Marine Propulsion and Auxiliary Machinery February/March 2019 by rivieramaritimemedia

This issue of Marine Propulsion & Auxiliary Machinery is sponsored by

February/March 2019

www.mpropulsion.com

Future-proof your investments New MAN B&W ME-LGIP engine Our innovative dual-fuel LPG engine lets you de-risk shipbuilding investments and take back control. Power into the future with confidence. www.man-es.com/lgip

1903_13512_MAN_ES_FrontCover_SEL_IGIP_ENG_210x214mm_ISO_V2.indd 1

TWO-STROKE ENGINES The benefits of MGO may outweigh the costs

FUELS AND LUBRICANTS Will compliant fuels damage engine cylinders?

PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT AI is bringing about a change in predictive maintenance

05.02.19 17:32

CONTAINER HANDLING New systems increase carrying capacity and earnings potential

Reduce your environmental footprint COMPLY WITH LEGISLATION

MEET ENVIRONMENTAL STANDARDS

LOWER OPERATIONAL RISK

WÄRTSILÄ SEALS & BEARINGS ENABLING SUSTAINABLE SOCIETIES Wärtsilä’s products and services support you by maximising efficiency and minimising operational risks at the lowest lifecycle cost. Our environmentally friendly seal and bearing solutions are designed to ensure smooth and continuous operation of all vessel types, even in the most challenging environments.

www.wartsila.com

Contents February/March 2019 volume 41 issue 1

www.mpropulsion.com

Regulars 5 COMMENT 6 ON THE AGENDA 9 BRIEFING 67 BUNKER BULLETIN 68 POWERTALK

Americas Sulphur Cap 2020 Conference 10 A look at how one of the most pressing issues facing the industry – fuel prices – was considered at the Americas Sulphur Cap 2020 Conference

Market analysis

12 With the sulphur cap looming, the container-ship sector is looking at making vessels as environmentally friendly as possible

Container-handling technology 16 Why ultra large container ships have facilitated the need for new lashing and twistlock solutions to optimise cargo capacity 19 The latest developments in loading software, including revised route-specific lashing rules 23 How new cargo-handling systems are allowing container-ship operators to increase carrying capacity and earnings potential

Yard profile 26 Ferguson Marine Engineering is taking a lead in hydrogen-fuelled propulsion, evidenced by two ground-breaking new projects

Enginebulder profile 29 Liebherr and Wärtsilä are teaming up to bring a new high-speed engine to the marine market

Two-stroke engines 32 The latest developments in two-stroke technology, including Japan Engine Corp’s new UEC-LSJ unit

Four-stroke engines 34 Why new developments among Japanese and Chinese four-stroke engine suppliers will help operators use LNG as a marine fuel LUKOIL_Az_190x62_Kompass_auf_Wasser.qxp_Layout 1 24.09.15 13:09 Seite 1

Think LUKOIL ! luboilorder@lukoil.com

www.lukoilmarine.com

www.mpropulsion.com

Marine Propulsion & Auxiliary Machinery | February/March 2019

Contents February/March 2019 volume 41 issue 1

Sulphur Cap 2020 Conference preview 36 The big issues to feature at this year’s Sulphur Cap 2020 in Amsterdam

Propulsion packages 41 Using flexible hybrid propulsion without a gearbox

Driveline: gearboxes 43 The demands placed on gearboxes and transmissions by hybrid and electric vessels

Driveline: shafting, couplings and dampers 47 How Dellner Brakes is looking to develop and grow its business

Driveline: seals and bearings 51 A surge in bearing failures on newbuilds has been linked to IMO’s Energy Efficiency Design Index. But should they have been spotted earlier?

Driveline: propellers 55 A look at the fabrication techniques and modern materials being utilised in the quest for the perfect propeller

Performance management 58 More reliable sensor data can bring dramatic improvements in performance 60 A new tool that helps owners know when to spend on hull cleaning 62 Could artificial intelligence facilitate predictive maintenance in shipping?

Fuels and lubricants 64 With less than a year before the sulphur cap, there remains no consensus on the damage compliant fuels may do to engine cylinders

Next issue Main features include: Market analysis: gas carriers; Alternative & secondary propulsion: waterjets, thrusters; Electric & hybrid systems: switchboards, energy storage; LNG: cryogenic engineering & equipment; Fuelling & bunkering; Auxiliary systems: emissions control, heat exchangers, generators; Gas turbines; Exhibition preview: Norshipping 2019

You don’t need more information, you need the right information A year’s subscription to Marine Propulsion & Auxiliary Machinery costs [from] £299 and gets you:

• Six issues of Marine Propulsion & Auxiliary Machinery • Access to the latest issue content on your digital device • Industry yearplanner • Annual supplements: Worldwide Turbocharger Guide Maritime Decarbonisation Ballast Water Treatment Technology • access to www.mpropulsion.com and its searchable archive Subscribe online: www.mpropulsion.com

Marine Propulsion & Auxiliary Machinery | February/March 2019

www.mpropulsion.com

Editor: Gavin Lipsith t: +44 (0) 1202 735 526 e: gavin.lipsith@rivieramm.com Production Editor: Kevin Turner t: +44 20 8370 1737 e: kevin.turner@rivieramm.com Brand Manager – Sales: Tom Kenny t: +44 7432 156 339 e: tom.kenny@rivieramm.com Sales Manager: Rob Gore t: +44 20 8370 7007 e: rob.gore@rivieramm.com Sales: Paul Dowling t: +44 20 8370 7014 e: paul.dowling@rivieramm.com Sales: Jo Lewis t: +44 20 8370 7793 e: jo.lewis@rivieramm.com Head of Sales - Asia: Kym Tan t: +65 6809 1278 e: kym.tan@rivieramm.com Senior Creative Manager: Mark Lukmanji t: +44 20 8370 7019 e: mark.lukmanji@rivieramm.com Chairman: John Labdon Managing Director: Steve Labdon Finance Director: Cathy Labdon Head of Content: Edwin Lampert Published by: Riviera Maritime Media Ltd Mitre House 66 Abbey Road Enfield EN1 2QN UK

Total average net circulation: 11,000 Period: January-December 2018

Disclaimer: Although every effort has been made to ensure that the information in this publication is correct, the Author and Publisher accept no liability to any party for any inaccuracies that may occur. Any third party material included with the publication is supplied in good faith and the Publisher accepts no liability in respect of content. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, reprinted or stored in any electronic medium or transmitted in any form or by any means without prior written permission of the copyright owner.

www.mpropulsion.com

Innovation is what we do, supporting the shipping industry is why we do it.

IMO Sulphur Cap 2020 Today, Total Lubmarine is developing the next generation of lubricants to support your 2020 compliance strategy. Join us as we tour the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s major shipping hubs to discuss how we can collaborate with you to find the best solutions. To find out more, visit totallubmarine.com

COMMENT | 5

Automation heralds a safe and reliable future S

Gavin Lipsith, Editor

SOME OWNERS DON’T WANT TO SPEND ON PROPER INTEGRATION, OTHERS MAY HAVE NO INTEREST IN FINDING OUT ROOT CAUSES THAT MAY BE DIFFICULT TO ADDRESS”

www.mpropulsion.com

ometimes in the course of putting a magazine together, topics collide in unexpected ways. That happened twice during my debut issue as editor of Marine Propulsion & Auxiliary Machinery, both times while investigating the underlying causes for stern tube bearing failures over the past six years. Growing use of environmentally acceptable lubricants is one common explanation for the trend. Others point to design changes demanded by energy efficiency requirements, including heavier propellers combined with shorter, thinner propeller shafts. Another suggestion led me down a different avenue. Giulio Gennaro of 1888 Gennaro Consulting argued that the source of the problem often lies in propulsion systems that are poorly designed knowingly, to save on cost. The problem is compounded as poor design is not often included in insurance. So, shipowners are tempted to ignore bad design and file claims that are easier to recover. The true cause of the incident is never recorded, and the design flaw can easily go unrectified, compromising safety and reliability in a market where these are paramount. That impact of insurance practices on bearing failures was the first unexpected link I came across. The second came about when I asked our website readers about these issues. Do insurance practicalities affect reporting of incidents and hinder design improvements? I was not expecting a response from an automation company. But Høglund Marine Solutions CEO Børge Nogva provided one of the more thoughtful comments. Mr Nogva’s perspective is that the shipping industry would be more serious about automation and integration if it were truly interested in identifying root problems. Instead, he says: “The installed automation and control systems on board are usually not

connected, or the interfaces are simplistic. The various electronic systems are also lacking key features for logging data for later analysis. This prevents an overall approach to the underlying causes of incidents.” There are many reasons why this situation persists. Some owners don’t want to spend on proper integration, others may have no interest in finding out root causes that may be difficult to address. As Mr Nogva notes: “Not surprisingly, we find elements of evasive behavior. There are people who are afraid that the real causes of incidents will be laid bare.” That is sad. But looking to the future there is reason to take comfort. Automation and integration will inevitably play a wider role in shipping, be that through power management of hybrid propulsion concepts, regulating engines burning new fuels, or striving to improve efficiency and optimise maintenance. As these trends take hold, a more holistic view of the ship will enable us to identify, isolate and even prevent incidents. That enhanced understanding of root causes should lead to a dramatic improvement in safety and reliability. As for a journalist chasing a story, there are likely to be many unexpected revelations along the way. MP

Sulphur Cap 2020 Conference | Awards | Exhibition

Are you ready for IMO’s low-sulphur regime? Book now to access critical insights on market-defining issues as shipping counts down to 2020.

8-9 May 2019, Amsterdam www.sulphurcap2020.com

Marine Propulsion & Auxiliary Machinery | February/March 2019

6 | ON THE AGENDA

BIMCO seeks change to emissions study assumptions As IMO prepares to begin researching the fourth edition of its Greenhouse Gas Study, shipowner association BIMCO has asked the organisation to revise its assumptions

o one goes to sea for a life in statistics. But that may be where it leads. Just ask BIMCO deputy secretary general Lars Robert Pedersen, who has spent the past year or more delving into the figures behind IMO’s third Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Study. The hugely influential study has acted as a reference point for carbon and energy efficiency regulations at IMO since it was published in 2014. There has been an unprecedented volume of emissions legislation in that time, including the establishment of an initial GHG reduction strategy, a data-collection system for emissions and significant revisions in the Energy Efficiency Design Index. A fourth study will be started in the first half of 2019 and is due to be completed next year. An expert workshop preparing for the study will meet in London on 12-14 March. The document will be relied on heavily, like its predecessor. This time the stakes are arguably even higher, as IMO assesses the candidate measures that will help it meet its GHG emission reduction ambitions. More reason, says Mr Pedersen, to challenge the assumptions on which the third report’s forecasts are based. “It is imperative that the industry, and the world, base discussions and actions to reduce emissions from shipping on credible and realistic projections,” he says. “If not, we risk

making the wrong decisions and spending resources ineffectively.” Driven by this conviction, BIMCO has proposed that the fourth study does not include gross domestic product (GDP) growth projections, which it considers unrealistically high, to predict future transport demand and thereby emissions of the shipping industry. Specifically, the shipowner group argues that the study should avoid scenarios one and five of the International Panel on Climate Change’s Shared Socioeconomic Pathways (SSP).

Unlikely scenarios

These scenarios project short- to mid-term economic growth that is considerably higher than current economic trends. They also outpace Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) projections by as much as two percentage points. Indeed, it is only the lowest of the five SSPs (scenario 3) that features compound growth in line with current OECD projections. “The previous study’s most pessimistic projection of a 250% increase in CO2 emissions from shipping has since proven to be totally unrealistic, given the actual and projected economic development of the world,” says Mr Pedersen. “Unfortunately, the 250% projection has frequently been used as a stick against the shipping industry and to shape

Marine Propulsion & Auxiliary Machinery | February/March 2019

Lars Robert Pedersen (BIMCO): The “250% projection” has been used as a stick against shipping to shape regional policy

regional policy. BIMCO wants to avoid that happening again.” BIMCO has collaborated with CE Delft, the consultancy that modelled and calculated the third study’s projections for future GHG emissions from ships. The companies have produced a revised calculation that includes the most recent OECD projections. The report concludes that when using a more realistic growth scenario, shipping is projected to achieve an absolute emissions reduction of 20%, versus the target of an absolute emission reduction of 50% by 2050 compared to 2008. Lower transport work projections have recently been supported by DNV GL’s Energy Transition Outlook 2018: Maritime Forecast to 2050 and World Maritime University’s Transport 2040 - Automation, Technology and Employment – The Future of Work. Both decoupled the correlation between growth in GDP and transport demand after 2030, and both arrive at projections well below the recalculation of the third GHG study made by BIMCO and CE Delft. BIMCO is therefore suggesting that the IMO expert workshop take the decoupling of GDP growth and transport work into consideration. “We will need new solutions, in addition to traditional efficiency measures, to reach the 2050 target,” says Mr Pedersen. To pick the right solutions, the industry needs realistic projections. MP

www.mpropulsion.com

We do our best so you can do yours.

A boat. A ship. A vessel. Whatever her job, whatever her purpose, we take pride in building you something useful, something good.

DAMEN.COM

Sulphur Cap 2020 Conference | Awards | Exhibition 8-9 May 2019, Amsterdam

Information critical in countdown to 2020 In less than 10 months’ time a once-in-a-generation regulatory change will shift most of the global fleet onto entirely new fuels, about which little is yet known. Others will have to look to technologies that have so far played only a small role in the maritime sector. For the well-informed shipowner or operator, IMO’s global sulphur cap is an opportunity as well as a challenge. The challenge remains the selection of the appropriate compliance method and the preparation of fleet, crew and ancillary functions. Opportunities include improving the cost base relative to competitors, investing in efficient new technologies and processes and safeguarding the fleet against future environmental regulation.

The European Sulphur Cap 2020 Conference aims to shed light on these opportunities, addressing: • Which compliance option for which vessel and trade • What your crew needs to know about low-sulphur blends • How availability and pricing of low-sulphur fuel will affect uptake and operations • When a scrubber is a good choice for your vessel or fleet • How to tackle the challenges of scrubber financing, installation and maintenance • How growing availability and lower capex demands are driving LNG uptake • Why advances in gas-fuelled technology are driving today’s engine developments • How your chosen compliance method will affect your ship engines, machinery and technical operations • Why the 2020 sulphur cap offers a path to compliance with future environmental regulation. Book your place online today at www.sulphurcap2020.com/book-now or for more information please contact Tom Kenny on +44 20 8370 7791 or at tom.kenny@rivieramm.com

www.sulphurcap2020.com Gold sponsors

Silver sponsors

In association with

Organised by

BRIEFING | 9

Ammonia emerges as clean fuel candidate In shipping’s search for carbon-free fuels, the answer may be blowing in the wind

What’s the story?

MAN Energy Solutions has announced it will spend the next two to three years developing a two-stroke engine – more accurately, modifying its existing dual-fuel concept – that burns ammonia as fuel.

How did it happen?

Windfarm developer Siemens Gamesa approached MAN when it began considering producing ammonia at its windfarms. It wanted to make sure it had a consumer. Discussions about Siemens’ role are continuing, but MAN will go ahead.

What is the potential?

Ammonia, which is used as a fertiliser, cleaning agent and refrigerant, is shipped in industrial quantities by LPG carriers. MAN already has an engine that enables these ships to burn LPG: its ME-LGIP two-stroke, which was launched in September. Developing that engine to burn ammonia would bring more fuel flexibility to the LPG carrier fleet. The engine could eventually be used by other ship types, given a clean and abundant supply of ammonia. A project slated for April investigating the fuel also includes a container-ship owner.

Why use ammonia as fuel?

It’s clean, with not a carbon atom in sight; the only significant emission is NOx. But MAN notes that it is easy to clean exhaust gases using ammonia as a catalyst in a selective catalytic reduction unit, leaving just nitrogen and water vapour.

www.mpropulsion.com

But doesn’t ammonia come from natural gas?

Today, mostly. Methane-rich natural gas from coal, oil and gas operations is converted to hydrogen, by steam reforming, and then to ammonia by the Haber-Bosch process. So although ammonia burns cleanly at the funnel, there is a carbon footprint. That is about to change. Renewable electricity can power an alternative method of hydrogen creation, using electrolysis to extract hydrogen from water. Combine this with nitrogen extracted from the air and you have truly clean ammonia with no carbon footprint.

You need hydrogen before you get ammonia? Why not just use that?

Hydrogen is a potential clean fuel for shortsea and coastal shipping applications, particularly as an energy source for fuel cells. But Siemens has calculated that it is more efficient to convert hydrogen into ammonia than to either liquefy or compress hydrogen after it is produced. Ammonia does not need to be compressed and is liquid at normal temperatures under relatively low pressures – another reason why it could be a good shipping fuel.

What needs to change for MAN’s engine to burn ammonia? Not much. A fuel gas system would supply ammonia at around 20 bar. Injection will need to be considered, but is likely to be around 600 bar, which is the pressure used for injecting LPG today.

Windfarms could provide a plentiful source of ammonia fuel for MAN’s new engine

Kyushu University in Japan is already studying combustion and heat transfer characteristics. These will enable MAN to programme software controlling fuel injection, as well as informing any optimisation of nozzle design. Another obstacle is the use of a toxic substance as a fuel, which is currently prohibited under the IGC Code governing the bulk carriage of lowflashpoint fuels. MAN will work with class to make sure it can burn ammonia on LPG carriers.

What is the potential supply of clean ammonia?

Siemens and MAN calculate that every 10 MW of installed wind turbine power could also generate 1 MW of ship propulsion. Total offshore wind capacity reached 18.8 GW by 2018, according to the Global Wind Energy Council, and is set to grow six-fold by 2027. That could be enough for ammonia to become a significant part of shipping’s fuel mix as it seeks to cut its greenhouse gas emissions. MP

Marine Propulsion & Auxiliary Machinery | February/March 2019

10 | AMERICAS SULPHUR CAP 2020 CONFERENCE

Oil analyst predicts short, sharp sulphur shock At the Americas Sulphur Cap 2020 Conference in Houston on 5-6 March, Argus Media oil pricing analyst Stefka Wechsler discussed the fuel price factors influencing compliance decisions

BUNKER FUEL DEMAND FORECAST 250

200

Tonnes (million)

3 126

103

150

100

181

183

59 35 32 38

25 51

2018 2019 2020 2021 MGO

HSFO - non compliance

0.5pc FO

HSFO - scrubbing

HSFO

(source: Argus Media)

eople buying fuel for shipping are expecting a turbulent time as the market prepares for the 2020 sulphur cap. That is the pareddown message behind forward curves – the current price at which a deal for future delivery can be struck – for both high-sulphur fuel oil and low-sulphur distillates, according to the most recent analysis from price reporting agency Argus Media. “As the market gains clarity on product availabilities, the shapes of the residual fuel oil and diesel forward curves have changed,” says Argus oil price analyst Stefka Wechsler. In mid2018, the curve for US Gulf 3% sulphur fuel oil was showing a 23% decline

between July 2019 and January 2020. In January that curve was trending upwards by 1%. Similarly, the charts for US Gulf ultra-low sulphur diesel (with 0.001% sulphur) have flipped from a 5% decrease to a 1% increase between February 2020 and December 2021. “Forward curves are not price forecasts, but they are signalling confidence in the market that the expected residual fuel oil surplus will be absorbed and nervousness about distillates’ scarce availabilities,” says Ms Wechsler. They may not be forecasts, but the changes do indicate increased clarity on fuel pricing as 2020 nears. Suppliers including BP, Shell and ExxonMobil have been testing blends and are now pegging prices for compliant fuels, while there is evidence that trades are emerging. Ms Wechsler notes that Argus’ Singapore price reporter has been seeing deals for 0.5% sulphur marine gas oil (MGO) since midDecember. In Dubai, the company has received inquiries for compliant fuel oil in Fujairah. “The spot 0.5% sulphur marine fuel trade is expected to be liquid by Q3 2019,” says Ms Wechsler. Prices are important, but for those comparing the cost of compliance options, it is the spread between complaint fuels that is crucial. Ms Wechsler forecasts that the spread between low-sulphur and highsulphur fuel oil will widen, starting in Q4 2019.

