Connect with us

Alternative Fuels

Argus Media: Itochu, Lotte Chemical eye NH3 business

Itochu is also working on building an ammonia supply chain for marine fuel in Singapore with other players including Mitsui OSK Lines and Singapore’s Pavilion Energy and Total.

Admin

Published

on

5e16c2fc7aa8e 1578550012 1

Japanese trading house Itochu and South Korean petrochemical producer Lotte Chemical will co-operate on ammonia businesses to secure fuel-use ammonia for Japan and South Korea.

26 July 2022

Itochu signed an agreement on 21 July with Lotte Chemical to collaborate on developing fuel ammonia businesses in their efforts to decarbonise. The companies see Japan and South Korea as two major ammonia importers in the far east Asian region, expecting huge demand for ammonia as a decarbonised fuel in the power and marine sectors.

The companies plan to trade fuel-use ammonia, and they will also study the use of ammonia infrastructures, demand in Japan and South Korea, and joint investment in carbon capture and storage (CCS) to produce blue ammonia. The companies will also explore opportunities in the hydrogen industry, but ammonia is the first priority, Itochu said.

Discussions about infrastructure will start with tanks, pipelines, as well as loading and unloading facilities at main ports in South Korea — such as Busan, Ulsan and Yeosu — which are to be newly built for ammonia supply chains, Itochu added.

Itochu is accelerating its ammonia businesses in Japan and outside the country. It is developing ammonia-fuelled vessels with domestic firms, as well as conducting a study on ammonia bunkering in the country. Japan's ministry of land, infrastructure, transport and tourism (MLIT) is targeting the commercial launch of an ammonia-fuelled ship as early as possible — before 2028 and possibly even around 2025.

Itochu is also working on building an ammonia supply chain for marine fuel in Singapore with Japanese shipowner Mitsui OSK Lines (Mol), Itochu's subsidiary Itochu Enex, Netherlands-based oil storage and terminal operator Vopak, Singapore's Pavilion Energy and Total.

Itochu and Mol already obtained in-principle approval to build an ammonia bunkering vessel, which is part of a wider effort to develop a supply chain.

Itochu is also planning blue ammonia production in Canada from 2027 with CCS technology. It will work on the project with Petronas Energy Canada, the Canadian subsidiary of Malaysian state-owned oil firm Petronas, and an unspecified Canadian infrastructure company. The companies are targeting to start construction of the 1mn t/yr plant in 2024.

By Maiko Nakashima

 

Photo credit and source: Argus Media
Published: 27 July, 2022

Continue Reading

Methanol

China: Cosco Shipping and bp to explore collaboration in methanol bunker fuel 

Duo signed a MoU in Shanghai to expand their scope of strategic cooperation into new areas including lubricant supply, methanol bunker fuel supply for bunkering and offshore wind supply chain.

Admin

Published

on

By

China: Cosco Shipping and bp to explore collaboration into methanol bunker fuel

Cosco Shipping on Thursday (7 December) said it has signed  a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with bp to expand their scope of strategic cooperation into new areas on 5 December in Shanghai.

“This includes Castrol Marine lubricants and hydrocarbons transportation, offshore equipment as well as exploring collaboration opportunities in areas such as methanol supply for bunkering and offshore wind supply chain,” Cosco said. 

“Together, both parties will further capitalize on the business advantages of both parties, enhance synergies, and achieve complementary advantages and common development.”

William Lin, bp Group Executive Vice President, and Lin Ji, Executive Vice President of COSCO SHIPPING, witnessed the signing. Simon Yang, bp Group Senior Vice President and bp China President, and Chen Wei, Deputy Head of the Operations Division of COSCO SHIPPING, signed the document on behalf of the two parties.

Cosco said bp has been operating in China since the early 1970s and is one of the leading foreign-invested companies in China’s energy industry. 

“bp and Cosco Shipping have a longstanding history of cooperation, including the transportation of energy products, offshore equipment manufacturing services, and the supply of marine fuels and lubricants,” it added. 

Photo credit: Cosco Shipping
Published: 11 December, 2023

Continue Reading

Methanol

Maersk to deploy first large methanol-powered vessel on Asia-Europe trade lane in 2024

Ship will enter service on the AE7 string connecting Asia and Europe, which includes port calls in Shanghai and Tanjung Pelepas in Malaysia, with Ningbo in China, being its first destination.

Admin

Published

on

By

Maersk to deploy first large methanol-powered vessel on Asia-Europe trade lane in 2024

A.P. Moller - Maersk (Maersk) on Thursday (7 December) said it was about to launch the first of its 18 large methanol-enabled vessels currently on order. 

On 9 February 2024, the ship will enter service on the AE7 string connecting Asia and Europe, which includes port calls in Shanghai, Tanjung Pelepas, Colombo and Hamburg, with Ningbo, China, being its first destination.

“The container vessel built by Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) in South Korea has a nominal capacity of 16,000 containers (TEU) and is equipped with a dual-fuel engine enabling operations on methanol as well as biodiesel and conventional bunker fuel,” the firm said. 

Maersk added it has secured sufficient green methanol to cover the vessel’s maiden voyage and continues to work diligently on 2024-25 sourcing solutions for its methanol-enabled vessel fleet.

