yet reached a state of maturity. As such, no one knows for sure what the future maritime energy transition looks like.

Much to consider

Mathôt acknowledges the difficulty of finding an answer. ‘There are a lot of different views out there about the fuels of the future. For us, as vessel designers, that leaves us a lot to consider.’

The different directions in which stakeholders are facing is often related to perspective, Joost says. ‘Depending how you look at it, you’re going to reach different conclusions. If you only take energy density into consideration, then you would probably choose to go in the direction of methanol. If, however, you’re focused on toxicity, you might look towards batteries.’

Origins of fuels

None of the currently available alternative fuel types provides a definitive solution, then. Plus, the origins of the fuels raise further questions.

Mathôt: ‘On the surface of it, methanol, for example, can offer signifi-

cant reductions in emissions. But are we talking about grey methanol, blue methanol, or green methanol? All of them have different emissions implications from well-to-wake. It’s the same with electrification. An electric operation is often referred to synonymously as zero emissions. If that operation is drawing energy from a coal power station, though, then emissions reduction is only taking place locally – from tank-to-wake. You’ve just moved the problem ashore.’

Exploring all options

This doesn’t mean, however, that we shouldn’t take action – indeed Damen, with its goal to become the most sustainable maritime solutions provider, is doing all it can. It is, in fact, exploring all possible options. ‘We’ve been spoiled by diesel,’ states Mathôt. ‘It has a high energy density and can be used for all operations, anywhere in the world. The fuels of the future, will not have those characteristics. There will be no “one-size-fits-all” solution. We need to look at this as a multi-criteria problem, which can have different outcomes depending on the context in which a vessel will operate.’

Electric success

Damen has enjoyed successes with vessel electrification. The company has delivered, and is currently constructing, a number of fully elec-

Photo: Damen is currently building dual-fuel hydrogen-powered Commissioning Service Operations Vessels (CSOVs) for

tric ships. There are limitations, however, on how far this can be taken. ‘Our strategy is to electrify where possible, when there is sufficient electricity available, enough charging points, and enough time to recharge. This demands that the vessel remains in the same general area during operation.’

‘We need to look at this as a multicriteria problem, which can have different outcomes’

For that reason, full vessel electrification has, to date, been limited to public transport boats, such as ferries and waterbuses, and to harbour tugs. Damen has also unveiled a fully electric Service Operations Vessel (SOV) that is able to charge from a turbine or substation at an offshore wind farm.

Overcoming range anxiety

Meanwhile, when more range is required you need to consider alternatives. ‘It will depend on the operation, on the vessel type, even on the location of the operation – what infrastructure is available, and which fuel type can be most readily produced. Our job is to cover all possible angles. If our clients are asking for it, then, within the limits of feasibility, we are either doing it now, or will be doing it in the near future,’ says Mathôt.

Examples include the Elevation Series of Commissioning Service Operations Vessels (CSOVs) that Damen is currently building for

CMB.Tech. Designed in cooperation between Damen and its client, these dual-fuel hydrogen-powered vessels will be operational from 2025.

A further example are Damen’s Flex Fuel (FF) Tugs. These vessels are being constructed with conventional diesel engines, together with a fuel preparation space. This allows a rapid, cost efficient transition, for instance to hydrogen, methanol, or batteries at a later date as the picture clears or it becomes more commercially sensible.

The whole system needs to move

In the meantime, there are already gains to be made with this fuel flexible approach, Mathôt explains. ‘If you combine a bio fuel such as HVO, with an IMO Tier III compliant selective catalytic reduction (SCR) system, as you can with these tugs, then you will achieve a CO2 reduction of 85 to ninety per cent, together with an eighty per cent NOX reduction. If you add a ULEV notation, then you also dramatically reduce particulate matter emissions. At the current time, while we await the maturation of alternative fuel technologies and wider availability of green fuels, this represents the best solution.’

Once again, however, the answer poses further questions. There are limitations on the production of HVO fuel such that rising demand would stimulate considerable price increases. The solution, then, is a temporary one. So, what is necessary to ensure the next steps in alternative fuel advancement? Mathôt is clear.

‘We need all stakeholders to take a step forward. The operators need to be incentivised and/or there needs to be a level playing field. For that, the whole system needs to move – regulators, bankers, end users, port authorities. We, as the designer have a part to play in this. We need to be open to collaboration throughout the system.’

Photo: Damen’s SOV 7017 E, which can charge at an offshore wind turbine (all pictures by Damen).

FEWER EMISSIONS WITH ENZYME-DOPED MARINE FUEL

The SNSPOOL is a collaborative agreement between nine oil and gas operators who primarily operate on the Dutch Continental Shelf, with some minor activities in the UK, Denmark and Germany (see figure 1). The SNSPOOL started in 2002 as a vessel-sharing concept. Later, it developed towards a total fourth-party logistics (4PL) concept in which road and integrated logistics services were added. The SNSPOOL was initially set up to maximise efficiency and reduce operational costs by combining volumes and vessel capacities. Now, the organisation seeks to reduce its environmental footprint.

The SNSPOOL collaboration entails the supply chain and logistics services between onshore and offshore facilities. Activities mainly consist of warehousing, consolidation, quay activities, shipping activities and common administrative tasks such as cost allocation and invoicing, customs clearances and voyage administration. Peterson Den Helder BV manages the shared activities for the SNSPOOL operations like offshore voyage planning, vessel chartering and vetting (marine assurance), tank cleaning and inspections, fuel usage and bunkering, stevedoring activities and customs formalities. The offshore logistics activities, loading and discharging, and short-term storage are mostly managed from their quayside in Den Helder being the centre of offshore Netherlands and Aberdeen (Scotland).

SNSPOOL vessel emission reductions

The platform supply vessels used in the SNSPOOL are mostly around 2400-2800 GT. Therefore, the emission reduction, as agreed upon by IMO resolution 377(80) ((IMO, 2023)), with a forty per cent reduction compared to 2008, and the European “Fit for 55”, does not

(yet) apply to these types of vessels. According to the European Transport and Environment workgroup, offshore vessels under 5000 GT have the highest average emissions of all vessels in the North Sea (Armstrong, 2022). One of the objectives of SNSPOOL is the reduction of the environmental footprint. Therefore, Peterson Energy Logistics is tasked with innovating and creating an effort to reduce emissions by five per cent annually.

Greenhouse gas (GHG) emission improvements can be achieved in many different ways. The first and most efficient step to reduce GHG emissions will be achieved by organisational efforts (Lindstad et al., 2015). The SNSPOOL as a sharing and pooling concept is the best example of how to decrease environmental footprint by combining all logistical resources under one umbrella. The sharing and pooling of offshore logistics can save up to sixty per cent emissions for some offshore operators.

Lately, the SNSPOOL and Peterson Energy Logistics have been focusing on reducing emissions through additional methods such as:

1. Improvement of vessel sailing speed to economical sailing

2. Changing the planning of voyages from operator-clustered sail-

Photo: Platform supply vessel Island Empress (now Dina Supplier) was used to test enzyme-doped fuel.

ing to geographical planning.

3. Using enzymes in fuel to improve combustion.

4. Using biofuels such as hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) blends of twenty per cent.

This article will present the use of enzymes (improvement item 3) as additives to the marine fuel used in the SNSPOOL. The SNSPOOL uses ultra low sulphur diesel (ULSD) with a sulphur content of a maximum of 10 ppm and a specific gravity (sg) of about 0.84 kg/m3

Enzymes

In 2020, the SNSPOOL was informed by fuel supplier FincoEnergies-Marine about the possibility of fuel additives for the marine fuel to reduce fuel consumption and enhance combustion characteristics. This additive, ChangeXL, produced by XBEE, is based on natural enzymes that act as biocatalysts. The working principle is that the enzymes break up the fuel’s aromatic parts and change the molecular string into smaller parts, more like a paraffinic composition. Through this biochemical process, the fuel’s molecular structure undergoes rearrangement and simplification, leading to a more complete and efficient combustion. Additionally, this process improves the fuel’s ability to encapsulate water at a micro level, effectively inhibiting bacterial growth and mould formation. The additive is mixed during the bunkering stage with a ratio of 1:4000 using a dosing installation on the bunker vessel.

Test vessel

The SNSPOOL vessels use ULSD as marine fuel for their propulsion, but also as cargo to the offshore platforms belonging to the SNSPOOL operators. Before any effect of the enzymes can be observed, the vessel engines need to have at least 1500 running hours with the doped fuel. Because of the minimum running hours required, only long-term chartered vessels will be supplied with the enzymedoped marine fuel, while vessels hired from the spot market will not be bunkered with the enzymedoped fuel and use normal ULSD.

The fuel’s molecular structure changes, leading to a more complete and efficient combustion

During 2021, the SNSPOOL decided to conduct a test with the platform supply vessel Island Empress, chartered from Island Offshore (NO). The Island Empress (see photo) is a platform supply vessel designed by Ulstein yard as a UT755LN design with a gross tonnage of 2304, length overall (LOA) of 76.60 metres and is directly driven by two propellers and two main engines of the make Bergen Diesel (Bergen C25:33 L8P/2400 kW). This type of vessel is common for the SNSPOOL and therefore selected for the test with the doped fuel.

Test preparation

Pool vessels are all equipped with a real-time sensor measurement system. The system is based on real-time sensor technology through the Onboard IoT Platform and supplied by Onboard Rotterdam. During this test, we could not use the data fuel readings from the onboard system, as this system measures the flow in pulses of volumetric units per minute. During the preparation of the test, the Oval fuel flow sensors had to be bypassed by KRAL flow sensors (KRAL OME-20). The original OVAL flow sensors do not have the temperature reading with a PT100 sensor. The fuel flow needs to be calculated back to a 15°C standard to determine the mass flow with the fuel density, hence KRAL sensors were placed with an internal temperature sensor.

To measure both engines’ output, torque meters were installed closely behind the engines at the propeller shaft (figure 2c) and connected to logging computers (figure 2a). The first test (September 2021) was conducted with normal ULSD and the second (January 2022) with enzyme-doped ULSD with the same (winter) grade. Additionally, a fuel analysis was carried out concerning C, H, N, O, S, density and calorific values. To ensure similar conditions and output of the engines between the two tests, it was decided to control the engine power based on the torque readings rather than the vessel power management and control systems.

