Shipowners, Port Operators Ramp Up Methanol-fueling Projects
Interest in methanol as an alternative fuel has grown in the shipping industry, which seeks to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050.Below is a list of upcoming methanol bunkering-related projects by companies and ports:COMPANIES:A.P. Moller-MaerskMaersk received the world's first methanol-enabled container ship in July. It has 24 more such vessels on order to help it to achieve its goal of using low-emission fuels to transport a quarter of its volumes by 2030.HD Hyundai Heavy Industries expects to build a dozen more such vesselsâŚ
World's First Methanol Hybrid Fuel Cell Tug Taking Shape
Towage and marine solution services firm Svitzer on Thursday launched the second phase of its project to design the worldâs first methanol hybrid fuel cell (MHFC) tug.Svitzer, part of A.P. Moller-Maersk, has conducted technical studies to establish the feasibility of this type of vessel accommodating the real-world operational requirements of a tug. Work will now begin between Svitzer and naval architect company Robert Allan Ltd. to design the worldâs first MHFC tug. The next phase will include work to complete the vessel designâŚ
Cavotec Shore Power in First for European Tanker
The Swedish port of Gävle recently became one of the first in the world to successfully connect a tanker vessel to a shoreside electricity system. The shore power connection solution was provided by Cavotec.The system, based on new standards drawn up in co-operation with other ports and operators, is set to pave the way for other tanker berth operators to reduce emissions, says Cavotec.The test sequence, during which no electrical current was supplied to the vessel, was conducted earlier this year with the Tern ForsâŚ
Methanol Bunkering Gaining Interest Among Global Players
Denmark's Maersk said on Monday it has secured fuel for the world's first container vessel able to run on carbon-neutral methanol for its inaugural journey.Interest in methanol as an alternative fuel for bunkering has grown in the shipping industry, which seeks to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050.Below is a list of key upcoming methanol bunkering-related projects by companies and ports:COMPANIES:*A.P. Moller-MaerskMaersk has ordered 19 methanol-enabled ships to work towards a goal of transporting 25% of its ocean cargo using green fuels by 2030.
Port of Gothenburg Inspection Vessel Set for All-electric Conversion
The Port of Gothenburg announced its inspection vessel Hamnen is set to be converted to run on electrical power as part of the port's wider plan to slash operational emissions.In service since 1979, the 20.3-meter-long Hamnen is owned and operated by the Gothenburg Port Authority, through the Harbor Masterâs Office and Harbor Master Åsa Kärnebro who is responsible for the vessel."[Hamnen] has many different duties", said the vessel's skipper, David Falk. "But essentially itâsâŚ
Methanol Bunkering Carried Out in the Port of Gothenburg
A milestone for the use of methanol as a marine fuel was achieved in the Port of Gothenburg on Monday, as methanol propelled vessel Stena Germanica was the first non-tanker vessel in the world to be bunkered with methanol ship to ship.âThis is a door-opening demonstration, proving that there is a feasible way to handle ship to ship methanol bunkering. This strengthens our position as a bunker hub and is also showcasing for other ports that this can be done in a safe and efficient way â not only here, but in other ports around the world as well.
Furetank Gets Grant Funding for Shore Power Setup
Furetank has been granted state and EU climate investment support for installing shore power connection on a tanker currently in production.The funding will be provided by Klimatklivet, an initiative by the The Swedish Environmental Protection Agency and NextGenerationEU. It supports local climate investments that reduce greenhouse gas emissions and contribute the greatest possible climate benefit.The vessel in question is currently being built at the shipyard in China. When delivered in Q1 2024 it will become number nine in the VINGA vessel series designed by Furetank and partners.
Hybrid Tanker Tern Island to Operate Emissions-free in Gothenburg
A first-of-its-kind hybrid-electric tanker is due to arrive to the Port of Gothenburg, where it will emit no greenhouse gases or carbon particulates during port operations.Swedish tanker operator Terntank's Tern Island is equipped with new electric power supply hybrid system, including a battery pack, on-shore power supply and a DC-Link system which is reported to be able to reduce its auxiliary energy consumption during port operations by -99%. The shore power connection has been developed together with the Port of GothenburgâŚ
Wallenius Wilhelmsen's New RoRo Vessel Nabucco Named in Sweden
Wallenius Wilhelmsen has recently celebrated the naming ceremony of the RoRo vessel MV Nabucco at the Port of Gothenburg.The ceremony was live-streamed from Gothenburg, with only a select group attending due to the recent increase in Covid cases. MV Nabucco is the last in a line of four HERO class sister ships, Wallenius Wilhelmsen said.To signify the vesselâs sustainable features, and the companyâs ambitious sustainability agenda, a bottle-shaped ice sculpture was smashed against the hullâŚ
Stena Line Plans to Launch 'Fossil-free' Ships Before 2030
Swedish ferry company Stena Line said it plans to put two battery-powered vessels into service by 2030. The new RoPax ferries, which will operate without the use of fossil fuels, are part of the company's wider effort to reduce its environmental footprint.The news was revealed in Gothenburg on Thursday by Stena Lines CEO Niclas Mårtensson during a press conference announcing the Tranzero Initiative, a collaborative project aiming to accelerate the transition to fossil-free fuels in the transport sector.
