Environment

California approved regulation to reduce harmful emissions from ships while docked

Building on the 2007 At-berth Regulation, the updated rule adds new vessel categories which will be required to control pollution when running auxiliary engines or boilers.

Published

4 years ago

August 31, 2020

Admin

The California Air Resources Board (CARB) on Thursday (27 August) approved a new regulation designed to further reduce pollution from ocean-going vessels while docked at California’s busiest ports.

The board said the rule builds on progress achieved by the At-Berth Regulation adopted in 2007 which has achieved an 80% reduction in harmful emissions from more than 13,000 vessel visits since 2014.

The updated rule adds new vessel categories which will be required to control pollution when they run auxiliary engines or auxiliary boilers (for most tanker vessels) while docked.

These auxiliary engines power the electricity and other onboard operations during a vessel’s visit, which can run from less than one day to several days.

"This rule clamps down on air pollution from the largest ships while they're docked in California ports, and there are multiple ways terminals, ports, ship owners and operators can comply," said CARB Chair Mary D. Nichols.

“The action CARB took today will deliver cleaner air and public health benefits to all those who live in port-adjacent communities throughout California."

Vessels covered under the existing regulation include container ships, “reefers” (carrying refrigerated cargo) and cruise ships.

The updated regulation adds auto carriers and tankers, two categories that produce 56% of all fine particulate pollution (PM 2.5) from ocean-going vessels at berth in California ports.

Once fully implemented, CARB noted the updated regulation will deliver a 90% reduction in pollution from an expected additional 2,300 vessel visits per year, and result in a 55 percent reduction in potential cancer risk for communities near the Ports of Los Angeles, Long Beach, and Richmond.

“The existing regulation stays in force through 2022; the updated regulation starts in 2023 when container, reefer and cruise vessels – already included under the existing rule - will transition to the new regulation,” explained CARB.

“Auto carriers will need to comply starting in 2025. Tankers docking at the Port of Los Angeles and the Port of Long Beach must also comply starting in 2025, while tankers in Northern California have until 2027.”

The rule requires that every vessel coming into a regulated California port either use shore power (e.g., plug into the local electrical grid) or a CARB-approved control technology to reduce harmful emissions.

Ship owners, terminal and port operators that need additional time to comply may petition the Board to use alternative means of achieving equivalent or greater emissions reductions in port-adjacent communities, it added.

An example would be purchasing zero-emission heavy-duty trucks for port use. Proposed projects will require extensive community review as well as CARB approval.

A full copy of the circular by the California Air Resources Board is available here.

Photo credit: Port of Long Beach
Published: 31 August, 2020

Methanol

PLAGEN to produce and supply green methanol bunker fuel with Latvia plant

Korean firm’s MoU with AE Risinājumi will see construction of Latvia’s first commercial-scale green methanol production plant, which will supply green methanol to ships in EU’s maritime fleet.

Published

10 hours ago

December 2, 2024

Admin

PLAGEN to produce and supply green methanol bunker fuel with Latvia plant

South Korean clean energy firm PLAGEN on Friday (29 November) signed an MOU with Latvian company, AE Risinājumi, for the production of green methanol in Latvia at the “2024 Latvia-Korea Business Forum” hosted by the President of Latvia.

The agreement will result in the construction of Latvia's first commercial-scale green methanol production plant, which will supply green methanol to ships in the EU's maritime fleet, contributing to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions from maritime transportation.

PLAGEN's MoU aims to produce 20,000 metric tonnes (mt) of green methanol per year and will begin feasibility studies in the first half of 2025, and full-scale production will begin in 2028.

With 53% of Latvia's land area covered by forests, timber production and wood processing make a significant contribution to Latvia’s economic production, which generates a large amount of forest residues and wood wastes. In addition, Latvia also has an abundance and low price of renewable electricity from wind power.

Latvia is one of the most competitive countries in the European Union, as it can produce clean methanol at a competitive price by using abundant wood waste as a raw material and renewable electricity from cheap wind power.

The use of abundant forest residues and wood wastes as a feedstock and cheap renewable electricity from wind power makes it possible to produce green methanol with a competitive price, making Latvia is one of the most competitive countries in the EU.

