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Environment

Chief Engineer of towing vessel admits negligently discharging oil into Kill Van Kull

Michael Brown discharged marine diesel fuel oil while bunkering his towing vessel at International Matex Tank Terminal’s Mobil Pier in Bayonne, New Jersey.

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The Chief Engineer of a towing vessel on Wednesday (5 October) admitted his role in negligently discharging marine diesel fuel oil into the Kill Van Kull, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.

Michael Brown, 67, of Kingston, Tennessee, pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Leda D. Wettre to an information charging him with violating the Clean Water Act by negligently discharging marine diesel fuel oil while bunkering his towing vessel at the International Matex Tank Terminal’s Mobil Pier in Bayonne, New Jersey.

According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:

On Sept. 12, 2016, Brown failed to exercise due care in conducting the transfer of fuel oil to the towing vessel, resulting in the discharge of hundreds of gallons of fuel oil into the Kill Van Kull. Brown also admitted that, in response to questions by the U.S. Coast Guard, he failed to disclose that the origin of the spill was the towing vessel.

The Clean Water Act, as amended by the Oil Pollution Act of 1990, makes it a crime for a person to negligently discharge oil into or upon the navigable waters of the United States in such quantities as may be harmful. The Kill Van Kull, a tidal straight that connects Newark Bay with Upper New York Bay, is a navigable water of the United States.

Brown has agreed, as part of his plea agreement, to pay a fine of USD 4,000 to the Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund.

The charge to which Brown pleaded guilty carries a maximum penalty of one year imprisonment and a maximum fine equal to the greatest of USD 100,000 or twice the gross gain or loss resulting from the offense. Sentencing is scheduled for Feb. 7, 2023.

 

Photo credit: John Rourke on Unsplash
Published: 7 October, 2022

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Alternative Fuels

DNV: Use of ammonia as a bunker fuel among highlights in IMO MSC 109

Amendments to the IGC Code to enable the use of ammonia cargo as fuel were adopted and interim guidelines for the general use of ammonia as fuel were approved during session.

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RESIZED CHUTTERSNAP on Unsplash

Classification society DNV on Saturday (7 December) shared a statutory news article that provides a summary of the 109th session of the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) Maritime Safety Committee (MSC 109) including adopted amendments to the IGC Code to enable the use of ammonia cargo as fuel and approved draft interim guidelines for ammonia as a marine fuel.

The following is an excerpt from the news update relating to bunker fuels:

The 109th session of the IMO’s Maritime Safety Committee (MSC 109) was held from 2 to 6 December 2024. Amendments to the IGC Code to enable the use of ammonia cargo as fuel were adopted, and interim guidelines for the general use of ammonia as fuel were approved. The IGF Code was amended to improve the safety of ships using natural gas as fuel. MSC 109 further approved draft SOLAS amendments to enhance the safety of pilot transfer arrangements and progress was made on the new safety code for Maritime Autonomous Surface Ships.

Meeting highlights

  • Adopted amendments to the IGC Code to enable the use of ammonia cargo as fuel
  • Adopted amendments to the IGF Code for ships using natural gas as fuel
  • Approved draft interim guidelines for ammonia as fuel
  • Approved draft amendments to SOLAS Regulation V/23 and the related performance standards to improve the safety of pilot transfer arrangements
  • Advanced the non-mandatory Code on Maritime Autono- mous Surface Ships (MASS)

Amendments to mandatory instruments 

Ammonia cargo as fuel (IGC Code) MSC 109 adopted amendments to Paragraph 16.9.2 of the International Code for the Construction and Equipment of Ships Carrying Liquefied Gases in Bulk (IGC Code) to enable the use of ammonia as fuel on ammonia carriers.

An MSC circular to encourage the voluntary early implementation of the amendments to Chapter 16 was approved. 

The amendments will enter into force on 1 July 2026.

Safety of ships using natural gas as fuel (IGF Code)

MSC 109 adopted amendments to the International Code of Safety for Ships Using Gases or Other Low-flashpoint Fuels (IGF Code), based on experience with the code since its entry into force in 2017.

The amendments include:

  • Clarified application provisions
  • Alignment with the IGC Code on suction wells for fuel tanks extending below the lowermost boundary of the tank
  • Alignment with the IGC Code on discharge from pressure relief valves to discharge to tanks under certain conditions
  • Clarified requirements to fire insulation for deck structures in relation to fuel tanks on open deck
  • Clarified requirements for hazardous ducts through non-hazardous spaces and vice versa
  • Updated requirements for the hazardous zone radius for fuel tank vent mast outlets, increasing to 6 metres for zone 1 and 4 metres for zone 2

The amendments will enter into force on 1 January 2028.