The engine’s exhaust was measured using probes in the exhaust gas collector just behind the two exhaust gas turbines before going into the funnel. From the exhaust, the following was measured: a) CO2, b) O2, c) CO, d) CxHx (not combusted gas). To safeguard objectivity, the company Tauw was contracted to perform the measurements during the tests (figure 2b).

Figure 1. Offshore locations in the SNSPOOL.

Test

Testing the ChangeXL effect was done on 23 September 2021 for the ULSD fuel and repeated on 13 January 2022 after the engines had run over 1500 running hours on ChangeXL doped fuel. The expectation according to the supplier FincoEnergies-Marine can be summarised as follows:

• Reduction NOX: Up to twenty per cent.

• Reduction CO2: Up to ten per cent (this is directly related to fuel consumption).

• Reduction PM: Up to forty per cent.

• Water content: -12.5 per cent.

The test was conducted according to test E3 (table 3) of the IMO NOX technical code on control of emission of nitrogen oxides from marine diesel engines (MEPC.177(58)), for propeller-law-operated main and propeller-law-operated auxiliary engine application (IMO,

2008). Vessels working in the SNSPOOL are mostly run on slow speed sailing (8 knots) or using dynamic positioning at offshore locations. Therefore, it was decided that besides the IMO weighting, the E3 test weighting had to be adapted to fit the operational profile of the SNSPOOL.

The measuring methods and measuring frequencies are shown in table 2. The measurements have been carried out following ISO 8178-01 (ISO, 2020).

Table 2. Gas measurements.

by flue gas condensation

Table 1. NOX code test E3.

Figure 2. Hook up of torque and gas sensors, (a, top left) logging computers, calibration; (b, bottom left) preparing fuel flow sensors, (c) torque sensor.

The tests were carried out with three test runs of ten minutes each per fuel type for all power settings. The emissions of the gaseous components in g/kWh were calculated from the emission load (concentration*flow rate) in g/h based on wet flue gases and the supplied power in kW of the last three minutes per measuring cycle of ten minutes. The emissions of dust in g/kWh were calculated from the emission load (concentration*flow) in g/h based on wet flue gases and the supplied capacity in kW of the entire ten-minute measuring cycle.

The test location was chosen between the Island of Texel and the Dutch mainland (Den Helder area) under calm conditions (see figure 3, Hs < 1.3 m and wind speed < 7 m/s). The testing was supervised by the fuel supplier FincoEnergies-Marine and carried out by independent emission testing company Tauw.

Results

The measurement results are presented in table 3 below. These measurements showed that the specific fuel consumption (g/kWh) was significantly reduced after using ChangeXL. Based on the IMO E3 test cycle, an average fuel reduction of 6.47 per cent was demonstrated. This E3 test cycle was based on weighted averages

The specific fuel consumption (g/kWh) was significantly reduced after using ChangeXL

where a 75 per cent part load has the heaviest weighting (fifty per cent of the total). However, the test results increased with lower part loads and many ships do not operate at an average 75 per cent part load. If we give the fifty per cent part load the most weight, the weighted average fuel consumption after using ChangeXL reduces to 9.71 per cent. Understanding the direct correlation between fuel consumption and CO2 emissions is crucial. Any decrease in fuel usage translates directly to a proportional reduction in CO2 emissions. This relationship is substantiated by empirical data obtained from exhaust system measurements conducted concurrently with other assessments. Despite efforts to minimise measurement uncertainties, emissions readings consistently

Table 3. ChangeXL E3 test results. a Calculated with SNSPOOL weighting.

Figure 3. Testing ChangeXL at Texel area.

surpassed those of flow and torque meters. Additionally, Peterson’s data indicated average fuel savings of fourteen per cent during partial load operation, further contributing to CO2 reduction efforts.

Above, figure 4a shows improved CO2 emissions when using ChangeXL. Figure 4b shows the specific fuel consumption improvement between enzyme-doped fuel and ordinary ULSD.

CO 2 reduction of 4651 MTon

Based on the results in 2021, it was decided by the SNSPOOL steering committee, that all vessels on long- term contracts (basically longer than six months) would be bunkered with ChangeXL doped fuel. The introduction of ChangeXL to the remaining vessels in the SNSPOOL resulted in a CO2 reduction of 4651 MTon or 245 households for one year (2022). This ChangeXL ULSD still complies with the EN590 and ISO 8217 norm for marine fuels, hence within the agreed fuel types in the charter party.

Even though the fuel is still compliant, it proved that numerous discussions followed with vessel owners to agree on using the en-

zymes in the fuel. While letters of no objections from various engine manufacturers supported the findings, it is difficult to prove that no adverse effect would risk the engine by the absence of adverse effects (like stating you are safe when no incidents are measured).

After two years of operation, it shows vessel engines are running cleaner, less soot is prominent from the exhaust and during overhauls, the turbines, valves, injectors and so on look cleaner. Peterson Energy Logistics currently investigates the use of ChangeXL in Qatar, Australia and the UK for its customers.

REFERENCES

• Armstrong , J.V.S. (2022), Climate impacts of exemptions to EU’s shipping proposals shipping laws, Transport Environment (January)

• IMO (20 08), Resolution MEPC.177(58), 23(45), 5-24

• IMO (2023), Resolution MEPC.377(80) (adopted on 7 July 2023) 2023, Resolution, 377 (July), 1-17, retrieved from https://wwwcdn.imo.org/localresources/en/ OurWork/Environment/Documents/ annex/MEPC80/ Annex15.pdf

• ISO (2020), NEN-ISO 8178-1 (Vol. 1; Tech. Rep.)

• Lindst ad, H., Verbeek, R., Blok, M., van Zyl, S., Hübscher, A., Kramer, H., Boonman, H. (2015), GHG emission reduction potential of EU-related maritime transport and on its impacts, Ref: CLIMA.B.3/ ETU/2013/0015. Tno, 130

Reinier Dick Fleet manager SNSPOOL, rdick@onepeterson.com

Figure 4. ChangeXL test results, ULSDXL in red, ULSD in blue; (a, left) effect of ChangeXL on CO2 emissions, and (b, right) specific fuel consumption versus engine power.
Figure 5. Average fuel consumption SNSPOOL vessel 2021-2022.

LIQUID AMMONIA REQUIRES

FAIL-SAFE PUMPS

Ammonia (NH3) is currently coming to the fore in the search for clean alternative fuels to the heavy fuel oil that has been predominantly used to date. Unlike LPG and LNG, it does not emit any CO2 during combustion. However, the gas is both toxic to humans and animals as well as highly harmful to the environment. The technology employed in order to use liquid ammonia as a fuel must, therefore, be hermetically tight and guarantee maximum operational safety.

In total, around 11 billion tonnes of freight were transported by sea worldwide in 2021 – which corresponds to almost ninety per cent of all trade goods, according to Statista. Producing more than 1 million tonnes of greenhouse gases, the shipping industry causes around three per cent of global carbon dioxide emissions per year, states the International Maritime Organization (IMO) in its Fourth IMO GHG Study 2020. And there are other pollutants, such as sulphur oxides, nitrogen oxides, volatile organic compounds and ozone-depleting substances (ODS). In coastal areas defined by the MARPOL Convention as Emission Control Areas (ECAs), these pollutants are subject to increasingly stringent limits. In 2018 alone, the shipping industry caused a total of 1076 million tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions, including 1056 million tonnes of CO2. Compared to 2008, this represents an increase of around ninety per cent. If the industry does not change, levels are expected to rise to up to 130 per cent of those from 2008 over the next 25 years. To improve these forecasts, the IMO developed a greenhouse gas strategy in 2018 that aims to reduce the shipping industry's carbon dioxide emissions by forty per cent by 2030 and by a total of

seventy per cent by 2050. In addition to the ECAs defined in the MARPOL agreement, which are to be further expanded in the future, the Energy Efficiency Design Index (EEDI) for new ships and the Ship Energy Efficiency Management Plan (SEEMP) regulate the energy efficiency and CO2 emissions of newly built ships. Older models with more than 400 GT, on the other hand, have had to comply with the new regulations of the Energy Efficiency Design Index for Existing Ships (EEXI) since 2023.

Using ammonia as fuel could help meet the ever stricter emission regulations, but specific technology is needed to use this fuel safely. LEWA's high-pressure diaphragm pumps meet these requirements. Their standard safety mechanisms make them suitable for hazardous, toxic and environmentally harmful fluids such as NH3, even under extreme operating conditions.

Liquid ammonia as a sustainable fuel

With the aim of reducing emissions and fuel consumption while increasing performance and ensuring cost-efficient operation, dualfuel variants of two-stroke marine diesel engines have been con-

Photo: LEWA triplex diaphragm process pumps for FGSS applications (photo LEWA).

LEWA GMBH

LEWA GmbH was founded as a family company by Herbert Ott and Rudolf Schestag in 1952. Today, it is a manufacturer of metering pumps and process diaphragm pumps, as well as complete metering packages for process engineering. The company, headquartered in Leonberg, Germany, developed into an international group in just a few decades. Since 2022, the company has been part of the Atlas Copco Group, a Swedish industrial corporation for compressed air and vacuum solutions, energy solutions, dewatering and industrial pumps, industrial power tools and assembly and machine vision solutions. Together with Atlas Copco Group, LEWA will further expand its industrial pump business.

