Selected Headlines on Alternative Fuels & Technologies 2024

SELECTED HEADLINES ON ALTERNATIVE FUELS & TECHNOLOGIES

 BY INTERCARGO- February 2024

DRY BULK SHIPPING FOCUS

Ultrabulk closes in on ammonia-fuelled vessels order after ship sales

Denmark-based owner-operator Ultrabulk is hoping to finalise orders for new ammonia-fuelled bulk carriers this year. (Tradewinds : click here)

Berge Bulk orders ammonia-ready newcastlemax pair in China

The leading newcastlemax builder in the world, CSSC Qingdao Beihai Shipbuilding, has bagged another order for a pair of ammonia-ready bulk carriers. (Splash247: click here)

Anglo-American wraps up 10-strong chartered fleet of LNG dual-fuel bulkers

Anglo American has announced delivery of the last of its 10-strong chartered fleet of Capesize+ LNG dual-fuel bulk carriers, the Ubuntu Liberty. (Ship Energy: click here)

BHP studies nuclear-powered ships

Mining giant BHP has become the latest big name to study the potential for nuclear to power ships. (Splash247: click here)

Diana Shipping inks contracts for dual fuel methanol Kamsarmax pair

Diana Shipping has signed shipbuilding contracts for two 81,200 DWT methanol dual fuel new-building Kamsarmax dry bulk vessels for a purchase price of $46 million each. (Ship Energy: click here)

Victoria Steamship Co. vessel to trial new Anemoi rotor sail

London-based Victoria Steamship Company is set to support Anemoi Marine Technologies with the development and testing of a new 3.5 metre diameter x 24.5-metre-high rotor sail. (Ship Energy: click here)

Seanergy Maritime Joins EU Hydrogen Fuel Project

Greek capesize specialist Seanergy Maritime, listed on the Nasdaq, has taken a significant step towards sustainable shipping by joining an ambitious European Union-backed initiative. (Energy news: click here)

METHANOL

Euronav orders two dual-fuel green methanol bitumen tankers in China

Belgian tanker shipping company Euronav has concluded an order for two dual-fuel bitumen tankers with Chinese shipbuilder China Merchants Jinling Shipyard (Yangzhou) Dingheng. (Off-shore energy: click here)

South Korea’s methanol bunkering milestone

Ulsan Port in South Korea has hosted its first green methanol ship-to-ship bunkering operation helping consolidate its position as a sustainable marine fueling location. (Ports Strategy: click here)

Unifeeder completes agreement for two additional methanol-powered vessels

Unifeeder Group has successfully completed a long-term charter agreement for two additional methanol-capable container feeder vessels. (Ship Management: click here)

AMMONIA

Wärtsilä introduces Ammonia Fuel Supply System to ease shipping’s transition to ammonia fuel

Wärtsilä Gas Solutions, part of technology group Wärtsilä, introduced an Ammonia Fuel Supply System (AFSS) for ships able to operate with ammonia fuel. (Green car congress: click here)

Ammonia cracking project will focus on cost and reliability

The four-year EU-funded APOLO project will take a holistic approach to ensuring the commercial viability of ammonia cracking technology that can produce hydrogen onboard short and deep sea vessels. (Motorship: click here)

CMB.TECH to own first-ever ammonia powered boxship

CMB.TECH has ordered the world’s first ammonia-powered container vessel in partnership with Yara Clean Ammonia. (Splash 247: click here)

WinGD, Mitsubishi Shipbuilding complete initial design of ammonia fuel supply system

Swiss marine power company WinGD and Japanese shipbuilder and technology developer Mitsubishi Shipbuilding have completed the initial design of an ammonia fuel supply system (AFSS) for vessels powered by WinGD’s X‑DF‑A ammonia-fueled engines. (Off-shore energy: click here)

HYDROGEN

India rolls out program to support green hydrogen ship retrofits

India’s government has released a new scheme that aims to support retrofitting existing vessels to run on green hydrogen. (Off-shore energy: click here)

BIOMASS/BIOFUELS

Glomar claims 28% emissions reduction using GoodFuels’ biofuel

Dutch offshore drilling services provider Glomar Offshore has revealed that it has achieved CO2 emissions reduction by 28%. (Off-shore energy: click here)

