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Ministry Of Economic Affairs News

24 Mar 2024

German Wind Sector Welcomes Offshore Terminal Funding

© Fokke Baarssen / Adobe Stock

The German Offshore Wind Energy Foundation said the government's decision to help fund the expansion of an offshore terminal is important to achieve expansion goals for wind energy at sea.In a statement late Friday, the foundation said it welcomed a government move to contribute to the costs of expanding the terminal at the port of Cuxhaven, on the North Sea coast.The government has agreed to finance the 30-hectare (74 acres) expansion of the offshore terminal, together with the state of Lower Saxony and the private port industry…

08 Feb 2024

Hydrogen-powered Vessel H2 Barge 2 Delivered

(Image: Holland Shipyards Group)

Holland Shipyards Group announced it has delivered H2 Barge 2, the second hydrogen-powered vessel for Future Proof Shipping.The vessel has undergone a complete retrofit from traditional internal combustion technology to cutting-edge hydrogen fuel technology. The project involved removing the main engine and reduction gearbox, replacing the diesel engine driving the bow thruster and diesel generators with a new modular propulsion system. This system includes electric motors, hydrogen tanks…

09 Jan 2024

Energos Acquires Two FSRUs from Dynagas

(Credit: Energos Infrastructure)

Offshore LNG infrastructure company Energos Infrastructure has completed the acquisition of two floating storage and regasification units (FSRUs) from the affiliates of Greek Dynagas.The two 174,000 m3 closed-loop FSRUs, built in 2021, will be renamed Energos Force and Energos Power, said Energos Infrastructure, a joint venture majority-controlled by Apollo and minority shareholder New Fortress Energy.Earlier in 2023, the FSRUs commenced long-term charter contracts with the German…

19 Dec 2023

Bloem Appointed Group Director Corporate Affairs at Damen

Martin Bloem will start as Group Director Corporate Affairs at Damen Shipyards Group
effective 1 January 2024.  Image courtesy Damen Shipyards

Martin Bloem will start as Group Director Corporate Affairs at Damen Shipyards Group effective January 1, 2024 a new position at the largest shipbuilding concern in the Netherlands.Bloem was involved with the shipbuilding sector when working for the Ministry of Economic Affairs and he was later the general director of the industry association Netherlands Maritime Technology. After that, he took up a position as a partner at the strategic maritime consultancy Marstratand held public-private positions in the Rotterdam region.

12 Oct 2023

MAN to Investigate Engine Concepts for Maritime Hydrogen Applications

The test bench that will soon be powered by hydrogen (Source: MAN)

MAN Energy Solutions has announced a partnership with industry leaders and research institutes that will develop engine concepts for hydrogen-fueled, medium-speed engines in the maritime sector.Dubbed ‘HydroPoLEn’, the project is supported and funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action. It aims to transform propulsion systems within shipping and develop key technologies such as injection, ignition and advanced tribological systems, while part…

19 Jul 2023

MAN Developing Methanol Retrofit Solutions for Medium-speed Engines

© been.there.recently / Adobe Stock

MAN Energy Solutions announced it will begin developing retrofit solutions for medium-speed marine engines as part of a research association including WTZ Roßlau gGmbh and TU-Darmstadt. The three-year research project, ‘CliNeR-ECo’, is funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK) with initial work having already commenced at the beginning of 2023.CliNeR-ECo aims to develop concepts for diverse, medium-speed, marine engines that will enable the retrofitting of entire ship fleets at reasonable economic and technical costs.

13 Apr 2023

Floating Offshore Wind: New Seascape, New Challenges

(Photo: BW Ideol)

Offshore wind energy planners are giving close review to fixed-tower systems in order to extend lessons learned to floating wind towers, under development now. In the U.S., floating towers have been most closely associated with plans for new wind energy areas (WEA) in the Pacific, off of California and maybe Oregon and Washington. But important research is also taking place in Maine, at the University of Maine, because of deep ocean Atlantic areas there, and floating towers may also be used in the Gulf of Mexico.As most readers likely know…

14 Dec 2022

Royal Caribbean Inks Shipbuilding Partnership Agreement in Finland

(Photo: Meyer Turku)

One of the world's largest cruise companies Royal Caribbean Group announced it has signed a declaration with the aim to chart the way forward for innovative and sustainable shipbuilding in Finland.The declaration, signed with the Finnish government, represented by the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment (MEAE) and shipbuilder Meyer Turku Oy, has been signed with the goal to advance innovation, strengthen competitiveness and bolster the maritime industry's ecosystem, U.S.