As a research and production-oriented company, LEWA develops technologies and solutions for the vast array of applications among its customers. The products are mainly used in the chemical, cosmetics, pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries, in the food and beverage segment and in energy utilities. The company also plays a role in the manufacture of plastics, detergents and cleaning agents. Other applications are in refineries and the petrochemical industry, the oil and gas industry, and the field of gas odourisation. LEWA currently employs around 1200 people and owns fourteen subsidiaries around the world, as well as eighty representatives and sales offices in more than eighty countries.

quering the market for several years now. They enable a high degree of flexibility with regard to the fuels used, from pure marine diesel or heavy fuel oil operation to gas operation. On the gas side, LNG and LPG (propane/butane), which are particularly suitable for liquefied gas tankers, have mainly been used to date. However, these are fossil gases, and while they release fewer pollutants overall during combustion, they still release a considerable amount of CO2. LNG also consists predominantly of methane (CH4), which is around 25 times more harmful to the climate than CO2 and, in twostroke marine diesel engines, small amounts inevitably escape – a phenomenon called methane slip. For this reason, LNG and LPG are merely bridging technologies on the way to completely carbon-free ship propulsion.

First used as an alternative fuel in 1943 due to a diesel shortage, ammonia (NH3) does not emit particulate matter, nitrogen oxides or CO2 during combustion and has no ozone depletion potential. Until now, it has been obtained from nitrogen (N2) and hydrogen (H2) using the Haber-Bosch process, which requires a great deal of energy. The production of hydrogen is particularly critical from an environmental point of view, as H2 has so far been split off from fossil methane gas. However, with the development of processes for the sustainable production of H2 via hydrolysis using renewable energies on an industrial scale, NH3 is now becoming an attractive fuel for clean and sustainable ship propulsion systems. This also provides a positive answer to the important well-to-wake (WTW) question: When considering new fuels, it is crucial to take into account not only the combustion process in the ship's engine, but also the

entire balance of fuel production. Thanks to the new processes, NH3 can also be an attractive option.

At the end of 2023, the world's first ammonia project for bulk carriers was launched. In a four-party agreement, the Belgian bulk carrier operator CMB.Tech appointed the engine manufacturer WinGD as well as CSSC Qingdao Beihai Shipbuilding (QBS) and CSSC Engine Co (CSE) to produce the first eight 210,000 DWT bulk carriers powered by NH3. These are to be delivered over the next three years.

Hermetically tight pump technology

For NH3 fuel gas supply systems, only high-pressure diaphragm pumps without dynamic seals can be considered

Engine manufacturer MAN Energy Solutions also anticipates a rapid increase in the fuel to around forty per cent of the total fuel mix for dual-fuel two-stroke engines by 2030. Given these promising forecasts, it is hardly surprising that the order for the first ammonia cargo ships has already been placed, even though the marine engines for this application are still under development. Compared to LPG or LNG, NH3 poses its own challenges as a fuel: Even in very small quantities, the odorous gas is highly toxic to humans and animals, and it reacts with other air pollutants to form unwanted particulate matter in the atmosphere.

Fail-safe, hermetically tight pump technology is therefore required to move NH3 safely and reliably within the ship and inject it precisely into the engine. The challenge: Conventional plunger pumps, which are usually used for these kinds of high-pressure applications, have a natural leakage at the plunger seal due to their design. For the fuel gas supply systems (FGSS) in dual-fuel ship propulsion systems with NH3, only high-pressure diaphragm pumps designed without dynamic seals can therefore be considered. This creates a hermetically tight working chamber that rules out the possibility of emissions.

Triplex diaphragm pumps

Thanks to their robust design with maximum operational reliability, the low-pulsation LEWA triplex diaphragm pumps have so far proven themselves as fuel pumps in FGSS, primarily for LPG – but nothing stands in the way of their use with NH3. The required pressures of approximately 85 bar can be realised very easily with LEWA triplex diaphragm pumps. For the pump heads of the M900 series, this value is even in the lower range of the possible performance spectrum, which extends up to 500 bar.

Particles or oil residues in the fuel can also be conveyed without any problems. As the diaphragm pumps are dry-run safe to an unlimited degree, costly failures cannot occur even if other faults oc-

RUBRIEK FUELS

cur in the FGSS. In addition, the systems are designed in such a way that they can be maintained and repaired by the crew directly on board using simple means.

Integrated monitoring

The patented sandwich diaphragm with integrated monitoring system ensures that the LEWA triplex diaphragm pumps remain hermetically tight even if the diaphragm is damaged. This guarantees that no dangerous NH3 can escape, even under extreme operating conditions.

Integrated overpressure protection and optional pump monitoring by LEWA Smart Monitoring supplement the high standards of operational safety. Intelligent monitoring systems will generally become more relevant in the shipping industry over the next few years, as digitalisation is also being advanced in this field. Often, newly built

freighters are already being made "smarter". As NH3 is a clean and sustainable marine fuel in the long term, corresponding drives could also play a role in the development of autonomous smart ships in the coming decades.

Lead product manager for pumps at LEWA, lewa@lewa.de

For the fuel gas supply systems (FGSS) of dual-fuel ship propulsion systems using NH3, only high-pressure diaphragm pumps designed without dynamic seals can be considered (photo Hanwha Ocean).

INTEGRATING CONTAINER LASHING AND STABILITY SOFTWARE

When containers are transported by ships, adequate securing is vital for the safety of crew, environment, ship and cargo. To assist the crew, various (computer) tools are available for this purpose. However, a loading condition also has to be assessed against other criteria, such as stability and strength, which is the task of dedicated loading and stability software. A combination of the two categories is obvious, and its development is discussed in this article.

LOCOPIAS started its life as a calculation engine for intact and damage stability, the latter based on direct calculations, so type 3 and 4 according to IACS classification. Gradually, it was expanded with all kinds of specific cargo-related tools, such as for anchor handling forces, container loading and IMDG verification (the latter discussed in SWZ in December 2021). Recently, this set was extended with an interface to software for the verification of container lashings. As this is predominantly governed by classification societies’ rules, it is no surprise that they also provide computational tools to verify the adequacy of the securing of containers. In stand-alone mode, such tools – different per society – offer a human input interface, where the distribution of containers and their weights, twist locks, rods

and an occasional chain can be defined for each container stack. Subsequently, the different forces are computed and compared with their limits.

Less work, fewer errors

It will be evident that the same type of input – be it manual or by Electronic Data Interchange – is required for the loading software, so if it can be combined, it will save labour and prevent errors, especially when the intended loading plan has to be modified, because of for example stability or IMDG constraints. This advantage is even enhanced by the pre-defined ship data of the loading software, such as lashing eyes, and container positions relative to the waterline – which is dependent on the loading condition.

Photo: LOCOPIAS, showing an unusual lashing configuration as test case.
The new function can determine the proper lashing arrangement for a specific voyage

Fortunately, some of these societies’ software programmes also provide software interfaces, by a so-called API. This facility has been used to interface LOCOPIAS, notably with DNV Stowlash and BV Veristar Lashing. In this way, the data of container stacks and their lashings are transferred from LOCOPIAS to the lashing software, which calculates forces in containers and lashing devices, and returns these results to LOCOPIAS for presentation and conclusion. Extending this set of interfaces to those of other classification societies or independent suppliers is being considered, yet depending on the benefit for the ship operator and/or market demand.

Weather-dependent lashing

In the case of compliance with weather-dependent lashing – such as a DNV RSCS+ or BV RSSA/WAF class notation, and an actual wave forecast in the case of a voyage of less than 72 hours – this new LOCOPIAS function offers a convenient way of determining the proper lashing arrangement for a specific voyage. In test calcula-

tions for such a case we have seen, depending on metacentric height, a significant reduction of number of necessary lashing rods. Also, in the case of unrestricted weather, a direct calculation of lashing forces offers advantages, because it takes the actual container weights and metacentric height into account, contrary to the standard lashing scheme of the Cargo Securing Manual, which is based on the worst anticipated condition. On the other hand, the software adds more safety to the cargo in case the actual loading condition is worse than anticipated.

Abraham de Ronde

Naval architect at SARC, abraham@sarc.nl

Herbert Koelman

Director at SARC, herbert@sarc.nl

SAND MOTOR POWERS WEST AFRICA CLIMATE RESILIENCE

Communities and livelihoods are at threat from flooding and erosion on the West African coast as the sea encroaches on homes and businesses. When it came to investing in protection for parts of the Togo and Benin coastline, value for money and longevity of protection were key criteria in investment decisions. A central component to the chosen solution was a sand motor - a concept devised in the Netherlands and first deployed there in 2011.

The project, though ambitious in its time scale, has delivered benefits to the local communities and demonstrated the effectiveness of sand motors for rolling back the damaging impact of coastal erosion.

‘The initial results are very good indeed. You can see the sand being transported as far as the next inlet that breaks the coastline naturally,’ says Frans Thomassen, project director.

The installation is the first of its scale outside of the Netherlands, at around a third of the size of the first sand motor created on the Delfland Coast of South Holland, the Netherlands, in 2011.

Coastal erosion hotspot

The Gulf of Guinea is a coastal erosion hotspot. Studies of the coast of Benin show 65 per cent of its coastline is subject to erosion, with a long-term erosion rate averaging over 4 metres per year. For Togo, 52 per cent of its coastline is subject to erosion with a longer-term average of 2.4 metres lost per year. The economic impacts of erosion

are particularly acute in the region – around a third of its population lives in coastal areas and generates 56 per cent of gross domestic product (GDP). Large population growth and the economic draw of coastal areas exacerbate the impacts of coastal degradation. The threat to the region was recognised in 2018 by the founding of the West Africa Coastal Areas Management Programme (WACA), a programme managed by the World Bank to improve coastal resource management and reduce risks to coastal communities through international investment and knowledge sharing. The WACA Resilience Investment Project was greenlit in 2018 by the World Bank with USD 210 million of funding for projects in Benin, Cote d’Ivoire, Mauritania, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, and Togo. WACA Resilience Investment Project 2 was approved in December 2022 with a further USD 246 million, and expanded the project area to include The Gambia, Ghana, and Guinea-Bissau. WACA financially supported a coastal protection project awarded by the governments of Togo and Benin to Boskalis and carried out in

Photo: The sand motor in Togo and Benin is the first of its scale outside of the Netherlands (photo Boskalis).