In the European Union, the European Emissions Trading Scheme (EU-ETS) will come into effect in 2025, requiring shipping companies to purchase carbon credits for their greenhouse gas emissions.

In addition, the EU is implementing FuelEU Maritime, which aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 2% below the 2020 average by 2025 and 80% by 2050. This is expected to result in an energy transition to green methanol.

In July 2023, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) adopted a revised strategy that calls for reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from ships to net-zero by or around 2050, and plans to introduce full-scale regulations from 2027, and shipping companies have begun ordering methanol-powered ships fueled by green methanol, a carbon-neutral fuel.

“We expect to start producing green methanol in Latvia in 2028, which will reduce greenhouse gas emissions from EU maritime transport vessels and contribute significantly to the revitalization of the Latvian economy and national energy security,” said John Kyung, CEO of PLAGEN.

In November 2024, PLAGEN completed the purchase of an industrial complex and received a government permit for the construction of the country's first green methanol plant in Dongjeom Industrial Complex in Taebaek City, Gangwon-do.

The project, which will produce 10,000 mt per year, is scheduled to begin construction in the first half of 2025 and begin production in the second half of 2027.

Photo credit: PLAGEN
Published: 2 December, 2024

LNG Bunkering

Molgas commences LNG bunkering operations in United Kingdom

Firm successfully completed the first LNG bunkering of “MV Glen Sannox” since the ship was handed over to CalMac Ferries Limited last week.

Published

10 hours ago

December 2, 2024

Admin

Molgas commences LNG bunkering operations in United Kingdom

Molgas Group on Friday (29 November) said it successfully completed the first LNG bunkering of the MV Glen Sannox since the ship was handed over to CalMac Ferries Limited last week, marking its entry into the United Kingdom.

“We would like to thank CalMac Ferries Limited and Ferguson Marine (Port Glasgow) Limited for their trust and long-term collaboration,” the firm said in a social media post.

“This project not only represents a significant step forward in the adoption of cleaner fuels in the maritime industry of the United Kingdom but also for the expansion of our Pan-European Supply Network for the Marine Segment to receive (bio)LNG via various supply assets across multiple countries and ports.”

Photo credit: Molgas Group
Published: 2 December, 2024

Methanol

GENA Solutions: Total renewable and low-carbon methanol project pipeline rises from 38.6 to 39.9 Mt by 2030

Information shared by the Methanol Institute meant to assist the maritime industry in the adoption of methanol as a mainstream marine fuel heading into IMO 2030/2050.

Published

10 hours ago

December 2, 2024

Admin

GENA Solutions: Total renewable and low-carbon methanol project pipeline rises from 38.6 to 39.9 Mt by 2030

The Methanol Institute recently shared with Manifold Times the renewable and low-carbon methanol project pipeline November 2024 release produced by Finland-based GENA Solutions Oy (Green Energy Analytics).

Information from the release is meant to provide the bunkering publication’s readers with insight on renewable methanol availability, and to assist the maritime industry in the adoption of methanol as a mainstream marine fuel heading into IMO 2030/2050.

Key highlights of the November 2024 release are as follows:

The renewable methanol project pipeline increased from 30.5 Mt in October to 31.8 Mt in November (+1.3 Mt). The total renewable and low-carbon methanol project pipeline grew from 38.6 Mt to 39.9 Mt.
As of November 2024, GENA tracks 113 e-methanol plants and projects with total capacity of 18.7 Mt (+0.6 Mt), 77 biomethanol plants and projects with total capacity of 13.1 Mt (+0.7 Mt), and 14 low-carbon methanol plants and projects with total capacity of 8.1 Mt.
Eight projects were added in the November release: four in China, three in Europe and one in Africa. One project was excluded from the Project Navigator due to a change in the final product.
One e-methanol project has started construction in the last month. One small-scale e-methanol plant has started production. Currently, 2.6 Mt of renewable methanol facilities are either operational or under construction.
We estimate that renewable methanol capacity by 2030 could reach 7–14 Mt (22–44% of the project pipeline). However, a lack of long-term off-take agreements and insufficient state support may result in a lower capacity range of 3–7 Mt.