Alternative Fuels

Bureau Veritas issues AiP for cargo/fuel tank compatible with LNG and ammonia

Gas and Heat demonstrated IMO Type C cargo/fuel tanks made of austenitic steel with a special grade can transport both LNG and ammonia for sea-going and inland navigation.

Published

1 year ago

September 14, 2022

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Classification society Bureau Veritas (BV) on Monday (12 September) has awarded an Approval in Principle (AiP) to Gas and Heat (GH), a company specialising in the design, construction and integration of Liquefied Gas Handling Systems both for Marine and Onshore installations, for their flexible solution for the transport of liquified natural gas (LNG) and ammonia.

Through a thorough study, GH supported by the BV team demonstrated that IMO Type C cargo/fuel tanks made of austenitic steel with a special grade can transport both LNG and ammonia for sea-going and inland navigation.

Paillette Palaiologou, Vice President South East Europe, Black Sea & Adriatic Zone at Bureau Veritas Marine & Offshore, said: “While the shipping industry is facing many uncertainties, it is the role of class to support the industry in this period of change. I am proud of the work accomplished by both teams and the results are extremely positive for the industry. Providing different options will be key for industry stakeholders as they make decision. We look forward to collaborating with GH on new projects.”

Mauro Evangelisti, President of Gas and Heat SpA, said: "Innovation has always been and will remain our main focus. This study is part of the innovation journey the industry needs for a smart and sustainable transition to a greener future. We hope the use of this material will provide more cost-effective and safer components to the industry."

As part of their ambitions to develop innovative solutions to help the industry anticipate the next wave of alternative fuels, GH embarked on a study to identify possible options and develop solutions.

GH has used austenitic steel with a special grade for LNG containment since its Approval by Bureau Veritas in June 2022, as an “alternative material” with respect to IGC/IGF Code. The compatibility of this material with ammonia has been verified by a specific Stress Corrosion Cracking test performed by GH and then approved by Bureau Veritas in August 2022.

For this innovative material in the shipping world, twelve specimens were prepared for the tests in accordance with ISO 16540. ISO 16540 provides guidelines to evaluate the corrosion of metals and alloys by determining their resistance to stress corrosion cracking using the Four-Point Bend method. This methodology includes procedures for metals that have no distinct yield point in their stress-strain behavior as well as metals with a distinct yield point.

Throughout the test, the specimens were loaded as Four-Point-Bend (FPB) to the Specified Minimum Yield Strength of the base material. Tests were then performed in three different conditions: at ambient temperature, -20C, and -33C, in an environment of pure ammonia.

After the completion of all tests, each specimen was visually examined at x10 magnification by a stereoscopic microscope and subjected to fluorescent liquid penetrant examination to detect any visible surface crack. An additional tomographic scan was performed to ascertain that no inner crack was detected. The outcomes successfully demonstrated that cargo/fuel tanks made of austenitic steel can carry both LNG and ammonia, for seagoing and inland navigation.

BV was involved from the very earliest stages, validating the stress test methodology and reviewing each phase of the test.

“We confirmed that the applied methodology opens the way to design and build LNG/Ammonia tanks that comply with the international code for the construction and equipment of ships carrying liquefied gases in bulk (IGC Code) and the international code of safety for ship using gases or other low-flashpoint fuels (IGF Code), as well as applicable BV’s classification rules for seagoing and inland navigation,” said BV.

GH has already secured one contract which includes the supply of cargo tanks for inland navigation of LNG/ammonia and one for a seagoing LNG/ammonia fuel supply system.

Photo credit: Bureau Veritas
Published: 14 September, 2022

Alternative Fuels

DNV paper outlines bunkering of alternative marine fuels for boxships

Third edition of its paper series focuses on LNG, methanol and ammonia as alternative bunker fuel options for containerships; explores bunkering aspects for LNG and methanol.

Published

22 hours ago

November 29, 2023

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DNV paper outlines bunkering of alternative marine fuels for boxships

Classification society DNV recently released the third edition of its paper series Alternative fuels for containerships, focused on LNG, methanol and ammonia as alternative bunker fuel options for containerships.

In its updated paper series, DNV examined the different alternative marine fuel options and provided an overview of the most important technical and commercial considerations for the containership sector.

It explored the bunkering technology for LNG, bunkering infrastructure for methanol, and availability and infrastructure of ammonia.

Building on the foundation laid in the second edition, which focused on the most important aspects of methanol as a fuel, this latest third edition delves deeper – exploring the technical intricacies and commercial considerations associated with adopting methanol as an alternative fuel for containerships.

Furthermore, it provides an overview of crucial aspects related to ammonia and discusses its potential as an alternative fuel for containerships.

Amongst others, the new edition of the paper looks at the following aspects:

Technical design considerations for methanol
Commercial implications of adopting methanol as an alternative fuel
Ammonia's potential as an alternative fuel
Availability, infrastructure and ship fuel technology for ammonia
Major updates based on the latest IMO GHG strategy decisions at the MEPC 80 meeting

Note: The third edition of DNV’s full paper titled Alternative Fuels for Containerships can be found here.

Photo credit: DNV
Published: 29 November, 2023

Alternative Fuels

EDF, LR and Arup launch tool scoring ports’ potential to produce and bunker electrofuels

Tool is also applied to three different port scenarios, including ports exploring fuel production and bunkering, ports exploring fuel exports, and ports exploring fuel imports and bunkering.