2022-2023 on a 14-km stretch of coast across the two nations. The work included the creation of a sand motor with 6.4 million cubic metres of sand, a feature that will use the natural forces of the sea to gradually feed the coastline with sand over the next decade. In information provided to CEDA Industry News by Boskalis, the approach undertaken by the company is said to provide longer-term protection from erosion than the current standard practice of beach nourishment where sand is regularly brought to the beach to replace volumes lost to erosion. Sand motors also reduce the environmental impact of beach nourishment by adding sediment in a relatively small area in a single operation, minimising seabed disturbance by gradually distributing sand along the shore through natural processes.

Reflecting on the challenges of the project, Boskalis said the weather windows in the region meant co-ordination of logistics and cross-border considerations had to be meticulous in order to avoid the potential coastal wave and erosion impacts of an overrun. Despite a delayed start to the project, completion was on schedule. ‘The job went quickly. And the pace of the work – as well as the quality – was one reason why the World Bank and the governments of both countries were so enthusiastic. Beforehand, they described our schedule as “optimistic”. Without saying so, they assumed there would be a delay. But with hindsight, the optimistic schedule turned out to be actually realistic,’ explains Thomassen.

One time-saving preparation was bringing a hydrohammer to the site despite not knowing for certain that it would be needed. The group’s experience in West Africa meant they were expecting large seabed rocks nearshore, which would impact the design and anchoring of the groynes that formed part of the project solution. Coming equipped with a hydrohammer allowed those obstacles to be overcome and the groynes to be properly installed without waiting weeks for the equipment to arrive.

Engine for change

The commercial benefits of a sand motor include a reduction in mobilisation costs through economies of scale – sending assets and experts to one large project is more efficient and cost effective than repeated mobilisations for smaller ones. Boskalis’s trailing suction hopper dredger (TSHD) Willem van Oranje was deployed for the Togo and Benin project.

‘We explained to the visiting delegations that this approach delivers benefits in multiple areas: for the environment, the community and safety,’ Boskalis regional manager Pieter Boer says. ‘A sand motor makes you less dependent on breakwaters in the nearshore area, and so you don’t need to drive trucks to and from quarries far inland. On this project, that would have meant travelling about 200 kilometres, a long drive through a large number of villages.’ Boskalis continues to monitor the impacts of the sand motor and its future progress and transformation to extract valuable insights.

‘We obviously didn’t have any doubts about the potential impact of a sand motor at this location. Even so, when you see how quickly nature responds, this is the ultimate confirmation of this concept. Where the palm trees used to be in the water, you can now see them surrounded by the sand that has been brought in,’ states

Thomassen.

The scope of the work in Benin also included the filling of a former coastal lagoon with around 100,000 cubic metres of sand.

Across Togo and Benin, fifteen new rock groynes were installed with lengths ranging from 65 to 75 metres – seven in Togo and eight in Benin – along with rehabilitation of six existing groynes in Togo. Around 620,000 cubic metres of sand were used to fill between the groynes, which were built from locally-quarried rock starting in August 2022.

A sand motor uses the natural forces of the sea to gradually feed the coastline with sand over the next decade

In Togo’s Aného, students are already benefitting from the WACA-funded coastal protection project. Local school Collège Saints Pierre et Paul is able to use its beach sports field again, a facility previously lost to the sea before the project brought it back.

Students are now able to use the area 20 metres from the school as a football and volleyball pitch instead of travelling 500 metres across a busy road to reach the alternative site.

Other benefits to local communities beyond the reinforcement of the coast include new cycle paths in both countries, the installation of sanitary blocks, and the clearing of a garbage dump in Togo with the help of a local subcontractor.

‘It’s great to see how we’ve been able to implement these local initiatives, which we agreed with the client beforehand. And it’s even better to see how much people appreciate them,’ says Thomassen.

ABOUT CEDA

The Central Dredging Association (CEDA) is an internationally recognised independent professional association. It is an easy-to-access leading platform for the exchange of knowledge and an authoritative reference point for impartial technical information. CEDA actively strives to contribute towards sustainable development by strongly recommending working with nature. CEDA members are corporations, professionals and stakeholders, involved in a diversity of activities related to dredging, marine construction and dredged sediment management. CEDA represents the common interest of all fields related to dredging and does not promote the interest of any particular industry sector or organisation.

www.dredging.org

UPTAKE OF ADVANCED TECH AMID DREDGING MARKET GROWTH

As the dredging market is predicted to experience steady growth in the next decade, advanced technologies will prove to be beneficial to the sector’s growth by improving operational efficiencies, helping meet ESG (environmental, social and governance) goals and ultimately creating more lucrative opportunities for companies.

TEXT: NYASHA OLIVER, ARTICLE SUPPLIED BY CEDA, CEDA@DREDGING.ORG

The global dredging market is expected to increase in value over the next decade in response to increased demand for global trade and maritime investments, with demand set to expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 3.4 per cent from 2024 to 2034. According to the latest report by independent market research firm Fact.MR [1], as of March 2024, the dredging market is estimated at USD 18.01 billion this year and projected to reach USD 25.16 billion. The report finds that in countries including the US, Germany and Japan, market growth is being driven by factors including offshore infrastructure development, environmental considerations, disaster preparedness and support for key industries such as trade, energy and aquaculture.

With dredging companies seeking to capitalise on higher market demand, there is a need to look at how to streamline operational efficiency even further to remain competitive. Jan De Nul and Royal IHC are key examples of companies making investments in advanced technologies to do so, as well as to improve safety, reduce environmental impact and improve project outcomes.

Steering the industry

Jan De Nul’s product portfolio includes technologies such as autonomous bathymetric survey vessels, and multiparameter monitoring stations with real-time connections. Jan Fordeyn, director Project Development & Conceptual Design, tells CEDA Industry News (CIN)

Photo: One of Jan De Nul's Ultra-Low Emission vessels, the trailing suction hopper dredger Sanderus (by Marc Ryckaert, Wikimedia Commons, Creative Commons AttributionShare Alike 4.0 International licence).

REFERENCES

1. https://www.factmr.com/report/922/dredging-market

2. https://www.unglobalcompact.org.uk/scope-3-emissions/

3. https://www.royalihc.com/dredging/innovations/nextphase-autonomous-dredging-assisted-autonomy

4. https://www.jandenul.com/ultra-low-emission-vessels

that these technologies ‘have increased the operational window of their vessels, allowing better planning and decreased safety risks.’ Other dredging companies are making investments in autonomous and monitoring technology, signalling areas of interest and growth for the industry. Jacco Osnabrugge, R&D manager at Royal IHC, says that autonomous control, decision support systems and remote operations monitoring play a vital role in the company. Speaking to CIN, Osnabrugge states: ‘These systems help get the most out of our equipment and the highest efficiency. If you want to optimise fuel efficiency for example, then you want to optimise the consumed energy per production unit, which is also beneficial and contributes to sustainability goals for the total dredging job, using less fuel.’

But just how much should companies be investing in advanced technologies to capitalise on the predicted growth outlined in the Fact.MR report? Ines Nastali, senior maritime data expert of S&P Global Market Intelligence, explains to CIN, that it is important that companies are as ‘efficient and nimble as possible’ to capitalise on any demand the market sees.

Including the human in the loop is important when designing new equipment

However, Nastali sounds a case for caution, stressing the fickle nature of global trade markets and investments in port and land expansions and urban development: ‘Should growth in these areas decline or not materialise, the dredging market will also not be able to grow.’ Nevertheless, investing in the right kind of technology can still pay dividends, she stresses, stating it can help companies be more responsive and resilient to market changes. Moreover, companies taking advantage of these kinds of advanced technologies will not only help companies to better meet growing market demand, but also aid in meeting sustainability goals and reducing environmental impact – elements attractive to many stakeholders looking to achieve ESG targets or reduce SCOPE 3 Emissions [2].

Nastali points to new technologies and methods that are being created to make operations more sustainable. ‘This has resulted in a number of innovative solutions, such as working with wind and wave patterns to shape beach profiles after beach replenishments,’ she says. She also notes holistic solutions, such as bubble curtains to curtail noise pollution and swapping concrete materials with more sustainable alternatives that encourage the establishment of ecological systems.

Addressing challenges

While Jan De Nul and Royal IHC are seeing the benefits of investing in advanced technologies, they do not come without their challenges.

Fordeyn points out that there is a bedding in time with new technology, and it doesn’t always prove its potential: ‘New technology needs time and investment to be fully functional to replace existing technology. If the disadvantages outweigh the advantages, we stop using them.’

Meanwhile, Osnabrugge mentions to CIN that despite the need to maintain sensors for automation technology to ensure a reliable performance – for some possibly a frustrating additional task – customers that see the benefits to their operations are ‘willing to put in the effort’.

One key area for concern with new technologies is the reduction of human intervention and how that will affect operations in the future – safety is a major consideration. However, Nastali mentions that

technological aids are also part of future-proofing an industry that will potentially face a lack of skilled workers. She adds: ‘It also means that newer staff can learn on the job as immediate feedback on dredging operations progress is available.’

Osnabrugge agrees that technology needs to be beneficial to the user and including the human in the loop is important when designing new equipment: ‘The nicest thing you see is a system and a human working together efficiently, then you get the most out of it.

Sometimes we are so occupied with the technology that we forget that we are still dealing with people and this is important.’

ABOUT CEDA

The Central Dredging Association (CEDA) is an internationally recognised independent professional association. It is an easy-to-access leading platform for the exchange of knowledge and an authoritative reference point for impartial technical information. CEDA actively strives to contribute towards sustainable development by strongly recommending working with nature. CEDA members are corporations, professionals and stakeholders, involved in a diversity of activities related to dredging, marine construction and dredged sediment management. CEDA represents the common interest of all fields related to dredging and does not promote the interest of any particular industry sector or organisation.

www.dredging.org

New horizons for dredging

Understanding the kinds of investments in advanced technologies that companies are making now, provides some insight into wider trends in the dredging market, and the kinds of technologies that more may invest in going forward. For example, Royal IHC’s testing and development of a high-level control system called Mission Master [3] signals an ongoing trend in the industry towards greater use of autonomous and decision support systems in vessel operations to address crew shortages and improve efficiency and safety. The system works towards increased autonomy and operational efficiency for hopper dredgers and assigns tasks to the Dredging Control System (DCS) and Dynamic Positioning and Dynamic Tracking (DPDT), orchestrating dredging and sailing operations with improved precision.