Tapering spread

“The spread will taper off by Q1 2021, as supply and infrastructure problems

Marine Propulsion & Auxiliary Machinery | February/March 2019

are resolved and more scrubbers are installed on vessels,” she says. “Argus Consulting Services expects the spread to hover between US$350 and US$370 a tonne in 2020.” That relatively short period of turbulence belies the fundamental change that will hit the bunker market on 1 January 2020. According to Argus Marine Fuels Outlook, high-sulphur fuel oil will plummet from around 80% of global marine fuel demand in 2018 to 30% in 2020. MGO, conversely, will surge from 20% to 55% of the market, dropping to 43% in 2021 as production of lowsulphur fuel oil ramps up; fuel oil with 0.5% sulphur will meet 15% of global demand in 2020 and 25% the following year. Argus’ HFO projections also reveal its assumptions regarding non-compliance. In 2020, fuel oil representing 14% of global marine fuel demand will be used by vessels without scrubbers. In 2021 that is expected to fall slightly to 11%. With around 10 months to go, the situation remains complex, says Ms Wechsler. Pricing, demand and availability will continue to evolve rapidly as the fateful day approaches. MP Stefka Wechsler was among panellists at the first Americas Sulphur Cap 2020 Conference, organised by Riviera Maritime Media. The European Sulphur Cap 2020 Conference, to be held in Amsterdam on 8-9 May, will advance these themes and explore industry readiness for the changes ahead. For more information visit: www.sulphurcap2020.com

www.mpropulsion.com

ex-Wartsila, offering global technical support Stormy Waters

• Specialist Parts & Service support for Ruston RK270 powered Fast Ferries / HSC

We cannot rule the waves, but we do control our foundry and machining facilities. For 90 years and 3 generations our company has provided the marine propulsion industry with high integrity castings in Nickel Aluminium Bronze. Our success is built on delicate blending of traditional foundry practice with cutting edge technology. Copperstorm® is a developed product philosophy enabling us to efﬁciently create the highest quality castings from your designs. We strive to stay in front, our products do the driving.

Meet us at Nor-Shipping

• Parts supplied for use on RUSTON, ENGLISH ELECTRIC, W.H. ALLEN, DORMAN, PERKINS, BERGEN & WARTSILA engines

Phone +47 71 20 11 00 - Molde Norway - mail@oshaug.no - www.oshaug.no

European Diesel Services Ltd European Diesel Diesel Services Services Ltd Ltd European Diesel Services Ltd 25European YEARS

Totally Independent Power Solutions Totally Independent Power Solutions Totally Independent Power Solutions Totally Totally Independent Independent Power Power Solutions Solutions

19942019

•• The world’s largest independent stock • The world’s largest independent stock of of New • The world’s The world’s largest independent largest independent stock of stock New ofNew New && Reconditioned parts & Reconditioned parts forfor the RUSTON & Reconditioned Reconditioned parts for parts the RUSTON forthe theRUSTON RUSTON RK RKRK RK engine range engine range engine range engine range

• The world’s la & Reconditio engine range

•• Full of Engineers, and • Full Team of ex-Ruston Engineers, • Full Team Full ofTeam Team ex-Ruston ofex-Ruston ex-Ruston Engineers, Engineers, and and and ex-Wartsila, offering global technical support ex-Wartsila, offering global technical support ex-Wartsila, ex-Wartsila, offering offering global technical global technical support support

• Full Team of ex-Wartsila, o

Spare Parts and Service Engineers suitable for:

RUSTON•BERGEN•PAXMAN •• Specialist &&Service support • Specialist Parts & Service support forfor Ruston • Specialist Specialist Parts &Parts Service Parts Service support support for Ruston forRuston Ruston ALLEN•WARTSiLA•NAPiER RK270 powered Fast Ferries / HSC RK270 powered RK270 powered FastFast Ferries Fast /Ferries HSC / HSC RK270 powered Ferries / HSC

t: +44 (0) 1942 257444 | e: info@european-diesels.co.uk

• Parts supplied for use on RUSTON, ENGLISH • Parts supplied • Parts supplied for use on for RUSTON, use on RUSTON, ENGLISH ENGLISH • Parts supplied for use on RUSTON, ENGLISH ELECTRIC, W.H. ALLEN, DORMAN, PERKINS, ELECTRIC, ELECTRIC, W.H.W.H. ALLEN, W.H. ALLEN, DORMAN, DORMAN, PERKINS, PERKINS, ELECTRIC, ALLEN, DORMAN, PERKINS, BERGEN & WARTSILA engines BERGEN BERGEN & WARTSILA & WARTSILA engines engines BERGEN & WARTSILA engines

www.european-diesels.co.uk UVDB

• Specialist Pa RK270 powe

• Parts supplie ELECTRIC, W BERGEN & W

Registered

t: +44 (0) 1942 257444 | e: info@european-diesels.co.uk t: +44 (0)t: 1942 +44 (0) 257444 1942 257444 | e:| info@european-diesels.co.uk e: info@european-diesels.co.uk t: +44 (0) 1942 257444 e:| info@european-diesels.co.uk

We are absolutely deliwww.european-diesels.co.uk ghtedwww.european-diesels.co.uk to www.european-diesels.co.uk confiwww.european-diesels.co.uk rm we are a total y independent company not associated with any engine builder

We are absolutely delighted to confirm we are a totally independent company not associated with any engine builder We are Weabsolutely are delighted absolutely todelighted confirm we to confirm are totally wea are independent a totally independent company not company associated not associated with any withengine any builder engine builder Weabsolutely are delighted to confirm wea are totally independent company not associated withengine any builder

We are ab

12 | MARKET ANALYSIS container carriers

Box ships – market looks to LNG and scrubbers

Containerships has received its first LNG dual-fuelled vessel, Containerships Nord

The container-ship sector has traditionally been focused on ultra-large tonnage, but with the 2020 sulphur cap just around the corner, attention is now turning to making vessels as environmentally friendly as possible

Heavy Industries will build five 23,000-TEU vessels, also to be delivered in Q2 2020. Finally, Hyundai Heavy Industries will build eight 15,000-TEU ships, slated for delivery in Q2 2021. However, HMM’s order for the 23,000-TEU ships was the only ULCS order recorded between April and September 2018.

LNG enabler

he outlook for the ultra large container ship (ULCS) orderbook has softened since last year, as carriers try to rationalise supply with demand; nevertheless, there remain some vessel orders that will have a large impact in the near future. Eight 23,000-TEU newbuilds belonging to MSC are due to be delivered this year – the largest box ships ever ordered – with the last three to be phased in in 2020. In October last year, Hyundai Merchant Marine (HMM) signed contracts for 20 eco-friendly box ships. Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering will build seven 23,000TEU vessels, to be delivered in Q2 2020, while Samsung

Marine Propulsion & Auxiliary Machinery | February/March 2019

The 2020 low sulphur directive is dominating both the global orderbook and the container-ship market, as operators increasingly turn to alternative fuels and scrubbers to meet requirements, in both the newbuild and retrofit sectors. Perhaps the most innovative ships on the orderbook are CMA CGM’s order for nine 22,500-TEU box ships (seven to be delivered in 2020 and two in 2021), which will be the first ULCSs to be powered by dual-fuel LNG and will pave the way for other box-ship operators to follow. CMA CGM is taking a crucial role in enabling the use of LNG by container-ship operators and off the back of it an industry collaboration has been launched that will help increase the uptake of LNG in the box-ship industry. Based on their experience thus far in working to deliver engines,

www.mpropulsion.com

container carriers MARKET ANALYSIS | 13

fuel cargo tank and fuel gas handling systems (notably for CMA CGM's mammoth late-2017 order for nine ultra-large, LNG-fuelled container ships) WinGD, GTT and Wärtsilä are offering their combined services to shipowners and operators looking at LNG-power as a propulsion alternative. GTT LNG gas fuel vice president Julien Bec explained: “The idea was to collaborate with WinGD and Wärtsilä in order to propose a common package. It is a non-exclusive co-operation but by working together on common projects, it is just a small step to propose an integrated package between the three of us. Very commonly, using LNG involves a complex system with several suppliers involved and this leads to problems with interfaces; each package independently works correctly but when they are together you may have some problems and the idea is to avoid it. So, when a shipyard or owner asks us to deliver a system, it is as if it is asking just one company.” GTT is designing the LNG tanks on the CMA CGM newbuilds, Wärtsilä the auxiliary engines and the fuel gas handling system and WinGD the main engines. Highlighting the importance of the CMA CGM newbuilds to the co-operation agreement between the three companies, Mr Bec said: “We have a reference through the CMA CGM ships, we are implementing the solution and so other owners know that this solution exists. Our co-operation will reduce the financial risk because the main troubles that can happen that can lengthen planning will be stopped by this.” Talking about CMA CGM’s requirements, Mr Bec said: “CMA CGM wants to make one round trip, with one point of bunkering in northern Europe and the big point is to install a tank of 18,600 m3 of LNG with minimum cargo loss.” GTT is fitting the tank below the accommodation in the aft part of the ship and so only a limited number of containers will be lost. Furthermore, developments have been made with bunkering – MOL is building a bunker vessel of 18,600 m3 to be chartered by Total, which will be the largest bunker vessel globally.

expertise and constant development,” said Mr Laaksonen in a statement. “Success requires excellent co-operation between the involved parties.” Containerships’ vessels will be the first box ships to use LNG in European ports. Its key partner to supply and bunker LNG is Shell and its bunkering location will be the Port of Rotterdam. This will help boost the LNG bunkering infrastructure needed to enable other box-ship operators to turn to LNG. Containerships’ LNG vessels are deploying WinGD engines and TGE Marine LNG tanks. TGE Marine sales engineer and LNG technology specialist Max Liese explained that three Type C tanks are placed vertically, with the gas plant placed on top of these. Mr Liese said “This is the arrangement that gives the highest volume efficiency. With Type C tanks volume efficiency is not always perfect, due to their roundish shape, and this was the best solution to be as volumeefficient as possible.” Mr Liese noted that due to the surge in bunkering vessels, bunkering options had improved, which in turn has helped facilitate the use of LNG for container ships. The company has provided tanks and gas systems to three bunkering vessels and he said: “There are plenty of bunker vessels in the global orderbook so the chicken and egg discussion is almost over really; the issue of bunkering was a handbrake and this [has] almost [been] released, [allowing] owners and operators to go for LNG.” LNG can trace its routes in the container-ship business back to 2015, when US container-ship operator TOTE became the world’s first operator to run container ships on LNG. The company’s two 233-m Marlin-class vessels, Isla Bella and Perla Del Caribe, were delivered at the end of 2015 and

LNG feeder boost

CMA CGM is not just paving the way with its mega newbuilds – its subsidiary company Containerships (which CMA CGM acquired last year) took delivery of its first LNG-fuelled vessel, the 1,400-TEU Containerships Nord, in December 2018. Built at Wenchong Shipyard in China, the vessel is the first of four LNG-fuelled newbuilds ordered by Containerships, all with the same capacity. The remaining three are due to be delivered in the first half of 2019, and there is an option for two more. Containerships Nord stemmed from a decision by Containerships’ chief executive Kari-Pekka Laaksonen in 2013 to develop a sea-to-land strategy that will also involve LNGfuelled trucks. Containerships plans to invest in the trucks in a virtuous environmental circle. “The project has required high levels of

www.mpropulsion.com

A contributory factor for box ships adopting scrubbers is the uncertainty of 0.5% fuel after 2020, in terms of quality and price (Credit: CROE)

Marine Propulsion & Auxiliary Machinery | February/March 2019

14 | MARKET ANALYSIS container carriers

the beginning of 2016 respectively by US shipyard General Dynamics NASSCO. They now operate between Jacksonville, Florida, and San Juan, Puerto Rico. TOTE is doing its part in encouraging other containership operators to use LNG. Isla Bella celebrated its threeyear anniversary in October 2018 and TOTE executive vice president Peter Keller said: “The ships have been operating extremely well, and continue to operate every day, which proves the point to the rest of the industry that [LNG] is safe to use, there have been no incidents and the ships run on schedule every week.” In Q4 last year, the vessels began to be bunkered by the first LNG bunkering barge in the US, Clean Jacksonville. Mr Keller is hopeful the barge will also aid the take-up of LNG by container-ship operators. “It has been made to support the marketplace, not just TOTE, and we intend to market our barge to other potential users.” Mr Keller is chairman of multi-sector industry coalition SEA\LNG, of which TOTE is a member. It was created to accelerate LNG’s adoption as a marine fuel. He said: “With the exception of cruise, most of the sectors are not performing terribly well, so there are not a lot of discretionary funds to build ships. The current newbuild order for container ships compared to years past is not strong. But as we get beyond 2020 and owners see the cost of compliant fuel, and want to but may not be able to pass on the costs, that is a concern. So education, fuel costs and investment are required to move as the market gets bigger, and the price typically becomes more competitive over time.” He summed up: “If we take all those factors together, while we are not yet at a tipping point, as many have suggested, I do think we have a significant amount of initiative and that will continue to move forward.”

VERY COMMONLY, USING LNG INVOLVES A COMPLEX SYSTEM WITH SEVERAL SUPPLIERS AND THIS LEADS TO PROBLEMS WITH INTERFACES” Booming scrubber market

Another reaction to the looming low sulphur directive is that the scrubber market is now booming. A symbol of this is Maersk's announcement that it is adding exhaust gas cleaning systems, or scrubbers, to some of its ships to comply with IMO sulphur limits coming into effect in 2020. The scrubber order comes just under a year after the container-shipping giant said it was ruling out scrubbers as a 2020 compliance option.

Marine Propulsion & Auxiliary Machinery | February/March 2019

The Clean Jacksonville barge, used by TOTE’s vessels, is the first LNG barge in the US and will help boost the use of LNG

DNV GL gathers global statistics for ships, confirming the number operating with scrubbers and those which have scrubbers on confirmed order. As of October 2018, there were 243 container ships with scrubbers in operation or on order. CR Ocean Engineering (CROE) president and chief operating officer Nicholas Confuorto said: “The bigger possibilities are in container ships – until now they were saying they would not go to scrubbers. Now they are all looking at scrubbers and I think they have to do that because it makes so much economic sense.” MSC was an early adopter of scrubbers on container ships and Mr Confuorto opined this “forced the hand of other container operators to also consider scrubbers in order to remain competitive. It is an issue of competitiveness rather than technology.” Yara Marine Technologies also sees opportunities in the boxship scrubber market. Its chief sales and marketing officer Kai Latun said: “The container-ship market has really picked up.” He reiterated the importance of the expected high price of low-sulphur fuels as driving the scrubber market. “If the price differential between the fuels is as large as every expert is saying, then practically any sized segment in the container sector will benefit from installing scrubbers and continuing to use HFO.” He said predictions were that low-sulphur fuel would cost up to US$400/500 a tonne. “The larger the vessel, the larger the fuel consumption; the really big vessels will use several hundred tonnes a day.” Mr Latun added that any container-ship vessels with engines ranging from just below 10 MW and upwards would “easily have a business case [for scrubbers]”, with payback times of 18 months or less. Yara is delivering scrubbers to MSC’s 23,000-TEU ships, currently being built in South Korea. MP

www.mpropulsion.com

The solution is inspiration Inspiration breeds solutions, that help turn maritime challenges into business opportunity. At Nor-Shipping 2019, world class industry leaders, speakers, innovators and visionaries converge to connect and collaborate. This is your opportunity to discover inspiring solutions, during conferences, exhibitions, gatherings and more.

Welcome to Nor-Shipping 2019 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; your arena for ocean solutions Buy your ticket at nor-shipping.com/tickets

Main sponsor:

Organizer:

Leading sponsors:

Partners:

Charity partners:

16 | CONTAINER-HANDLING TECHNOLOGY

Lashing and twistlocks boost efficiency in mega box ships The rise of ultra large container ships has necessitated new lashing and twistlock solutions to optimise cargo capacity

Impact of lashing-bridge stiffness and twistlock separation on the lashing rod and corner-post compression load (Credit: LR) State 1

State 2

State 3

State 4 Container compression Starboard lashing rod force Port lashing rod force Total twistlock separation below lashing rods

120%

100% 27

80%

60%

40%

Total twistlock separation (mm)

Utilisation (Applied load/safe working load)

140%

9 20%

0.1

0 10.0

1.0

Log lashing bridge transverse stiffness/LR Rule Value

ashing and twistlocks are under the spotlight as never before, due to an increase in the number of ultra large container ships (ULCS) able to carry stacks of 10 or more container tiers on deck. Class societies have been active in their work within lashing and twistlocks for such vessels and have launched a number of initiatives in this area. The results of research and development work carried out by structures and hydrodynamic experts at Bureau Veritas (BV) has led to a better understanding of the forces at play in large container ships – in terms of hull structures, cargo stowage, and propulsion systems. The class society explained that this work enables greater flexibility in container loading and allows for heavier containers to be loaded higher

in a stack than was previously possible. Due to their long, slender hulls – which result from their operating speed requirements and the need for large deck openings to accommodate container bays – large containerships present specific structural challenges, according to BV technical director Jean-François Segretain. As container ships increase in size, so do these structural challenges, he said. New BV structural rules for container ships, coupled with its new container securing and lashing software, VeriSTAR Lashing, have increased the understanding of the physics and engineering requirements of large container ships, Mr Segretain said. He explained that acceleration loads applied in the new rules (arising from the surge, sway, heave, roll, pitch and yaw motions of the ship) have been more precisely determined,

Marine Propulsion & Auxiliary Machinery | February/March 2019

allowing them to be lowered. “Reduced accelerations mean less force acting on the lashing rods, allowing operators to optimise cargo capacity, not just in terms of being able to add more containers, but also in how the containers are distributed within each stack. This has the potential to save significant sums of money and time,” Mr Segretain said. The revised wave loads, which now underpin container-ship rules, have helped optimised ship structures. But an additional and highly significant consequence of their application is that they now also facilitate better container lashings, offering operators much more flexibility. Within the new rules, there is a chapter about carrying out lashing calculations, based on the new acceleration calculations. VeriSTAR Lashing enables operators to apply these calculations as efficiently as possible. “The strength of VeriSTAR Lashing is that it is linked to direct and powerful computation, using state-of-the-art hydrodynamics and real sea states – the same design wave computation that underpins the structural rules,” said Mr Segretain. “In the past, calculations for lashing were based on empirical formula; today, better calculations mean reduced accelerations and more flexibility,” he explained. A key feature of the software is that it takes account of the additional forces on the lashing bars and rods, resulting from vertical and horizontal gaps in the twistlocks and between containers. “The influence of gaps is now clearly

www.mpropulsion.com

understood, though previously it had been disregarded,” Mr Segretain said.

Maximising stack potential

Elsewhere, Lloyd’s Register (LR) has been working closely with ULCS. It has classified numerous such vessels with TEU in the 20,000 range, leading LR lead specialist structural analysis, marine and offshore, Seb Brindley to comment: “With over 50% of their cargo on deck, the importance of on-deck stack security and safety is vital for commercial success.” LR has developed a methodology which it says helps operators maximise their vessels’ potential. “This unique methodology is specifically engineered and validated to capture the stack behaviour, allowing clients to quickly, easily and reliably ascertain the stack safety… The importance of the lashingbridge strength, container corner-post rigidity and twistlock separation can be investigated,” said Mr Brindley. Singling out the closed end of a typical 40-ft inner stack with a single external lashing, and homing in on twistlock separation, he said this is inherent in the twistlock design, due to a slight gap or play in its connection with the corner casting allowing it to be easily fitted and removed. The gap between two container corners connected with a twistlock can increase about 18 mm

under tension. “For external lashing arrangements, this phenomenon not only causes a substantial increase in the lashing-rods’ load, but also reduces the compressive load in the corner posts,” Mr Brindley said. He noted for the examined stack there are four main states, due to the interaction between twistlock separation, lashing-rod loads and lashing-bridge stiffness: • State one – minimal support from the lashing bridge, resulting in excessive stack deformation. Multiple twistlocks are in tension causing a large load in the port lashing rod. This force pulls the stack to port relative to the lashing bridge and in some cases may cause the starboard lashing rod to be in tension, further increasing the load in the corner post. • State two – with increased support from the lashing bridge, only the port lashing rod and the twistlock below the lashing rod are in tension. An increase in the lashing-bridge stiffness only changes the separation of this twistlock and the lashing rod tensile load; the corner-post compressive load remains unchanged. • State three – only the twistlock below the lashing rod is in tension and an increase in the lashing-bridge stiffness transfers the load from the twistlock to the lashing rod, reducing the cornerpost load. • State four – the twistlock below the lashing rod is in the float condition. Similar to state 2, the loads in the lashing rod and corner post are independent of the lashing-bridge stiffness. Mr Brindley summarised that “twistlock separation, lashing bridge deformation and corner-post compression influence the stack behaviour.”