Published

22 hours ago

November 29, 2023

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EDF, LR and Arup launch tool scoring ports’ potential to produce and bunker electrofuels

Lloyd’s Register (LR) Maritime Decarbonisation Hub and Environmental Defense Fund (EDF), in collaboration with Arup, on Tuesday (28 November) introduced the Sustainable First Movers Initiative Identification Tool, a system to help shipping stakeholders align investment decisions that support the maritime energy transition away from fossil fuels.

The tool, which is presented in a preliminary findings report – The Potential of Ports in Developing Sustainable First Movers Initiatives – scores a port’s potential to produce and bunker electrofuels while delivering local environmental and community benefits in alignment with the global temperature target of 1.5 degrees Celsius set by the Paris Agreement.

“Ports can play an important role in kickstarting shipping’s decarbonisation process even before global policies are established,” said Marie Cabbia Hubatova, Director, Global Shipping at Environmental Defense Fund.

“By considering the impact sustainable first mover initiatives can have on port-side communities, climate, environment and economies, resources can be better directed to locations where these initiatives will make the biggest difference.”

With close to two billion people living near coastal zones globally, the role of, and impacts on local port communities must be intentionally considered as the sector decarbonises globally. Ports can play a crucial role in ensuring shipping decarbonisation efforts are done in a way that has positive impacts on port communities.

The preliminary phase of the Sustainable First Movers Initiative Identification Tool analyses 108 ports in the Indo-Pacific region according to five criteria including land suitability, air quality, renewable energy surplus, economic resilience and ship traffic.

It is also applied to three different port scenarios, including ports exploring fuel production and bunkering, ports exploring fuel exports, and ports exploring fuel imports and bunkering. The combined criteria and scenario evaluation determines which ports have the greatest potential (high potential) for sustainable first mover initiatives to lead to significant emissions reductions and positive impacts in nearby communities, such as improved air quality and economic resilience.

“The transition to clean energy supply for shipping can be achieved only if stakeholders act together. Identifying potential port locations is the first step in this process,” said Dr Carlo Raucci, Consultant at Lloyd’s Register Maritime Decarbonisation Hub. “This approach sets the base for a regional sustainable transition that considers the impacts on port-side communities and the need to avoid regions in the Global South lagging behind.”

Regions in the Global South are fundamental in driving the decarbonisation of shipping. To make this transition effective, the rate at which different countries adopt and scale up electrofuels must be proportional to the difference in capital resources globally to avoid additional costs being passed on to local communities. Sustainable first mover initiatives can play an important role in making this happen by ensuring the sector’s decarbonisation is inclusive of all regions and by engaging all shipping stakeholders, including port-side communities.

“There’s a huge opportunity for early adopter shipping decarbonisation initiatives to unlock benefits for people and planet – shaping the way for a more equitable transition in the 2030s,” said Mark Button, Associate, Arup. “Our collective approach shows that taking a holistic view of shipping traffic, fuel production potential and port communities could help prioritise action at ports with the greatest near-term potential.”

The tool can be customised according to stakeholders’ needs and goals and is dependent on scenario desirability. The next phase of this work will include the selection and detailed assessment of 10 ports to help better understand local needs and maximise the value offered by sustainable first mover initiatives.

LR and EDF carried out a joint study on ammonia as shipping fuel, and LR and Arup have collaborated on The Resilience Shift study focused on fuel demand for early adopters in green corridors, ports, and energy systems, amongst many other projects.

Photo credit: Lloyd’s Register
Published: 29 November, 2023

Newbuilding

Wärtsilä signs agreement for first zero-emission high speed ferries in US

Group has signed a strategic partnership agreement to provide its Fleet Electrification and Systems Integrator Services for a project to build the first zero-emission high speed ferries in the United States.

Published

22 hours ago

November 29, 2023

Admin

Wärtsilä signs agreement for first zero-emission high speed ferries in US

Technology group Wärtsilä on Tuesday (28 November) said it has signed a strategic partnership agreement to provide its Fleet Electrification and Systems Integrator Services for a project to build the first zero-emission high speed ferries in the United States.

The fully electric vessels will be built for San Francisco’s Water Emergency Transportation Authority (WETA), the operator of the San Francisco Bay Ferry system.

The project, and several others Wärtsilä will work on under this partnership, are a part of the agency’s Rapid Electric Emission-Free (REEF) Ferry Program, a phased decarbonisation of high-speed, high-capacity ferry service in the San Francisco Bay.

Wärtsilä will work within the WETA project team to finalise vessel and charging system concepts.

“We’re proud to operate the cleanest high-speed ferry fleet in the nation, but a zero-emission future for our system is within reach,” said WETA Executive Director, Seamus Murphy.

“Wärtsilä’s expertise and experience will be incredibly valuable given the complexity our ferry decarbonisation program entails.”

“This is a major project within the maritime sector’s journey towards decarbonisation, and we are proud to be a part of it,” said Hanno Schoonman, Director of sales for AMER region, Wärtsilä Marine Power.

“Wärtsilä joins an industry leading team tasked to develop newbuild battery electric vessels that combine innovative technology and sustainable practices. Wärtsilä is well qualified to provide this project support, and this agreement is a clear endorsement of our strong track record in systems integration and emission-free propulsion.”

After completing the conceptual phase, WETA will move on to the initial construction phase of a multi-vessel programme. This phase will involve the building of three smaller ferries with a capacity of approximately 150 passengers each and two larger ferries capable of carrying at least 300 passengers.

Additionally, the scope of this phase will encompass the inclusion of battery charging floats. The construction of the first electric-powered vessel is slated to commence before the conclusion of 2023, with commercial operations expected to launch in 2025.

Photo credit: Wärtsilä
Published: 29 November, 2023