As the industry seeks to further decarbonise, technology and innovative solutions will continue to be needed to help meet environmental targets. Jan De Nul noted its use of a state-of-the-art filter system for Ultra-Low Emission vessels (ULEvs) [4] that helps to process exhaust gases and prevent nanoparticle emissions. This will lower the environmental impact on the local environment and will help to meet their sustainability goals.

Ultimately, dredging firms must analyse the value of investing in more expensive advanced technology and the risks of not doing so too. As Fordeyn says: ‘Advanced technology is a means to differentiate ourselves from the competition and to make solutions and even projects possible and feasible. Together with economies of scale, it is the only way we can compete against low-cost contractors.’

Mission Master test simulator environment (photo Royal IHC).

NIEUWE UITGAVEN

GERRIT DE BOER, GERRITJDEBOER@KPNMAIL.NL

Kolen Centrale

Bij Walburg-Lanasta verscheen een boek over een kleine Rotterdamse rederij van kolenhandelaar Rijk Pieter Schoonheim (1898-1979). Schoonheim begon met een bescheiden brandstoffenhandeltje aan de Wijnhaven met huis-aan-huisverkoop dat hij in 1921 overnam. Met paard en wagen ging hij kolen bezorgen aan huis, zwaar werk waarbij hij een mud kolen in een jute zak moest sjouwen. Al op 11 april 1922 richtte hij de NV Rotterdamsche Kolen Centrale (RKC) op, die zou uitgroeien tot een van de grootste detailkolenhandelaren, voor zowel industrie- als huisbrandkolen, in Europa.

Enkele jaren later werd een eigen lichter, de Delfshaven, op afbetaling aangeschaft en in 1934 begon hij met import uit het buitenland na overeenkomsten met Belgische en Engelse mijnen waarvoor op 21 maart NV Rokocent I werd opgericht. Met de buitenlandse import ging hij de concurrentie aan met de grote Rotterdamse kolenbedrijven SHV en de SSM.

Ook het vervoer over zee en in de binnenvaart met sleepschepen en sleepboten werd in eigen handen genomen. In maart 1937 werd de Rotterdamsche Kustvaart Centrale NV (ook RKC) opgericht waar de drie eigen nieuwbouwschepen, de Ton-S, Att-S en Bill-S (1) werden ondergebracht aangevuld met gecharterde kustvaarders.

Met de eigen schepen werd ook een lijndienst op Oslo onderhouden. De Bill-S (1) ging al in het begin van de oorlog verloren. Na de oorlog is de vloot uitgebreid met de Bill-S (2), R.P.S., Gerry-S en Betty Anne-S en enkele grote vaartschepen, waaronder de nieuwgebouwde Pieter-S en het Empireschip, de Atje Ray-S.

In 1948 werd de rederij van Hammerstein overgenomen met de twee kustvaarders Henrica en Algarve en hun lijndiensten naar Spanje, Portugal en Finland.

Na de Tweede Wereldoorlog was er grote schaarste aan kolen in Nederland en door onvoldoende invoer van steenkool uit andere landen, zag de Nederlandse regering zich gedwongen kolen uit Amerika te kopen. Kolen werden destijds alleen gekocht via directe transacties tussen de Amerikaanse en Nederlandse overheid door regerings-

inkoopcommissies. In de ogen van R.P. Schoonheim, directeur van de RKC, waren deze kolen niet goed genoeg en veel te duur. Schoonheim reisde met zijn zoon Bill in 1946 naar Amerika om contracten af te sluiten met Amerikaanse kolenmijnen. Het lukte hem, als particuliere ondernemer, samen met zijn zoon Bill als eerste buitenlanders vergunningen te krijgen om grote hoeveelheden kolen naar andere landen te exporteren. De American Anthracite & Bituminous Coal Corporation (Arbitcoal) werd door zijn zoon Bill Schoonheim in 1950 opgericht.

Het zeevervoer werd met veel gecharterde schepen en vanaf 1956 met twee eigen Liberty-schepen uitgevoerd. Voor Rotterdam zou R.P. Schoonheim met zijn bedrijf en schepen zeer belangrijk zijn, onder andere door zijn bemoeienissen waar het betrof kolenaanvoer en overlading naar verschillende Europese landen via Rotterdam. Mede daardoor kreeg de bedrijvigheid in de haven na de oorlog weer nieuwe impulsen.

In augustus 1960 werd de beleggingsmaatschappij De Bloemert in Wassenaar opgericht. De maatschappij was vernoemd naar het gelijknamige landgoed waar de familie Schoonheim vanaf 1933 woonde. Het landhuis met rondom terrassen, enorme tuinen en een park, was in 1917 ontworpen door een architect. Piet Schoonheim was een enorme liefhebber van de paardensport (wellicht ontstaan bij het begin van zijn onderneming) en hij had liefst zeventien paardenboxen op zijn landgoed. De drafbaan Duindigt lag niet ver van zijn landhuis. Om gezondheidsredenen moest Schoonheim in november 1971 zijn stallencomplex met paarden verkopen. Hij overleed in 1979. Het landgoed werd daarna verkocht en van 1992 tot 1996 stond het zelfs leeg. Op 11 juli 2004 is het landhuis door brand totaal verwoest. RKC en de schepen waren al eerder verkocht. De verkoop van de Gerry-S in september 1967 betekende het einde van de rederij en RKC werd langzamerhand opgenomen in de beleggingsmaatschappij De Bloemert. De kolenbelangen zijn overgedaan aan SHV en RKC is in 1979 verkocht.

Rotterdamsche Kolen Centrale ,140 pagina’s, afbeeldingen, formaat 22 x 27 cm, ISBN: 9789464561142, E-ISBN: 9789464561159, uitgeverij: Walburg-Lanasta, Zutphen, prijs: € 32,99, als eBook: € 16,99, info: www.walburgpers.nl

Tussen 1979 en 1987 wikkelde de kleinzoon van Piet Schoonheim, Rijk Pieter Schoonheim Samara, zoon van Bill, de erfenis af. Hijzelf kocht het 6 hectare grote landgoed met villa in Wassenaar, maar is niet lang de eigenaar geweest. R.P. Schoonheim heeft Arbitcoal voortgezet als beleggingsmaatschappij met vestigingen in Amerika en Bangkok.

De beknopte familie- en rederijgeschiedenis wordt afgesloten met een zeer gedetailleerde vlootlijst van alle schepen, zowel eigendom als in beheer, geïllustreerd met honderden foto’s. Een goede aanvulling zou zijn geweest wanneer een stamboom van de familie Schoonheim in het boek was opgenomen. Auteur Willem H. Moojen beschrijft bovendien uitgebreid een aantal reizen die hij aan boord bij zijn vader op de Gerry-S maakte naar Portugal, Guernsey en Ierland. En dat verklaart ook meteen zijn interesse in RKC. Het mooi uitgevoerde boek is weer uitstekend vormgegeven zoals we dat van Lanasta gewend zijn.

Rotterdamsche

ALWAYS CONSIDER THE ATMOSPHERE OF AN ENCLOSED SPACE AS UNSAFE

Mariners’ Alerting and Reporting Scheme

Mars 202424: Enclosed space claims one victim, but spares two others

As edited from TSIB (Singapore) report TIB/ MAI/CAS.122

A bulk carrier loaded with a cargo of coal was at anchor. Deck crew were tasked with greasing the dog handles of the hold access booby hatches. Some of the handles were rusted shut and needed to be disassembled before they could be greased.

Four crew members were working to free the dog handles at one of the booby hatches. The booby hatch was open while they were doing this, and a disassembled dog handle fell down the hatch. One man climbed down to retrieve it. As he climbed back up with the retrieved dog handle, he lost consciousness due to a lack of oxygen, fell and landed on the coal cargo about 3.5 metres below. The alarm was immediately raised and the crew mobilised to rescue the victim.

An officer arrived at the booby hatch with an Emergency Escape Breathing Device (EEBD) hood and entered the cargo hold through the booby hatch ladder. Meanwhile, two air hoses were being connected to the air supply in an attempt to supply air to the hold. The officer that had entered the booby hatch with the EEBD soon came out, saying that it was difficult to breathe and hot in the cargo hold.

The chief cook, of his own accord, then took affairs into his own hands. He grabbed the two air hoses, a safety harness and ropes and descended into the hold to attempt a rescue. Within five minutes, the cook had managed to secure the safety harness below the arms of the victim and the crew on the main deck were able to pull him out; the cook exited the hold soon after. The victim was not breathing and there was no heartbeat or

pulse. CPR was performed on the victim and he was evacuated ashore, but to no avail – he was declared deceased.

Lessons learned

• In an emergency rescue, the atmosphere of an enclosed space should always be considered unsafe unless confirmed otherwise.

• An EEBD should never be used to rescue a victim in an enclosed space. This equipment is only for escaping from a compartment that has a hazardous atmosphere and should not be used for entering oxygen deficient voids or tanks on board ships.

• Many enclosed space emergencies have claimed extra victims; persons attempting to rescue the initial victim have themselves succumbed to the lack of oxygen in the course of improvised and poorly executed rescue actions. In this case, the cook and the officer with the EEBD were just “lucky”.

• Vessel leaders must take charge in situations such as this accident. The officer should never have entered the hold with only an EEBD and the cook should have been immediately stopped from entering the hold.

• Although enclosed space rescue exercises are now mandatory on vessels, the “elephant in the room” – the problem that is not discussed – remains the lack of standardised and comprehensive training for crew (how can you practise what you don’t know how to do?) and the lack of mandatory rescue equipment that should be kept on board. This paradox was raised in a Seaways article of June 2021 and can be accessed here: https://safeship.ca/uploads/3/4/4/9/34499158/enclosed_

space_rescue-the_elephant_in_the_ room_seaways_june_2021.pdf.

• Another elephant in the room is the unwritten understanding that, if the atmosphere is not breathable, an enclosed space rescue will be accomplished with firefighting breathing apparatus (BA) equipment. Although better than nothing, arguably, this equipment is very bulky and could hinder the rescue or otherwise be counterproductive. Slimline rescue BA equipment is available in other industries, but to date, there is no requirement for its use in the marine industry.