KR updates software

Seb Brindley (LR): LR’s methodology means that the importance of the lashing bridge strength ... and twistlock separation can be investigated

www.mpropulsion.com

In October 2018, Korean Register (KR) released the latest version of SeaTrustLS, its container-securing strength assessment software. KR said that SeaTrust-LS has been significantly enhanced by incorporating KR's new 2018 guidance for container securing and reflects practical insights and

New BV box-ship structural rules deal with the challenges presented by the hull structures of large container ships

feedback from world-class lashing makers, SEC Bremen and German Lashing Robert Böck. KR said that optimal container stowage and arrangement is “more critical than ever” as the trend for everlarger containerships persists – with ULCS now carrying stacks of 10 or more container tiers on deck. KR has revised its guidance for container stowage and lashing, after conducting ship motion analysis for different sizes of container ships from 1,000 TEU up to 23,000 TEU. The latest version of SeaTrust-LS contains all revisions of this latest guidance. The new SeaTrust-LS applies the semi-nonlinear calculation method to consider the twistlock separation effect of external lashing. This ensures the safe securing of external lashing, as well as speeding up lashing strength assessments. The new software provides a range of features, including the calculation of optimal acceleration and wind force, together with 13 route-reduction factors enabling container ships to maximise their cargo capacities while ensuring the safety of the ships themselves. SeaTrust-LS also includes a feature that automatically identifies maximum cargo capacity. This function helps users optimise design stack weight, lashing bridge design and container stowage arrangements, enabling the operator to select the best stowage arrangements under specified targets. MP

Marine Propulsion & Auxiliary Machinery | February/March 2019

CONTAINER-HANDLING TECHNOLOGY | 19

Software realises a flexible approach to stowage Loading software is being continually updated to reflect best practice. New developments include revised route-specific lashing rules and parameters that factor larger vessels

nboard loading computers are applying increasingly stringent and specific lashing rules which are specific to the route a vessel is sailing. This is having a marked improvement on safety and enabling greater flexibility in creating cargo-loading plans. “Route-specific and weather-specific lashing rules [enable] increased cargo intake and more flexibility in container

stowage,” says Navis product manager for MACS3 Gerald Lange. He notes a trend for new containerlashing geometries as particularly useful, explaining they are applied in cargo-securing systems and calculated on loading computers: “The algorithms used to calculate lashing forces are becoming more complex; in the past, simpler formulas were built into loading computers.”

The industry will benefit from improved stowage software, as it allows a better approximation of the physical forces acting on containers

www.mpropulsion.com

According to Mr Lange, the industry as a whole will benefit from this development, as it increases the accuracy when calculating lashing forces, meaning a better approximation of the real physical relationships causing the forces acting on the containers. “Having an approved-byclassification-society lashing calculator on board – while we cannot say it will 100% lead to no containers falling out – [provides] an increased safety margin to avoid incidents.” “There has been a lot of progress in the rules [over the] last few years; Route Specific Container Stowage+ (RSCS+) is one of changes that we have worked on.” It was at SMM September 2018 that Navis launched DNV GL’s latest lashing regulation option, RSCS+, on its loading computer MACS3. This has now been launched on a Claus-Peter Offen container vessel. In Q4 2018, Navis’ ship-specific MACS3 Sealash module was introduced on board the 8,000-TEU container vessel, having been approved by DNV GL. The vessel – owned and managed by Hamburg-based Offen group – is now able to apply the latest update of RSCS+ lashing regulations from DNV GL (the July 2018 edition). The update allows the maximum theoretical capacity for the vessel to increase by approximately 5%. As part of the upgrade within RSCS+, the vessels can now access worldwide routes through DNV GL’s Veracity, without additional approval from class. Using the class-approved lashing computer, the cargo officer can choose between calculations for long-haul

Marine Propulsion & Auxiliary Machinery | February/March 2019

20 | CONTAINER-HANDLING TECHNOLOGY

routes and short sea voyages as part of RSCS+. As a result, more cargo can be safely loaded on the vessels, based on typical trade patterns and weather forecasts for short sea voyages. Mr Lange says: “In short-voyage mode a reduction factor given by the rule can be applied if a weather forecast with a maximum wave height is available.” This provides the lashing calculation with more details, resulting in more flexibility in stowage of

containers and allowing heavier cargo to be placed higher in the stack. A vessel can switch between RSCS+ long-haul and short-haul calculations on a single route; for example, using the long-haul module for a trip from Asia to Europe, but once in Europe, moving to short haul as the vessel moves between European ports. For Navis, a major part of the project involved the integration between its

Jan-Olaf Probst (DNV GL): Non-linear and three-dimensional behaviour of container stacks now considered in stowage software

MACS3 onboard loading computer and its XVELA planning and collaboration platform, used for carriers and ports to find the best port loading and unloading plan. XVELA vice president global sales Martin Bardi says: “The integration between MACS3 and XVELA allows the terminal to validate stowage plans by using the same criteria as the ship’s crew.” Allowing the plans to be viewed by both crew and the terminal operators “reduces the number of iterations it traditionally takes to get plans approved by the ship captain. This ultimately increases vessel productivity at the port.” While both the MACS3 and XVELA software share the same stability and lashing engine, Mr Bardi notes: “You can plan the ship on one product and then upload the plans into the loading computer, but the loading computer might say you cannot load the ship that way. With our integrated products however, the same criteria that are used on stowage planning for the port can be

CONTAINER-HANDLING TECHNOLOGY | 21

applied on the loading computer; this dramatically reduces re-iterations.” Mr Bardi says more than 50% of container vessels are now using MACS3 on board, and major liners like CMA CGM are working with Stowman, the Navis software for stowage planning.

Software for bigger ships

Elsewhere, DNV GL has made changes to its Stowlash container-stowage software, to take into account the fact that, as box ships get bigger, the amount of container stacks increases. DNV GL director of business development in Hamburg and executive vice president Jan-Olaf Probst explains: “Container vessels are getting bigger and so operators want to store containers up to 11 or 12 tiers. Therefore, container stacks [exhibit] a totally different behaviour [to when stacks were lower]. Until recently, the first two or three containers on the top of 11 stacks had been mostly empty, depending on the loading of the vessel. But vessels do not want to carry empty containers, they want cargo. To achieve this, we need more accurate calculations.” As vessels have increased in size, so cargo-securing techniques have evolved to cope with the added scale. DNV GL pointed out in its latest Container Ship Update that over the past five years, external lashing has become a “quasistandard”, especially on larger vessels, because it allows operators to transport greater weights. To address such changes, DNV GL launched its Modern Deck Container Stowage (MDCS) solution, which led to the development of new StowLash software, which uses the ‘finite elements’ method to calculate the forces acting upon the containers and lashing equipment. Mr Probst says this is the first time the non-linear and three-dimensional behaviour of container stack has been considered in stowage software. DNV GL tested the results at the Pella Sietas shipyard in Hamburg, where six 40-foot-high cube containers were stacked on top of each other. Steel

cables were attached to put a tensile load on the stack, then released in a controlled condition to simulate the rolling of a stack. Instruments arranged around the container stack measured the forces and deflections acting on it. DNV GL said that the updated software is suitable for calculating both internal and external lashing systems. Innovations in lashing equipment can also be calculated appropriately. For example, the new software allows

users to define the type of twist-lock being used, and the new computation model accounts for the fact that lashing rods transfer only tension and not compression forces. Mr Probst explained the updated software will provide shipowners with “higher flexibility of load distribution in the container stack”. The new Stowlash 3D software and related rules will take effect in March 2019. MP

THE FUTURE IS GREEN, THE FUTURE IS LNG SWITCHING TO LNG AS FUEL? ASK GTT. LNG IS IN OUR BLOOD.

Learn more on www.gtt.fr

LNG as fuel allows to meet 2020 Global Sulphur Cap. GTT has developed for over 55 years LNG tank technologies. This considerable expertise, combined with this experience, is available for owners looking at switching to LNG. Today, GTT solutions allow to save some space compared to other LNG tank solutions.

DUPLEX• SUPER DUPLEX• SUPER AUSTENITIC STAINLESS• NICKEL ALLOYS• TITANIUM • LOW ALLOY MATERIAL

CORROSION RESISTANT MATERIALS FOR MARINE SCRUBBERS Sverdrup Steel AS is a material solution provider and will be your partner for high-grade stainless steels and nickel alloys for marine scrubbers.

From own stock and from our raw materials manufacturing partners we now have available sheet, plate, pipes, fittings and round bars in the most common grades for marine scrubbers.

Steel Type

UNS

Other

Plate

Pipe

Bar

Duplex

S31803

1.4462

2205

Super Duplex

S32750

1.4410

2507

Super Duplex

S32760

1.4501

Zeran 100

Super Austenite

S31254

1.4547

254SMO

Super Austenite

N08904

1.4539

904L

Super Austenite

N08926

1.4529

6XN

Nickel Alloy

N08031

1.4562

Alloy 31

Nickel Alloy

N10276

2.4819

Alloy C276

Nickel Alloy

N06059

2.4605

Alloy 59

Welding wire

Sverdrup Steel is a Global Supplier of high performance materials, providing one of Europe's largest stock holdings. With a clear focus on superior customer service, we promise to deliver the quality your business demands. We stock a large range of material in bars and plates that is ready for same day dispatch from our facilities in Norway and the UK. Adding value to the steel industry since 1992 © 2012 Sverdrup Steel• Strandsvingen 2• 4032 Stavanger• Norway• mail@lsverdrupsteel.com +47 51 81 69 00

CONTAINER-HANDLING TECHNOLOGY | 23

Cargo stowage solutions enhance payload capacity New cargo-handling systems are allowing container-ship operators to increase carrying capacity and with it, earnings potential

MacGregor’s Cargo Boost system lies at the heart of its cargo-handling arrangement

s operators seek to monetise their ships and boost the amount of cargo stowed, so the number of container vessels undergoing retrofits of their cargostowage systems has increased. MacGregor is one company that is benefiting from this trend, having noticed a “big boom” in the need for greater payload capacity, translating into earning potential. It is currently retrofitting vessels with innovative solutions to improve the number of containers that can be carried on board. To date, MacGregor has retrofitted 100

www.mpropulsion.com

container ships, varying in size from 6,800 TEU to 19,200 TEU. The company offers a Cargo Boost service, part of its PlusPartner concept, which is designed to improve the earning potential of existing container ships. The upgrades include an individual plan for each vessel, with a focus on improving earnings and efficiency and decreasing emissions per transported unit. At the heart of the system is the cargo-handling arrangement, which, said the company, must be looked at holistically along with all elements

of the system – the lashing bridge, lashing system and hatch covers – to create the most efficient and effective cargo system. Late 2017 and early last year MacGregor carried out its Cargo Boost service on 11 10,000-TEU container vessels owned by Seaspan, known as ‘SAVER 10000s’. Seaspan explained the motivation behind the retrofit. “The one and only purpose of a container ship is to transport containers, so the cargo system must be considered at every stage of the design process, starting from day one up until delivery and commissioning of the vessel. Thereafter it should be monitored in service to ensure that it remains effective as market conditions change. “In these market conditions it is vitally important that we provide vessels with minimised fuel requirements and flexible cargo-loading systems, which allow for maximum cargo intake of the available cargo. We must also keep in mind that the cargo profiles are continuously changing, so flexibility is key.” MacGregor also deployed its Cargo Boost service on systems on board seven Hapag-Lloyd C-class (Samsung 9,300 TEU series) container vessels in 2018. Key to the project was enabling higher stack weights for 40 ft containers; a sector identified as holding revenue potential. MacGregor senior naval architect Kari Tirkkonen said the company is focused on improving cargo efficiency and has been looking at ways to allow ships to carry a mix of 20-ft boxes and 40-ft boxes together. Previously they would be carried in separate slots. “More and more 40-ft containers are

Marine Propulsion & Auxiliary Machinery | February/March 2019

24 | CONTAINER-HANDLING TECHNOLOGY

being carried, especially high cubes, and this has created a pressure for cargo systems to be retrofitted to allow the carriage of high cubes/40-ft containers,” he explained.

Hoppe Marine’s Flume roll-damping system can reduce the roll of a vessel by up to 50%

Holistic approach

MacGregor’s holistic approach is also applied to newbuilds, with Mr Tirkkonen noting that the loading system for each vessel should be completed before the building stage to get the best possible configuration. “To create the best arrangements for each vessel, lashing bridges, hatch covers and lashing systems each need to be configured into the system as a whole,” he said. Mr Tirkkonen advised that containership operators should not go by the nominal capacity of a vessel when it came to cargo loading. “Vessels may have a nominal capacity of say 8,000 TEU, but when loaded they may not reach that number of containers – and not even be close. But if the actual cargo carried is taken into consideration in the software that we use at the design stage, accounting for the size and weight of the cargo and optimising the vessel’s cargo system to fit this, then utilisation rates can be much higher.” Another benefit of this approach is that loading and unloading in port is also easier. “If the cargo-carrying capabilities of a ship are more flexible, then you can reduce re-stowage and moves when in port. If the cargo is not stowed flexibly enough then it might have to be re-stowed during loading/ unloading, which is inefficient and time consuming,” Mr Tirkkonen added. MacGregor highlights that for the cargo-stowage system to be as efficient as possible, the crew on board and the personnel ashore using it must be well trained. MacGregor master mariner Tero Sairanen said: “Crew and cargo planners really must be trained by MacGregor so that they can use the system properly, explain to other personnel how to operate it and use it wisely to get the maximum benefit from it.”

Reduce roll to increase stowage Reducing the roll of a vessel can have a direct impact on cargo stowage. Hoppe Marine’s Flume roll-damping system is designed to boost the efficiency of loading and unloading containers and consists of an anti-roll tank that is usually placed behind or below the deckhouse. Its software allows the system to adapt to changes in load and operational conditions and counteract the roll of the ship by changing the liquid level of the tank. This can reduce a vessel’s roll by up to 50%, according to Hoppe Marine sales manager Bastian Marquardt. Maersk Line has installed the system across 48 ships in its fleet. Mr Marquardt explained that the system allows the lashing forces on containers to be reduced, giving more flexibility to where the containers are stowed and allowing more containers to be carried. “Heavier containers used to be placed deep in the vessel, but with the Flume system they can be placed higher up as the lashing forces are still ok,” he said. This is of benefit when loading and unloading in port, as there are options to place containers for an earlier port stop higher up, saving both time and money.

Rack design to ‘revolutionise’ port productivity A joint venture (JV) between DP World and industrial SMS group has resulted in new technology which will ‘revolutionise’ the way that containers are handled in ports. The High Bay Storage system was originally developed by SMS group subsidiary AMOVA for round-the-clock handling of metal coils that weigh as much as 50 tons each, in racks as high as 50 m. Instead of stacking containers directly on top of each other, the system places each container in an individual rack compartment. Containers are stored in an 11-story rack, creating 200% more capacity than a conventional container

Marine Propulsion & Auxiliary Machinery | February/March 2019

terminal, effectively enabling the same storage capacity in less than a third of the space. Chief executive Dr Mathias Dobner said: “Our system will significantly increase the productivity of handling ships on the quay. This means that quay walls can be shortened by a third. [It] will greatly improve the financial performance of container ports, and well as their overall appearance.” he said. Thanks to the rack’s design, each container can be accessed without having to move another one. The new, container storage system will be applied for the first time at Jebel Ali Terminal 4, in time for the Dubai Expo 2020 world fair. MP

www.mpropulsion.com

Twin Screw Cruise Ship Shaft Diameter 615mm (24.21in)

26 | YARD PROFILE

Born-again shipbuilder eyes Orkney’s hydrogen Ferguson Marine Engineering has returned from bankruptcy with a new zeal for small vessels with innovative propulsion, evidenced by two ground-breaking hydrogen projects

he banks of the river Clyde may not teem with Scottish shipyard workers any longer, but one group is hoping that it can bring back the glory days of shipbuilding to Port Glasgow. It would be a double rebirth, with Ferguson Marine Engineering itself rescued from bankruptcy in 2014. If it can be done it will not be achieved by building the tugs and dredgers that formed the mainstay of the yard’s predecessor from 1903, but through its pioneering exploits with novel propulsion. In the four years since the yard emerged from administration, it has delivered some notable UK firsts. These include completing a series of diesel-electric ferries for Scottish owner Caledonian Maritime Assets (CMAL) – the yard delivered the first two shortly before going bankrupt – and then, in 2015, starting work on the UK’s first dual-fuelled vessels, again for CMAL. The first of these, the Glen Sannox,

was delivered in November 2017 and the final vessel under the £97M (US$125M) contract is under construction. “Over recent years Ferguson Marine has been at the global forefront of green marine propulsion technology development,” says chief naval architect Chris Dunn. Alongside a £25M investment in rebuilding the workforce, those innovative projects have positioned the company for the future. If recent awards are any indicator, that future could rest with a cutting-edge renewable energy scheme in the Orkney Islands. In June it was announced that Ferguson had led a consortium in a successful bid for European Union funding to build the world’s first sea-going car and passenger ferry fuelled by hydrogen. The Hyseas III consortium includes marine autonomy and systems supplier Kongsberg, fuelcell specialist Ballard Power Systems, ferry operators’ association Interferry, Orkney Islands Council, the University of St Andrews, hydrogen production and distribution company McPhy and the German Aerospace Center. While the status of its world first remains to be seen, the project is at the very least among the first handful to trial hydrogen as a marine fuel. The project vessel is planned to operate in and around Orkney, which is already producing hydrogen from renewable energy produced through wind and tidal turbines. Mr Dunn explains that the initial design for the new vessel

Innovative propulsion has been at the heart of Ferguson Marine Engineering’s renewal

Marine Propulsion & Auxiliary Machinery | February/March 2019

www.mpropulsion.com

YARD PROFILE | 27

envisions a 40 m-long vessel with capacity for 120 passengers, 16 cars and two heavy goods vehicles. The vessel, which will boast a “landing craft-style hull”, will ply the four-mile, 25-minute service between Shapinsay and Kirkwall, the capital of Orkney.

