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How the Maximum Contingency of 2,200 MW Was Recast to a 1,200 MW CeilingAs policy makers and energy developers look to develop and interconnect large offshore wind projects in the most economically efficient and least environmentally impactful way, an issue has developed. A relatively recent limit, set in place by the grid operator in New England in a planning process document, states that no single system loss of energy, or “contingency”, can be larger than 1,200 megawatts (MW). This 2016 addition to ISO New England’s (ISO-NE) Planning Procedure No.

“If we are to state our strategy in one word, it’s decarbonization,” said Juha Kytölä, director of R&D and engineering at Finnish tech company Wärtsilä. “What we are going toward is to supply the market with a portfolio of products that are ready for zero-carbon fuels.”In order to achieve its sustainability goals—including a 2030 target for carbon neutrality in its own operations—Wärtsilä has been taking big strides in research and development, having ramped up its investment on this front in recent years, Kytölä said.

Finnlines’ second new Superstar passenger-freight vessel, Finncanopus, was launched on Friday at the China Merchants Jinling Shipyard in Weihai. The new Superstar class ro-pax vessels, along with sister vessel Finnsirius launched in August 2022—both part of Finnlines’ €500-million investment program—will enter service in 2023, serving the Naantali–Långnäs–Kapellskär route between Finland, Åland Islands and Sweden.Both vessels have capacity for 1,100 passengers, which is the double compared with the current vessels on the route. Each vessel has 323 passenger cabins and 64 crew cabins.

Last month, CMA CGM’s Zephyr became the largest containership by cargo capacity to ever transit the Panama Canal.The Neopanamax containership Zephyr has a total capacity of 16,285 TEUs. After calling at the U.S. ports of New York and Savannah, the Zephyr sailed back southbound through the Canal, from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean, in route to Qingdao, China. On July 1, the vessel completed its return trip through the Expanded Canal’s Neopanamax Locks, which opened six years ago to accommodate the world’s growing fleet of large containerships.

Despite transporting roughly 90% of the world’s cargo, the shipping industry has so far been underrepresented in the global decarbonization discussion. This rhetoric is however changing. For the first time in history, shipping was officially on the agenda at the UN climate change conference, COP26. Likewise, the recent United Nations General Assembly saw leaders from the U.S., Australia, India, and Japan place shipping at the top of a list of pledges, with plans to form a “Green…

Sanmar Shipyards said it has signed a contract to deliver two cleaner and greener versions of its Bogacay series of tugs to Sicily-based operator Rimorchiatori Augusta Srl. BOGACAY LII and BOGACY LIV have been refurbished and their propulsion systems upgraded using the latest technology to make them IMO Tier III emissions compliant. They will be delivered to Augusta Port in Sicily towards the end of 2022.The 24.4m x 12m x 5.45m sister tugs will be powered by two Caterpillar CAT 3512E C rating main engines…

From his office overlooking Cherbourg docks, general manager Yannick Millet points to trailers destined for Ireland that belong to Amazon and FedEx, new customers and a signal of a potential big shift in post-Brexit trade.Confronted by red tape and delays after Britain’s messy exit from the European Union, Irish traders are shipping goods directly to and from European ports, shunning the once-speedier route through Britain.“You see the shift in supply chains right here,” he said.All five operators connecting Ireland to mainland Europe have increased ferry services in the past nine months…

The head of global trade association Interferry reflects on the unprecedented challenges of 2020 and those ahead—but makes a case for cautious optimism.What a difference a year makes…In this column last January, I was hailing the worldwide ferry industry’s exceptional growth in 2019—marked by soaring tourist traffic and a host of newbuild orders—and eagerly anticipating further advances in 2020. None of us could have known that within a matter of weeks, all expectations were to…

Atlantic Shores Offshore Wind, the 50-50 joint venture between EDF Renewables North America and Shell New Energies US, has submitted its proposal to the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities to supply the state with up to 2,300 MW of renewable wind energy.New Jersey seeks to award between 1,200 MW and 2,400 MW of offshore wind energy projects as part of its second solicitation. Atlantic Shores estimates their first project would be completed as early as 2027 and if awarded, the…

Liquefied natural gas shipping firm Golar LNG and the engineering giant Black & Veatch on Thursday said they would expand their long-standing FLNG relationship, and start working on projects involving floating ammonia production, carbon capture, green LNG, and hydrogen.Golar LNG said that the partnership's first area of interest was floating ammonia production with carbon capture and storage - Floating Blue Ammonia. The two companies plan to jointly publish a thought leadership paper on Floating Blue Ammonia by the end of the year.After this, the companies plan to jointly publish their thoughts "as we focus in on the technical and commercial…

The Shanghai International Energy Exchange (INE) is considering using oil storage sites in Singapore owned by PetroChina Co as a delivery point for its low-sulphur fuel oil futures contract, according to two sources with direct knowledge of the matter.The INE’s move would be the first time a Chinese futures contract would be deliverable outside of China and could boost liquidity for the contract, as well as help to influence pricing for shipping fuel.Low-sulphur fuel oil (LSFO) is required as ship fuel to meet new maritime emissions regulations that went into effect this year.

The newly-intorduced Alfa Laval PureCool system tackling methane slip from liquefied natural gas (LNG) engines continues a green solutions journey nearly two decades long while pointing the way forward into a new era of environmental work, the Swedish manufacturer says.A unified push for green solutionsThe emissions reduction system is part of Alfa Laval's Pure Thinking portfolio, introduced over 15 years ago to define an organized effort to pursue environmental solutions and help marine customers meet new legislation.