Goal-based new ship construction standards

Goal-based standards (GBS) for the new construction of bulk carriers and oil tankers are, conceptually, the IMO’s rules for class rules. Under the GBS, IMO auditors use guidelines to verify the construction rules for bulk carriers and oil tankers of class societies acting as Recognized Organizations (Resolution MSC.454(100)).

Initial GBS verification of Biro Klasifikasi Indonesia (BKI) BKI has requested GBS verification of their ship construction rules for bulk carries and oil tankers. MSC 109 agreed that the BKI rules comply with the GBS, provided non-conformities and observations are rectified and verified in a new audit.

North Atlantic wave data (IACS Recommendation No. 34, Revision 2) MSC 109 noted that IACS is currently undertaking a review of its Common Structural Rules (CSR) for bulk carriers and oil

tankers to reflect advances in data, materials, technologies and calculation methodologies. The CSR are implemented in the individual class rules of the IACS members, which are subject to compliance with the GBS.

MSC 109 further noted that IACS has now issued a revision of the North Atlantic wave data to ensure more scientific data as a basis for the rule formulas in the CSR. The new scatter diagram in Revision 2 of IACS Recommendation No. 34 shows the probability of occurrence of different sea states and is based on wave data from advanced hindcast wave models combined with ships’ AIS data for all SOLAS vessels in the period from 2013 to 2020.

MSC 109 agreed that an observation from the initial CSR audit in 2015, that the scatter diagram in Revision 1 of IACS Recommendation No. 34 was based on past statistics, was now considered addressed.

MSC 109 further invited IACS to provide more information about the assumptions, modelling and technical background for Revision 2 of IACS Recommendation No. 34, and agreed that the GBS audit of the revision to follow should be carried out in conjunction with the consequential rule changes in the CSR.

New technologies and alternative fuels 

Identification of gaps in current IMO instruments MSC 109 continued its consideration of potential alternative fuels and new technologies to support the reduction of GHG emissions from ships from a safety perspective. The intention is to identify safety obstacles, barriers and gaps in the current IMO instruments that may impede the use of the various alter- native fuels and new technologies.

MSC 109 agreed to add “swappable traction lithium-ion battery containers” to the list of alternative fuels and new technologies. The list already includes fuels and technologies such as ammonia, hydrogen, fuel cell power installations, nuclear power, solar power, wind power, lithium-ion batteries and supercapacitor energy storage technology.

Recommendations to address each of the identified barriers and gaps in the IMO regulatory framework will be considered in a Correspondence Group until MSC 110 (June 2025). Application of the IGF Code

MSC 109 agreed on draft amendments to SOLAS to clarify that the IGF Code applies to ships using gaseous fuels, whether they are low-flashpoint or not. The term “gaseous fuels” was added to the definitions in SOLAS Regulation II-1/2 and to the application provisions of SOLAS Regulations II-1/56 and 57.

The draft amendments are expected to enter into force on 1 January 2027, subject to adoption by MSC 110 (June 2025).

Carriage of cargoes and containers

Ammonia as fuel

MSC 109 approved draft interim guidelines for the safety of ships using ammonia as fuel.

Ships carrying liquefied gases in bulk (IGC Code)

MSC approved draft amendments to the IGC Code to incorporate the large number of Unified Interpretations developed since the latest major review of the code, which entered into force in 2016. The primary objective of the draft amendments is to remove ambiguity and promote the consistent implementation of the IGC Code requirements.

 

Photo credit: CHUTTERSNAP on Unsplash
Published: 9 December, 2024

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Methanol

Methanol Institute welcomes HIF Global as its newest member

HIF Global will collaborate with industry leaders, policymakers, and stakeholders to promote the adoption of methanol-based solutions and e-Fuels in the transition to a low-carbon future.

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HIF Global joins Methanol Institute as its newest member

The Methanol Institute (MI) on Thursday (5 December) welcomed HIF Global as its newest member. 

HIF Global is an innovator in the production of e-Fuels, offering sustainable alternatives to fossil fuels that are compatible with today’s transportation and industrial infrastructure.

As part of MI’s membership, HIF Global will collaborate with other industry leaders, policymakers, and stakeholders to promote the adoption of methanol-based solutions and e-Fuels in the transition to a low-carbon future.

