Alternative Fuels

Report: Transition to new bunker fuels presents an economic opportunity for Canada

Oceans North, Arup, VMCC, and C40 published a new report to shed light on challenges when it comes to decarbonising shipping on Canada’s West Coast as well as some of the solutions.

Published

2 years ago

December 22, 2023

Admin

Report: Transition to new bunker fuels presents an economic opportunity for Canada

A new report from Oceans North, Arup, the Vancouver Maritime Centre for Climate (VMCC), and C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group (C40) published on Monday (18 December) has shed light on the challenges when it comes to decarbonising shipping on Canada’s West Coast—as well as some of the solutions.

The report, New Energy Markets in West Coast Shipping, is the result of a workshop held earlier this fall in Vancouver that brought together stakeholders from across the marine supply chain to discuss how best to advance the industry’s energy transition. They discussed linking clean energy projects with the marine value chain and figuring out how energy export projects can be leveraged to decarbonise ports, shipping and marine transportation.

The novel approach included not only ports and shipping representatives, but also energy producers, clean tech entrepreneurs and government officials.

“Despite a universal understanding that the transition to new fuels will require unparalleled cross-value collaboration, there is a disconnect between energy producers and maritime sector offtakers,” Brent Dancey, the Director of Marine Climate Action at Oceans North, said.

“By getting everyone in a room together, we were really able to dig into what needs to happen next and create new relationships up and down the marine fuel supply chain.”

The shipping industry produces roughly 3% of the world’s emissions, and that number is growing. Ships need to switch to low- and zero-emission bunker fuels in order to fight climate change and reach our emissions targets.

The transition to new marine fuels presents an economic opportunity for Canada—an emerging producer and exporter of green hydrogen and ammonia—by leveraging these major projects to supply domestic and international ships. But despite announcements of new “green shipping corridors”—routes that link two or more ports with access to clean fuels—the necessary infrastructure to support maritime decarbonization has yet to be created.

One of the report’s key conclusions is that ships and ports can play an important role in helping the broader zero-emission fuel ecosystem develop on the West Coast. Zero-emission bunker fuels are currently expensive to make, and producers contemplating an investment in new infrastructure need to know that the demand is there. Ports and ships are not just a way of transporting that fuel to market but can also help aggregate zero-emission marine fuel demand to justify investments in fuel production infrastructure.

“The capital cost and scale required for economical fuels production will require debt financing and firm fixed-price offtake of the fuels for the full life of the facility,” Andy Ralph, Americas Hydrogen Lead at Arup, said.

“To ramp up to match the supply to maritime demand, industry, government, and the financial sectors will need to work together to chart a pathway to first-generation zero-emission fuel projects that are competitive, profitable, and timely.”

The current cost of zero-emission fuels and technologies is also a concern for consumers, and a major issue many participants identified was the importance of government financial support and community partnerships to fund demonstration projects, bring down prices, and help achieve scale quickly. “Just like land-based transportation, marine industries will need help to transition, and cities can be indispensable partners in unlocking critical investments in urban climate infrastructure,” Juvarya Veltkamp, Senior Advisor to C40 Cities’ Green Ports Forum, said.

“The maritime sector competes with other sectors for priority access to feedstocks for zero-emission fuels, and a joined-up strategy with local communities will help to effectively communicate the unique industry needs to policymakers.”

Veltkamp stressed that allyship with cities on maritime decarbonisation can help to emphasise the local benefits of reducing emissions from global supply chains, while developing pathways for green jobs and a just transition.

Since the Vancouver workshop occurred, Canada announced the launch of the USD 165.4 million Green Shipping Corridor Fund, which will support the development of clean fuels and technologies at major ports as well as the development of zero-emission vessels. Additional policy changes such as tax incentives could help further signal the government’s commitment to marine decarbonization and provide certainty across the supply chain.

In the meantime, open lines of communication are critical to ensure that all the necessary actors are aligned, and the report’s authors are committed to convening more discussions. “The world has agreed to transition away from fossil fuels, and Canadian ports and shipping have an important role to play,” says Dancey. “But in order to make it a reality, we need a coordinated approach.”

Note: The New Energy Markets in West Coast Shipping Report can be downloaded here.

Photo credit: Oceans North
Published: 21 December, 2023

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Alternative Fuels

MPA and MSC ink MoU to support adoption of alternative bunker fuels

MPA and MSC will explore new routes and services to strengthen connectivity, support the adoption of alternative marine fuels such as bio-LNG, and advance technologies to improve vessel energy efficiency.

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19 hours ago

June 4, 2026

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MPA and MSC ink MoU to support adoption of alternative bunker fuels

The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) on Wednesday (3 June) said it signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company to strengthen collaboration in maritime decarbonisation, digitalisation, innovation, and manpower development.

The MoU was signed on 25 May 2026 by Mr Ang Wee Keong, Chief Executive of MPA, and Mr Soren Toft, Chief Executive Officer of MSC.

The MoU underscores the shared commitment of MPA and MSC to foster a sustainable, digital, and future-ready maritime sector, while enhancing MSC’s operational and business activities in Singapore. This year also marks the 30th anniversary of MSC establishing its Asia Regional Office and local office in Singapore.

Under the MoU, MPA and MSC will explore new routes and services to strengthen connectivity, support the adoption of alternative marine fuels such as bio-LNG, and advance technologies to improve vessel energy efficiency and operational performance.

MPA and MSC will also collaborate on maritime digitalisation initiatives to improve operational efficiency, including streamlining vessel arrivals and port operations.