Drivetrain testing

More important is the power configuration and fuel storage. Pressurised tanks will store 1,000 kg of compressed hydrogen, to be converted into electricity by seven 100 kW fuel cells, for use in electric propulsion and storage in a lithium-ion battery system. The initial objective is to construct and prove the vessel’s modular drivetrain onshore, testing for stress and durability under conditions. For this the consortium will employ historic operating data from existing vessels. If that test is successful – as seems likely given the extent to which proven technology, including Ballard Power fuel cells, will be deployed – the vessel will be built by next year. Under a community project known as Surf n Turf – reflecting the sea-based tidal systems and land-based windfarm – on the islands of Shapinsay and Eday, Orkney is producing more electricity than it can use and is thus using the electricity to power electrolysis, separating hydrogen from freshwater. The Hyseas III consortium will collaborate with Surf n Turf to provide the vessel with a hydrogen fuelling facility. European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC) has been deeply involved in the project in Orkney. Hydrogen development manager Jon Clipsham says: “Having invested in an electrolyser to generate hydrogen from Eday’s tidal and wind resources, EMEC has been exploring various opportunities to support the development of a hydrogen economy on the islands. The potential for developing hydrogen-powered vessels is one of the most exciting prospects, particularly given the number of carbon-intensive, inter-island ferries.” The HySeas programme was initiated by the University of St Andrews and CMAL in 2012. Since then it has gone from an early feasibility study to the point where, today, the focus can shift to testing and delivery. Under the Horizon 2020 research and innovation umbrella, EU will contribute €9.3M (US$10.5M) to the total project cost of €12.6M. Ferguson Marine CEO Gerry Marshall says: “We have one of the most innovative shipyards in Europe which is capable of delivering ground-breaking projects for Inverclyde, Scotland and beyond. HySeas III is an example of how it can be possible to lead the world in marine technology.” Ferguson’s hydrogen ambitions do not end with Hyseas III, although they stay close at hand. In October the company announced a further grant, of £430,332 from Innovate UK, to design and integrate a hydrogen and diesel dual-fuel injection system onboard a commercial ferry. While Hyseas III aims to build a fuel-cell-powered ferry from new, this project – titled ‘Hydrogen Diesel Injection in a Marine Environment’ (HyDIME) – will explore using hydrogen in an internal combustion engine on another, existing Shapinsay ferry.

www.mpropulsion.com

The Kirkwall-to-Shapinsay ferry route is set to become an unlikely hydrogen fuel testbed

Installation challenge

The focus of the project will be how the hydrogen injection system components fit on the vessel and interact with the dockside hydrogen storage solution. Analysis will be conducted to assess how the new system will impact the arrangement on the existing vessel. The ferry will have to be adapted to accommodate the new system and the hydrogen injection system integrated with the 75 kW auxiliary power unit onboard the vessel. The current ferry has two generators, with one acting as back up. This level of redundancy means that the system under testing will have minimal impact on the service of the vessel. The impact on emissions however, is expected to be high; the consortium expects that hydrogen will replace 40-60% of the diesel fuel used on the ferry each year, or 7,50011,500 litres. That fuel saving may seem limited, but given the marine traffic around Orkney, the potential to scale up the supply of hydrogen fuel would be enormous, if both the dual-fuel injection and the fuel-cell-powered concepts are proven. As part of the project, the High Speed Sustainable Manufacturing Institute (HSSMI) will conduct a scale-up analysis and carry out a techno-economic assessment of the current system and of potential scenarios. The aim is to determine if there are any other regions in the UK where similar hydrogen infrastructure could be implemented. There is the potential upside of being a hydrogen pioneer. If the HSSMI study does recommend that other areas could benefit from similar infrastructure, Ferguson will be in prime position to bid for hydrogen shipbuilding business as it emerges. The year-long HyDIME project is due to be completed in July 2019. By that time, the drivetrain for the fuel-cellpowered ferry will be under test and Ferguson will be preparing for construction of the vessel itself. One way or another, the resurgent Clydeside shipbuilder is planning on a hydrogen-fuelled future. MP

Marine Propulsion & Auxiliary Machinery | February/March 2019

TEAK WOOD STEERING WHEEL

SEM300 AUTOPILOT

EXCELLENCE IN SHIP CONTROL LOW TOTAL COST OF OWNERSHIP

NEW JOYSTICK / DP PANEL

STEERING CONTROL SYSTEMS

HIGH RELIABILITY WWW.EMRI.DK

AUTO & TRACK PILOT

ENGINEBUILDER PROFILE | 29

Liebherr marine ambitions drive high-speed debut for Wärtsilä

The demise of high-sulphur fuel and the rise of hybrid propulsion make highspeed engines more attractive

Two big engineering groups have come together to bring a small but mighty highspeed engine to the marine market

hink of Wärtsilä as an enginebuilder and you think of either its mediumspeed workhorses or the low-speed behemoths that were spun off to Winterthur-based WinGD in 2016. Until last November, high-speed engines did not feature. That changed when the company teamed up with an unlikely partner to launch the Wärtsilä 14.

Power through partnership Engineering group Liebherr may be better known in the maritime world for its cranes and drives, but the company has been steadily developing its engine portfolio over the past seven years. The range now covers power outputs from 150 kW to 4,500 kW. Nor is Wärtsilä the first company that Liebherr has co-operated with in engine development. Other partners include Kohler in power generation, Voith in rail applications and John Deere in agricultural vehicles. Mr Lenz says: “There are five stages when you build an engine: development; procurement; manufacturing; distribution; and after-sales. We have the expertise for the first three in-house and for the remaining two we look for a partner (or multiple partners) who are strong in that market.”

www.mpropulsion.com

The engine itself is a surprisingly powerful package, delivering up to 1,340 kW of propulsive power – or 1,155 kWe of auxiliary electrical power – in its largest size, featuring 16, 135 mm – bore cylinders in ‘V’ configuration. That power is packed into just 36 litres. More surprising, for those in the marine market at least, is the partner that developed and built the engine: Swiss engineering giant Liebherr, better known in shipping for its versatile cranes. But the Zurich-based company’s interest in the engine market should surprise no one, says Liebherr sales director for large applications Philippe Lenz. Its high-speed engines are well established in several markets including construction, mining and power generation. In fact, the Wärtsilä 14 was originally the Liebherr D96, which has been proven in land-based power generation in recent years. Liebherr’s ambition is to enter all engine markets, says Mr Lenz. Marine is the second biggest market for engines around 1 MW and Liebherr has a portfolio to suit, but access can be challenging given the regulations, certification and service demands in the sector. “We are not a young company, but we are a relatively young engine group,” he says. “So, we need to find a good route into markets. In power generation that is with Kohler, in marine it is with Wärtsilä and in other markets we may have two or three partners.” Although Liebherr had been close to the marine market through its cranes, drives and components business, the marine power and propulsion market needs a different approach, says Mr Lenz. “You need to know different people

Marine Propulsion & Auxiliary Machinery | February/March 2019

30 | ENGINEBUILDER PROFILE

when you are talking about propulsion, and while we produce maritime cranes, we do not have a global service network. That’s what you need to serve this industry: a global network in all the major ports.”

WÄRTSILÄ 14 TECHNICAL SPEC CYLINDER CONFIGURATION POWER (PROPULSION) POWER (AUXILIARY)

For its part, Wärtsilä was quick to observe the potential for a high-speed engine in its core marine portfolio. This was driven by the evolution of the shipping market, says Wärtsilä director of small-bore engines Janne Klemola. In particular, he points to the changing fuel mix demanded by regulation and decarbonisation, as well as the trend for smarter, hybrid power and propulsion. When IMO’s 0.5% sulphur cap comes into force on 1 January 2020, the possibility of burning high-sulphur, high-viscosity heavy fuel oil will be removed for all vessels that do not have an exhaust gas cleaning system. This raises the possibility that more operators will be using the cleaner, less viscous fuels – such as marine gas oil – that can be burned in high-speed engines. The spread of cleaner fuels with lower sulphur is one reason why Wärtsilä anticipates a higher demand for high-speed marine engines. The spread of hybrid power and propulsion is another reason. Wärtsilä’s

755-1,005 kW

1,005-1,340 kW

675-865 kWe

900-1,155 kWe 1,500-1,900 rpm

BORE

135 mm

STROKE

157 mm

27 l

36 l

2,700 kg

3,800 kg

DISPLACEMENT WEIGHT

recently launched integrated hybrid propulsion package, Wärtsilä HY, boasts an engine, a battery system and an energy management system. As the energy management becomes smarter and battery systems increase in power density, there will be the possibility to replace medium-speed engines with smaller high-speed units. The result for shipowners will potentially be lower upfront investment, smaller installation footprints, lower lifecycle fuel consumption and reduced maintenance. “This will enhance our hybrid package,” says Mr Klemola. “Especially in the lower power range, as fuels become cleaner that will naturally open the market for high-speed engines. Depending on the fuel type they are selecting and how they run their vessels we can offer either heavy-duty, mediumspeed engines or high-speed engines.”

Marine ready

Philipp Lenz (Liebherr): “We are not a young company but we are a relatively young engine group, so we need to find a good route into markets”

16 V

1,500-1,900 rpm

SPEED

Fuel shift

12 V

Before it can reach the seas though, the engine must be prepared for the demands of the marine market. It is this that has dominated the joint development work by Wärtsilä and Liebherr over the past year. This means the classification process, with which Wärtsilä is very familiar, while the company’s relationships will also make it easier to navigate future certification requirements, for NOx emissions compliance, for example. There were also some refinements to the engine itself. While the powergeneration market demands a fixedspeed engine for diesel-electric drives, mechanical propulsion has a much wider

Marine Propulsion & Auxiliary Machinery | February/March 2019

operating profile. The marine engine’s performance curve and requirements are therefore different from power generation, with further requirements of the controls for marine use, as well as the stipulations of class and SOLAS. In its propulsion configuration, the engine is suitable for smaller vessels, such as fishing vessels and small passenger craft, while in diesel-electric mode providing auxiliary power it is likely to find applications on offshore support vessels and coastal tankers. Given the slow newbuilding market for OSVs and deepsea-going ships, it remains to be seen whether the first reference for the new engine will be in a propulsion application. Not surprisingly for Liebherr’s entry into the marine propulsion market and Wärtsilä’s debut highspeed engine, the Wärtsilä 14 engine was received with great interest when it was launched at the New Orleans Workboat Show in November. The companies have yet to disclose a first reference for the Wärtsilä 14 but anticipate being ready to make delivery late this year, with the first vessels going into service in 2020. If all goes well, there is great potential to enhance the partnership between Wärtsilä and Liebherr. Not only does Liebherr plan to extend its range of engines, but it also sees an opportunity to use some of its drives and components in Wärtsilä products. In the short term, the focus will be on making sure this intriguing new partnership’s first venture gets off to a high-speed start. MP

www.mpropulsion.com

A copy may get you in trouble

FILTREX ACP

The original lube oil automatic filter Copies are just not good enough

FILTREX Headquarters: Via R. Rubattino 94/B - 20134 Milano (ITALY) tel: +39 027 533 841- fax: +39 027 531 383 - www.filtrex.it - info@filtrex.it

32 | TWO-STROKE ENGINES

Diverse developments drive two-stroke design forward Two-stroke engine design is advancing rapidly as developers aim to improve environmental performance across several fronts

hoosing a priority for an engine designer is not easy. Improving environmental efficiency is one area of focus, but within that lofty goal come several other aspects, many of which contradict each other. If you want to meet Tier III NOx emission limits you may well have to resort to an engine tuning that sacrifices fuel efficiency and bumps up greenhouse gas output. If you look to minimise sulphur by exhaust gas cleaning, there will be a CO2 penalty every time you turn on your scrubber. The picture is complicated further by the range of solutions on the market. From exhaust after-treatment

to alternative fuels and hybrid electric power, engine designers must balance complexity as never before. So it is not surprising that the makers of the biggest engines are embarking on very different development programmes. Japan Engine Corp has demonstrated the first of a new series of mono-fuelled engines that offer an unusual solution to the impending IMO sulphur limits – burning marine gas oil (MGO), one of the most expensive fuels available. The company believes that optimising engine design for this fuel will enable some operators to achieve cost-efficient compliance while avoiding some of the uncertainties around other options.

Japan Engine Corp’s mono-fuelled engine offers an interesting option for ECAbased bulk carriers

Marine Propulsion & Auxiliary Machinery | February/March 2019

Although future fuel prices and the impact of the sulphur rule are hotly debated, MGO currently sells at a premium to heavy fuel oil and LNG; it is also expected to be pricier than the new low-sulphur fuel blends which are set to reach the bunker market by 2020. But there are some clear advantages. The viscosity of MGO is higher than fuel oils, so the fuel requires no heating. This means a simpler fuel system as well as less wear on fueltrain components such as purifiers, translating to lower maintenance, higher reliability and greater ease for crew. The availability of MGO is already assured, while one of the recognised challenges of new low-sulphur blends is that – even if availability is not a problem – fuel compatibility across products (even products from the same supplier at different ports) is far from certain. Japan Engine Corp reports that the new UEC-LSJ two-stroke engine met that challenge, reducing fuel consumption by 5% compared to the corresponding conventional engine model. For the Tier III mono-fuel version, NOx optimisation marginally compromises fuel efficiency, with the saving reduced to 4%. According to a spokesman, the fuel consumption saving reaches nearly 10% if the difference in calorific value between MGO and heavy fuel oil is taken into account. The efficiency is achieved partly by fine-tuning combustion, including atomiser design, fuel injection pressure and scavenge air port arrangement. Peculiar to J-Eng designs is that water injection is used to reduce NOx formation (and therefore the need to compromise fuel consumption as a countermeasure) by lowering combustion temperature. This system,

www.mpropulsion.com

Integrated gas pressure regulation will be rolled out across the X-DF range (credit: WinGD)

which the company also claims reduces fuel consumption directly by improving the fuel-air mix, has been in use on one of the company’s engines on Japanese training ship Ginga Maru since 1994, accumulating 2,000 hours of operation.

Multiple goals

The company believes that its novel, mono-fuelled engines will be best suited to vessels below 60,000 dwt. Its first engine in the series – the fivecylinder, 500-mm-bore 5UEC50LSJ – is best suited to handysize bulk carriers. It will be available for delivery in late 2019, with a six-cylinder variant expected the following year. A spokesman for J-Eng said: “We expect to acquire some market share for medium-sized and small vessels which operate mainly in Emission Control Areas, and to increase production to 12 engines a year from 2022. Chinese licensees might also manufacture the engines in the near future. The Chinese market is quite promising for mono-fuel engines, due to local sulphur regulations.” While J-Eng is looking to optimise propulsion driven by oil, other developers are tweaking their gasfuelled designs. Winterthur-based WinGD is introducing a new system that brings the function of the gas valve unit (GVU) within its X-DF dualfuel engines, easing installation and improving integration. The role of the GVU in the LNG propulsion configuration is to regulate the pressure of gas from the fuel gas supply system to the engine and to shut down supply quickly and safely. GVUs usually sit in the engineroom, although they can also be housed in a dedicated room. The new integrated gas pressure regulator (iGPR) incorporates that functionality within the X-DF engine. The new concept results in a space saving in the engineroom, as well as a weight saving (of around 1,100 kg compared to the GVU-equipped alternative design in the debut case), easing installation. But according to WinGD manager, marketing and application, Daniel Strödecke, the

www.mpropulsion.com

impact on control and communication is more significant than the weight and space savings. “Rather than communicating between the GVU and engine via an external system, now there is just internal communication within the engine,” he said. Integration is improved in other areas too. Interfaces with other equipment are simplified and more of the engine set-up can be completed by the engine builder rather than the shipyards. Mr Strödecke noted that the iGPR design enables installation of significantly smaller ventilation air fans, for example, and gives WinGD more control over the design and construction in general. “If we want to optimise the pressure control valve it can be done without liaising with a third party,” he explained. The system has been introduced on the first X52DF engines, destined for two 125,000 dwt shuttle tankers being built for AET by Samsung Heavy Industries. The engines are also notable for their ability to burn volatile organic compounds – the gasses emitted by crude oil under transfer – without the need for a reformer. The iGPR will also be introduced on the X92DF engines that are set to power CMA CGM’s nine, gasfuelled ultra large container ships. It will eventually be rolled out across WinGD’s X-DF portfolio. Elsewhere, a recent focus has been on making sure that engines work with other power sources to contribute to improved, system-wide efficiency. MAN Energy Solutions has acknowledged the growing role of hybridisation in deepsea shipping by establishing a default set-up for using power take-off (PTO) with its dual-

fuelled two-stroke engines. The company used the configuration to show how an 11,000-TEU, gas-fuelled container ship can be made more efficient by harnessing PTO to generate electricity from its main engine. MAN cited a recent application as the inspiration for a study which found that connecting a PTO to an ME-GI engine could cut fuel consumption by 6.4%, or 165 tonnes of gas fuel per 18,000-nm trip; that equates to 1,238 tonnes less fuel a year. “The new fuels, regulations and the challenging environment in the marine business over the past years have created a complicated equation in terms of optimising a future vessel,” the authors of the study explained. “In order to address the increasing needs from vessel operators, MAN has gathered data and operating experience and created a default set-up.” MAN’s solution is to connect a 2.4 MW power take-off to an eight-cylinder G95ME-GI engine (with a maximum continuous rating of 42.31MW at 76.9 rpm). The company argues that the inherently better efficiency of twostroke engines means that using the main engine to generate electricity while sailing is more efficient than using the auxiliaries. To optimise fuel efficiency, the company deploys the latest version of both its ultra-long stroke G95 engine and the ‘Mark 2’ update of its ME-GI gas-injection concept. It also includes the recently developed pump vaporiser unit; this combines the cryogenic pumps and vaporiser in one unit, simplifying the fuel-gas supply system. The efficiency gain can be used to either improve sea endurance, allowing for longer time between bunkering, or to reduce the size of LNG tanks needed to manage the same voyage. MP

Marine Propulsion & Auxiliary Machinery | February/March 2019

34 | FOUR-STROKE ENGINES

Asian engine designers advance gas fuel concepts Recent developments among Japanese and Chinese four-stroke engine suppliers will offer more options for operators looking to use LNG as a marine fuel

NG has been used in four-stroke engines for more than a decade now, but there are still advances to be made. One such development priority involves reducing pilot fuel oil consumption and expanding the gas fuels that can be used. Recent projects in China and Japan highlight the approach to these challenges. A pure gas, four-stroke engine developed in China is ready to be put into service, according to enginebuilder and designer Shanghai Marine Diesel Engine Research Institute (SMDERI). The company’s eight-cylinder M23G engine deploys the lean-burn, Otto cycle method of low-pressure gas injection. It is notable for its ignition process, initiated by a spark plug in a pre-combustion chamber that features a separate gas supply to the engine cylinder. The air-to-fuel ratio in the cylinder is controlled by a throttle which adjusts the air inlet and exhaust wastegate. The M23G meets IMO Tier III NOx emission limits without after-treatment. The eight-cylinder version, with a bore of 230 mm and a stroke of 320 mm, boasts a power output of 1,600 kW at 1,000 rpm. The engine, which has been in development since 2015, has accumulated 600 hours on the testbed, while a prototype based on SMDERI’s 6CS21 diesel engine has been installed on a tugboat and has been operated for several hundred hours. China Classification Society has issued a type-approval certificate for the new engine. “The design, production and test phase are complete and the engine has already been well developed,” says Li Xiang of SMDERI’s new technology department. “Based on the successful

SMDERI’S LEAN-BURN ENGINE IS NOTABLE FOR ITS IGNITION PROCESS, INITIATED BY A SPARK PLUG IN A PRE-COMBUSTION CHAMBER THAT FEATURES A SEPARATE GAS SUPPLY TO THE ENGINE CYLINDER”

Marine Propulsion & Auxiliary Machinery | February/March 2019

Daihatsu is aiming to scale down land-based reformers such as Linde’s, near Munich

application of the 6CS21 diesel engine, we believe that the M23G will be accepted by the market in the near future.” SMDERI’s gas engine development programme follows the introduction of the CS21 medium-speed diesel engine range in 2011. The company also co-designed the Auxpac 16 generating set with Wärtsilä. Described as the world’s smallest generating set, it delivers 735 kW through six 160-mm-bore cylinders. While SMDERI is aiming to allow operators to run purely on gas, another engine designer is taking measures to broaden the range of gas fuels it can use. Japanese enginebuilder Daihatsu is in the final stages of validating a new technology that would enable its LNG-burning engines to use LPG as fuel. The company’s solution involves an onboard gas reformer to convert propane-based LPG into substitute natural gas (SNG), which can be used in the company’s dual-fuel engines. The technology was presented publicly for the first time at a regional event held by internal combustion engine council CIMAC in Kobe in October 2018. LPG is more readily available than LNG, is easier to handle and boasts a similar emissions profile. But the

www.mpropulsion.com

FOUR-STROKE ENGINES | 35

variability of the component gases (mainly propane and butane) makes it difficult to use in engines. Daihatsu’s solution is to follow land-based gas reforming principles: desulphurising LPG, methanising it by steam reformation and then removing carbon dioxide and water to leave SNG that can be burned in engines alongside LNG. The company studied a traditional gas reformer plant before installing a scaled-down prototype, which could eventually be put on board a ship, at its factory in Moriyama. There, Daihatsu conducted reformed gas evaluation tests using the factory’s power generator. At the same time as testing the prototype gas reformer, the company investigated the performance of reformed gas in its lean-burn, dual-fuel engines. This included identifying combustion timings and the speed at which engine load could be ramped up, finding a slightly longer combustion time than for Japan’s City Gas, but a quicker ramp-up to full engine load. A gas-composition test identified the ratio at which methane and propane need to be mixed during the reforming process, dependent on engine load. In the final stages of development, Daihatsu is now examining the long-term reliability of engines operating on reformed gas, as well as evaluating the deterioration of the reformer catalyst.