MI said HIF Global’s pioneering approach combines renewable energy with technology to produce green hydrogen through electrolysis and capture CO₂ from atmospheric, biogenic, and industrial sources. 

These components are then synthesised to create e-Fuels, including e-Methanol for ships, e-SAF for planes, and e-Gasoline for cars, which are crucial to decarbonizing global transportation and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

At the heart of HIF Global’s operations is HIF Haru Oni in Magallanes, Chile, the world’s first operating e-Fuels facility, which was inaugurated in December 2022. The company is scaling its production globally, with projects underway in the United States, Chile, Australia, Uruguay and Brazil. Its most advanced commercial-scale project, the HIF Matagorda e-Fuels Facility in Texas, is designed to produce 1.4 million metric tons (466 million gallons/1.76 billing liters) of e-Methanol annually once fully operational.

“We are thrilled to welcome HIF Global to the Methanol Institute,” said CEO of MI Greg Dolan. 

“HIF Global’s work in e-Fuels, particularly e-Methanol, is a crucial contribution to the energy transition. Their innovative approach underscores methanol’s potential as a key solution for decarbonizing transportation and industry, and we look forward to collaborating to accelerate this transformation.”

Cesar Norton, President and CEO of HIF Global, said: “e-Fuels are essential to achieving a sustainable future. We applaud the Methanol Institute for their leadership in methanol markets and join them to drive forward the vision to expand e-Methanol based e-Fuels that support our global circular economy.”

“Together we will advance the energy transition by pioneering e-Methanol solutions that utilize existing infrastructure to inspire innovation and reduce costs.”

 

Photo credit: Methanol Institute
Published: 9 December, 2024

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Environment

Research: Wakashio bunker spill still contaminating sensitive Mauritius mangroves

Lead researcher says chemical ‘fingerprint’ of the oil found in mangrove sediments was a near-perfect match for VLSFO spilled by “MV Wakashio” in 2020 – the first recorded spill involving this type of fuel.

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RESIZED Wakashio bunker spill

A recent Curtin University-led research has confirmed the 1,000 tonnes of a marine fuel oil spilled in 2020 when bulk carrier MV Wakashio ran aground, is still present in an environmentally sensitive mangrove forest close to important Ramsar conservation sites.

Lead researcher Dr Alan Scarlett, from Curtin’s WA Organic and Isotope Geochemistry Centre in the School of Earth and Planetary Sciences, said the chemical ‘fingerprint’ of the oil found in the mangrove sediments was a near-perfect match for the Very Low Sulphur Fuel Oil (VLSFO) spilled by the Wakashio in 2020 – the first recorded spill involving this type of fuel.

“Local communities in Mauritius have been aware of oil contamination in the mangrove wetlands since the Wakashio spill, but no official confirmation had been made regarding the source,” Dr Scarlett said.

“Identifying and acknowledging this contamination is crucial, both for the people of Mauritius and for global understanding, as little is known about how this new marine fuel behaves once spilled.”

Dr Scarlett said samples from the mangrove wetlands, including a reference site thought to be unaffected by the spill, were analysed using advanced chemical techniques.

“We confirmed the reference site was free of oil contamination, while another site contained oil originating from the Wakashio’s fuel tanks,” Dr Scarlett said.

“We found the spilled oil had undergone substantial weathering and biodegradation in the three years since the accident and this had removed or reduced the levels of many of its toxic compounds.

“However, the ongoing presence of the oil could still pose an unknown risk to the sensitive mangrove ecosystem.”

In a previous collaboration with the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, the Curtin research team obtained a unique chemical ‘fingerprint’ of the spilled oil, which enabled them to confirm its presence in the mangrove sediments.

The study also compared the behaviour of the Wakashio‘s VLSFO with traditional marine heavy fuel oils using models developed from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s oil spill scenario tool, WebGNOME-ADIOS.

“Our modelling suggested more of the Wakashio’s fuel would evaporate, naturally disperse or sink compared to traditional fuels, but assessing the impact on organisms remains challenging,” Dr Scarlett said.

The research, titled ‘Very Low Sulfur Fuel Oil spilled from the MV Wakashio in 2020 remains in sediments in a Mauritius mangrove ecosystem nearly three years after the grounding’, was published in Marine Pollution Bulletin.

Manifold Times covered the Wakashio oil spill extensively in 2020 and past articles on the incident can be found here.

 

Photo credit: International Maritime Organisation
Published: 9 December, 2024

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