Fossil News

Greek shipping company Carras (Hellas) has received the ABS Biofuel-1 notation for its Aquataurus ultramax bulk carrier, the first vessel in the world to qualify.The notation is assigned to vessels that use a biofuel blend of up to and including 30% biofuel in compliance with IMO and ABS requirements.Biofuels are liquid hydrocarbon fuels with similar composition and properties to fuel oil, but they are produced from renewable sources such as crops, agricultural and forestry waste…

The Detroit/Wayne County Port Authority on Monday revealed details of a program to slash carbon emissions to net zero by 2040 in an effort to improve air quality and the health of residents.Working with technical experts from sustainability consultancy Tunley Environmental, and thanks to funding from the State of Michigan, it established that operations across the port region were responsible for 27,869 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent, and that urgent action was needed.“The maritime industry is responsible for 3% of global emissions, and it’s growing.

Classification society DNV presented Australian green technology, energy and metals company Fortescue with class and statutory certificates for its dual-fueled ammonia-powered vessel Green Pioneer. This marked the culmination of a project that began in 2021, when DNV was engaged by Fortescue to work on the feasibility study and 'Fuel ready (Ammonia)' notation for the vessel’s conversion. DNV's Technology Qualification process provided the framework for the qualification and assurance of the engine modifications, where industry rules were yet to be developed.

Imabari Shipbuilding will install a MAN B&W 7S60ME-Ammonia engine with SCR in connection with the construction of a 200,000 dwt bulk carrier for a joint venture between K Line, NS United and Itochu Corporation.The business represents one of the first projects for MAN Energy Solutions’ ammonia-powered engine that is currently under development in Denmark. MITSUI E&S will build the engine in Japan.Bjarne Foldager – Country Manager, Denmark – MAN Energy Solutions, said: “The interest in this revolutionary engine had been overwhelming…

Danish shipping giant A.P. Moller - Maersk recently named the world's second large methanol-enabled container vessel, Astrid Mærsk, during a ceremony in Yokohama, Japan.The ship is the second of Maersk’s 18 large methanol-enabled vessels, scheduled for delivery between 2024 and 2025, as the company works toward its net-zero targets and supports customers in achieving their decarbonization goals.Vincent Clerc, CEO of A.P. Moller - Maersk, said, "We are truly excited to welcome Astrid Mærsk to our new fleet capable of sailing on green methanol.

Italian classification and marine engineering consultancy RINA has issued an approval in principle (AiP) to Kindon New Energy Technology for its green methanol offshore production platform solution.Produced entirely offshore, the methanol is derived from renewable CO2 through DAC (Direct Air Capture) technology and green hydrogen from offshore wind power water electrolysis technology.The platform will produce 0.1 MTPA of green methanol via process that synthesizes methanol from…

Chevron has chartered its first hybrid electric bunker tanker from V-Bunkers that will be used to provide fuel to maritime customers in Singapore region.The bunker tanker is expected to consume approximately 20% less fuel compared to a conventional tanker as it goes about its operations, which can reduce emissions and costs, according to Chevron.Instead of three auxiliary engines, as a conventional fueling barge this size would have, the barge has two auxiliary engines and an electric power distribution system.Current technology doesn’t allow barges to run completely on electricity…

Stena RoRo and Caterpillar Motoren have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to promote the use of methanol as fuel on board MaK-powered E-flexer class ferries.The partners will work together to explore alternative fuel solutions to reduce CO2 emissions from ferry operations. This includes the development and feasibility of converting MaK-powered ferries from diesel to methanol. An initial pilot project involves a Stena ferry equipped with VM 43 C MaK engines.Methanol is among a number of fuels being explored as an option to help the maritime industry reduce its environmental footprint.

The IMO’s Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC 81) approved the establishment of two new Emission Control Areas (ECAs) in the Arctic when it met last week.The ECA in Canadian Arctic Waters is for nitrogen oxides, sulphur oxides and particulate matter. The Norwegian Sea ECA is for nitrogen oxides and sulphur oxides. The ECA proposals will now be submitted to MEPC 82 for adoption.“The creation of these two new Emission Control Areas will set an important precedent for protection of our climate and our ocean…

The Biden administration on Friday released new rules that will make it easier for offshore wind developers to claim a subsidy for facilities planned in areas that have historically relied on fossil fuel industries for employment.The revision follows nearly a year of warnings by offshore wind companies that their projects might not move forward without access to certain subsidies in President Joe Biden's landmark climate change law, the Inflation Reduction Act.Offshore wind is a critical part of Biden's plan to decarbonize the U.S.