Hydrogen hopes While engine developers in Asia advance LNG concepts, one of the world’s biggest manufacturers of marine four-stroke engines, Wärtsilä, is looking ahead to a gas fuel of the future –hydrogen. Hydrogen, which burns in engines with no carbon or sulphur emissions, could soon be produced using renewable electricity, if promising advances in electrolysis are realised at a commercial scale. For this reason, countries around the world are investing in researching and developing hydrogen energy networks. For some – notably Norway – this has led to early initiatives exploring marine applications for hydrogenpowered fuel cells. Given the need for hydrogen fuel on board ships with fuel cells, it could

www.mpropulsion.com

make sense if engines on those ships could also burn hydrogen. With this in mind, Wärtsilä recently conducted an experiment into burning hydrogen in its dual-fuel and spark-ignited, pure gas, medium-speed engines. Results suggest that, in tightly controlled parameters and with extra safety precautions for handling the gas, Wärtsilä’s engines could run on a mix of natural gas – or LNG – that comprises a maximum of 30% hydrogen. If commercialised, the development would offer the chance for many gasfuelled ships to consider hybrid power arrangements that include fuel cells, with hydrogen fuel on board used to power fuel cells or engines. MP

MAN extends reach in offshore wind Two nine-litre MAN 21/31 engines in diesel-electric configuration will drive United Wind Logistics’ new deck carrier

Elsewhere, MAN Energy Solutions added two unusual fourstroke engine-powered vessel references to its installed base in early 2019, both serving the burgeoning offshore windfarm sector. A new heavy-lift crane installation vessel for Oslobased Offshore Heavy Transport (OHT), the Alfa Lift, will be powered by four MAN 12V32/44CR gensets with a total output of 28,800 kW. The vessel will be built at China Merchants Heavy Industry’s shipyard in Nantong with delivery due at the end of 2020. The order includes options for three more vessels. Alfa Lift is designed to install all types of bottom-fixed offshore wind foundations. It will also transport and install topsides and subsea modules, as well as other heavy cargoes in the oil and gas sector. It features a free deck length of 148 m and free deck area of 8,100 m² on the main deck, with a further 2,470 m² on the foredeck. The company will also supply two MAN 9L 21/31 and two MAN 6L16/24 gensets to an unusual heavy cargo deck carrier under construction at Jiangsu Zhenjiang Shipyard for Hamburg-based United Wind Logistics. Designed by engineering company HeavyLift@Sea, the vessel will transport very heavy but fragile turbine components in the North Sea and Baltic Sea. The ship design squeezes 3,600 m² of deck space, with a loading capacity of 10,000 tonnes at maximum draught, onto a vessel that is 148.5 m long and just 28 m wide. This was achieved in part by making the superstructures, including the 21-person accommodation block, as compact as possible. The requirement for deck space also proved challenging for the propulsion installation, especially for the positioning of the exhaust funnel and selective catalytic reduction units. A diesel-electric configuration was the chosen solution, with engines installed near the ship’s bow and a propulsion room with electric motors driving fixed-pitch propellers via conventional shafting in the aft.

Marine Propulsion & Auxiliary Machinery | February/March 2019

36 | SULPHUR CAP 2020 CONFERENCE PREVIEW

The final countdown to 2020 begins in Amsterdam The Sulphur Cap 2020 Conference in May will offer the ideal meeting place for an industry preparing for a major shift in power and propulsion

Don Gregory (EGCSA): Uncertainty remains for scrubber users

iviera Maritime Media’s Sulphur Cap 2020 Conference, to be held in Amsterdam on 8-9 May, could not be timelier. The event falls just before the six-month countdown to IMO’s global sulphur cap begins. By that critical stage, most shipowners will have selected their compliance options and fuel suppliers will be offering greater visibility of how they plan to cater for a marine bunker market in flux. That will allow for more detailed discussions about the technical, operational and financial impacts of compliance. The conference also comes a week before an important meeting of IMO’s Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC). At that meeting many decisions will be debated that will affect the smooth implementation of the sulphur cap. The Sulphur Cap 2020 Conference offers a perfect opportunity for delegates to judge industry sentiment on outstanding sulphur issues and prepare themselves for the decisions that will be taken, or at least discussed, during MEPC74. Nowhere are the remaining regulatory uncertainties of the sulphur cap more apparent than in the field of exhaust gas cleaning systems. Scrubbers are expected to grow rapidly in number beyond 2020, by which time (according to Clarksons Research) they will already account for 10% of global tonnage by capacity. As a significant compliance option and one facing several uncertainties, scrubber topics will feature heavily at the conference, occupying nearly a full day of proceedings. Exhaust Gas Cleaning Systems Association director Don Gregory will chair an introductory

Marine Propulsion & Auxiliary Machinery | February/March 2019

session outlining the current status of scrubber uptake, regulation and the potential challenges.

ALTHOUGH THE [PPR6] SUB-COMMITTEE ACCEPTED THAT SCRUBBERS ARE AN APPROVED ALTERNATIVE METHOD FOR COMPLYING WITH THE NEW SULPHUR RULE, THE ACCEPTANCE WAS GRUDGING” Muddy waters

Highlighting the current uncertainty on the subject, Mr Gregory points to the sixth sitting of IMO’s Pollution Prevention and Response subcommittee in February where revisions to IMO’s guidelines on scrubbers were due to be accepted. Instead, those considerations were shunted to MEPC74, while an extensive agenda around compliant fuel occupied most of PPR6. The meeting was punctuated by concern over scrubbers, including a European Commission proposal – to be discussed further at MEPC74 – suggesting the global harmonisation of open-loop scrubber washwater discharge standards. Mr Gregory describes the outcome of that meeting as disappointing. Although the sub-committee, after pressure, accepted that scrubbers are an approved alternative method for complying with

www.mpropulsion.com

SULPHUR CAP 2020 CONFERENCE PREVIEW | 37

the new sulphur rule, the acceptance was grudging. The chair called for administrations to submit further studies into washwater, complicating matters for scrubber users – especially the majority using open-loop systems. “The outcome is particularly disappointing because companies who have invested in scrubbers are the only ones who are ready for compliance,” notes Mr Gregory. He explains that changes at an IMO level are more concerning than ports introducing their own washwater rules. Ship operations in port waters reflect such a small percentage of sailing time that it does not affect the business case for shipowners. Looking ahead to MEPC74, Mr Gregory anticipates further submissions on scrubbers, although at this stage any changes will only be made long after the sulphur cap enters force. By then, things may have changed entirely. Scrubber numbers are expected to keep growing beyond 2020 and as uptake increases, so will support for them.

Beyond 2020

The Sulphur Cap 2020 Conference wil also provide an opportunity to look beyond 2020, with exclusive market research igniting debate as to the future of maritime propulsion. The Strategy Works managing director Michael Herson will present the results of a specially commissioned survey looking at environmental compliance towards 2050. The study, the result of 50 in-depth telephone interviews, follows an earlier report for Marine Propulsion and Auxiliary Machinery, published in January 2018, which predicted how the industry was planning to comply with the sulphur cap. That research highlighted ultra-low sulphur fuel oil and distillate fuels as preferred

Michael Herson (The Strategy Works): Comparing 2020 compliance choices with the wider decarbonisation of shipping

choices for much of the global fleet and captured the market’s conflicting stance on the use of scrubbers and LNG. Now, says Mr Herson, it is time to look further ahead. “In the first study we asked people what their intentions were,” says Mr Herson. “Now we know what shipping companies are going to do, it is interesting to compare 2020 compliance choices with the wider decarbonisation of shipping going forward.” The responses cover five sectors of the shipping market, including shipowners representing more than 1,700 ships. Sulphur is the starting point. Mr Herson notes, for example, that while few shipowners are considering using exhaust gas scrubbers as their only compliance method, more than half of owners will use scrubbers on at least one of their vessels in parallel with low sulphur fuel. The analysis at the event will

present more surprising insights, says Mr Herson. “There are other factors driving people to scrubbers besides a quick payback, including technical and commercial concerns about compliant fuel – among them compatibility of blended fuels from different ports, pricing and availability. Even less settled is what the industry thinks is going to happen next. That includes reaction to the prospect of open-loop scrubber bans or restrictions at a regional level.” Elsewhere, the research considers industry opinion on LNG as a compliant fuel. While some view LNG as a positive interim step towards decarbonisation, others believe that methane slip outweighs any potential reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. Legislative concerns expressed in the responses include the ratcheting up of the Energy Efficiency Design Index and IMO’s data studies into the measurement and reporting of black carbon emissions. Even the implementation of ballast water management legislation continues to concern some, with most ships due to fit systems between 2019 and 2024 under IMO’s installation timeline. Finally, the study explores the direction of travel towards 2050, including perceptions of the range of alternative fuels that will aid industry decarbonisation. “20% of the sample believes current technology won’t cut the mustard,” says Mr Herson. “But 30% think positively that digitalisation will optimise data collection, leading to energy efficiency improvements.” Collaboration will be essential to the development of new carbon-neutral technologies. The Strategy Works will present a matrix highlighting several such partnerships already in place. The study concludes with optimism, says Mr Herson. He believes that the industry is rising to these formidable challenges.

Lessons learnt?

THERE ARE OTHER FACTORS DRIVING PEOPLE TO SCRUBBERS BESIDES A QUICK PAYBACK”

www.mpropulsion.com

For many, the focus will be on the changes that are happening as 2020 approaches. Fuel testing consultancy Veritas Petroleum Services (VPS) has been on the frontline of fuel concerns in the run up to the sulphur

Marine Propulsion & Auxiliary Machinery | February/March 2019

The Sulphur Cap 2020 Conference will be a critical staging post in the countdown to 2020

cap. According to group commercial and business development director Steve Bee, the company has been inundated with requests for information about fuel quality – many of which he will be answering at the Sulphur Cap 2020 Conference. “The sulphur cap has been the topic of conversation for the last couple of years since we learned the date,” he explains. “Even though we are only 10 months away, several shipping companies haven’t decided their fuel strategies yet. Partly because of that, several suppliers haven’t yet said what fuels they will be providing or where.” For companies like VPS, this is very familiar. When IMO introduced 0.1% sulphur emission control areas on 1 January 2015, compliant fuels had only begun emerging on the market six to eight months in advance. There are lessons to be learned as 2020 approaches. “In 2014 we saw a lot of blending at 1.0% sulphur level and issued probably our highest ever number of bunker alerts,” says Mr Bee. Overnight on 31 December 2014, distillate fuels surged from representing 20% of samples at VPS Europe lab to 40%. That extra

volume bought new challenges. “We saw a huge increase in offspec distillates,” he says. “There were flashpoint issues where more volatile fuels had been blended in, as well as waxing and cold flow problems.” Residual fuels increased in quality initially in 2015 because of reduced blending. But over the interceding years the quality has decreased, says Mr Bee. As a result, some of the challenges experienced today – cat fines, poor stability and sediments – are likely to increase again in early 2020. Partly due to the experience of 2015, the industry may be more prepared for the challenges ahead. VPS is exploring how it can improve protection for shipowners by sampling and testing for parameters beyond the ISO 8217 marine fuel requirements. The company’s bunker alert programme already offers some protection by highlighting short-term fuel quality issues at ports. Using this information, owners can choose different fuels or even different ports at which to take on bunkers if they see a problem. New technology may also play a part in alleviating fears about bunker

Marine Propulsion & Auxiliary Machinery | February/March 2019

quality. One such area of concern is the supply chain, specifically the last stages from the refinery or blender to the vessel. Describing this leg as a “mystery tour”, Mr Bee explains that fuel can pass through many different holders, each one offering the potential to introduce quality issues. Assuring fuel logistics by using blockchain technology could be an answer. “We would urge the industry to embrace aspects of blockchain,” he says. “If the industry was more selfregulating in that way it would be beneficial for everyone.” By the time of the conference in May, the low-sulphur fuel picture may have become clearer. “Hopefully a lot more people will have decided how they are going to tackle 2020,” says Mr Bee. “But there will still be questions about availability and pricing, and a lot about compatibility of fuels between ports. People will be looking for answers about how to treat these newer fuels.” For some, a long-term perspective will be more important. Engine developer WinGD’s vice president of sales and marketing Rolf Stiefel argues that the industry must look beyond

www.mpropulsion.com

SULPHUR CAP 2020 CONFERENCE PREVIEW | 39

2020. “I’d almost say the sulphur cap is a non-event for us,” he says. “However shipowners comply, our engines will burn the fuel. The question is whether the fuel itself is compliant and stable and whether fuels will be compatible with each other.” Mr Stiefel, who will take part in a panel discussion on engine challenges, will take up WinGD’s position that LNG is one of the industry’s best ways forward. This is not just as a sulphur compliance strategy – there are, he notes, cheaper options – but to progress towards decarbonisation goals. “We are not claiming LNG is not a fossil fuel, but it offers the possibility to reduce emissions right away,” says Mr Stiefel. “No other technology is available that does that. Discussion of hydrogen and ammonia for example is useful looking towards 2030-2050, but not for ships being delivered within the next 10 years.” Where owners are told to train their sights is important, Mr Stiefel says. He fears that shipowners may consider LNG but hold off because they believe that other lower carbon technologies

Rolf Stiefel (WinGD): Advocating LNG as a bridge towards non-fossil fuels

www.mpropulsion.com

AN ACCUMULATION OF SMALL WINS IS NEEDED TO MEET IMO’S AMBITIOUS 2050 TARGET”

will be available imminently. But such technologies and fuels – of which hydrogen and ammonia fuel are just two possibilities – may be decades away. Especially, adds Mr Stiefel, in the volumes at which they will be needed for commercial shipping. WinGD is advocating LNG as a bridge towards non-fossil fuels, while investigating other ways in which two-stroke engines can contribute to shipping’s decarbonisation. These include carbon-neutral fuels – the first two vessels fitted with WinGD’s X-DF dual-fuel engines are already bunkering bio-LNG, Mr Stiefel notes. Hybridisation is also on the agenda. He explains: “How can we combine the main engine with other power sources? We are looking at options including integrating electricity generation near, or even within, the main engine, as well as how we can push power into the propulsion train.” These are small gains. Wind-assisted propulsion, Mr Stiefel notes, could reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 5-10% depending on the ship and route. But an accumulation of small wins is needed to meet IMO’s ambitious 2050 target, which requires an improvement in efficiency of 70% per tonne-mile across the industry. The industry’s longer-term emission targets lead Mr Stiefel away from favouring scrubbers as a solution to the sulphur cap. “I don’t believe they are dangerous or harmful to the environment,” he says. “But they do not advance shipping towards reducing CO2 emissions. Fuel consumption goes up when you use scrubbers, which is counterproductive to greenhouse gas targets.” The IMO has set broad targets for greenhouse gas emissions reductions

in 2030 and 2050. It will add detail to these ambitions by 2023. Whatever form the legislation takes, WinGD will be hoping to see a level playing field for all shipowners and consistent enforcement, says Mr Steifel. He also has a view on the form that legislation could take. “We need to improve the Energy Efficiency Design Index (EEDI) so that includes not only propulsion but auxiliary engines and the other energy consumers,” he says. “Combining the EEDI with the Data Collection System would integrate the way ships are designed and operated.” A curve showing the energy efficiency of each vessel type could then be established. IMO could then legislate for improvements, pushing the curve towards zero emissions. If such a measure included making ship efficiency data publicly available, there would be even more incentive for shipowners to improve their vessels. “It would be very helpful to charterers because they would be in a position to see which vessel they want,” says Mr Stiefel. “We need to make what the industry is doing visible. Those investing in more sophisticated technologies and tonnage need to get a reward for it.” The shape of future regulation and responses to current regulations – these are the discussions that will characterise the European Sulphur Cap 2020 Conference. Coming at such a crucial juncture for the shipping industry, there has never been a better time to join the debate. MP For more information on the upcoming Sulphur Cap 2020 Conference, Awards and Exhibition, please visit www.sulphurcap2020.com

Marine Propulsion & Auxiliary Machinery | February/March 2019

TURBOCHARGER PARTS, SERVICE, & REPAIR

Nº ES073883-1 / ES073885-1

Committed to provide a high quality service whenever & wherever our customer requires it.

Tel: +34 91 872 01 81 24h: +34 679 988 103 Email: info@turbointernacional.com www.turbointernacional.com

FREE ACCESS Take advantage of the Maritime Technology Knowledge Bank. • A unique, free to access resource for the global shipping industry • Access whitepapers and technical documentation covering every aspect of maritime technology, equipment and new products.

TO TECHNICAL DOCUMENTATION FOR MARINE & OFFSHORE PROFESSIONALS www.mpropulsion.com/knowledgebank

PROPULSION PACKAGES | 41

The mechanical route to hybrid propulsion A new mechanical hybrid concept for Schottel’s azimuth thrusters shifts the focus of hybrid propulsion away from electric motors and back to flexibility in powering

erman propulsion specialist Schottel has announced a new concept that allows workboats and tugboats to benefit from flexible hybrid propulsion without installing a gearbox or additional electrical components. Svitzer, the global tugboat operator owned by Maersk, has been involved in the design of the new concept and is considering a pilot installation on one of its 430 vessels. The new arrangement is based on Schottel’s recently developed Y-Hybrid thruster technology. This includes a new design of upper-angle gear for Schottel’s azimuth thrusters which adds two extra power take-ins (PTI), rather than the usual single take-in added for hybrid configurations. This brings greater flexibility. Usually this third PTI is used to give designers more flexibility about where they place electric motors, which can be big and may collide with each other or the vessel’s hull if they are incorrectly placed. The Y-shaped arrangement of PTIs offers several alternative configurations, at angles of 90° or 135°, to offer maximum flexibility in design. Sydrive-M builds on this concept, using the PTIs to connect the two azimuth thrusters via a connecting shaftline, rather than connecting each to electric motors as is done for the common electric hybrid drive solutions. This means that both thrusters can be driven by either of the main engines. The conventional hybrid arrangement for tugboats involves at least one power source (diesel engine and/ or electric motor) for each thruster. Using the Sydrive-M, the flexibility of a hybrid arrangement can be achieved without the addition of gearboxes or electrical components. This arrangement means that owners can select a hybrid configuration without altering their existing vessel design. The hybrid configuration allows many permutations depending on operational mode. In light operation or free sailing mode, when full power of both engines is not needed, one of the two main engines remains alternating off – reducing the operation hours of the main engines, with an equivalent reduction in maintenance. This mode also means that the working engine is more optimally loaded than two engines working at relatively low load in a conventional set-up. In fire-fighting mode, the disengaged main engine is used

www.mpropulsion.com

to drive the pump through its front power take-off, with no requirement for dedicated engines or extra clutches and controllable pitch propellers. In full-thrust operation, the connection between the two thrusters is disengaged and each engine is engaged to a thruster. Key to the flexibility of Sydrive-M is the ability to load the thrusters equally when they are connected. Most hybrid power arrangements are designed as master-slave systems, with the master being the strong combustion engine and the slave a relatively small electric motor. The ratio of power distribution is normally up to 4:1. For example, a conventional diesel-direct azimuth tug with 60-ton bollard pull has 2,000 kW per thruster. As a hybrid, the electric motor will have around 500 kW, leaving 1,500 kW for the diesel engine which then will be a smaller type, such as a 12-cylinder version rather than one with 16 cylinders. The Sydrive-M needs to transfer 50% of the available diesel engine power – 1,000 kW in the tugboat example above – to the connected second thruster. The Y-shaped upper gear is therefore designed to have no power limitations for each of the three PTIs, so each can be fully loaded. Sydrive-M can be integrated into any common vessel design with direct propulsion, with no need of design changes. It is available for Schottel’s Rudderpropeller and EcoPeller series of azimuth thrusters from 1,000 kW up to 3,000 kW. MP

Connecting azimuth thrusters directly allows both to be driven by one engine

Marine Propulsion & Auxiliary Machinery | February/March 2019

Intelligent Mechanical Power Transmission Solutions ATA Gears sells, designs and produces spiral bevel gears and other precision components for demanding marine and industrial applications. We look forward to meeting you and your specific needs! PLEASE COME AND VISIT US AT HANNOVER MESSE April 1–5, Hannover, Germany NEVA September 17–20, St. Petersburg, Russia SUBCONTRACTING September 24–26, Tampere, Finland

www.atagears.fi

MARINTEC CHINA December 3–6, Shanghai, China

gearboxes DRIVELINE | 43

New markets drive demand for hybrid transmissions Hybrid and electric vessels are placing greater demands on gearboxes and transmissions as the use of power takeoff and take-in becomes even more critical to flexible, efficient operations

ith the emergence of hybrid and fully electric vessels, transmission specialists have been working to upgrade their equipment. While in many cases this can be as simple as adding extra power take-off or take-in capability, there are other ways in which gearbox supplies are adapting to these new market demands. In January, Servogear started the assembly of two HDE220 hybrid gearboxes for the sightseeing and whale-watching vessel Brim Explorer. Sustainability is a key part of both the technical specification and the operator’s marketing message. The hybrid system will allow seamless integration of renewable energy into the vessel’s power system. The energy-efficient and silent hybrid electric vessel is being built by Maritime Partner and is owned by Green Wave Holding. It will enter operation this summer. A battery capacity of 800 kWh will ensure silent and zero-emission propulsion in the most vulnerable areas, while a diesel-electric propulsion system will ensure engine power is to hand for longer-range sailing. Servogear’s delivery comprises the HDE220 hybrid gearbox, a 1400mm propeller, propeller tunnel, effect

www.mpropulsion.com

rudder, shaft bracket, battery package from Grenland Energy and energy management system from Brunvoll Mar-El. The hull is designed by Wave Propulsion, and the topside by Einar Hareide. “We see a new market emerging for smaller, lightweight cruise vessels,” says Servogear CEO Torleif Stokke. “Operating cruise vessels in vulnerable areas requires low noise and low emissions, which is what we achieve with the hybrid gearbox in combination with a custom-made propeller and tunnel.” The market is evolving quickly, and equipment manufacturers are having to adapt again from diesel-electric to fully electric vessels. It was only last year that the lightweight carbon-fibre and fully electric cruise vessel Future of the Fjords was baptized by Norwegian prime minister Erna Solberg. The ship has already become a design icon, and its technical specifications have also received considerable attention.