Mars 202425: Vessel speed exacerbates bank suction, take two A 274-metre-long tanker was making way in a canal under pilotage at about nine knots (slow ahead). As the passage progressed, the pilot conned the vessel closer to the port side of the canal in order to pass some anchored vessels to starboard.

The pilot requested the helmsman to steer a course of 000 degrees, which he was able to do, but with some difficulty. In order to maintain the required course, he was applying 20 to 30 degrees port

Tanker crosswise in the canal.

helm. This was a strong indicator of bank suction aft. It does not appear that the bridge team were aware of the situation. At one point, the pilot requested a course change to 002 degrees. The helmsman complied by easing the helm to midships for a brief instant. As soon as this was done the vessel took a strong shear to starboard; the helmsman rapidly applied 30 degrees of port helm in an attempt to stop the swing, but this had no effect. The pilot ordered full astern, which slowed the vessel, but it continued to swing to starboard despite this and came crosswise in the canal before stopping.

Lessons learned

• This is an almost identical incident to that of Mars 202413. A vessel in a restricted waterway is experiencing bank suction aft due to being too close to the bank at a speed that is too high for the circumstances – even though it is only nine knots. The helmsman is using extreme helm to hold the desired course, but as soon as this helm is eased or put to midships, the vessel swings inexorably to the opposite bank.

• Keen situational awareness and good communication are key to avoiding this situation. If extreme helm is required to hold the vessel steady in a restricted waterway, speed must be reduced as soon as possible before removing the helm. In other words, the pilot and officer of the watch (OOW) should be keeping an eye on the helm applications to better judge the strength of bank effect on the vessel.

• If the pilot and OOW are otherwise occupied, the helmsman should warn the pilot and OOW of the extreme helm application.

Mars

202426:

Fan blade finger injury

A tanker was at anchor near a port and some maintenance was being carried out. The electrician and two engineers were carrying out maintenance work on one of the engine room supply fans. As they attempted to open the fan cover, the electrician put his fingers between the

MARS

cover of the fan and the impeller blades. The blades were still turning. The victim suffered a deep laceration to the ring finger of the right hand, even though he was wearing gloves. The victim was sent ashore where surgery had to be performed and he was subsequently repatriated for recovery.

Lessons learned

• Injuries are prevented by using adequate lock out/tag out procedures (LOTO). This appears to not have been the case in this accident.

• Keep your hands safe. Never use your hands to do a task that can be done with a tool.

• Hazard identification prior to any work activity is essential in minimising risks. Use the “TAKE 5” safety practice before any work activity

• Proper supervision can prevent accidents.

Mars 202428: Green water on deck causes one fatality and several injuries

As edited from Marshall Islands Maritime Administrator report published August 2021

A loaded chemical/oil products tanker was underway in heavy weather. The vessel was facing 6-metre head seas and water was frequently shipping over the bow and forecastle. Speed was reduced to about 6 knots and crew were not allowed on deck.

The water ingress alarm for the bosun’s store sounded in the engine control room, and the duty engineer immediately notified the OOW on the bridge. It was suspected that the forecastle deck hatch (1.4 x 1 metres) to the bosun’s store had been compromised, allowing water to enter the compartment. The master considered that uncontrolled flooding of the bosun’s store could have an adverse effect on the ship’s trim and stability. He decided that immediate action must be taken to investigate the water ingress and reduce the flooding. The master did not seek assistance from the company with calculating the effect on the ship’s stability of the flooded bosun’s store, nor was the company noti-

fied of the water ingress.

The master attempted to turn the ship 180 degrees to decrease the water being shipped before the crew went forward, but the vessel rolled so much that this was not possible. Six crew then went on deck and made their way to the forecastle. They were wearing the required PPE, including lifejackets and safety harnesses attached to lifelines. They found that the forward edge of the deck hatch and coaming had been slightly deformed inward. This created a small gap between the hatch cover gasket and the hatch coaming, which was allowing water to enter the bosun’s store with each successive wave that broke over the bow. It was decided that the entire hatch would be covered to slow the water ingress. The crew began to bind rubber and plastic over the damaged hatch. Suddenly, a large wave broke over the bow and the crew members working forward were knocked off their feet and swept across the deck. All the crew members’ lifelines were still attached at the time. The master raised the alarm and ordered additional crew members to don PPE for working on deck. The rescue party went forward with first aid supplies and a stretcher. Five crew were found injured while one was uninjured. All five injured crew members were taken to the ship’s hospital. All five victims had serious injuries; one victim had suffered a significant injury to his forehead and was in critical condition. Despite best efforts, the master pronounced the victim deceased later that day

Lessons learned

• Even with lifelines secured and PPE, going forward with water on deck can be a very dangerous endeavour.

• When in doubt, contact the company to receive guidance. In this case, a stability calculation may have shown that even with a flooded bosun’s store the vessel would have been safe and sending crew forward an unnecessary risk.

TERUGBLIK ALGEMENE

Op 30 mei hield de KNVTS de Algemene Ledenvergadering (ALV). Dit keer was de locatie Zeemanshoop te Amsterdam. Na de vergadering kregen we een rondleiding door de stad, met als gids bestuurslid namens afdeling Amsterdam, Eric Schiphorst. De rondleiding werd afgesloten met een gezamenlijk diner.

Na het vaststellen van de agenda volgde het stilstaan bij de leden die ons afgelopen jaar zijn ontvallen. De notulen van de vorige ALV werden aangenomen.

Het afgelopen verenigingsjaar kenmerkte zich door weer terug naar oude normaal met regelmatige lezingen in de afdelingen.

De afdeling Amsterdam week enigszins af met enkele grotere evenementen waaronder een mini-symposium tijdens de METS. De vereniging is opgetrokken met de SWZuitgever MYbusinessmedia (MBM) tijdens de Europort, met een gezamenlijke stand op de beurs. Ook kregen we een award van CEMT uitgereikt voor het feit dat we al 125 jaar actief zijn.

LEDENVERGADERING

Helaas worden we geconfronteerd met hogere kosten, vooral personeelskosten en voor SWZ. Dit maakt dat we een aanzienlijk negatief resultaat hebben. Dit lijdt ook dit jaar weer tot een contributieverhoging. We hebben als doel gesteld over drie jaar budgetneutraal te zijn. Dit vraagt de nodige inspanning en oplossingen in samenwerking. Zo werken we nu actief samen met KIVI Martec en praten we met diverse andere maritieme organisaties, waarvan er vele zijn en we een lange lijst hebben opgesteld. Na goedkeuring van de jaarrekening en taakstellende begroting, volgde decharge van het bestuur.

Helaas gaan we Willem Nugteren missen als enthousiaste penningmeester. Wij hebben zijn strakke beleid en visie als jonge ingenieur zeer gewaardeerd en vinden het jammer dat hij ons bestuur verlaat. We wensen hem veel succes en hopen dat hij voor de afdeling Noord weer zo’n enthousiast bestuurslid weet te vinden. Hij zou zijn best daarvoor doen. Bedankt, Willem.

VACATURE: ALGEMEEN SECRETARIS KNVTS

Als algemeen secretaris ben je het dagelijkse “gezicht” van de vereniging. Het is een zeer zelfstandige en brede rol die naast financieel-administratieve verantwoordelijkheid ook veel organisatietalent en communicatief vermogen vraagt. Als steunpilaar van het hoofdbestuur, bestaand uit vrijwilligers uit het technisch-maritieme cluster, zal je tal van projecten coördineren, zorgen voor een goede afstemming en

organisatie van de verenigingsactiviteiten en de social-media-uitingen bewaken.

• Taken: administreren, coördineren en organiseren van verenigingsactiviteiten.

• Projecten: prijsuitreikingen, lezingen, social media, financieel-administratief.

• Belangrijkste vereisten: organisatietalent, nauwkeurigheid en enthousiasme.

Willem wordt vervangen door Cor van der Harst en Cor wordt van harte welkom geheten. Peter Whermeijer is herverkozen voor een tweede termijn. Zijn harde werk wordt gewaardeerd. Zeker na het vertrek van onze algemeen secretaris, waarvoor hij sindsdien de taken waarneemt. Hopelijk vinden we snel een nieuwe algemeen secretaris. De heer Willem de Jong, altijd goed voor positieve inbreng, stelde voor of we de functie kunnen combineren met taken van de hoofdredacteur SWZ. De hoofdredacteur zal ook zijn taak neerleggen over niet al te lange termijn. We zijn al in staat geweest verjonging te realiseren in de redactie. Dit heeft veel aandacht. Nieuw lid René Zuidam hebben we bereid gevonden om met de heer Selij de kascommissietaken op zich te nemen. Na de boeiende rondleiding van Eric Schiphorst door het oude centrum namen we plaats aan tafel bij de Egelantier en sloten deze ALV 2024 af.

• Locatie: Rotterdam.

• Arbeidsvoorwaarden: flexibel in te delen, 24 tot 32 uur per week. Dertig vakantiedagen per jaar bij fulltime inzet. Goed salaris, pensioen, reiskosten, etc. Vanzelfsprekend krijg je jouw “gereedschapskist” (laptop, etc.).

Wil je meer weten? Neem dan contact op met Eric Schiphorst: +31(0)6-13351354 of solliciteer direct: eric@vanstorm.nl

SWZ|Maritime is onder meer het periodiek van de Koninklijke Nederlandse Vereniging van Technici op Scheepvaartgebied, opgericht in 1898. SWZ|Maritime verschijnt elfmaal per jaar. Het lidmaatschap van de KNVTS bedraagt € 110,00 per jaar, voor juniorleden € 55,00 per jaar, beide inclusief dit periodiek. Een digitaal lidmaatschap (alleen voor studenten) kost € 20,00 per jaar. Het geeft u de vooraankondigingen van de maandelijkse lezingen, te houden op vier verschillende plaatsen in Nederland en korting op verschillende activiteiten. U kunt zich opgeven als lid bij de algemeen secret aris van de KNVTS, Zeemansstraat 13, 3016 CN Rotterdam, e-mail: secretariaat@knvts.nl of via het aanmeldingsformulier op de website: www.knvts.nl.