“Deploying the first of our large methanol-enabled vessels on one of the world’s largest trade lanes, Asia - Europe, is a landmark in our journey towards our Net-Zero target. With the vessel’s capacity of 16,000 containers, this will make a significant impact in our customers’ efforts to decarbonise their supply chains, and we are looking forward to introducing more methanol-enabled vessels on this and other trades during 2024,” Karsten Kildahl Chief Commercial Officer at Maersk, said. 

Ahead of its deployment, the vessel will be named at the shipyard in end January 2024. The following two sister vessels will be deployed in the first half of 2024 with naming events taking place in Yokohama, Japan, and Los Angeles, USA. Maersk said it was expected to take delivery of four additional sister vessels in the second half of 2024.

At the time of deployment of the first large vessel, it will be the only second container vessel in the world that can sail on green methanol, the first being the feeder vessel Laura Maersk which entered service in September this year.

Overview of Maersk vessels on order

  • Maersk has 24 container vessels on order
  • All vessels currently on order will be equipped with dual-fuel engines and will be able to operate on green methanol
  • 12 of the vessels on order have a capacity of 16,000 TEU (Twenty-foot Equivalent Unit containers)
  • 6 of the vessels on order have a capacity of 17,000 TEU
  • 6 of the vessels on order have a capacity of 9,000 TEU
  • Since 2021, Maersk has had a policy of only ordering new vessels able to operate on green fuels

About Maersk’s AE7 service string

  • The AE7 string connects Asia and Europe through the Suez Canal
  • The AE7 string has the following port calls: Ningbo, Shanghai, Nansha, Yantian (all China), Tanjung Pelepas (Malaysia), Colombo (Sri Lanka), Port Tangiers (Morocco), Felixstowe (UK), Hamburg (Germany), Antwerp (Belgium), London Gateway (UK), Le Havre (France), Port Tangiers, Jeddah (Saudi Arabia), Abu Dhabi (UAE) and Jebel Ali (UAE)

Photo credit: A.P. Moller - Maersk
Published: 11 December, 2023

Continue Reading

Retrofit

Alfa Laval to provide methanol fuel supply system for “Maersk Halifax” boxship 

Alfa Laval will support A.P. Moller-Maersk with installation of FCM Methanol low-flashpoint fuel supply system on board the 15,000 TEU container vessel, which is scheduled to take place by mid-2024.

Admin

Published

on

By

Alfa Laval to retrofit methanol fuel supply system on “Maersk Halifax” boxship

Alfa Laval on Thursday (7 December) said its fuel supply system FCM Methanol has been selected by Maersk for their methanol retrofit project to enable the container vessel Maersk Halifax to operate on methanol fuel. 

The firm said the project stands as a significant achievement for both Alfa Laval and Maersk, underscoring the feasibility of retrofitting ships with the necessary equipment for methanol-based propulsion.

Alfa Laval will support A.P. Moller-Maersk (Maersk) with the installation of FCM Methanol low-flashpoint fuel supply system (LFSS) on board the 15,000 TEU Maersk Halifax. The retrofit is scheduled by mid-2024. This pioneering container vessel conversion will enable the vessel to sail on green methanol with dual-fuel capabilities.

“At Alfa Laval, we collaborate with the industry frontrunners in exploring and embracing innovative ways for decarbonization,” said Viktor Friberg, Head of Marine Separation & Fuel Supply Systems, Alfa Laval. 

“The project with Maersk gives us a unique opportunity to take up a new challenge - retrofitting our equipment for methanol use, for the first time. We are immensely proud to extend our expertise to this innovative retrofit project.”

The project will involve adding a new fuel line for methanol alongside the traditional fuel line, respecting the existing space constraints and the tight time schedule. The retrofit of the FCM Methanol is a landmark project that requires advanced engineering and an understanding of the practical considerations of working with methanol.

“We have set an ambitious net-zero emissions target for 2040, and retrofitting of engines on our vessels to run on methanol is an important nut in our strategy. Retrofitting solutions to accommodate new fuel thereby enabling the engine to operate on methanol is a complex task that requires expertise, and we are happy to have Alfa Laval on board on this project,” said Ole Graa Jakobsen, Head of Fleet Technology, A.P. Moller-Maersk.  

With over 80 ships contracted, Alfa Laval added it has the longest experience in methanol FSS installation and service since 2015. It is the only system that has been powering methanol-fuelled vessels so far, with over 450 000 hours of operations.

Photo credit: Alfa Laval
Published: 11 December, 2023

Continue Reading
Advertisement
  • EMF banner 400x330 slogan
  • SBF2
  • RE 05 Lighthouse GIF
  • Aderco advert 400x330 1
  • v4Helmsman Gif Banner 01
  • Consort advertisement v2

OUR INDUSTRY PARTNERS

  • 102Meth Logo GIF copy
  • Singfar advertisement final
  • HL 2022 adv v1
  • Triton Bunkering advertisement v2
  • E MARINE LOGO


  • Energe Logo
  • MFA logo v2
  • Innospec logo v6
  • metcore
  • Central Star logo
  • SMS Logo v2
  • Golden Island logo square
  • Trillion Energy
  • pro liquid
  • Kenoil
  • VPS 2021 advertisement
  • Advert Shipping Manifold resized1
  • 400x330 v2 copy
  • Headway Manifold

Trending