Vitol Bunkers welcomes its first biofuel bunker barge in Singapore

Vitol Bunkers, a wholly-owned bunker arm of energy and commodities company Vitol, has taken delivery of its first specialized biofuel bunker barge, in Singapore.(Off-shore energy: click here)

CARBON CAPTURE

Chiyoda, NYK, and KNCC explore the feasibility of CCUS value chain

Japanese engineering company Chiyoda Corporation, compatriot shipping major Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha (NYK), and its affiliate Knutsen NYK Carbon Carriers AS (KNCC) have conducted a joint study to quantitatively evaluate and verify the feasibility of the carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) value chain.  (Off-shore energy: click here)

Solvang orders world’s first full scale onboard CCS retrofit

Solvang ASA, the Norway-based shipowner, has ordered a full-scale, turnkey Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) retrofit on board one of its LPG carriers with Singaporean shipyard Seatrium. (Motorship: click here)

Onboard carbon capture system prototype hits 85% capture rates

Researchers working on the EverLoNG ship-based carbon capture (SBCC) prototype have achieved capture rates of at least up to 85% during initial testing. (Splash247: click here)

Seatrium seals deal for onboard CCS system retrofit on Solvang ethylene carrier

The project will use amine cleaning technology to capture 70% of the carbon dioxide in the exhaust gas from the main engine, involving the entire value chain for handling the gas, including liquefaction and storage on board the vessel. (Lloyds List: click here)

 TECHNOLOGIES

Nuclear power for shipping takes a step forward with the help of the world’s largest shipyard

Key agreement also involves other partners in development of molten chloride reactors. (Tradewinds: click here)

Eastern Pacific Shipping enters wind-assisted propulsion space with bound4blue deal

Eastern Pacific Shipping has made its first move in the wind-assisted propulsion space, signing a deal with rigid suction sail developer bound4blue to install three of its sails on board 50,000 dwt product tanker Pacific Sentinel (Lloyds List: click here)

K Line buys French kite manufacturer

K Line, as the top customer, has already signed up for 51 installations. (Splash247: click here)

Scorpio Tankers picks FOWE fuel emulsion systems for 100+ vessels

Monaco-based shipping company Scorpio Tankers has signed a non-binding Memorandum of Understanding to install the Fowe Eco Solutions (FOWE) fuel emulsion systems across its entire fleet of over 100 vessels. (Off-shore energy: click here)

Chemship vessel becomes first chemicaltanker in the world to be fitted with sail kit

The Dutch owner has installed four VentoFoils from Econowind on the 134 m long Chemical Challenger, a ship that works a dedicated transatlantic route. (Splash247: click here)

Norsepower to fit rotor sails on low-emission RoRo fleet chartered by Airbus

Finnish mechanical sail company Norsepower Oy and French shipowner Louis Dreyfus Armateurs SAS (LDA) have signed a deal to fit Norsepower’s rotor sails on the new low-emission RoRo fleet to be chartered to Airbus. (Off-shore energy: click here)

Liner bosses discuss potential for nuclear

The heads of two of the world’s largest containerlines have discussed how they see the role of nuclear power in the years ahead. (Splash247: click here)

Japanese majors to develop next-gen eco-friendly VLCC, set to cut GHG emissions by 40%

Japanese maritime leaders Idemitsu Tanker Co., Iino Kaiun Kaisha, Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha (NYK), and Nippon Shipyard Co. have joined forces to create a consortium to design and build a low-emission Very Large Crude Carrier (VLCC). (Off-shore energy: click here)

German shipowner picks Norsepower’s rotor sail to fit on cement carrier

German shipping company Baltrader Capital and Finnish provider of auxiliary wind propulsion systems Norsepower have signed a contract concerning the delivery of rotor sails which will be fitted on the shipowner’s cement carrier. (Off-shore energy: click here)

DECARBONISATION

BP poised to buy Macquarie’s 15% stake in landmark $36bn green hydrogen project in Australia

Oil giant would become the majority shareholder in the Australian Renewable Energy Hub, one of the world’s largest green H2 projects. (Recharge news: click here)

Egypt strikes $41bn of deals to turn Suez economic zone into global green energy hub

Nation already has Chinese backing for its ambitious green energy plans for the Suez Canal Economic Zone. (Recharge news: click here)