IN MEMORIAM: IR. BJÖRN VON UBISCH

Tot ons leedwezen is jongstleden 16 mei ons gewaardeerde redactielid Björn von Ubisch op tachtigjarige leeftijd overleden. Omstreeks 1980 was ir. Von Ubisch in Nederland gekomen en hier heeft hij met zijn Ubitec-team aan veel scheepsbouw- en offshore-projecten meegewerkt. Björn was een bescheiden man en een bevlogen naval architect en marine engineer met een grote kennis en ervaring. Als redactie van SWZ|Maritime hebben wij gedurende de afgelopen vijf jaar in ruime mate geprofiteerd van deze kennis en ervaring. Hij heeft voor ons mooie en interessante technische artikelen geschreven en we zullen zijn bijdragen zeer missen. We wensen zijn vrouw en familie veel sterkte in deze tijd.

Redactie SWZ|Maritime

OPROEP: REDACTIELEDEN EN HOOFDREDACTEUR

GEZOCHT VOOR SWZ|MARITIME

SWZ|Maritime is op zoek naar enthousiaste nieuwe medewerkers om ons team te versterken! We willen ons blad en onze website blijven vullen met hoogwaardige technische en nautische artikelen en zoeken daarom nieuw talent om ons daarbij te helpen. Jammer genoeg hebben we de afgelopen jaren noodgedwongen afscheid moeten nemen van enkele zeer gewaardeerde redactieleden. Anderen hebben hun activiteiten beëindigd of op een lager pitje gezet. We zijn hen ontzettend dankbaar voor hun onschatbare bijdragen en missen hun expertise en inzet enorm.

Ben jij iemand die graag met ons meedenkt tijdens de redactievergaderingen en vanuit je kennis en netwerk interessante artikelen kan aanleveren? Of vind je het leuk om zelf te schrijven over jouw expertisegebied? Dan

zijn we op zoek naar jou!

Ook zoeken we redacteuren die af en toe een artikel willen leveren over hun vakgebied. Recent hebben we mooie nieuwe bijdragen ontvangen van onze nieuwe redacteuren Elena Prato van Aurelia en Rui Costa van Damen Naval die hebben geschreven over duurzaamheid in de scheepvaart en de

opmars van drones in de maritieme verdediging.

SWZ|Maritime biedt een vergoedingenstelsel voor redacteuren en journalistieke medewerkers. Daarnaast kun je rekenen op veel waardering van vakgenoten in de dynamische sector van scheepvaart en scheepsbouw.

Ook zijn wij op zoek naar een opvolger voor onze huidige hoofdredacteur, die zijn functie per 1 september volgend jaar wil overdragen. Heb je interesse in deze uitdagende rol of wil je meer weten over een medewerkerschap? Neem dan contact op met de huidige hoofdredacteur, Antoon Oosting, via swz.rotterdam@knvts.nl of 06-34897409.

Met vriendelijke groet, de redactie van SWZ|Maritime

Specialized in insuring ship’s crew?

An accident is a terrible thing, especially when you are far from home. But you don’t want to dwell on unpleasant scenarios that may never become reality. Multisure understands. We help you to be prepared for unexpected situations you don’t want to think about.

Tosca 18 2926 PK Krimpen aan den IJssel

+31 (0)180 - 55 27 27 info@multisure.nl www.multisure.nl

Look no further!

With Headway’s BWTU, Reikon supplies one of the lowest power consumers available. Add that to Headways ‘single treatment’ solution and you can save thousands of euros on fuel costs on an annual basis compared to other BWT solutions. And did we mention that in ten years time, we haven’t replaced a single core treatment element?

• Always up to date with the latest maritime news?

• Receive SWZ’s renewed digital newsletter in your inbox every week!

Electronics

Bachmann electronic

Bachmann electronic

Vendelier 65-69

3905 PD Veenendaal

Tel: +31 (0)85 2100550

E-mail: r.epskamp@bachmann.info www.bachmann.info

Contact: Ronald Epskamp

At Bachmann, our mission is to bring together a wide range of partners, customers, product managers and application support engineers to share individual strengths, ideas, solutions and technologies. Our goal is to learn from ship owners and translate their vision into tangible automation solutions. We strive to facilitate industry-wide collaboration, which will enable system integrators and equipment manufacturers to focus on their unique, high quality, fully tested solutions with minimum development and commissioning time.

Experts & Surveyors

Doldrums B.V.

Marine & Technical Surveyors

Waalstraat 26 3087 BP Rotterdam

Tel. +31-(0)10-4299590

Fax +31-(0)10-4296686

E-mail: office@doldrumsbv.nl www.doldrumsbv.nl

Custom naval engineering solutions

S ALTWATER

Custom nava l engineering solutions

Saltwater Engineering

Buitendijks 33 3356 LX Papendrecht

The Netherlands

T +31(0)78–205 15 00

E-mail: info@saltwater.nl www.saltwater.nl

Agile. Competent. Transparent. Reliable. Saltwater Engineering is your partner in naval engineering solutions.

We provide tailor-made solutions for the naval and offshore industry. Our highly skilled and experienced team of engineers offers a broad range of services involving vessel design, mobilization & transport engineering, on-site service and engineering support. A proven track record shows that we are competent and can handle any navel engineering request. Together we will find the best solution for your challenge.

Ship

supplies

WINEL

Dr. A.F. Philipsweg 55, 9403AD

PO Box 70, 9400 AB Assen, The Netherlands

T: +31 (0)592 366 060

E-mail: info@winel.nl www.winel.nl

Safety at Sea Level

Since 1956 Winel has specialized in manufacturing a wide range of products for the commercial shipbuilding and yacht building industry, including:

- Ship doors & hatches

- Tank vent check valves

- Access equipment

- Boarding ladder

- Custom-engineered solutions

Based in Assen, with workshops in Blokzijl and Haiphong, we are a unique partner, housing engineering, production, assembly and testing all under one roof. With our skilled staff, we strive to uphold our company’s key principles: quality without compromise, reliability and customized solutions to ensure your safety at sea.

Maritime training

Nova College Scheepvaart

The Maritime Academy of Nova College is based in IJmuiden and Harlingen. Established over a century ago, it is one of the oldest and most experienced maritime training institutes in the Netherlands. All locations are geared to their specialism, preparing people for all modern functions at sea and on shore.

Internationally certified

A wide range of training and education programmes are available, for professionals in the maritime industry both nautical and technical in the merchant navy, fishery and inland navigation. Operators of locks and bridges are also trained and the Academy participates in various consultancy and research assignments. Contract education by the Academy is internationally certified.

www.novacollege.nl/scheepvaart +31(0)23 530 2900 scheepvaart@novacollege.nl

Steel iron foundry

Allard-Europe NV

Veedijk 51 B-2300 Turnhout

E-mail: info@allard-europe.com www.allard-europe.com

Shiprepair and maintenance

Stout Pijpleidingen en Technische Installaties

Rivierdijk 641a

3371EE Hardinxveld-Giessendam

Tel. + 31 184 615022

Email: info@stout-pijpleidingen.com www.stout-pijpleidingen.com

Since 1979, Stout has been manufacturing and installing highly qualified customized piping systems for shipbuilding and industry. In addition to a team of professionals, we have advanced machines for cutting, bending, and welding pipework in our workshop of more than 4,000 m². Stout is your ISO and VCA** certified partner for production and installation of all custom build piping systems for dredging, ballast water treatment, HVAC, oil, fuel, cooling water, freshwater, firefighting, sewage

EDR Antwerp Shipyard Industrieweg 11, quay 403, 2030 Antwerp – Belgium

T: +32 3 253 27 52

E: info@edr-antwerp.eu www.edr-antwerp.eu

Commercial questions: philippe. trouillard@edr-antwerp.eu

EDR Antwerp Shipyard, new commercial name of Engine Deck Repair nv – your full service shipyard at the heart of Europe. Providing flexible one-stop shop solutions for vessel maintenance, repair and conversion. Installation of ballast water treatment systems, scrubbers, propeller retrofit, reefer upgrades and many more. Other departments:

• Technical Supplies: sale and purchase of critical spare parts 27/4, supply of original spares or other high-quality solutions, cane load tests, supply of engine parts, insulation services and supplies, etc.

• Spare Part Distribution: logistic activities to transport, pack and store your spare parts and vessel equipment. We transport with our own specialized fleet of trucks and we have in-house custom declared warehousing up to 16.000 m²

• Inland: dedicated department creating a one stop shop for all requirements Captain/Owners and managers of inland vessels may have, including specialized docking rated

Naval architects

DEKC Maritime

Osloweg 110 9723 BX Groningen

Tel. 050-5753950

E-mail: info@dekc.nl www.dekc-maritime.com

DEKC MARITIME (Design Engineering Knowledge Center) offers concept design, basic design, and detail engineering for new build vessels as well as operational support during the lifetime of a vessel. DEKC assists with modifications and mobilizations, and provides project-specific engineering. Our specialists in naval architecture, structural design, mechanical engineering and detail engineering are able to help with every idea or challenge.

Stern tube seals

Technisch Bureau Uittenbogaart Nikkelstraat 7

NL-2984 AM Ridderkerk

P.O. Box 165

NL-2980 AD Ridderkerk

Tel. +31 88 368 00 00

Fax. +31 88 368 00 01

E-mail: info@tbu.nl

Website: www.tbu.nl

Technisch Bureau Uittenbogaart is since 1927 active in the shipping and shipbuilding industry as exclusive agent in the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg for a wide range of A class brands. - SIMPLEX-COMPACT 2000 Seals

- Centrax Bulkhead Seals

Heating systems, sales and maintenance

Heatmaster bv lndustrial & Maritime heating systems Bedrijvenpark “Grotenoord” Grotenoord 1

3341 LT Hendrik-ido-Ambacht

The Netherlands Postbus 252

3340 AG Hendrik-Ido-Ambacht

Tel. + 31 78 - 68 23 404

Fax + 31 78 - 68 23 403

Email: info@heatmaster.nl www.heatmaster.nl

Heatmaster, your hottest innovator

Vessel Registration

Hubel Marine B.V.