05 May 2022

Germany to Charter Four FSRUs in Push to Cut Reliance on Russian Gas

For illustration only - A Höegh LNG FSRU

The German government on Thursday signed agreements for the charters of four floating storage and regasification units (FSRUs), as it works to become less reliant on Russian gas, as FSRUs will enable it to import LNG from other sources.The agreements were signed for the charters of two FSRUs owned by Oslo-listed firm Hoegh LNG, and two owned by Dynagas. Hoegh LNG FSRUs will be operated by RWE, while Uniper has facilitated the charter of two FSRUs managed by Dynagas Ltd.Höegh LNG said that the detailed FSRU contracts with the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action…

25 Jan 2022

Nord Stream 2 - Russian Gas Pipeline's Long Wait for Approval

Credit: Nord Stream 2

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said last week that Germany may consider halting the Nord Stream 2 pipeline if Russia attacks Ukraine, reflecting growing political pressure on the Gazprom-led project.Russia has massed troops on the Ukrainian border but denies it is planning an attack, while the United States and Europe have promised to impose sanctions on Moscow should it invade, with Nord Stream 2 one of the possible targets.Europe's most divisive energy project, Nord Stream 2 is designed to double the amount of gas flowing from Russia straight to Germany…

10 Dec 2021

Fugro's Survey Vessel to Run on Methanol as Part of Dutch Push to Lower Emissions in Shipping

Credit: Fugro

A Fugro-led consortium has secured a grant from Dutch Government’s Netherlands Enterprise Agency for the development of methanol as a low-carbon shipping fuel.The MENENS (Methanol as Energy Step Towards Emission-free Dutch Shipping) consortium has 22 partners, and according to Fugro, represents the complete Dutch maritime sector, from equipment suppliers, designers, shipbuilders, and ship owners to Geo-data and survey specialist Fugro."Fugro’s leading role in the consortium is…

01 Jul 2021

Inmarsat Wins Court Case over 5G Use in The Netherlands

Credit:metamorworks/AdobeStock

A Dutch court on Wednesday ruled in favor of Inmarsat in a dispute over the use of 5G bandwidth in the Netherlands, ordering the government to suspend a decision to reserve the bandwidth for telecommunications as of Sept. 1, 2022.Inmarsat currently uses the 3.5 MHz frequency for satellite communications with distressed ships. The Rotterdam District Court said in a summary of its ruling that the state had "insufficiently understood" the importance of that use and wrongly made it…

06 May 2021

German Partners Target Remote-controlled Tug Operations

(Photo: Voith)

A group of maritime industry and technology experts in Germany is working on a project to unlock remote control capabilities for safer and more efficient harbor tug operations.Backed by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWi), the project is being led by Voith in partnership with the Hamburg University of Technology, the Fraunhofer Center for Maritime Logistics and Services, the Federal Office for Hydraulic Engineering, winch and crane manufacturer McGregor…

18 Mar 2021

MethanQuest: Test Results In for Renewable Hydrogen, Methane as a Fuel

Microgrid Concept for Inland Port: In the MethanGrid research group DVGW, Rolls-Royce Power Systems and other partners have developed a complete locally coupled energy supply system for the Karlsruhe inland port facility. Electricity, gas, heating, industry and transport - all the current sectors - are coupled by means of this microgrid so that the available energy, including renewables, can be optimally exploited. Image courtesy Rolls-Royce Power System/MethanQuest

As the maritime industry embarks on 'the path to zero', it is widely acknowledged that there is currently not a 'silver bullet' solution, nor is it likely that a solution will emerge from a vaccum. Collaboration is the path forward, and efforts such as MethanQuest offer promise.The project MethanQuest was launched in September 2018 with 29 partners from research, industry and the energy sector to work on processes for producing hydrogen and methane from renewables and for using them to achieve climate-neutral mobility and power generation.

20 Jan 2020

Rotterdam Port Explores Option of Geothermal

Research into the geothermal port of Rotterdam is entering the next phase, according to the Port of Rotterdam Authority.Shell Geothermal BV and the Port of Rotterdam Authority are jointly investigating the options for geothermal energy in the western part of the port of Rotterdam. The two companies have received an exploration permit from the Ministry of Economic Affairs.The subsurface has been mapped out thoroughly in recent years as part of the Ultra-Deep Geothermal Energy (UDG) green deal. Obtaining the exploration permit means that Shell and the Port Authority will have time in the coming years to further detail their plans, with…

01 Jan 2020

Estonia Mulls OWF in Gulf of Riga

The Estonian government's decision to initiate the construction permit procedure for the Gulf of Riga offshore wind farm allows Eesti Energia to continue its research and search for partners for the construction of an offshore wind farm in the Gulf of Riga.Eesti Energia, the state-owned international energy company that operates in Baltic countries, said that the Gulf of Riga offshore wind farm has the potential to become the first joint Estonian-Latvian renewable energy production project, as the Latvian-developed wind farm development area is only 10 km away from the Gulf of Riga."There is no experience of building an offshore wind farm in Estonia, so it is logical that an offshore wind farm of this size will be made in cooperation with several companies.