A clean legacy

Servogear provided the propulsion system: propellers, shaft, shaft brackets, effect rudder and gearboxes. In December last year, the company was awarded a repeat contract for the next vessel in the series, Legacy of The Fjords. Another fully electric vessel, Legacy of the Fjords, will offer tourists and citizens of Oslo zero-emission voyages on the famous Oslofjord, in the most densely populated area in Norway. Although sailing in the Norwegian fjords is becoming

Additional power take-ins and an inhouse electrical motor feature in ZF’s hybrid transmission family

more environmentally demanding, fully electric voyages are not likely to become the industry norm soon. Transmission specialist ZF Friedrichshafen is therefore focusing its development efforts on the growth in hybrid propulsion. This does not exclude it from projects in Norway’s sensitive areas; the company supplied hybrid transmissions to the original Fjords vessel, Vision of the Fjords. ZF sales manager Wolfram Frei describes the company’s decision to extend its hybrid transmissions portfolio as “the right move at the right time”. He argues that hybrid propulsion enables more vessels to tap into the fuel savings and environmental benefits that electric propulsion can afford. “The required engine power in

Marine Propulsion & Auxiliary Machinery | February/March 2019

44 | DRIVELINE gearboxes

vessels is very high and as they travel very long distances, purely electricaldriven vessels will always be the minority,” he says. At SMM Hamburg last year, the company revealed its complete line-up of hybrid-ready gearboxes, ranging from about 600 kW to a maximum of 10,000 kW. In the lower power range, the hybrid-capable transmissions can be combined with electric engines and inverters of between 150 kWe and 600 kWe. An example is ZF’s own CeTrax electric motor, with a maximum power of 300 kWe. At the higher end of the power range, the ZF 8000 is suitable for engines with a power output of up to 3,000 kW. These models cover a wide field of applications, from coast-guard vessels and yachts to ferries, supply ships and small tankers. A compact, modular design saves on installation space and weight and also allows for a flexible installation in the ship’s hull, making retrofits easier. The ZF 8000 will be available as a parallel installation with a vertical offset. The main difference between ZF’s conventional and hybrid transmissions

Katsa offers a solution for PTO applications that do not require permanent powering

is an additional power take-in (PTI), which exerts force on the propeller shaft via an electric motor either alone or in combination with the conventional engine. This additional drive can handle a large variety of gear ratios. An optional spur gear drive compensates for the speed differences between the main engine and the electric motor. Since SMM, the supplier has delivered hybrid transmissions to vessels including ferries, yachts, tugs and patrol vessels, and has received further orders. Mr Frei notes that these applications are all for main diesel engines in the 1,000 kW to 4,000 kW power range.

Flexible arrangements

While the portfolio may be complete in power range, ZF will be working on further improvements to installation flexibility. It plans to introduce both ‘V’ and ‘A’ configurations – a reference to the angle of the output shaft and input shaft, which can result in important space savings in the length of an engineroom. In the case of the hybrid transmissions, this means that they can now occupy the same footprint as standard transmissions. These new configurations highlight the flexibility of ZF’s gearboxes and will be particularly valued by yachtbuilders, says Mr Frei. “The decision between a standard or a hybrid propulsion system can be taken without any changes to the foundation,” he explains. While power take-off, or take-in, is essential for hybrid propulsion, it can be used for several other applications – many of which do not need to be continuously powered. For example, fishing or offshore vessels can run deck-equipment hydraulics from a propulsion shaft. But they will generally not require these to be powered while they are underway. A new system from Finnish gearbox specialist Katsa allows shipowners to

Marine Propulsion & Auxiliary Machinery | February/March 2019

TRADITIONAL PTOS ARE CONSTANTLY ENGAGED, RESULTING IN EXCESS FUEL CONSUMPTION AND WEAR ON EQUIPMENT”

decouple devices run by power-take off without shutting down engines. The clutched, twin power take-off (PTO) gearbox is suited to vessels that use the PTO to run systems that are not always in use, such as pumps or hydraulic deck machinery. Traditional PTOs are constantly engaged, meaning they supply power to the devices or systems to which they are connected even when not being used, resulting in excess fuel consumption and wear on equipment. Katsa sales manager Mikko Happonen says that the product was developed as a result of interest in the passenger and fishing segments. For fishing vessels, a PTO driving hydraulic systems would unnecessarily divert power from propulsion until deck machinery is needed. The new gearbox is available for propulsion engines with a power output of 800 kW, a range that can include small workboats. It is designed to fit between the engine and the main propulsion gearbox. It can be retrofitted as well as installed on newbuild vessels, but would require layout changes to the engineroom due to the extra components between engine and gearbox. Mr Happonen notes that Katsa is already considering similar solutions for outputs of up to 2,500 kW. This is a clear indication of the trend, noted by many suppliers, that hybrid powering is becoming a reality for ever-bigger vessels. Transmission technology will continue to evolve as the hybrid market develops. MP

www.mpropulsion.com

HOW TO MAKE A GOOD MOVE FORWARD Since 2000, Steerprop has delivered more than 750 azimuth propulsors to arctic, offshore and passenger vessels. Our solid track record of references includes over 85 ice-class units and deliveries to 8 icebreakers. Here are 16 reasons why customers choose us. A good move to design the best vessel 1.

Steerprop supports design offices in making a good vessel

We work closely with you throughout the conceptual phase, making it quicker and easier to design any type of vessel

Our propulsion systems allow you to create higher-efficiency vessels

All documentation and classification approvals are in order

A good move to successfully build a ship 5.

Steerprop is open, engaged and committed to your success

Our project managers keep to your schedules and plans

Factory acceptance testing – all modules are tested beforehand

Easy and straightforward installation process

A good move for efficient operation and profitable ownership 9.

Your vessel will sail smoothly and reliably with Steerprop propulsors

10.

Lowest lifecycle costs – low maintenance and fuel consumption

11.

We start from your operational profile and fine-tune our packages to meet your needs

12.

Steerprop Care condition monitoring helps you plan ahead and reduce risk

A good move for your future 13.

Good for propulsion performance

14.

Good for greater profitability – not at the expense of the environment

15.

Good for heading toward zero-emissions and greener shipping

16.

Good for future-proofing your vessel, regardless of how you power it

Make a good move – with the proper choice! www.steerprop.com

HowToMakeAGoodMove_274mmx90mm20190219.indd 1

19/02/2019 19

3D MEASUREMENT AND SCANNING

ROTATING EQUIPMENT ALIGNMENT

VIBRATION MEASUREMENT AND ANALYSIS

CHOCKING ON SITE MACHINING

SHAFT POWER MEASUREMENT

www.onsitealignment.com Tinstraat 59 2984 AN Ridderkerk The Netherlands Tel.: +31 180 85 07 04

16 Tuas Avenue 10 Singapore 639140 Singapore Phone: +65 6910 4188

Veth Integrated L-drive The most compact thruster ever

210 Venture Blvd Houma LA 70360 USA Phone: +1-985-360-3945

Engineering Ltd High Pressure Diesel Fuel Injection Pipes

Extremely low mounting requirements, high efficiency, minimal noise production

T +3178 615 22 66 www.vethpropulsion.com

Talisman Business Centre, Duncan Rd, Park Gate, Southampton, SO31 7GA, UK Tel: +44 (0)1 489 885288 • Fax: +44 (0)1 489 8851 99 Email: giro@giroeng.com • www.giroeng.com

shafting, couplings & dampers DRIVELINE | 47

Swedish brake specialist shows no signs of slowing After three acquisitions in two years, Dellner Brakes is now working on integrating its new technologies into solutions for the marine market

Marcus Aberg (Dellner Brakes): “We want to be out on the ocean again and looking for new opportunities”

www.mpropulsion.com

hen Dellner Brakes CEO Marcus Aberg joined the company three years ago, the marine market was becalmed. Shipbuilding in 2015 and 2016 had all but stopped, with an inevitable impact on the Borlänge-based supplier and its shipping customers. “We were not in a bad position, but it was time to think of a new strategy,” says Mr Aberg, who joined the company from a career in management consultancy. “We wanted to expand around the world and to have a stronger presence in the markets where we already were. We wanted to expand with new products.” Although it is a relatively small company, Dellner Brakes is part of the broader Dellner Group of companies, and therefore had some purchasing power. In September 2017 it acquired Gummi Brakes, a US-based maker of pneumatic drum brakes. This gave the company a product that it could previously not offer the marine market: clutched drum brakes are required in diesel-driven reduction gears, which require a consistent braking pressure. The exposure in the US was also crucial. Mr Aberg notes that while Dellner had previously been strong in sales to the US, it had a limited sales presence there. Gummi’s base helped it to gain access to new market segments, including inland vessels. In February 2018 the company made a more high-profile deal, acquiring industrial braking specialist Pintsch Bubenzer. The German manufacturer is well known for its material-handling equipment. It has an offshore business in winches and cranes but

its core segment in shipping is in container ship-to-shore cranes. Mr Aberg notes that the two companies’ complementary markets were a major incentive behind the deal. So too was the company’s reputation for highquality engineering. The Pintsch Bubenzer acquisition also brought a technology that Dellner was quick to apply to the shipping market: the Buel electrohydraulic thruster and power package. Combined with Dellner’s stopping, turning and locking systems, the result is a self-contained braking system that includes its own power and is easy to fit and operate.

Integrating technologies

According to Mr Aberg, the product, launched at SMM last year, exemplifies how Dellner Brakes wants to integrate new technologies from its acquisitions. “We have now developed a few more driveline-focused products where we will combine their technology with ours,” he says. “These will be launched later this year.” Dellner’s third recent acquisition offers even more intriguing product development possibilities and access to a rapidly growing market. In September the company bought German brake specialist JHS Jungblut. The company’s business in the wind turbine sector – to which it supplies noise-free, lightweight brakes and yaw sliding bearings – and its presence in Asia were particularly attractive to its new owners. Mr Aberg says: “We didn’t work much within the wind industry. Pintsch Bubenzer has some business in that sector but was

Marine Propulsion & Auxiliary Machinery | February/March 2019

48 | DRIVELINE shafting, couplings & dampers

focused on different products than JHS. When we put this together, we could see that it is beneficial for us to use each other’s products.” As with the Buel power pack from Pintsch Bubenzer, there will be elements of JHS’ technology that can be brought into Dellner’s marine-focused activities. But it will work the other way too, says Mr Aberg. Technology from both Dellner’s original portfolio and Pintsch Bubenzer could find its way into an enhanced offering for the windfarm sector. In just two years, the company has expanded its product offering, global presence and workforce significantly. Although Mr Aberg says that the company remains open to opportunities, there are no further acquisitions under consideration at the moment. “That is a lot to digest already,” he says. While pursuing its growth strategy, the company has not been blind to emerging industry trends. The traditionally strong segments for braking products – fishing, naval and passenger vessels – have been at the vanguard of electrification and hybrid power trends. That is something that Mr Aberg believes Dellner can tap into. “When you go from direct propulsion to pods and thrusters you have different engines, different shaftlines and different demands,” he says. “We see there will be more areas where we can use our products – not just our braking expertise, but in locking systems as well as control and monitoring.” As one example of the move towards hybrid and electric propulsion, the company

has developed a fully automatic braking system, the eSTL. This means that the brake can be turned without relying on hydraulic power, as finding a way to drive hydraulics could be a problem on a diesel-electric vessel. The core of Dellner’s portfolio will remain hydraulically driven, Mr Aberg anticipates, but there is increasing need for fully electric products too. A busy three years in terms of business and portfolio expansion has positioned Dellner Brakes well for an anticipated recovery in the marine sector. New products will hit the market later this year and new business prospects are also expected to emerge from a wider geographic presence. There may be no new acquisitions in sight, says Mr Aberg, but that does not mean this is the last step in the company’s strategy. “This is not the final harbour for Dellner Brakes,” he says. “We want to be out on the ocean again and looking for new opportunities.” MP

The Buel STL exemplifies how Dellner Brakes integrates technologies from its acquisitions

We see there will be more areas where we can use our products, not just our braking expertise but in locking systems as well as control and monitoring”

Mega yacht sea trial for silent coupling Couplings specialist Geislinger has reported the successful sea trial of its Silenco coupling on board an undisclosed mega yacht. The noise-reducing couplings, which were launched two years ago, resulted in very low noise levels both in cabins and in the marine environment around the vessel, the company reported. Engine noise is mainly transferred through engine bearings, and couplings can have a significant impact in reducing such noise. Geislinger’s coupling is designed to minimise the transfer of the structure-borne sound that originates in the engine and the gearbox and is transferred through the power train into the ship’s structure and beyond. Geislinger manager of acoustics Dr Lothar Kurtze said: “Components with the best acoustical performance have been selected and further optimised for the modular system

Marine Propulsion & Auxiliary Machinery | February/March 2019

of the Geislinger Silenco coupling. Special flanges made from a combination of composite material, rubber, and steel have been developed. The coupling has been designed to avoid the resonance effects of its components and to ensure a broadband reduction of the transfer of the structure-borne noise, while offering electric-insulation properties.” The Silenco coupling is available in two different sizes and, depending on the acoustical needs and the required torque, different versions of the components including flanges, membrane and shaft are available. The coupling between the gearbox and the propeller shaft is often the most critical connection for conducting noise and vibrations. In many applications, noise through the hull is exacerbated due to the mounting of the engine and gearbox with an elastic or double elastic frame against the ship’s structure.

www.mpropulsion.com

YOUR PROPULSION EXPERTS

SYDRIVE-M: Profitable hybrid azimuth propulsion

SCHOTTEL SYDRIVE-M • Easy and purely mechanic system without additional electric components • No change in vessel design necessary • Reduced operating hours of main engines • Reduced maintenance costs • Less fuel consumption • Less emissions • Green vessel labelling possible • Suitable for new builds and retrofits • Available for SCHOTTEL SRP and SRE

Two azimuth thrusters can be easily connected with each other: SYDRIVE-M, the mechanical hybrid solution without the costly complexity of common technology, allows the thrusters to be driven together by only one of the main engines. www.schottel.com

AZ_Marine Propulsion SYDRIVE-M_210x142mm_02_2019_NEU_#1.indd 1

25.02.19 16:07

Excellence in both design and manufacturing are the qualities that have ensured Stone Marine Propulsion’s success throughout nearly two centuries of propeller production. Today, our NPT fixed pitch propeller and the CPP system produced by our subsidiary Stone Marine Propulsion NGC, continue to lead the way in modern propeller design.

The NPT propeller from Stone Marine Propulsion Whether retro-fitting to an existing vessel or installing on a new build, the NPT propeller brings many performance improvements. • Lower fuel consumption • Reduced emissions • Lower noise and vibration • Reduced cavitation and pressure pulses • Can cost less than a conventional propeller • Achieves additional gains when fitted with Stone Marine Cap Fins This highly efficient propeller design is suitable for all ship types. Stone Marine Propulsion Limited T: +44 (0)151 652 2372 E: sales@smpropulsion.com www.smpropulsion.com/npt

The CPP propeller system from Stone Marine Propulsion NGC • A complete CPP package that includes propeller, sterngear, gearbox and control system. • A control system is available with software that can automatically optimise pitch settings for economy and speed. • Fully feathering versions available to reduce drag when installed on multi screw vessels. • Hydrodynamically optimised blade design for specific applications to maximise performance, lower fuel consumption and provide the maximum environmental protection possible. Stone Marine Propulsion NGC Ltd T: +44 (0)1255 420005 E: sales@smpngc.com www.smpngc.com

QUALIFIED STERN SEAL, STABILIZER & PROPULSION SERVICE

OPENING OUR NEW USA OFFICE THIS SPRING.

info@aegirmarine.com

www.aegirmarine.com

+31 343 432 509

seals & bearings DRIVELINE | 51

Investigating an uptick in shaft bearing failures A surge in bearing failures on newbuilds has been linked to IMO’s Energy Efficiency Design Index (EEDI). But should they have been spotted earlier?

etween 2013 and 2017 an estimated 200 vessels suffered from shaft bearing failures, according to shipowner reports to ABS. Incidences appeared to slow in 2018, although it cannot be determined whether this is a result of effective intervention or the slow pace of newbuilding. From 1 January 2013, all IMO-regulated newbuilds were required to meet progressively tighter efficiency requirements under EEDI. ABS Global Ships Systems Centre director Dr Chris Leontopoulos explains that the need for greater efficiency led to smaller enginerooms, slower rotating engines and heavier propellers connected by shorter and thinner propeller shafts. These have combined to amplify forces acting on the shaftline, resulting in increased incidences of shaft misalignment and failures in the stern-tube bearings that support shafts. Big vessels, including very large crude carriers, ultra large container ships and bigger gas carriers are particularly prone to shaft misalignment, because of the greater propulsive power and forces acting on their flexible hulls. Dr Leontopoulos notes that mid-sized vessels where the forward stern-tube bearing had been removed to accommodate smaller engineroom designs were also regarded as “shaft-alignment sensitive”.

Countermeasures

The impact of these changes can be reduced by using doublesloped bearings, which optimise the shaft’s contact with the bearing. ‘Running in’ of bearings, by gradually rotating the propeller shaft faster before the ship is put into operation, also helps to optimise the surface area supporting the shaft. These measures are included in updated shaft-alignment rules introduced by ABS, which has also introduced enhanced shaft-alignment guidance and notations. Other class societies including DNV GL and Lloyd’s Register have also updated their rules. Dr Leontopoulos is the manager of a project team developing the first unified requirements on shaft alignment at the International Association of Classification Societies. He expects that the first unified requirements on shaft alignment will be published next year. Dr Leontopoulos notes the recent controversy over

www.mpropulsion.com

Chris Leontopoulos (ABS): Unified requirements will further safeguard stern-tube bearings

environmentally acceptable lubricants (EAL) but he himself has never seen a case of stern-tube failure caused solely by the use of EALs. However, he admits that mineral oils might have provided a greater safety margin in cases of extreme shaft misalignment. Giulio Gennaro of engineering consultancy 1888 Gennaro Consulting has seen plenty of shaft bearing failures and has a different perspective on their root cause. He believes that energy efficiency regulations are being blamed for shortcoming in scantling and design. Mr Gennaro takes particular issue where reputable equipment suppliers and class societies have been responsible for designing and approving propulsion arrangements. “To my knowledge, shaft alignment or bearing lubrication have been seldom an issue,” he says. Rather, Mr Gennaro points to cost as the overriding issue. He cites propeller shaftlines for twin-screw installations that

Marine Propulsion & Auxiliary Machinery | February/March 2019

52 | DRIVELINE seals & bearings

were designed with too small a diameter. The result was whirling problems, where the shaft vibrates uncontrollably, and consequent bearing issues. Single-bearing stern tubes and single-slope bearings were also introduced to cut costs, he says. “In the cases I handled, all these matters would have been quite clear from the design phase, had they been duly considered,” he says. “These designs were pushed into production to reduce costs by a little, with [the] result of generating large losses later. This is not a matter of rules and regulations only – it is a matter of the mentality of an industry that at times fails to give due consideration to technical matters.”

Design defects

Mr Gennaro cites many examples of poor design across multiple ship types. He notes several cases involving bulk carriers where the lack of a forward bearing – along with the use of a single-sloped bearing and a high static pressure – created “high or borderline” working conditions for propeller shaft bearings. In all cases, says Mr Gennaro, the issues should have been apparent in the design phase and should have been avoided. In some of these cases a high eccentric thrust from the propeller was blamed for a failure of the propeller thrust bearing. But such thrust should be considered within safety coefficients, he says. Further, the full wake of the vessel is never modelled at full scale, meaning that a detailed calculation of eccentric thrust is seldom made. This can lead to uncertainty for propeller designers. The problems are particularly galling where they are

due to faulty design on the part of reputable companies. Mr Gennaro recalls a case he investigated on board a series of roro vessels where “a major European supplier of propulsion packages” had skimped on shaft diameter. As the shafts were quite long, as is often the case on roro vessels, the resulting ratio between the length and diameter of the shaft was outside of the recommended values.