Gothenburg Port to be Fossil Free in 2020
Swedish container facility Port of Gothenburg is aiming to be a fossil free terminal by 2020, said its owner-operator Danish-owned APM Terminals.APM Terminals Gothenburg launched environmental strategy âGreen Gothenburg Gatewayâ which sees its terminal in the port aiming to become fossil-fuel free next year.Gothenburg Gateway is to accelerate the development of Swedenâs goods transports, having identified the need for Sweden to keep pace as global goods transports grow in scale and become more efficient.APM Terminals Gothenburg is now taking the next steps towards becoming a more efficient gateway by introducing Green Gothenburg Gateway on December 6th at a launch event in front of key stakeholders.âWith the Green Gothenburg Gateway conceptâŚ
Nordic Ports Unite for Sustainable Transport
In a signed declaration, the Nordic ports have agreed to cooperate, exchange information and share approaches in a number of areas relating to the environment and climate. The Port of Gothenburg has joined a collaboration with ten other Nordic ports. IBy connecting land and sea â and by being connecting nodes of global trade and world economy â ports play a vital role in contributing to e.g. UNâs Global Sustainability Goals (SDGs) and creating a sustainable future in line with the Paris Agreement.Therefore, the Nordic Ports intend to confer, discuss, cooperate and exchange information and best practices related to subjects focused on but not necessarily limited to environmental issues with a main focus on SDGs connected to: Energy Use and Alternative Energy SourcesâŚ
Tech Makes Gothenburg Port Smarter
The Gothenburg Port Authority recently launched a data system designed to coordinate and monitor work at the Port of Gothenburg Energy Port, the largest open access energy terminal in Sweden, handling more than 20 million tonnes of energy products annually."The ultimate outcome of the digital solutions is more rapid and more efficient handling of goods - quicker, safer, and less administration," claimed the port authority in a press release.âWe operate in a high-intensity environment where safety is our first priority. Still, we need to handle large freight volumes and traffic flows quickly and efficiently. With smart automation and digitized processesâŚ
Gothenburg Port Reports Steady Rise
The Swedish container market had a slight downturn during H1 2019, with a 1% fall, but the Port of Gothenburg has reported a steady rise in both market share and volume.Between January and September this year, the figure stood at four per cent, due largely to continued influx of hinterland rail volumes at the port.Container traffic continues to grow at the Port of Gothenburg following a downturn in 2016-2017. The recovery was particularly noticeable in 2018 with road-based traffic from western Sweden and its hinterland gradually returning to the Port of Gothenburg.The trend continued into 2019, attributable in the main to higher volumes from the rest of Sweden.
Gothenburg Port Addresses Post-Brexit Challenges
It is now only weeks left until the UK leaves the EU. According to the current timetable, this will take place on 31 October. The question of Brexit is raised in the Port of Gothenburg.Although the road leading to this point has been long and at times rocky, the date of the UK's withdrawal from the EU is approaching relentlessly. A 'soft' or 'hard' Brexit does not matter â the UK will be classed as a âthird countryâ in relation to EU countries such as Sweden, as it will be outside the single market. In its dealings with the UK, the EU will accordingly apply third-country regulations in areas such as tariffs, customs controls, and verificationâŚ
Götheborg to Sail Again
The Swedish East Indiaman Götheborg will sail again with support from the shipping agency Greencarrier Group, which has announced that it will take the full operational and financial responsibility for the ship for the next two years.The Nordic's largest privately-owned transport company said in a press release that it is underwriting the sailing of the East Indiaman Götheborg replica from its home at the Port of Gothenburg.According to the sources, the ship is a copy of the East Indiaman that ran aground in 1745 and sank at Hunnebådan at the entrance to the port. In 1986, a team of marine archaeologists began excavating the originalâŚ
Port of Gothenburg Freight Volumes up 17% in 2018
Container volumes at the Swedish port of Gothenburg were 753000 teu in 2018, a 17% rise on the previous year, the port authority said."Volumes for 2018 reveal an upturn for containers of 110,000 TEUs, a rise of 17 per cent on 2017. The number of containers transported by rail during 2018 increased by 13 per cent," said a press release from Gothenburg Port Authority.Energy products, intra-European ro-ro units and new cars all fell by one per cent, albeit in relation to the high comparative figures for these three segments in 2017, it said.Some 23.4 million tonnes of energy products were handled, a fall on the previous year of one per cent.