On manpower development, MSC will support internship and scholarship opportunities through Singapore Maritime Foundation’s Maritime Outreach Network (MaritimeONE) platform, an industry-led tripartite partnership comprising industry, government and institutes of higher learning that aims to raise awareness of the maritime industry and attract quality talent into the maritime sector.

Mr Ang Wee Keong, Chief Executive of MPA, said: “This partnership reflects the strong collaboration between MPA and MSC in driving sustainability and digitalisation in the maritime sector. By working together on decarbonisation, operational efficiency and talent development, we aim to strengthen Maritime Singapore’s position as a trusted and future-ready global maritime hub.”

Mr Soren Toft, Chief Executive Officer of MSC, said: “Singapore is a strategically important hub for MSC and a key gateway to the broader Asia region. As we mark 30 years in Singapore, this MOU reinforces our long-term commitment to strengthening our presence here. MSC and Singapore are closely aligned on the priorities shaping the future of global shipping, and we look forward to deepening this partnership to drive the continued growth and resilience of the maritime industry.”

Photo credit: Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore
Published: 4 June, 2026

Methanol

Seaspan and Hapag-Lloyd complete first of five methanol vessel retrofit

Following “Seaspan Yangtze”, the remaining vessels planned for retrofit under the methanol retrofit programme are “Seaspan Amazon”, “Seaspan Ganges”, “Seaspan Thames”, and “Seaspan Zambezi”.

Published

19 hours ago

June 4, 2026

Admin

Seaspan and Hapag-Lloyd complete first of five methanol vessel retrofit

Seaspan Corporation (Seaspan) and Hapag-Lloyd on Wednesday (3 June) announced the successful completion of the first of the five vessel conversions under their methanol retrofit programme with the delivery of Seaspan Yangtze.

From the early SAVER (Seaspan Action for Vessel Energy Reduction) programme to today’s CleanBlue initiative, Seaspan has committed over USD 230 USD million across 86 vessels, executing more than 550 efficiency and retrofit projects.

Following Seaspan Yangtze, the remaining vessels planned for retrofit under the programme are Seaspan Amazon, Seaspan Ganges, Seaspan Thames, and Seaspan Zambezi. Each retrofit is expected to reduce well-to-wake CO₂e emissions by approximately 30,000 to 50,000 metric tonnes per vessel annually when operating on low-carbon methanol, while also extending vessel lifespan and enhancing fuel flexibility.

“Decarbonisation is not just about building the fleet of tomorrow, it is also about unlocking the full potential of the fleet we have today. Retrofitting and upgrades on existing fleets play a practical, immediate, and economical role in accelerating shipping’s decarbonization journey,” said Bing Chen, Chairman, President and CEO of Seaspan.

“Project SAVER CleanBlue highlights Seaspan’s strong customer partnerships, deep technical expertise, and unique platform integrated with JV partners, such as WattSpan Maritime Technology, in executing complex and large-scale retrofit projects.”

“The successful conversion of the Seaspan Yangtze together with the planned retrofit of its four sister vessels is another important step on our ambitious path towards net-zero fleet operations by 2045,” said Silke Lehmköster, Managing Director, Fleet, Hapag-Lloyd.

“Together with Seaspan, we are demonstrating that retrofitting existing vessels for low-carbon methanol can be a practical way to reduce emissions in shipping.”

Photo credit: Seaspan
Published: 4 June, 2026

Nuclear

South Korean-led nuclear car carrier design secures LR backing

LR is working with HHI, KSOE, Hyundai Glovis, G- Marine Service and KAERI on a joint development project exploring an advanced small modular reactor (SMR) installation on a PCTC.

Published

19 hours ago

June 4, 2026

Admin

South Korean-led nuclear car carrier design secures LR backing

Classification society Lloyd’s Register (LR) on Tuesday (2 June) said it has teamed up with South Korean shipbuilding, marine services and nuclear research organisations to advance the development of a nuclear‑assisted car carrier concept.

LR is working with Hyundai Heavy Industries, Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering (KSOE), Hyundai Glovis, G- Marine Service and the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI) on a joint development project (JDP) exploring an advanced small modular reactor (SMR) installation on a pure car and truck carrier (PCTC).

The study focused on how a Molten Salt Reactor (MSR) could be physically and operationally integrated into a large vehicle carrier. Work examined the internal arrangement and segregation of the reactor system, shielding requirements, and the impact on cargo deck layout and vehicle capacity, alongside stability and trim implications linked to the reactor’s weight and positioning.

The partners also assessed propulsion system configuration and power delivery, as well as operational flexibility compared with conventionally fuelled PCTCs, where trade routes and port calls can be tightly constrained.

A key focus of the project has been safety. LR led hazard identification (HAZID) and preliminary risk assessment work, focusing on containment, onboard safety systems and potential operability constraints tied to nuclear technology at sea.

The partners will mark the project milestone with an Approval in Principle (AiP) granting ceremony on 2 June at the LR stand during Posidonia 2026.

Sung-Gu Park, President – North East Asia, Lloyd’s Register, said: “While nuclear propulsion is still at an early stage of development, this project shows the importance of building technical understanding now to support future progress.

“Establishing feasibility at concept stage is a valuable step forward, particularly in areas such as cargo optimisation, vessel stability and integrated safety design.”

Hong-Ryeul Ryu, CTO and Senior Executive Vice President at HD HHI, said: “With global environmental regulations becoming increasingly stringent and no definitive net-zero fuel yet available, SMR-powered ships can serve as a highly effective alternative, representing a pioneering next-generation maritime technology capable of complying with GHG emission regulations while allowing lifetime operation without refuelling, and HD HHI will remain at the forefront of sustainable maritime technology development.”

Photo credit: Lloyd’s Register
Published: 4 June, 2026