This is not about rules and regulations, it is about the mentality of an industry that at times fails to give due consideration to technical matters” “The big issue is that design errors are usually not covered by the insurance policy,” Mr Gennaro explains. “Therefore, the owners select a different and more manageable alleged cause of the damage [to claim for]. This is why these incidents don't make it into the statistics despite being quite frequent.”

Monitoring shaft condition

New lubricants, faulty designs and efficiency regulations have been blamed for increased bearing failures

As a leading provider of shaft bearings and seals, Wärtsilä is keeping a close eye on the reports of stern-tube bearing failures, says UK sales development manager Matthew Bignell. The launch of a shaft-monitoring system, Sea-Master, at SMM Hamburg in 2016, was timely given the emerging concerns. The Wärtsilä Sea-Master monitors shaft bearings and seals, collecting real-time data from the tail shaft and providing insights into the operational health of the shaft line. The system is available for all ship types and for retrofit as well as newbuild applications. “Monitoring is key,” says Mr Bignell. “We are seeing a lot of newbuild activity within shortsea shipping and feeder ships. They work in some pretty demanding environments; they may have gone down the route of choosing waterlubricated bearings and they will need to maintain uptime. That’s where we’ll see the monitoring really paying off.” The monitoring system is especially useful for twin-shaft vessels, where wear may be confined to one particular bearing on one of the shafts. Real-time monitoring can identify this and allow for specific maintenance. “There may be minimal wear in the inner bearings, but the outboard is wearing faster,” says Mr Bignell. “You can bring those in, whereas previously you would have changed them all. That’s a big cost.” The company is planning to upgrade the system later this year to improve how it can integrate with a vessel’s energy management system – meaning one less screen for engineers to look at. The focus, says Mr Bignell, will be on making the system more affordable, accessible and integratable. With the issues around driveline condition becoming increasingly important, it may be perfect timing. MP

Marine Propulsion & Auxiliary Machinery | February/March 2019

www.mpropulsion.com

Get

Compliance !

Highest performing, readily biodegradable VGP compliant Lubricants

M/V Magdalen – Weeks Marine, Inc.

PANOLIN International Inc.

Phone +41 44 956 65 65

www.panolin.com

Marine Propulsion: ½ page – 130 mm high x 190 mm wide, Issue 2019 Feb/Mar

Leeds Bronze Engineering Ltd • A Leading manufacturer of standard and bespoke products manufactured out of Copper and Nickel Based alloys. • Approved supplier to many Blue Chip organisations within mission critical industrial sectors including Oil and Gas. • Supplying into more than 40 countries across every continent. • UK’s largest producer of bronze bearings, bushes and bespoke components. • UK’s largest stockholder of Copper Based alloys to BS, EN, Defence, ASTM and SAE standards. • State of the Art manufacturing facility running 24 hours a day.

Please send all your enquiries or requirement’s to: Machined Components engineering@leedsbronze.co.uk Raw Material material@leedsbronze.co.uk Or alternatively phone our committed sales departments for further details on: 0113 271 8711

www.leedsbronze.co.uk 14 Westland Square, Dewsbury Road, Leeds, West Yorkshire LS11 5UB | Company Reg. No: 3491043

• •

•

propellers DRIVELINE | 55

Propeller makers innovate with methods and materials The ideal propeller form is far from settled as manufacturers explore new fabrication techniques and modern materials

f you told a naval architect 10 years ago that a ship would be allowed to sail with a hollow propeller, they would have been horrified. Jump forward a decade and such a development is in sight, thanks to a European-funded research project. French marine and naval industrial company Naval Group and engineering school Centrale Nantes have made the first hollow propeller blades by metal additive manufacturing, a form of 3D printing. The program, which is funded by the European Commission under its Horizon 2020 framework, has the ambition of producing innovative propeller demonstrators to improve the operational capabilities of ships, while reducing environmental impact In order to improve vessel propulsion, Centrale Nantes and Naval Group are using additive manufacturing to design large components – including propellers of up to 6 m in diameter – which are beyond the capabilities of traditional manufacturing technologies. This is achieved by a technique known as wire arc for additive manufacturing (WAAM), one of the very few 3D printing methods that can be used to make such big components. The development paves the way to produce propellers with more complex geometry. The partners’ first demonstrator is a one-third scale hollow blade for a container ship propeller. It was printed in stainless steel in less than a hundred hours and weighs about 300 kg. There are huge benefits in being able to safely manufacture more complex structures:

www.mpropulsion.com

in the full-scale product, weight reductions of over 40% will be possible. The project is just the latest step in a long-running (and long-named) initiative titled Realisation and Demonstration of Advanced Material Solutions for Sustainable and Efficient Ships (RAMSSES). Naval Group’s Patrice Vinot, propeller package manager for the project, says: “Although additive manufacturing is increasingly present in industry, the programming and design of complex parts, such as propeller blades for ships, represents a considerable challenge.”

Full-scale ambition

As the name suggests, demonstration is key to the RAMSSES project. These demonstrators will not be limited to scale models, says Mr Vinot. A fullscale, hollow-bladed propeller for container ships is under development. “The potential of the process revealed by this new case study means that we

now anticipate unparalleled performance for the propellers of tomorrow,” says Mr Vinot. “Taking part in projects such as RAMSSES and coordinating our network of academic and industrial partners will allow us to bring 3D printing into shipyards for the long term.” Sirehna, a Centrale Nantes spin-off and a subsidiary of Naval Group, is piloting the blade design. The company’s work has so far led to improvements in efficiency and endurance, as well as a significant reduction in radiated noise and vibrations. Centrale Nantes’ expertise in trajectory generation and additive manufacturing has been critical to producing the blade. The school and the engineering group has a long history of collaboration which was formalised in 2016 with the opening of a joint laboratory. Centrale Nantes Rapid Manufacturing Platform head JeanYves Hascoët says: “Addictive

Environmental protection schemes are incentivising the use of proven technologies like boss cap fins

Marine Propulsion & Auxiliary Machinery | February/March 2019

56 | DRIVELINE propellers

manufacturing technology has been developed over the last 35 years on the Rapid Manufacturing Platform. All these years of research come to fruition through projects like this, which represents a transfer of our technologies into a real industrial environment.” Beyond materials and manufacturing techniques, there is room for analysisdriven innovation too. Late last year Philadelphia design firm Sharrow Engineering reported that it had been awarded patents for a new propeller design in the US, Japan, Canada, and the EU, with further patents pending. The company has completed the final phase of testing on what will be its core propeller product. Over the past six years, Sharrow Engineering has analysed testing data collected at the University of Michigan’s marine hydrodynamics laboratory and implemented a supplemental test programme using manned vessels in lakes, rivers, and bays. Results demonstrate that the propeller is 9%-15% more efficient than the conventional Wageningen B-series design.

Clean sheet

The design was verified by Applied Universal Engineering. Founding partner John Dannecker says that Sharrow Engineering took a “cleansheet approach” to propeller design. “Using the latest generation of commercially available engineering software and state-of-the-art computing architecture, Sharrow Engineering has developed a proprietary design capability and process for their propellers,” he says. “This process

A one-third scale model of the RAMSSES project’s additivemanufactured, hollow propeller blade design

pointed to a new propeller geometry that reduces fuel consumption and demonstrates superior vibration and noise characteristics.” Sharrow’s propeller provides a wider peak efficiency curve for greater utility over a wide scope of operational ranges and registers a 17% reduction in torque while accelerating. Sharrow Engineering CEO Greg Sharrow believes that, now more than ever, squeezing fuel efficiency from propeller design is important. “Stricter regulations on sulphur levels will add many millions more to the expense column for individual operators and billions to the industry’s overall fuel spend. We believe our product can be the difference between ships that burn

more fuel and more cash, and those that find calm seas heading into 2020 and beyond.” If reducing fuel spend is not enough incentive for shipowners to revisit propeller designs, there are environmental schemes that offer discounts on energy saving technology. One such scheme is the Green Award Foundation. The programme aims to protect the marine environment by certifying vessels with a low environmental impact. Companies that share those goals support them by providing incentives, and Mitsui OSK Lines (MOL) is among them. The Japanese shipowner has 11 vessels certified under the scheme, while its technology sales division MOL Techno-Trade offers the owners of certified ships a discount on its propeller boss cap fins. Owners are granted a 3% discount on the product. MOL’s boss cap fin is no newcomer – it has been on the market since 1987, when it was jointly developed by MOL, West Japan Fluid Engineering Laboratory Co and Mikado Propeller Co (the predecessor to Nakashima Propeller). To date, over 3,300 vessels have installed the device, which offers fuel savings (of 3-5%) by eliminating the hub vortex generated behind the rotating propeller and improving propeller efficiency. Important design improvements are being driven by cutting-edge techniques, materials and analytics. Combined with added incentives to invest in proven technology, cost-conscious shipowners have many reasons to look astern, anew.

United Shipbuilding Corp designs controllable pitch propeller Russian shipyard group United Shipbuilding Corp (USC) has introduced a low-noise, controllable pitch propeller (CPP). The VRS-M propeller was originally designed to work with a 20 MW engine of the type found on Russian Navy corvettes and frigates. It was developed at USC’s Zvezdochka Ship Repair Center, with the prototype built at the Vega Experimental Plant in Borovsk. During the project the company also developed the capabilities and systems

Marine Propulsion & Auxiliary Machinery | February/March 2019

required to begin mass production of the propeller, which it is now offering to commercial vessels. USC said that, compared to similar propellers, its product boasts an extended service life. It is designed to offer high stability in emergency situations and the automatic locking function means that the propeller can still be operated, even if the pitch adjustment system has been shut down. MP

www.mpropulsion.com

Close to 100 years in operation

Stadionvej 4 • DK-3390 Hundested • Denmark Tel. +45 47 93 71 17

E-mail: hundested@hundestedpropeller.dk • www.hundestedpropeller.dk

Organisers

7 th

EDIT ION

Held in conjunction with

Part of

Recognised as

The Asian Voice in a Global Industry Featuring some of Asia’s most influential thought leaders in the maritime sector Visit www.sea-asia.com for the updated list of speakers.

Andreas Sohmen-Pao Chairman, BW Group and Chairman, Singapore Maritime Foundation

Liv Hovem Chief Executive Officer, DNV GL - Oil & Gas

Esben Poulsson Chairman, International Chamber of Shipping, President, Singapore Shipping Association, Chairman, Enesel Pte Ltd

Jeremy Nixon Chief Executive Officer, Ocean Network Express (ONE)

Søren Toft Member of the Executive Board and Chief Operating Officer, A.P. Møller – Mærsk A/S

Dr Şadan Kaptanoğlu President Designate BIMCO and Managing Director, HI Kaptanoğlu Shipping

Purchase your conference passes today at www.sea-asia.com

58 | PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT

Reliability dominates shipping’s data discussion Ensuring the reliability of sensor data gleaned from condition monitoring can bring dramatic improvements in vessel and equipment performance

Reliability-centred maintenance is a goal as Bourbon begins its conditionmonitoring programme

he value of noon reports as a basis for analysing vessel performance has been questioned at least since 2013. In that year, a team from University College London noted the dramatic difference in standard error between the traditional, manually transcribed noon report and continuous monitoring systems. Six years later, condition-monitoring experts surveyed by Marine Propulsion still estimate that over 90% of the global merchant fleet use this discredited method of recording vessel performance. Sjur Clementsen, sales manager for Norwegian vessel-monitoring specialist Kyma, is among those who believe that shipowners have been slow to dispense with the manual noon report.

The result is a dramatic increase in the opportunity for error. “Someone forgets to fill in the report one day and puts down a value similar to yesterday’s,” he says. “That gets sent to shore and someone else punches those numbers into vesselperformance software.” This is just one way in which modern condition-monitoring practices are stymied by old-fashioned operations. Another is the reliance on inaccurate sensors. Kyma vessel-performance analyst Carlos Gonzalez notes that too often, crew will trust a flowmeter or speed log instead of assessing the reliability of their readings. Like many performance-monitoring companies, Kyma began as a sensor

Marine Propulsion & Auxiliary Machinery | February/March 2019

company, in its case with a popular shaft power meter. That is perhaps why later advances towards broader monitoring and analysis have focused on assuring the reliability of data. A recent example is the Kyma Online notification centre. The new tool is an extension of Kyma’s web-based platform that analyses onboard sensor outputs, reading between 100 and 250 sensors (depending on the vessel) every 15 seconds. Kyma Online can do many things – including benchmarking sister vessels, measuring compliance with charterparty terms and collecting data for regulatory requirements – but before any of this, it must assure data quality. Mr Gonzalez says: “We have safety measures built in when we take sensor readings. The first is that we set a reasonable range of readings and flag any outliers. Another example is flagging when a sensor is not in consistent communication with the Kyma system. We only use data readings that we know are reliable, and the notification centre makes this transparent.” The notification centre was launched in August 2018, and has since been deployed for around 100 vessels. The focus on reliability will reassure shipowners that may have come to know the adage ‘garbage in, garbage out’ through bitter experience – including through the time-honoured tradition of the botched noon report.

Reliability-centred maintenance

French offshore operator Bourbon is also focusing on reliability – first of data, then of its fleet. It has at least two vessels connected to a monitoring

www.mpropulsion.com

PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT | 59

system, with more set to join the programme imminently. The goal is ultimately to make better maintenance decisions. But condition monitoring comes first. “This enables us to ensure that the vessel is operated in an optimal manner, for example for engine power, and to know how precisely,” explains Bourbon head of maintenance AnneLaure Comte. “Maintenance is then performed according to the use of equipment and not according to a fixed calendar interval.” The company hopes that this focus on ‘reliability-centred maintenance’ will improve the technical availability of its fleet. Meanwhile, Bourbon is also diving deep into the technical characteristics of components in order to achieve further maintenance improvements. One example is its project with bearings supplier SKF, which involves studying the functions that a piece of equipment must fulfil and assessing the best solution in terms of maintenance. “Take the specific example of ball bearings,” says Ms Comte. “Systematic change according to the number of hours of use is not necessarily appropriate. On the other hand, a vibration analysis will rapidly identify a change of condition and enable us to remedy it.” Such investment pays dividends. Classification society DNV GL has reported no avoidable in-service defects across boilers on more than 150 vessels to have adopted its boiler monitoring notation since its launch in 2012. Based on its extensive research into boiler faults, the class society introduced the BMON notation to help shipowners improve boiler performance by reducing deficiencies, downtime and maintenance.

Boosting boiler reliability

DNV GL observed that most defects are caused by corrosion related to water quality, often attributable to insufficient maintenance. Requirements for the notation include regular inspections as well as a prescriptive approach to maintaining the protective lining inside the boiler.

www.mpropulsion.com

“Lack of a stable and passive magnetite layer on the water/steam side of metal surfaces appears to be the predominant contributory mechanism behind many of the reported defects,” says DNV GL Maritime principal engineer (hull, materials and machinery) Hamid Farahany. Many ship crews also struggle to allocate time and resources – including appropriate materials – to repairs, Mr Farahany adds, exacerbating the situation. The more rigorous approach to the management of boiler condition in service means that part of the boiler survey can be based on the chief engineer’s inspection report. This arrangement results in greater flexibility over when and where boiler surveys can be carried out, which shipowners have been able to use to reduce vessel downtime in port. DNV GL says that maintaining the oxide protective layer and monitoring water condition reduces the risk of corrosion in boilers. Avoiding impurities on the heat transfer surfaces also makes heat transfer more efficient, improving fuel consumption and minimising heat stresses. The notation also requires the optimisation of the boiler’s feed-water system design, including the hotwell temperature, the use of salinometers and the oil content sensor. Combined with monitoring of differential pressures across the exhaust gas boiler, this process minimises the risk of water-side contamination and gas-side defects.

joint project between the US Navy’s Military Sealift Command (MSC) and classification society American Bureau of Shipping (ABS), which aims to enable the move from calendar-based to condition-based classification. ABS will create digital twins for three MSC vessels and collect data from newly installed hull sensors and from sensors on all classed machinery on board. This will enable the partners to detect abnormal behaviour and provide them with a holistic, real-time view of the vessels’ structural health and performance of equipment. MSC engineering director Andrew Busk explains that the programme will help the division to achieve a “heightened level of vessel readiness”, supporting timely decisions and enhanced planning of vessel overhaul and repair periods. “The condition-based class model solution will help MSC target critical areas for repair, prioritise maintenance requirements, and more efficiently schedule and use resources to improve availability,” says ABS chairman Christopher Wiernicki. Big benefits indeed, made possible by deploying big-data analysis. As shipowners increasingly seek to improve reliability across their fleets, they must maintain a close eye on the reliability of the data they use. MP

Military monitoring

For a cutting-edge example of the benefits that can be derived from the shift to condition-based (or reliability-centred) maintenance, look to the military. Without the commercial constraints of the merchant fleet, and with a demand for absolute reliability, applications in naval vessels often show the extent of what is possible today. In the case of condition-based maintenance, that means using a deep understanding of vessel and equipment condition to extend class surveys indefinitely. That is the objective of a two-year

Improved monitoring of boilers has increased reliability and reduced survey burdens (credit: DNV GL)

Marine Propulsion & Auxiliary Machinery | February/March 2019

60 | PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT

The bottom line in energy management A new analysis tool seeks to inform shipowners when to spend on hull cleaning and when to accept the fuel penalty that fouling brings

ull fouling occupies the same sweet spot as energy efficiency: measures to improve it will cut both cost and environmental impact. If you want to encourage shipowners to minimise the spread of invasive marine species on their ships’ hulls there is no need to rely on their social conscience – just appeal to their profit motive. In more ways than one, cleaning your hull can add some shine to your bottom line. It is perhaps for that reason that Piraeus-based Propulsion Analytics is focusing its expansion into vessel monitoring on the hot issue of hull fouling. The company’s expertise in engine monitoring and analysis has been put to good use over the last two years helping engine designer WinGD develop its integrated diagnostics expert (WIDE) system. Now the company believes that the time is right to look beyond the engine. Chief executive Panos Theodossopoulos explained that the company’s engine modelling software, the Engine Hyper Cube, can build such a detailed picture of the engine that it can begin to isolate the impact of other operating conditions – the loading or

We are using our engine digital twin model … to isolate the effect of hull fouling”

weather, for example. Any variation in engine performance that remains unaccounted for can be attributed to increased resistance on the ship’s hull due to fouling. According to Mr Theodossopoulos, this understanding will allow shipowners to balance the fuel penalty caused by fouling against the cost of cleaning. This will provide a basis for making decisions about when to schedule hull cleaning. “We are using our engine digital twin model in a unique way, to get a more holistic view of engine and vessel performance, allowing us to isolate the effect of hull fouling,” said Mr Theodossopoulos. The International Standards Organisation published a hull performance monitoring standard, ISO 19030, in 2016. Mr Theodossopoulos notes that although it is, in principle, easy for an operator to collect the data to meet this standard, the quality of data is proving a frustration. Propulsion Analytics’ tool will be able to offer an independent benchmark against which such data can be cleaned. The company is running a second pilot trial this year before exploring commercialisation. The new function is just one avenue of development for the firm, which boasts installations with some bluechip ship operators, among them Euronav, Starbulk, Seanergy Maritime, Danaos and Thenamaris. The company is now looking to broaden the appeal of its condition-monitoring expertise by looking at how this can practically be used to develop condition-based