Gothenburg-Belgium RORO Traffic Goes Up
Ro/Ro traffic between Sweden and the continent are increasing, as volumes between Gothenburg and Belgium have risen for the ninth consecutive year. During this period volumes between Belgium during have doubled, and the number of departures has risen from 12 to 16.Shipping companies are also in the process of expanding their networks from Gothenburg across large parts of Europe â often via the Belgian ports in Ghent and Zeebrugge, which act as hubs for intra-European ro-ro traffic.During 2017, 254,000 ro-ro units were shipped between Gothenburg and Belgium, and the forecast for 2018 reveals a 10 per cent increase to almost 280,000 units.
Gothenburg Port Container Traffic Up by 20%
Freight volumes passing through the Port of Gothenburg during the year to date are as follows. Container traffic is up 20% compared with the preceding year, and energy product flows remain consistently strong.A press release from the deep-water port in the Scandinavian region said that new car figures rose by 4% but now appear to be levelling off, albeit at a high level.During the first nine months of the year, container traffic increased by 20% and rail traffic by 7%, said Sweden-based Port of Gothenburg.Energy products totalled 17.7 million tonnes, up 2% on the corresponding period last year. Intra-European ro-ro traffic remained unchangedâŚ
Gothenburg Port Strengthens Biogas Bunkering
Bunkering liquefied biogas (LBG) at the Port of Gothenburg will become easier for the shipping sector with a new agreement signed between FordonsGas and Swedegas."The new agreement between FordonsGas and Swedegas will ensure access to this renewable fuel, a move that has been sought by both shipping companies and their customers," said a press release.Shipping needs to make the transition from oil to environmentally smart alternatives. Liquefied natural gas, LNG, is currently the cleanest marine fuel available due to lower emissions of carbon dioxide, sulphur oxide, nitric oxide, and particulates.With renewable liquefied biogas, LBG, climate benefits will increase even further with the addition of net-zero carbon emissions.
Gothenburg Port Intros New Bunkering App
The Gothenburg Port Authority launched a digital solution designed to make bunkering at the Energy Port easier and more efficient.The new âBunkering Appâ is one of the first in the world to offer this range of functionality, said a press release from the largest port in the Nordic countries.The Port of Gothenburg Energy Port is the largest open access energy port in the Nordic region, handling over 2,500 calls and more than 23 million tonnes of energy products each year. The Energy Port is also one of the world's larger bunkering hubs. In an effort to make the bunkering procedures easier and more efficient, the Gothenburg Port Authority has developed the new âBunkering Appâ.The app is available to all bunkering operators at the Energy Port.
Gothenburg Port Reaches Major Milestone
According to the Port of Gothenburg, an important milestone is reached in the largest development project at the Port of Gothenburg in 40 years.The first phase of the water-based work has now been completed and construction of the 220,000 square metre terminal is due to move on to the next phase. The terminal is expected to be completed by 2025.Construction of the brand-new terminal at the Port of Gothenburg got under way in autumn 2018. Phase one of the construction began with stabilisation work. This involved the sinking of 1,500 piles into the seabed, down to bedrock level, in the lead-up to construction of the rock embankments around the Arendal bay.âIt is extremely exciting to finally get off the mark in the biggest development project at the port since the 1970sâŚ
Swedegas Renewable Gas Bunkering at Gothenburg Port
Swedegas, the owner of the gas grid in Sweden, conducted the first liquefied natural gas (LNG) bunkering operation at its new facility at the Port of Gothenburg.Gothenburg-based shipping company Terntank was the very first operator to take on LNG at a new bunkering facility, said the Swedish owner and operator of the high-pressure gas grid.Not only liquefied natural gas, LNG, but also liquefied biogas, LBG, it added.âBeing able to offer this unique opportunity represents a major breakthrough, not only in facilitating the transition to LNG, but also in gradually increasing the proportion of renewable gas,â said Johan Zettergren, Chief Executive of Swedegas, which owns and runs the facility.The facility is the only one of its kind in Sweden, it claimed.