Energy Efficiency News

While conservatism is a hallmark of maritime, research from Inmarsat finds that IoT may be helping turn the tech tide by delivering new solutions that ease rather than complicate compliance.With environmental imperatives mounting, shipping’s hesitation concerning new technology has been laid bare in an Inmarsat Research Program report that includes data on how far the industry sees IoT-based solutions as a gateway to sustainability. Directly out the porthole is the IMO 2020 fuel sulfur cap, but further along is 2050 the target to cut GHG ship emissions by 2050.

Italian multinational oil and gas company Eni and Saudi Arabian chemical giant SABIC have signed a Joint Development Agreement to further develop an innovative technology for natural gas conversion into synthesis gas that can be further transformed into high value fuels and chemicals, such as methanol.The partnership is set to involve the construction of an Industrial Demonstration Plant that will be built and operated inside an Eni industrial premise.The development project will advance the technology…

International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) believes that the 2020 global sulphur cap will be the regulatory game changer of the decade with profound implications for the economics of shipping.However, there are even more profound changes to come. "We are rapidly moving into a multi-fuel future to be followed we hope, in the 2030s, by the arrival of commercially viable zero CO2 fuels suitable for global application,” says Esben Poulsson, Chairman of ICS.As the 1 January 2020 deadline for the sulphur cap approaches…

French defense contractor Naval Group and French elite engineering school  Centrale Nantes have printed the first demonstrator of hollow propeller blades by metal additive manufacturing as part of the European H2020 project, RAMSSES.Naval Group, formerly known as DCNS, said that this collaborative program, funded by the European Commission, aims to reduce the environmental impact of ships.Centrale Nantes and Naval Group are taking the lead within this project on the production…

The demanding conditions of the Baltic Sea and the Gulf of Bothnia are plain sailing for MS Viikki, the world’s first LNG-fueled bulk carrier. The solution, built around WE Tech’s variable frequency drive technology WE Drive and The Switch direct drive permanent magnet shaft generator, helps the vessel achieve Ice Class 1A propulsion, while still slashing fuel consumption, costs and emissions. It is a game-changer for ice-class operations.Demanding high standardsESL Shipping is…

Naval architecture, design and marine engineering specialist Foreship has ensured that Wasaline ferry is designed for lean, green and flexible performance.According to a press release from the Finland-based marine engineering consultancy firm, energy efficiency, flexibility and optimised space availability will be built into the new Wasaline ferry that will transform freight and passenger connections between Umeå in Sweden and Vaasa in Finland. Last  week, Kvarken Link converted…

Interferry CEO Mike Corrigan reflects on the global trade association’s hectic year of involvement in three key areas of concern.Readers with long memories will have a strong sense of déjà vu when I say that safety, security and the environment are at the forefront of Interferry’s networking and lobbying mission right now. I highlighted the very same issues in this column last January, so let me explain why I’m not entirely repeating myself.It’s a fact of life that a lot can happen in a short space of time.

Norwegian maritime industry completed the project of the world’s first purpose-built krill harvesting vessel  that has taken two years and included 40 Norwegian vendors.A press release claimed that Antarctic Endurance, the custom designed new-build is a one of a kind, energy efficient krill harvesting vessel that showcases the very best of Norwegian maritime engineering expertise and innovation.E-navigation specialist NAVTOR  said that its NavBox solution was chosen by Antarctic…

Passenger and cargo shipping company Blue Star Line has contracted Deltamarin to continue with the design of Titanic II. The contract covers activities and tasks for the design process, consultancy and project management services.Deltamarin will provide Blue Star Line with outline design services including finalizing and modifying the existing design to comply with the latest rules and regulations. These include the SOLAS 2020 requirements and the Energy Efficiency Design Index (EEDI).Deltamarin will also further develop the design together with the selected yard and Blue Star Line…

Adnoc Logistics & Services (Adnoc   L&S) announced that it has reduced fuel consumption and carbon emissions by 23% across a fleet of 27 vessels.The marine and logistics subsidiary of the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (Adnoc ) said in a press release that the ‘Al Daffah Energy Efficiency Project’ is one of many ongoing initiatives by the shipping and logistics giant to deliver greater operational efficiency and a more competitive offering to its customers.As the owner and operator of 27 shipping vessels and a total fleet of 122 shipping and offshore vessels…

Forward Ships, which enables the adoption of liquefied natural gas (LNG) as the fuel of choice for ships at a global scale, said that its  innovative machinery arrangement received its first official patent right from South Korea, a major shipbuilding nation.The Korean Intellectual Property Office Examiner decided to grant this patent application pursuant to Article 66 of the Korean Patent Act to Arista Shipping S. A.  The Project Forward initiative led by Athens-Based Arista Shipping…

The Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) announced an industry commitment to reduce the rate of the global fleet's carbon emissions 40% by 2030, from a 2008 baseline."We aspire to the International Maritime Organization’s vision of a carbon-free shipping industry by the end of the century," said Arnold Donald, global CLIA chairman and president and CEO, Carnival Corp. & plc. "Our commitment to a 40 percent reduction in the rate of emissions by 2030 is a strong first step…

The provider of software tools for the offshore industry UniSea has agreed to take part ownership of the energy efficiency specialist Yxney.“Yxney is experiencing rapid growth meeting the increasing demand for data-driven energy efficiency solutions in the offshore sector,” said CEO Gjord Simen Sanna of Yxney, which provides operational support and HSEQ (quality, health, safety, environment) to offshore industry.“UniSea is a highly respected player in the industry with a large client base. Yxney already uses UniSea data as the source for our calculations on many vessels.