27 May 2019

GMM Project Shortlists Nine Ships

The Green Maritime Methanol (GMM) consortium announced that it has selected nine ships for research on the application of renewable methanol as a marine fuel.New designs, newbuildings as well as existing ships of Boskalis, Van Oord, the Royal Netherlands Navy and Wagenborg Shipping were selected.The vessel sizes vary in length from between 40 - 160 meter, with tonnage ranging from 300 - 23.000 dwt and in installed power from 1 - 12 MW. Research for these ships will start with determination of the cost for implementation and use of methanol fuel systems. The results of this research will be compared with low sulphur marine diesel.Each of the ships has its own specific operational profile…

04 Sep 2018

SMM Launches with High-Profile Guest Speakers

Photo: SMM

At today’s opening press conference of the international maritime trade fair in Hamburg, political and business leaders discussed current challenges facing the shipping industry. The focus of the debate was on the 0.5 percent sulphur limit for ship fuels which will take effect on January 1,  2020, and the industry's goal to cut greenhouse gas emissions from global shipping in half by the year 2050. Roughly 2,300 exhibitors and the extensive conference program accompanying the trade fair will deliver answers to the industry's complex questions. Roughly 50,000 visitors are expected to attend.

22 Mar 2019

Rauma Marine to Build Ferry for Kvarken Link

Finnish-Swedish passenger ferry operator Kvarken Link has signed a construction agreement with Finnish shipbuilding company Rauma Marine Constructions for a car and passenger ferry, set to operate between the Finnish city of Vaasa and the Swedish city of Umeå.Following the agreement, the planning of the vessel can begin with immediate effect. The Ministry of Transportation and Communications of Finland, the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment, and the Ministry of Finance have jointly enabled the quick execution of the agreement.“We reached an agreement in a little over a week after signing the letter of intent. Now begins the real work.

28 Apr 2019

Transition to a Hydrogen Future Has Begun

There is a growing international consensus that clean hydrogen will play a key role in the world’s transition to a sustainable energy future, said  Noé van Hulst, who chairs the High-Level Advisory Panel for the International Energy Agency (IEA)’s forthcoming hydrogen study.Hulst, the Hydrogen Envoy for the Ministry of Economic Affairs & Climate Policy, The Netherlands, said that it is crucial to help reduce carbon emissions from industry and heavy transport, and also to provide long-term energy storage at scale.Hydrogen is a versatile energy carrier that can be produced from a wide range of sources and used in many ways across the entire energy sector.

21 Feb 2019

Green Maritime Methanol Project Gets a Boost

Shipowners, shipyards, manufacturers and ports have joined forces to investigate the feasibility of methanol as a sustainable alternative transport fuel in the maritime sector.Major shipowners Boskalis, The Royal Netherlands Navy, Van Oord and Wagenborg Shipping will take part in the consortium, together with shipbuilders, Damen Shipyards, Feadship, Royal IHC and major marine engine manufacturers Pon Power and Wärtsilä together with their trade association VIV.Specialized marine equipment suppliers like Marine Service Noord and maritime service providers including C-Job Naval Architects complete the maritime supply chain.Work to study the infrastructure and supply chain for methanol is also addressed by the participation of The Netherlands’ two largest ports…

22 Oct 2018

MethaShip Project Projects Methanol as Future Fuel

The Methanol Institute has welcomed the findings of the MethaShip research project which has concluded that renewable Methanol offers a long term solution for the industry’s ambitious carbon emission reduction strategy.The MethaShip partners found that Methanol can offer a dramatic improvement in emissions reduction across multiple ship types once the IMO has established the statutory framework conditions necessary for an industry-wide reduction of CO2 emissions.“The whole shipping sector is facing major challenges with ever stricter emission regulations for ships, paired with a growing environmental awareness among ship owners and passengers alike,” says MethaShip Project Leader Daniel Sahnen of MEYER WERFT.

01 Mar 2019

Shell Joins W2C Rotterdam

The British-Dutch oil and gas giant Royal Dutch Shell plc, commonly known as Shell, joins as equity partner with Air Liquide, Enerkem, Nouryon and the Port of Rotterdam, the largest port in Europe.The proposed project in Rotterdam will be the first of its kind in Europe to make valuable chemicals and bio-fuels out of non-recyclable waste materials, said a press release from the Netherlands-based seaport.A consortium of world-leading companies comprising Air Liquide, Nouryon (formerly AkzoNobel Specialty Chemicals), Enerkem and the Port of Rotterdam – has announced that Shell will join as a partner in Europe’s first advanced waste-to-chemicals facility in Rotterdam…