Holtec announces novel combined nuclear/solar power plant design: CSNP

Holtec International announced a new power plant design which melds the benefits of nuclear (high energy density, non-polluting, base load) with those of solar. (Green car congress: click here

SELECTED HEADLINES ON ALTERNATIVE FUELS & TECHNOLOGIES

BY INTERCARGO – January 2024

DRY BULK SHIPPING FOCUS

K Line unveils fleet expansion move with methanol-ready bulk carriers

K Line has inked a contract with compatriot shipbuilder Nihon Shipyard, a joint venture between Japan Marine United Corporation (JMU) and Imabari Shipbuilding, for the construction of three methanol-ready post-Panamax bulkers. (Off-shore energy: click here)

Brokers: Eastern Pacific brings its ammonia-powered bulker tally at Qindao Beihai to 10

Eastern Pacific Shipping (EPS), a Singaporean shipping company, has placed an order for four 210,000 deadweight tonnage (dwt) bulk carriers featuring ammonia dual fuel propulsion technology. (Off-shore energy: click here)

Foremost Group joins elite group of early movers ordering methanol-fuelled bulkers

New York-headquartered owner books four kamsarmaxes worth about $168m (Tradewinds : click here)

METHANOL

 Bringing renewable e-methane to the market

Gasum and Nordic Ren-Gas have signed an e-methane offtake agreement bringing renewable e-methane to market starting 2026. (Motorship: click here)

ONE to build 12 methanol dual fuel container ships

Ocean Network Express Pte. Ltd. (ONE) has signed Ship Building Contracts with Jiangnan Shipyard and Yangzijiang Shipbuilding for a total construction of twelve 13,000 TEU methanol dual-fuel container ships. (Vessel Performance: click here)

Shanghai and Evergreen team up on methanol

Shanghai International Port Group and Evergreen Marine have teamed up to supply green methanol to ships in port. (Motorship: click here)

DNV: methanol edges out LNG as top alternative fuel for vessels ordered in 2023

The latest stats from DNV’s Alternative Fuels Insight (AFI) platform found that a total of 298 ships with alternative fuel propulsion were ordered in 2023—an 8% increase year on year. (Green car congress: click here)

CSET orders methanol-fuelled tanker newbuilding series

COSCO Shipping Energy Transportation (CSET) announced that it had placed an order for a series of six methanol-fuelled tanker vessels with COSCO Shipping Heavy Industry on 29 December. (Motorship: click here)

AMMONIA

China’s first ammonia/diesel dual-fuel tug enters construction phase

Dalian COSCO Shipping Heavy Industry has kicked off construction of China’s first ammonia/diesel dual-fuel-powered 5500HP azimuth-stern drive (ASD) tug. (Off-shore energy: click here)

MAN lands double AiP for ammonia fuel supply system

The fuel supply system for marine engines has been awarded approval in principal from class societies DNV and Bureau Veritas. (Riviera news: click here)

Japan to launch first ammonia-fueled ammonia gas carrier in 2026

Four Japanese companies — Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha (NYK), Japan Engine Corporation, IHI Power Systems, and Nihon Shipyard — have signed a series of contracts to build the world’s first ammonia-fueled medium gas carrier (AFMGC). (Off-shore energy: click here)

Trafigura aims for six zero-emission ships by 2030

Global commodity trading giant Trafigura has set an ambitious target of having at least six zero-emission green ammonia-fuelled vessels in its fleet by 2030 to achieve a 25% reduction in the GHG intensity of its shipping operations. (Off-shore energy: click here)

First successful demonstration of onboard ammonia-H2 cracking

The successful operation of an ammonia to hydrogen cracker was successfully demonstrated on 18 November on an offshore supply vessel operated by Zumaia Offshore. (Motorship: click here)

IACS adopts new Unified Requirement (URH1) on control of ammonia releases on ammonia fuelled vessels

IACS has developed a Unified Requirement (URH1) covering the release of ammonia from the onboard systems for bunkering, storing, preparing and using ammonia as fuel. (Ship Management: click here)

Oxford researchers say green ammonia could decarbonise 60% of shipping sector

With production costs similar to very low sulphur fuels (VLSFOs), green ammonia could be a viable decarbonisation option with availability at just 10 ports. (Riviera news: click here)