Aker Arctic Technology Inc announced Tuesday it has signed a contract with the Swedish Maritime Administration (SMA) and the Finnish Transport Infrastructure Agency (FTIA) to develop new icebreakers to meet new challenges in Baltic Sea escort operations.The “next generation” icebreaker design will be capable of assisting the larger merchant ships entering Finnish and Swedish ports, incorporate latest environmental technologies and be ready for future fossil-free fuels, the Finnish engineering firm said. “Our foreign trade and competitiveness are based on year-round security of supply.

Marine propulsion systems manufacturer Schottel introduced its new M-series azimuth thrusters, consisting of several medium-sized rudder propeller sizes covering a power range of 400 to 1,000 kW. The series' first propulsion units have recently been delivered and will soon be put into operation.With the M-series, Schottel says it aims to meet new challenges such as shifted engine power classes, updated ice class rules and an ever-increasing number of electric or hybrid-driven vessels.

Ireland-based tanker shipping company Ardmore Shipping Corporation confirmed Tuesday that it received and turned down an unsolicited acquisition proposal last month from larger competitor Hafnia Limited.BW Group's Hafnia said it sent a letter on June 19 to the chairman of Ardmore's board outlining its proposal and inviting discussion regarding an all-stock transaction.Ardmore, which owns and operates a fleet of medium range (MR) product and chemical tankers ranging from 25,000 to 50,000 deadweight tonnes, said that it reviewed the proposal and turned it down within two weeks."Ardmore's Board of Directors thoroughly reviewed the proposal…

There is a new buzzword in the ocean science/sensing community. The word is eDNA, an abbreviation for environmental DNA. This refers to DNA that can be extracted from environmental samples without first isolating any target organisms. In the maritime community such samples are taken from water. All living organisms leave traces of DNA in their environments which is an indicator of their presence over time. This DNA is released into the environment through the biological process of living animals or by the decomposition of dead organisms.

SCHOTTEL has won a contract from Ada Shipyard in Turkey to supply propulsion units for two double-ended Ro-Pax ferries. As part of the deal, the German propulsion manufacturer will provide a total of four SCHOTTEL Rudder EcoPellers (SRE) for the LMG 60 DE design vessels ordered recently by Norwegian ferry operator Norled.The ferries’ main propulsion consists of two SCHOTTEL EcoPellers type SRE 270 (810 kW each) with 1.85 m diameter fixed pitch propellers (one at each end of the ferry). Each of the azimuth thrusters is driven by two bio-diesel engines through a twin-in-single-out gearbox.

Container shipping firm CMA CGM will use the French Mediterranean port of Marseille for refueling some of its planned gas-powered vessels, backed by a supply partnership with energy group Total.Total will supply liquefied natural gas (LNG) and a refueling barge to enable CMA CGM to refuel LNG-powered vessels at the Marseille-Fos hub starting in 2021, the companies said in a joint statement on Wednesday.The initiative covers five vessels with a capacity of 15,000 twenty-foot equivalent…

Asia's spot premium for 380-centistoke (cst) high-sulphur fuel oil (HSFO) is expected to ease gradually from its recent record highs as shippers adopt cleaner marine fuels next year to meet new, tougher rules on emissions from ships.But as the deadline approaches, analysts and traders agree that demand for the dirtier HSFO will not die out completely as an increasing number of ships get equipped with sulphur-cleaning devices in the coming years to combat pollution.Starting Jan.

Asia's hydrogen gas demand will rise as the region's oil refineries use the gas to produce low-sulfur fuel to meet new environmental regulations, the head of the world's largest industrial gas producer said."The demand for hydrogen has grown steadily over the years at a much faster rate than GDP growth," Linde Plc's Chief Executive Officer Steve Angel told Reuters ahead of the groundbreaking ceremony for Linde's $1.4-billion gas project on Singapore's Jurong Island."The twin drivers…

Denmark-based shipping companies prefer to install exhaust gas purification systems, the so-called scrubbers, on their ships."The scrubbers clean the exhaust smoke from the engines and thereby remove Sulphur and other particles which enable the ships to meet new international requirements," says Danish Shipping, which represents the danish shipping industry.With its 183.2-meter long hull, Torm Laura takes up a lot of space at the FAYARD yard on Funen, Denmark. Every day, the ship transports everything from oil to chemicals on the seven oceans, but for the last two weeks the ship has been docking at a shipyard in Munkebo to have a scrubber…

Wight Shipyard Co (WSC)’s newbuild hybrid vessel unveiled at Seawork 2019. Setting new standards in the patrol and pilot vessels the 9m hybrid is a step change for operators including port and river authorities, police, MOD and Royal Navy who need to meet new pollution standards.Port authorities, harbor and river patrols need to keep pace with the changing environmental requirements seeking solutions and vessels that can operate zero emissions but switch easily between variable…

At SK Energy's largest refinery in South Korea, engineers are rushing to complete a new processing unit ahead of schedule as the firm looks to boost sales of low-emission fuels before new marine fuel standards take effect in just one month.In Japan, the country's second-biggest refiner Idemitsu Kosan Co is taking a more cautious stance, increasing capacity for low sulphur fuel oil (LSFO), but also relying on blending to produce IMO 2020 compliant bunker fuel.The different approaches…