Japanese trading house Itochu Corp will study joint ownership and operation of ammonia-fueled ships with Taiwan's U-Ming Marine Transport Corp, Itochu said in a statement, as Japan is bets on ammonia to cut emissions.The shipping industry transports about 90% of world trade, and accounts for nearly 3% of the world's carbon dioxide emissions; and installing ship engines that burn cleaner fuels could help slow global warming trends.The IMO has set a target of net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by around 2050…

Sustainable shipping fuels could reach cost parity with fossil fuels as early as 2035 with the help of decisive emissions policy such as carbon taxes and emissions limits, according to a new report launched by Wärtsilä.The report, titled ‘Sustainable fuels for shipping by 2050 – the 3 key elements of success’, states that the EU Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) and FuelEU Maritime Initiative will see the cost of using fossil fuels more than double by 2030. By 2035, they will close the price gap between fossil fuels and sustainable fuels for the very first time.Existing decarbonisation solutions…

Liebherr worked with AYRO, the French industrial start-up that recently successfully equipped the Canopée vessel with four OceanWings, making it the first hybrid industrial cargo ship powered by wind.With a height of 37 metres and a surface area of 363 m² each, this automated, lowerable and patented vertical wingsail technology will help the ship cut fossil fuel consumption.AYRO’s 37-m-high wingsails require a special solution due to their size, especially regarding its electrical actuators.

The Maritime Technologies Forum (MTF) has released an updated Framework for Assessing Decarbonization Technologies and Alternative Energy Carriers and a comprehensive assessment on the maturity and readiness of alternative fuel options, expanding the number of evaluated fuels covered since the previous heatmap report issued in November 2022.The assessment applied MTF’s recently updated framework to an expanded set of eight fuels, including fossil LNG, fossil MGO combined with carbon capture and storage (CCS)…

Shipyard order books show that more and more ships are being built that can run on methanol or liquified natural gas (LNG). Major shipping companies are investing in green fuels for their fleets, and researchers around the world are working intensely to find new solutions that can make the shipping industry greener.This is all good news that strengthens the belief that shipping is reducing its emissions of greenhouse gases, among others. While there is reason for some optimism, as shipping is becoming more sustainable, there is no doubt that we are still very far from the goal.

“The winds of change are blowing wild and free.” – Bob DylanIn the U.S. offshore wind industry, developments over recent months have placed an exclamation point on the word “wild”. Yes, the wind still blows “free”, but mounting challenges have proven that harnessing its power offshore is anything but. In fact, far from it, as rising materials costs, high interest rates, labor shortages and supply chain delays, among other issues, have delivered heavy blows to the commercial viability of several projects.

The Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC), Crowley Wind Services and the City of Salem announced the transfer of ownership and an agreement for site improvements and ongoing operations for the Salem Offshore Wind Terminal.The agreement will kickstart the transformation of the site into the second port built specifically to support the construction of offshore wind farms in Massachusetts. The Salem Offshore Wind Terminal will also support the construction and installation…

Unifeeder Group announced it has completed a long-term charter agreement for two additional methanol-capable container feeder vessels. This follows the agreement for two initial vessels announced in October 2023. The latest agreement is in partnership with German-based ship owning group Elbdeich Reederei and Norwegian shipowner MPC Container Ships (MPCC), who are responsible for one vessel each. The 1,250 twenty-foot equivalent unit (TEU) vessels, scheduled for delivery in 2026…

The government of Maine has selected a section of state-owned area on Sears Island as its preferred site for a port facility development that will support the floating offshore wind industry.The selection of the site, announced by the Governor of Maine Janet Mills, follows an extensive public stakeholder process led by the Maine Department of Transportation and Maine Port Authority to consider the state’s primary port development options, including multiple potential sites in the Port of Searsport…

Marine electric product company RAD Propulsion announces that it has secured £1,000,000 investment from Ocean Infinity, a marine technology business that deploys innovative robotic and autonomous vessel solutions.The investment is part of a raise round to facilitate RAD’s rapid operational scale up as its RAD 40 electric drive goes into mass production. This year, RAD will see its products become available to OEM partners around the world, with new product development underway too.

Wind power production outpaced gas plants in Europe for the first time last year as fossil fuel electricity generation plummeted, cutting the region's carbon emissions, data from think-tank Ember showed.Europe is ramping up its renewable electricity generation as part of efforts to wean the bloc off Russian fuels and to help meet its climate goal of net zero emissions by 2050.Europe's fossil fuel power generation fell by a record 19% year-on-year in 2023, with gas-fired electricity production down 15% and coal electricity production down 26% the report by Ember showed.At the same time wind pow

S&P downgraded Danish wind power giant Orsted to BBB on Wednesday, citing higher leverage on its balance sheet and major U.S. impairments in 2023 due to supply chain delays and higher costs.S&P said Orsted's business risk profile has weakened from last year, but was still satisfactory. It expects the world's biggest offshore wind farm developer would be able to successfully manage the substantial industry risks it faces.The offshore wind industry has been struggling with rising inflation, interest rate hikes and supply chain delays, which have endangered plans by U.S. President Joe Biden and several states to replace fossil fuels with offshore wind to fight climate change.The ratings agency maintained a stable outlook on Orsted…

As the IMO prepares for negotiations on regulations to support net-zero by 2050 at MEPC 81 in March, the World Shipping Council (WSC) has proposed a greenhouse gas pricing mechanism it calls the Green Balance Mechanism.The aim is to provide a new approach to greenhouse gas pricing which makes it possible to close the price gap between fossil fuels and green fuels, at the lowest possible overall cost:• Through the Green Balance Mechanism, fees are taken from fossil fuels and allocated to green fuels used…