ALMACO secured the order to build 1121 passenger and crew cabins plus all the galleys, bars, pantries and provision stores, including cold rooms, freezers and walk-ins, for Viking Line’s newbuild at Xiamen Shipbuilding Industry Co., Ltd. (XSI) shipyard in China. For the accommodations portion of the order, ALMACO’s contract includes visual turnkey with some background works for all passenger and crew cabin areas as well as crew public areas.The catering areas delivery involves the visual turnkey installation, including flooring, wall and ceiling stainless steel panels, of approximately 800 sq.

DP World has joined forces with industrial engineering company SMS Group for  the 'high-bay storage' system for shipping containers.An international joint-venture formed by global trade enabler DP World and industrial engineering specialists SMS group will revolutionize the way that containers are handled in ports. A new and intelligent storing system will be applied for the first time ever at Jebel Ali Terminal 4, in time for the Dubai Expo 2020 world fair.The High Bay Storage…

The Regional Marine Pollution Emergency Response Centre for the Mediterranean Sea (REMPEC), the International Maritime Organization (IMO) -administered centre in the Mediterranean, conducted a regional workshop to identify and address ship-source air pollution in the Mediterranean  last week."Political, legal and technical obstacles can sometimes challenge ratification and subsequently the effective implementation of the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL) Annex VI air pollution and energy efficiency regulations…

International Maritime Organization (IMO) is at the UN climate change conference (COP 24) in Poland, highlighting key elements of the Initial IMO Strategy on reduction of GHG emissions from ships.A press release from the UN-body said that the strategy sets out a vision to reduce the total annual  Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions by at least 50% by 2050 compared to 2008, while, at the same time, pursuing efforts towards phasing them out entirely. This sets a pathway of CO2 emissions…

The global network of Maritime Technology Cooperation Centres (MTCC ) is expanding with a number of branch offices and becoming an integral player in implementing International Maritime Organization (IMO)’s initial strategy on the reduction of GHG emissions from ships. This is especially true when it comes to capacity building, technical cooperation and R&D, said a press release form the United Nations agency.A 250-strong crowd attended the MTCC-Africa side-event on Capacity Building for Climate Mitigation in the Maritime Shipping Industry (27 November)…

The world’s first intelligent very large ore carrier (iVLOC), the DNV GL-classed Pacific Vision, was delivered by Shanghai Waigaoqiao Shipyard to China Merchants Energy Shipping Company.Norway-headquartered international accredited registrar and classification society said in a statement that the vessel is the world’s first VLOC to implement DNV GL’s SmartShip descriptive notation.To qualify for the notation, Pacific Vision has been outfitted with an integration platform, a smart navigation decision support system…

French automaker Groupe Renault partners with NEOLINE, designer and operator of cargo sailing ships, to experience a new maritime transport solution and reduce the carbon footprint of the Group’s supply chain.Groupe Renault announced the signing of a 3-year partnership with Nantes start-up NEOLINE to develop a more sustainable maritime transport service powered by wind, and to contribute to the environmental management of its logistics chain while nearly 60% of the Group's parts and vehicles are transported by sea.Jean-Philippe Hermine…

Maritime transport emitted 938 million tonnes of CO2 in 2012. This represented 2.6% of total global carbon emissions, said International Transport Forum (ITF)By 2050, shipping CO2 emissions are projected to increase between 50% and 250% if no drastic action is taken, the forum warned.In order to reverse this trajectory, the 174 member states of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) adopted an “Initial IMO Strategy on reduction of Greenhouse Gas emissions from ships” (or…

The technology company The Linde Group has been awarded a contract from Chinese chemical and energy company Inner Mongolia Huineng Coal Chemical Co Ltd to supply a mid-scale LNG plant near Beinichuan in Inner Mongolia."This will be Linde’s seventh and largest LNG plant to date in China and is in response to growing demand from customers in China," said a release from the company.Linde's Engineering Division will be responsible for engineering, procurement and site services for the LNG plant with a nameplate capacity of 750…

The world's most eco-friendly bulk carrier m/s Viikki, owned by ESL Shipping, a subsidiary of the Aspo Plc, has started operating on the Baltic Sea.The 25,600-dwt vessel, 160 metres long and fuelled by liquefied natural gas, produces less than half of the carbon dioxide of previous vessel generation, thanks to LNG and many advanced technologies.M/s Viikki was built in China, and after completion first sailed to Japan to load a cargo of raw materials. From there, she arrived to the Baltic Sea through the Northeast Passage…