Karel Doormanweg 5 3115 JD SCHIEDAM

Tel. +31-10 458 7338

A.O.H. +31-65 372 4457

E-mail: registration@hubelmarine.com www.hubelmarine.com

We are the official Flag representative for Panama, Belize. St.Kitts & Nevis, Sierra Leone and Guinea Bissau Ship Registry. Our office is fully empowered to process the registration of your vessel on 24/7 basis and issue the related Flag certificates in our office. Furthermore we issue the Crew Endorsements for your seafarers and perform Flag related Safety & Class Surveys.

Would you like to change flag ? Contact Hubel Marine .. leaders for Vessel registration !

Gearboxes and couplings

BOONE Engineering • Technical Solutions • Trading

L.J. Costerstraat 9, 3261 LH OudBeijerland P.O. Box 1572, 3260 BB Oud-Beijerland

The Netherlands T + 31 (0)186-618300

E info@boonebv.nl

I www.boonebv.nl

Boone, established in 1974, is a worldwide partner in engineering, technical solutions and trading within the maritime, industry and infrastructure sector. Through the years we developed as a specialist and became partner in production, repair and support in drives for the offshore, dredging and maritime sector.

Boone is distributor for:

• Kumera gearboxes

• Stromag high elastic couplings

• Jaure gear couplings

• Gosan sheaves

• Rhenania gearboxes

• Etron barrel couplings

• Sibre brakes and couplings

• Pneumaflex/Spiroflex couplings

As independent specialist we serviced brands as Keller, Jahnel Kestermann, Flender, Lohmann & Stolterfoht, Stork, Renk, Reintjes, Masson and ZF. We also provide service for thrusters of several brands as: Rolls Royce, Berg, Wärtsilä, Aquamaster and more.

For all your maritime affairs

Bureau Veritas Marine Nederland B.V. Gebouw “Willemswerf” Boompjes 40 3011 XB Rotterdam

Postbus 1046

3000 BA Rotterdam

Tel. 010 2822666

E-mail: nld_rtd@nl.bureauveritas.com

Manoeuvring systems, propeller shafts and seals

DNV

Zwolseweg 1 2994 LB Barendrecht Tel. 010-2922817

E-mail: rotterdammarketing@dnv.com www.dnv.com

DNV is the world’s leading classification society and a recognized advisor for the maritime industry. We enhance safety, quality, energy efficiency and environmental performance of the global shipping industry – across all vessel types and offshore structures.

Machinefabriek De Waal

Biesboschhaven Noord 4 4251 NL Werkendam

The Netherlands Tel. +31 (0)183 501811

Email: info@dewaalbv.nl www.dewaalbv.nl

The core business of De Waal mechanical engineering plant and shipping engineering, is: designing and manufacturing Stuwa rudders, steering engines, propeller shaft systems and seals for sea and inland shipping, the fishing industry and the yacht-building industry. The trained technicians have an extensive knowledge of steering machines and propulsion systems. De Waal is a family-owned business, since 1938.

MultiSure B.V.

Contactpersoon: J.L. Niemeijer Tosca 18 2926 PK Krimpen aan den IJssel Tel. 0180 552727 www.multisure.nl

E-mail: info@multisure.nl

MultiSure is specialised in insuring ship’s crew. We help you to be prepared for unexpected situations you do not want to think about.

Would you like to have your company added to our Search pages?

Please contact our account manager Bert Veninga, by phone +31 (0)6 51 586 888 or e-mail bert@veninga.net, for more information.

Dit 11x per jaar verschijnende vakblad SWZ|Maritime wordt uitgegeven door de Stichting Schip en Werf de Zee (SWZ), waarin participeren de Koninklijke Nederlandse Vereniging van Technici op Scheepvaartgebied (KNVTS) en de Stichting de Zee. SWZ|Maritime is het verenigingsblad van de KNVTS. Via participatie in Stichting de Zee van de vakbond van zeevarenden Nautilus International en de Nederlandse Vereniging van Kapiteins ter Koopvaardij (NVKK) hebben ook leden van deze organisaties een abonnement op SWZ|Maritime.

De Stichting SWZ is de eigenaar en uitgever van de titels Schip & Werf de Zee en SWZ|Maritime. Het bestuur van SWZ wordt gevormd door de participanten in SWZ (KNVTS en Stichting de Zee), die elk vier bestuursleden benoemen uit de doelgroepen van de lezers. Het bestuur bestaat uit de volgende personen:

Namens de KNVTS:

Dr. Ir. W. Veldhuyzen (KNVTS), voorzitter

Ing. P. Mast (KNVTS), penningmeester Ing. R. de Graaf (NMT), secretaris

Dr. Ir. M. Th. van Hees (MARIN)

Namens de Stichting de Zee:

W.T. Bos (NVKK)

H. Walthie (Nautilus NL)

De Stichting SWZ wordt bijgestaan door een

Adviesraad waarvan deel uitmaken: mevr. Dr.Ir.

A.C. Habben-Jansen, Prof.Ir. J.J. Hopman, Ir. A.H.

Hubregtse, Ir. P.J. Keuning, Ir. A. Kik, Dr.Ir. H.J. Koelman, mevr. Ir. K. van der Meij, Drs. M. van Rijsinge, mevr. E. Stroo-Moredo, Ir. P.F. van Terwisga, Ing. H.A.B. Veraart, Ir. K. Visser, Ir. A.M. van Wijngaarden, Dr.Ir. P.R. Wellens

Abonnementen

Voor niet leden aangesloten organisaties: Nederland € 179,00*, buitenland € 260,00, dit is inclusief: 11x SWZ|Maritime, de SWZ Newsletter en toegang tot de digitale editie van SWZ|Maritime en het digitale archief. * Deze prijs is excl. 9% BTW en € 3,95 administratiekosten.

Abonnementen worden tot wederopzegging aangegaan. Beëindiging van het abonnement kan schriftelijk, per e-mail of telefonisch geschieden, uiterlijk 3 maanden voor het einde van de abonnementsperiode; nadien vindt automatisch verlenging plaats.

Voor wijzigingen (in adres of opzeggingen) betreffende lidmaatschap van KNVTS: telefoon: 010 - 241 00 94, e-mail: secretariaat@knvts.nl

Voor wijzigingen (in adres of opzeggingen) betreffende het lidmaatschap van leden van Nautilus International: telefoon: 010 - 477 11 88, e-mail: infonl@nautilusint.org.

Voor wijzigingen (in adres of opzeggingen) betreffende het lidmaatschap van leden van de

NVKK en overige abonnementen: e-mail: klantenservice@mybusinessmedia.nl.

Voor klachten over de bezorging kan contact opgenomen worden met Mybusinessmedia: e-mail: klantenservice@mybusinessmedia.nl.

Digitale bladversie SWZ|Maritime Abonnees kunnen de digitale online bladerversie lezen op swzmaritime.nl/swz-archive/ met de daarvoor bestemde exclusieve inloggegevens. Voor vragen hierover neemt u contact op met de klantenservice van Mybusinessmedia: klantenservice@mybusinessmedia.nl.

Uitgeefpartner SWZ|Maritime wordt uitgegeven in samenwerking met uitgeefpartner Mybusinessmedia, Boreelplein 70, 7411 CG Deventer, telefoon: 0570 - 504 300, e-mail: klantenservice@mybusinessmedia.nl.

Advertentie-exploitatie

Mybusinessmedia, Bert Veninga, accountmanager, telefoon: 06 - 515 86 888, e-mail: bert@veninga.net. Alle advertentiecontracten worden afgesloten conform de Regelen voor het Advertentiewezen gedeponeerd bij de rechtbanken in Nederland.

Adres administratie KNVTS, Stichting SWZ en redactie SWZ|Maritime Zeemansstraat 13, 3016 CN Rotterdam, telefoon

KNVTS (abonnementen en lidmaatschap): 010 - 241 00 94, secretariaat@knvts.nl. Redactie (uitsluitend redactionele aangelegenheden): telefoon: 010 - 241 74 35, e-mail: swz.rotterdam@knvts.nl, website: www.swzmaritime.nl.

Redactie: G.J. de Boer, Ir. H. Boonstra, Ir. A. de Bruijn, M. van Dijk, mevr. Ing. A. Gerritsen, Ir. J. Huisman, Ir. J.H. de Jong, Ir. W. de Jong, H.S. Klos, Capt. H. Roorda, B. von Ubisch MSc, E. Verbeek, B. Lenferink (SG William Froude) Aan SWZ|Maritime werken regelmatig mee: B. Kuipers, H. Heynen, E. van Huizen, H.Chr. de Wilde en R. van de Pol

Hoofdredacteur: A.A. Oosting

Eindredactie: mevr. M.R. Buitendijk-Pijl, MA

Vormgeving: Bureau OMA, Doetinchem, www.bureauoma.nl

Druk: Printman, www.printman.nl

Hoewel de informatie, gepubliceerd in deze uitgave, zorgvuldig is uitgezocht en waar mogelijk is gecontroleerd, sluiten uitgever, redactie en auteurs uitdrukkelijk iedere aansprakelijkheid uit voor eventuele onjuistheid en/of onvolledigheid van de verstrekte gegevens. Reprorecht: overname van artikelen is alleen toegestaan na toestemming van de uitgever. ISSN 1876 - 0236

Colofon

The vessel will be fitted with two sails which will give a significant reduction of the carbon footprint.

Due to the modular design, the ship will be prepared for the energy transition. With it’s low air draft, the ship is also suitable for the Rhine and inland waterway’s.

SHAPING A WORLD OF TRUST

Bureau Veritas was founded in 1828 to address marine risks. Our priority is safety - for our clients and society. Today we are a multi-sector Testing, Inspection and Certification (TIC) organization with more than 75,000 people world-wide and about 1,400 laboratory and testing facilities. marine-offshore.bureauveritas.com nld_rtd@bureauveritas.com +31(0)10 282 2666

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