HYDROGEN

 Japan’s Idemitsu planning to turn Yamaguchi refinery into clean energy hub

Japan’s second-biggest oil refiner, Idemitsu Kosan is planning to convert its 120,000 barrels a day (b/d) Yamaguchi refinery in western Japan into a hub for carbon-free energy by the 2030s, according to Reuters. (Ship Energy: click here)

Comparative lifecycle study of different modes of hydrogen production

Researchers from LUT University in Finland have compared the climate change impacts and the main factors affecting them for different categories of hydrogen production, including grey hydrogen (SMR), blue hydrogen (SMR-CCS), turquoise hydrogen (TDM), and green hydrogen (PEM electrolysis). (Green car congress: click here)

Yanmar developing hydrogen-fueled 4-stroke engine for zero-emission vessels

Yanmar Power Technology Co., Ltd. (YPT), a subsidiary of Yanmar Holdings Co., Ltd., has begun development of a hydrogen-fueled 4-stroke high-speed engine for power generation for coastal vessels in Japan as part of the Nippon Foundation’s zero-emission ship demonstration experiment. (Green car congress: click here)

Iberian Atlantic ports to explore H2 and methanol

A number of Atlantic ports on the Iberian peninsular are to play host to a variety of pilot schemes exploring the use of hydrogen and methanol for shipping and port vehicles. (Motorship: click here)

Plug Power starts production of liquid green hydrogen at Georgia plant

This is the largest electrolytic liquid hydrogen production plant, and largest PEM electrolyzer deployment operating in the US, representing a landmark achievement in Plug’s build-out of a vertically integrated hydrogen ecosystem. (Green car congress: click here)

BIOMASS/BIOFUELS

Biofuels as Marine Fuels under the IMO’s and EU’S Regulatory Framework

ABS Regulatory News provides background information and guidance for the use of biofuels for Class, EU and IMO requirements. (ABS: click here)

Trafigura looks to biofuel bunkering to comply with FuelEU

Swiss trading house reduced greenhouse gas intensity by 19% in 2023 with energy-saving measures such as weather routing. (Lloyds List: click here)

Dutch biofuel bunker demand unfazed by lower subsidies

The Dutch government slashed biofuel bunker subsidies for 2024, but Dutch ports remain the most competitive bunkering hubs for buying bio-blended fuels. (Lloyds List: click here)

Biofuel sales up 200% in Singapore

Bunker sales of biofuels in the Port of Singapore more than tripled in 2023. (Port Strategy: click here)

CARBON CAPTURE

Neste and partner companies conclude E-Fuel research project; progress in the development of electrofuels

A joint E-Fuel research project demonstrating high temperature electrolysis (SOEC), carbon capture, and hydrocarbon synthesis technologies (earlier post) has now come to its successful end. (Green car congress: click here)

TECHNOLOGIES

New tech developed to monitor vessel black carbon emissions

Green Instruments A/S, the Danish Technological Institute, and other maritime stakeholders have joined forces to develop real-time flue gas sensor technology to measure black carbon emissions from ships. (Ship Energy: click here)

The Case for Nuclear Cargo Ships

They failed decades ago, but small modular reactors could make all the difference. (IEEE Spectrum: click here)

Canadian project to develop marine-based nuclear reactors moves ahead

Canada’s Prodigy Clean Energy is teaming up with Westinghouse Electric Company to develop nuclear power plants that can be used both at sea and on land. (Splash247: click here)

 DECARBONISATION

China sets out strategy to dominate green shipbuilding

Chinese government-led race to lead the green shipbuilding boom aligns with Beijing’s strategic support of sectors. (Lloyds List: click here)

Rio Tinto to drive development of Australia’s largest solar farm at Gladstone

Rio Tinto will drive development of Australia’s largest solar power project near Gladstone, after agreeing to buy all electricity from the 1.1GW Upper Calliope Solar Farm to provide renewable power to Rio Tinto’s Gladstone operations. (Green car congress: click here)

Clarksons: 45% of newbuilds ordered in 2023 alternative fuel capable

Shipbroker Clarksons reports 45% of newbuildings ordered last year are capable of running on alternative fuels. (Riviera news: click here)

Poseidon Principles: Annual Disclosure Report 2023

The Poseidon Principles for Marine Insurance, an initiative backed by the Global Maritime Forum to drive decarbonisation of international shipping through transparency, has issued its second annual disclosure report. (Poseidon Principles: click here)