Marine Propulsion & Auxiliary Machinery | February/March 2019

Panos Theodossopoulos (Propulsion Analytics): Isolating the impact of hull fouling on efficiency

maintenance – for example, extending the time between overhauls for specific engine components. This is more of a regulatory challenge than a technical one, said Mr Theodossopoulos. “It’s one thing to have the capability, but the operator also needs approval for that process. We have started discussions with class to see how an engine-modelling process like ours can be approved, to give the operators the possibility of acting on these predictions.” With both energy-management and condition-monitoring aspects to its business, Propulsion Analytics is observing a shift in the way owners deploy these tools. Mr Theodossopoulos noted that, when the company first started pitching its diagnostics expertise, it quickly realised that fault detection and the avoidance of downtime was the hook most owners were looking for. But that may be about to change as IMO’s sulphur ruling brings new fuel challenges, including a new uncertainty around fuel prices. With several factors pushing energy efficiency into focus, it may soon be time for shipowners to clean up their act. The new tool under development by Propulsion Analytics should help them work out when is best to do so. MP

www.mpropulsion.com

Your Partner in

SHIP PERFORMANCE MONITORING KYMA Online

KYMA API

PERFOR-

EMISSIONS reports

MANCE

analysis

KYMA

BIG DATA

module

STEAM analysis

SHAFT POWER measurements

ENGINE

condition

G/E LOAD

optimization

TRIM optimization

You don’t need more information, you need the right information Register online for a free 30-day trial subscription.

www.mpropulsion.com

+47 55 53 00 14

sales@kyma.no

service@kyma.no www.kyma.no

62 | PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT

Smarter than human? How AI is revolutionising maintenance Artificial intelligence may be the force that finally brings predictive maintenance to shipping, but don’t expect a fleetwide adoption anytime soon

oday it is all ‘artificial’ and no ‘intelligence’.” Not a description of the latest reality-television offering, but the assessment of modern marine predictive-maintenance technologies by Wärtsilä’s vice president of digital product development, Mikko Tepponen. Systems that offer predictive maintenance often seem to go little beyond fault detection, he argues. But it

“

Mikko Tepponen (Wärtsilä): Aiming for an intelligent footing for predictive maintenance

is what happens after detection that is far more interesting. A current trial with Royal Caribbean Cruises offers a case in point. Under an agreement signed in October last year – itself the extension of a deal struck in 2013 – Wärtsilä will monitor 196 engines installed on 46 cruise ships. The 10-year deal provides the partners the opportunity to delve deeper into the role that artificial intelligence (AI) can play as shipowners target predictive maintenance. A small-scale test is combining machine learning to improve fault detection, with a collaborative application that allows the operator to review faults in context. Wärtsilä’s work on AI began with its first condition-monitoring systems around 15 years ago. It has accelerated this development over the past three years with the acquisition of performance-monitoring and optimisation company Eniram and navigation, simulation and trafficmanagement specialist Transas. Machine learning algorithms are the building blocks of AI. Using machine learning, anomalies can be detected based on analysing differences in data outputs – for example, discrepancies in readings from engine pressure

Marine Propulsion & Auxiliary Machinery | February/March 2019

sensors. The next step is for experts to investigate the anomalies and diagnose the impending fault. Using the raw, number-crunching power of AI in this way means that anomalies are detected much faster than with more traditional, rule-based condition monitoring, which uses a list of engineering principles that quickly becomes unmanageable as systems become more complex. As Mr Tepponen identifies, it is the step after anomaly detection that is critical and this means that human intelligence will likely remain a key element here for a long time. In the Royal Caribbean pilot, Wärtsilä is testing an application that will allow collaboration between equipment supplier and shipowner to diagnose faults and determine next steps. After the equipment expert has diagnosed a potential issue and included its recommendations, it becomes visible in the collaboration application. The expert then collaborates with the operator to resolve the issue. So far, Wärtsilä reports that the machine-learning algorithms and assigned analysts have been able to detect all potential issues in a timely manner, allowing the crew on board to take actions to prevent faults and optimise performance. That, said Mr Tepponen, is the result of co-operation between machine learning, equipment experts and the shipowner. “Humans are better than computers when it comes to finding the reasons for complex issues,” he said. “But for detecting anomalies, machines beat humans every day of the week.” According to Wärtsilä, AI can already be harnessed alongside human analysis to provide beneficial results. Mr Tepponen said that in one case – agreements bind him from disclosing the shipowner involved – the company was able to identify a fault four months before it occurred.

‘Explainable’ solutions

There are other advocates of AI who argue that even today, in what Mr Tepponen colourfully describes as the

www.mpropulsion.com

PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT | 63

discipline’s “teenage years”, we can go further. Among them is industrial AI provider SparkCognition, which according to product marketing manager Gabe Prado boasts a “developing” portfolio in maritime. For Texas-based SparkCognition, AI must be ‘explainable’ rather than a ‘black box’. In simple terms, it must show its workings, allowing operators to understand how it has arrived at a conclusion, instead of demanding they blindly accept its reasoning. This is the challenge which has led Wärtsilä to support the collaborative AI approach, with algorithms showing anomalies and humans analysing how they emerged and what should be done about it. SparkCognition believes these steps can be taken by AI today, but that the user interface is crucial in easing the transition to reliance on knowledge beyond that of ship crews. “At this point it is still important that the human is in the loop and it is our aim to arm them with as much information as possible,” explained Mr Prado. “For every recommendation that our model makes, we expose indicators giving evidence why the AI made that decision. Say there is a pressure leak somewhere; our model will flag that as something we should look at and elevate the issue, with a list of the top reasons why it has decided this is a problem. That will include a direct reading perhaps and a lot of diagnostics to help operators understand why.” SparkCognition’s software was recently tested by a shipowner interested in targeting failures that would either cost more than US$100,000 to repair or cause a vessel to lose time on a voyage. It provided the AI company with historical data from a class of vessels – comprising more than 600 data streams for each vessel – and asked it to spot failures in two areas (propulsion and electricity generation) at least two weeks before they occurred. For propulsion motors, the company’s SparkPredict software predicted failures up to 10 months

www.mpropulsion.com

Wärtsilä is testing an application allowing human operators to follow up machine anomaly detection

in advance and identified eight main features contributing to its prediction. For generators, SparkPredict predicted rotor pole failure six weeks in advance and identified three main features that contributed to this prediction. It also predicted a failure in an auxiliary machine for which it had not been given data. Mr Prado believes that the lack of connectivity on many ships is a main obstacle to the uptake of AI, rather than any shortcoming in the technology itself. The company’s recently announced collaboration with Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HP) will help to overcome those difficulties. The partnership will enable the use of AI in ‘edge’ situations, where connectivity is not guaranteed and cloud-based solutions are therefore not appropriate. The aging bulk carrier could be a perfect example. “By implementing predictive analytics right at the edge, we empower customers to make critical decisions fast, even in situations where they have slow, unreliable, or non-existent connectivity,” said HP vice president and general manager of converged servers, edge and IoT

systems Tom Bradicich. But operating on the edge is not the only obstacle, noted Mr Prado. Sometimes the actual lack of sensors installed on ship equipment is a limiting factor. There is, he believes, a kernel of truth in the perception of shipping as slow to adopt technologies that enable predictive analytics. “The appetite is there but the big challenge is with the data itself. A lot of people we speak to are still taking readings manually, or the data is not centralised. For any machine-learning model to work there needs to be a rich pipeline of data. And the reality is that a lot of the time those systems don’t exist already on the ship.” That is not to say that shipping is averse to new technologies. As Wärtsilä’s Mr Tepponen explained, it is simply that shipping – like many heavy industries – features assets with a long lifecycle. For the next 10 years much of the fleet will be minimally digitally enabled at best. But for those with ships that are already connected and gathering data systematically, AI-driven predictive maintenance is one of the most exciting possibilities in shipping’s digital transformation. MP

Marine Propulsion & Auxiliary Machinery | February/March 2019

Expensive cylinder honing or even replacement could await unsuspecting shipowners under the global sulphur cap

Will low-sulphur fuel damage your engine? Less than a year before the introduction of a global low-sulphur regime, there is still no consensus about the damage compliant fuels may do to engine cylinders

eading two-stroke engine developers MAN Energy Solutions and WinGD have contrasting views on the impact that low-sulphur fuels, including gas fuels, will have on cylinder condition. According to independent experts in engine condition, the wrong decision could leave shipowners facing emergency cylinder repairs or replacement. Both outcomes would require vessels to be taken off hire. The confusion focuses on the role of cylinder corrosion in helping a lubricant film to stick to the cylinder liner wall, reducing scuffing damage. According to MAN, a controlled level of wear is desirable, while WinGD is focusing on eliminating wear from its engines. Fuel with a lower sulphur content is less corrosive, leading MAN to suggest that there will not be enough wear once engines switch permanently to using 0.5% sulphur fuels. Head of marine and offshore sales Kjeld Aabo explained that, as a result, the company had recommended owners should install cermet-coated piston rings if they switch to low-sulphur fuels. The ceramic-metal composite creates a harder surface than conventional cast-iron rings,

Marine Propulsion & Auxiliary Machinery | February/March 2019

leading to controlled wear. In a service letter circulated in March last year, MAN wrote: “As 2020 is approaching, we recommend that introduction of this new ring configuration is done at the next overhaul.” MAN also suggests that operators increase the basicity of their lubricant “from time to time” to ensure there are no cylinder deposits that might cause scuffing. The company is working with lubricant providers to find a permanent solution, involving oils with low basicity but greater detergency. Winterthur-based WinGD denies that any wear is needed, or that low-sulphur fuels can lead to cylinder scuffing. It reports that it is already monitoring multiple engines operating long term or permanently on low-sulphur fuel (and LNG) within emission control areas without any issues. In a statement, WinGD said: “The liner surface structure we specify is a well-proven concept and should not be destroyed by any kind of wear. We measure hardly any wear on our liners in operation. We are still working hard to eliminate corrosion in order to keep the ring and liner surfaces as specified and machined for as long as possible.”

www.mpropulsion.com

FUELS & LUBRICANTS | 65

Drawing the guidelines

Although the looming 2020 sulphur cap is bringing the issues of corrosion and cylinder condition into sharp relief, it is an argument that goes back several years. CIMAC’s 2017 guidelines on cold corrosion in marine two-stroke engines, to which both MAN and WinGD contributed, is written in a diplomatic tone that belies the opposing views held by the two companies. “Different strategies are implemented by the different engine designers to reach a good tribology situation in the combustion chamber,” the document notes. “One strategy [proposed by WinGD] is to have components with pre-defined geometries. Differences in hardness and metallurgy prevent contact and seizures during normal operation. [MAN’s] is a ‘controlled-wear’ strategy, where the tribology situation is controlled by adequate surface roughness and wear-shaped geometries, which enable a good lube oil film to form.” Cylinder honing and cleaning specialist Chris-Marine believes the impact will fall between the two main developers’ positions, having the worst impact on older engines that are less corrosive than newer models featuring longer stroke and higher firing pressures. “We are facing a large-scale experiment,” said ChrisMarine chief technology officer Daniel Grunditz. “Until now, most ships have been using low-sulphur fuels for maybe two weeks at a time. No one knows what will happen when they run on low-sulphur oil for two or more months.” A more cynical observer suggests that fear or the 2020 sulphur cap could be a good way of selling components or cylinder cleaning. He notes that dual-fuelled engines have been running predominantly on LNG for more than three years, with no negative consequences for cylinder condition.

www.mpropulsion.com

This, he says, indicates that the wear provided by highsulphur fuels is not essential to piston running. The lack of consensus will concern shipowners that already face several fuel condition challenges under the sulphur rule due to take effect on 1 January 2020. Condition-monitoring specialist Parker Kittiwake has several tests geared towards the fuel challenges that will face shipowners under the lowsulphur regime. According to principal chemist Dr David Atkinson, recent sales suggest that the market is taking a keener interest in these issues as the sulphur cap looms. The most immediate worry for shipowners is that fuel should comply with the sulphur cap. This will be particularly challenging given the tight line suppliers will be walking between cost and sulphur content. Dr Atkinson explains that bunker providers will want to blend “the biggest possible amount of low-cost, high-sulphur fuel with the smallest amount of high-cost, low-sulphur fuel”. Inevitably, some will cross the line. For this, the company’s X-ray fluorescence (XRF) spectrometer is useful. Developed over the past 18 months, the portable device provides analysis of fuel sulphur content at an accuracy that could previously only be attained in the laboratory, within minutes. While Parker Kittiwake sells the device to port state control and enforcement agencies that will monitor compliance, the XRF Analyser will also be useful for shipowners wanting to ensure that they are bunkering fuel in compliance with the new sulphur rule. Dr Atkinson reports that despite a lot of interest, the company recorded low sales of the XRF Analyser initially. But now, as the low-sulphur regime nears, some of that early interest is turning into solid orders, he says.

Burning questions

Fuel compatibility is another area of concern. Parker Kittiwake has recently seen a spike in ‘comp ovens’ – heaters in which two samples of fuel are warmed and then interpreted via ISO guidelines to give an indication of potential compatibility issues. The ovens, which take around an hour to produce a result, will mean that shipowners can test fuel from a different port or supplier for compatibility while it is quarantined in a separate fuel tank. Cat fines add further to the dilemma. These are residues of the catalytic cracking that removes sulphur from crude oil. They are present in many of the cheaper, low-sulphur fuel streams – exactly those that blenders are likely to choose to mix with high-sulphur streams in order to comply with the 2020 limits. Dr Atkinson concurs with the warnings of other fuel analysts that the low-sulphur regime is likely to be accompanied by an increase in incidences of cat fine damage to engines. The challenges of a low-sulphur regime will be intense even before the impact of fuel on cylinder wear and lubrication is considered. The uncertainty around cylinder condition, and the lack of agreement between the two major engine designers, will make that switch even more tense for shipowners’ technical teams. MP

Marine Propulsion & Auxiliary Machinery | February/March 2019

Meeting the Future of Combustion Engines 29th CIMAC WORLD CONGRESS Combustion Engine Technology for Ship Propulsion | Power Generation | Rail Traction

Highlights Technical Programme

Over 150 lectures, interesting panels and keynotes

Exhibition

Presentation of new technologies and products

Networking

More than 1,000 international experts

Technical Tours

Visits to local industry

Social Events

Oﬃcial Reception and Gala Dinner

Topics Intelligent Power Systems / Shipping 4.0 Digitalization, System Integration and Electronic Support

Towards Zero Emissions

What’s in store for the future and what are the alternative fuels for the future

Operators’ Voice

Case Studies from Operators and Global Trends

And many more

www.cimaccongress.com

Basic research and New Engine Developments

BUNKER BULLETIN | 67

Blockchain bunker notes to build confidence in biofuels Verifying the source and carbon savings of advanced biofuels will be key to growing their use in marine bunkers. A recent project shows how blockchain technology can help

hen one of the world’s biggest dry-bulk charterers describes biofuels as a disrupter in the bunkering market, it’s time to pay attention. According to BHP head of strategy and planning Abdes Karimi, the growth of biofuels in marine bunkers is inevitable, driven by advances in the fuel and research into blend ratios. The global mining company sees biofuels as an important step in decarbonising its supply chain. That process began in Rotterdam on 4 February, when it received its first bunkering with biofuels. A blend of 70% marine gas oil (MGO) and 30% biofuel supplied by GoodFuels was loaded onto the capesize bulk carrier Frontier Sky, on charter to BHP from NYK. But there is, unsurprisingly, a challenge. The way that biofuels are produced and the manner in which their emissions impact is calculated means that verifying sustainability is often difficult. Biofuels do not reduce CO2 emissions directly, but have been classified as renewable because the feedstock used to make them – carbon from plants and animals – can be replaced relatively cheaply compared to other carbon-based energy sources such as oil. Emissions reduction potential can vary dramatically depending on feedstock, production method, supply chain and engine type. ‘Firstgeneration’ biofuels, which come from crops grown specifically for

www.mpropulsion.com

biofuel production, are a particularly problematic example. Compared with other land uses, including food production or biodiversity, there is little evidence that fuels produced in this way reduce overall carbon emissions. Most biofuels are now at secondgeneration (coming from animal or plant waste) and may soon be thirdgeneration (derived from algae), but supply chain remains crucial.

Credible savings

In the case of BHP’s biofuel intake on Frontier Sky, the biofuel was a drop-in, MGO replacement derived from used cooking oil feedstock. Tank-to-propeller carbon reduction is classed as 100% because of the replaceable nature of the carbon used. But the sourceto-propeller reduction is lower, at 87.4%, due to energy consumed in the production and transport of the biofuel, as well as the transport of feedstock. With a 30% blend, the emissions reduction on Frontier Sky will be 26.2%. BHP and GoodFuels can be confident of those savings, and the provenance of the biofuel, because of a blockchain fuel-assurance platform developed by

Maritime Blockchain Labs, a consortium led by blockchain developer BLOC and Lloyd’s Register Foundation. “It’s important to ensure the biofuel we use is sustainably produced and traceable,” says Mr Karimi. “This consortium has invented new ways of working that improve productivity and reliability in the bunker-fuel supply chain and enable trustful tracking of both the provenance and carbon savings.” The platform uses blockchains to create an unalterable record of custody for documentation (including quality analysis and fuel specifications) from the various parties to have handled the fuel down. This allows the supply chain to be analysed and fuel characteristics, including emissions savings, to be traced. GoodFuels head of marine Isabel Welten believes the system, or something like it, will play a pivotal role in encouraging the uptake of biofuels in the marine industry. She concludes: “By documenting emissions savings and chains of custody and combining this with smart incentives to use cleaner fuels, we can build a trusted, financially viable pathway towards zero-carbon shipping.” MP

Blockchain assurance can bring certainty to biofuel bunkering

Marine Propulsion & Auxiliary Machinery | February/March 2019

68 | POWERTALK

Norway makes early play in hydrogen race A perfect blend of government support and industry cooperation makes Norway an ideal incubator for early zero-emissions vessels, says Hyon managing director Tomas Tronstad

n the past two years Norway has established itself as a leading driver in the use of hydrogen for shipping. According to hydrogen systems integrator Hyon, strong government support and a vibrant maritime cluster is making the country a force to be reckoned with in the development of this emerging technology. Hyon is taking a highly visible role in several projects, despite being less than a year old. But with shipping veteran Tomas Tronstad as its managing director, direct from nearly two and a half decades with class society DNV GL, the company is positioned to take advantage of the opportunities emerging in this sector. Mr Tronstad likens the country’s approach to hydrogen to the role it played in developing LNG and battery vessels. “If you look at Norwegian shipping, our advantage is not in making the same equipment more efficiently, it is in being pioneers, doing the engineering and having complete clusters so that we get the whole picture. That is what is happening this time around, pushed by government policies.” Opportunities are emerging fast. The government has decreed that 50% of the energy used on its electrically powered routes – starting with 63 fully electric car ferries to enter service in 2021 and 2022 – must come from hydrogen. In December 2017, Trøndelag in central Norway decided to consider hydrogen-fuelled solutions as it sought emissions-cutting fast ferry concepts for short-, medium- and long-range routes in the county from 2021.

First and fast Tomas Tronstad (Hyon): “For shorter routes, compressed hydrogen will offer a cheap and flexible solution”

Hyon is part of that competition through a consortium with ferry operator Norled, boatbuilder Selfa Arctic, naval architect LMG Marin, and propulsion company Servogear. The same group was one of four hydrogen projects to win funding under the 2018 round of Norway’s Pilot-E environmental funding

Marine Propulsion & Auxiliary Machinery | February/March 2019

programme. The zero-emissions fast ferry (ZEFF) group aims to develop Norway’s first hydrogen-fuelled ferry, with speeds of 25-45 knots, by next year. But Norway’s hydrogen ambitions are not confined to ferries. Multimodal operator Samskip’s Seashuttle project was another Pilot-E winner. Along with Hyon, technology supplier Kongsberg, and Massterly – the autonomous vessel solutions joint venture between Kongsberg Maritime and Wilhelmsen – the company aims to develop two container ships for short sea routes. The ships will be entirely electric and powered by hydrogen fuel cells. Arguably even more transformative is a project in which Hyon is not so far involved. Shipyard and marine technology group Havyard has been granted Nkr104.3M (US$12.0M) to develop a ‘high-capacity hydrogen energy system’ that will be installed on one of four cruise ferries being built for new Norwegian coastal operator Havila Kystruten. The system, combined with batteries, will enable the ship to sail without emissions for five times longer than other planned vessels. It will be installed and in operation by the end of 2022. The projects all have one thing in common: the use of hydrogen-fuelled proton exchange membrane fuel cells that will rely on an abundance of hydrogen. Mr Tronstad believes that will not be an obstacle. “Our thinking is that cheap hydrogen fuel will become a global commodity, based on production from abundant renewables,” he says. “Liquefied hydrogen storage on board will not be a problem and for shorter routes, compressed hydrogen will offer cheaper, simpler and more flexible solutions.” With an abundance of projects and expertise, and a successful track record in pioneering propulsion concepts, Norway and Norwegian companies like Hyon look set to play a defining role in bringing hydrogen to the maritime market. MP