Stena RoRo Explores Methanol Retrofits
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.
IMO Approves Two New Emission Control Areas
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…
US Revises Tax Credit Rule to Help Offshore Wind Projects
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.
Itochu, U-Ming Mull Ammonia-Fueled Ships
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…
Report: Sustainable Shipping Fuels Can Reach Cost Parity by 2035
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 Tech Helps Drive Wind-assisted AYRO
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.
Updated Framework Released for Comparing Decarbonization Technologies
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)…
OpEd: Focusing on Green Fuels Takes the Focus Off Shipping's Major Problems
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.
US Offshore Wind: Down but Not Out
“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.
New Agreement to Kickstart Salem Offshore Wind Terminal
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 to Add Two More Methanol-powered Vessels
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…
Maine Selects Sears Island as Preferred Site for Floating Wind Port Facility
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…
WSC Proposes Green Balance Mechanism
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…
S&P Downgrades Orsted on U.S. Offshore Risks
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…
Wind Power Outpaces Gas Plants in Europe
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
Ocean Infinity Invests in RAD Propulsion
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.
Researchers Warn on Eutrophication Potential of Ammonia
Switching to ammonia as a marine fuel could create new problems, according to a new study undertaken by researchers from Chalmers University of Technology in Sweden.The researchers carried out life cycle analyses for batteries and for three electro-fuels (hydrogen, methanol and ammonia). Eutrophication and acidification are some of the environmental problems that can be traced to the use of ammonia – as well as emissions of laughing gas (N2O), which is a very potent greenhouse gas.Ammonia (NH3) is a carbon-free fuel and has the advantage of a higher energy density than, for example, hydrogen.
Americas Cup Innovation & a Carbon-Free Shipping Future
The Golden Gate Yacht Club (GGYC) represented by BMW Oracle Racing and the Société Nautique de Genève (SNG), the Americas Cup defending champion, represented by Team Alinghi were entwined in a 2.5-year legal battle over multiple court cases, including hearings in the New York Supreme Court and the Appellate Division of the New York Supreme Court, prior to the 33rd edition of the race, due to take place in 2010.The parties disagreed about the location, format, and restrictions on boat design, all of which were changed by the courts prior to the race.
European Ethanol Producers Challenge EU Maritime Legislation
European renewable ethanol producers have launched a legal challenge to the EU’s FuelEU Maritime Regulation on the grounds that it fails to properly recognise the proven benefits of sustainable crop-based biofuels and has therefore violated several key EU legislative procedures.Companies representing nearly all of the EU’s production of renewable ethanol are seeking to annul a section of the legislation that considers crop-based biofuels to have the same emission factors as the least favourable fossil fuel pathway.
bound4blue to Install Its eSAIL on Cargo Vessel Newbuild
bound4blue reports it has been selected to install a 22-meter-high eSAIL on board the newbuild multipurpose cargo vessel Na Pae E Hiro, helping shipowner SNA TUHA’A PAE (SNA) reduce energy consumption by 10%. Launching in 2026, the trailblazing ship will mix green technology with an ambition to accelerate development of the remote Austral Islands, carrying both vital supplies and up to 200 tourists on its voyages from Tahiti to the South Pacific archipelago.The eSAIL, designed for both retrofits and newbuilds, is a ‘suction sail’.
Designing Ships Around Emissions: The Right Path or a Fork in the Road?
When discussing ship design, the maritime industry has been tossing around a number of new terms and definitions. Sustainability, alternative fuel “ready”, digitization and lifecycle are a few of the terms becoming more commonplace amid the industry’s search for zero emissions solutions. As IMO MEPC 80 meetings push emissions reduction to meet “well to wake” requirements, we will learn much of the challenge is tied to energy and infrastructure ashore. Electrification and the development…
Biden Pauses New LNG Export Projects
President Joe Biden paused pending approvals of exports from new liquefied natural gas (LNG) projects on Friday, a move cheered by climate activists that could delay decisions on new plants until after the November 5 election.The Department of Energy (DOE) will conduct a review during the pause that will look at the economic and environmental impacts of projects seeking approval to export LNG to Europe and Asia where the fuel is in hot demand.The review will take months and then will be open to public comment which will take further time…
Maersk Names First Large Methanol-Enabled Vessel
The world’s first large methanol-enabled container ship has been named Ane Mærsk at a ceremony in the shipyard of HD Hyundai Heavy Industries in Ulsan, South Korea.The 16,000 TEU vessel is named after Ane Mærsk Mc-Kinney Uggla, the Chair of the A.P. Moller Foundation and A.P. Moller Holding. Ane’s eldest granddaughter served as godmother, and christened the vessel by breaking a champagne bottle over the bow.Ane Mærsk is the first of Maersk’s 18 large methanol-enabled vessels that will be delivered between 2024 and 2025.