Alternative Fuels

China: Port of Shanghai and CMA CGM sign cold ironing agreement

Both signed long-term strategic collaboration to develop mass scale use of cold ironing technology, the use of onshore power supply for CMA CGM containerships at Port of Shanghai.

Published

2 years ago

December 16, 2022

Admin

Shanghai International Port (Group) Co., Ltd. (SIPG) and global player in sea, land, air and logistics solutions CMA CGM Group signed a long-term strategic collaboration to develop the mass scale use of “cold ironing” technology, the use of onshore power supply for containerships at the Port of Shanghai, according to CMA CGM on Thursday (15 December).

From today all fully-fitted CMA CGM containerships calling at the port of Shanghai will systematically use the onshore power connection. By allowing ships to shut down auxiliary engines and use an onshore power supply while at berth, “cold ironing” eliminates sulphur oxide, particulate matter, and nitrogen oxide emissions, significantly improving air quality while also reducing noise pollution.

In late November 2022, the CMA CGM Group and SIPG successfully completed the technical trial of the “cold ironing” facilities of Yangshan Terminal in the port of Shanghai, which involved the CMA CGM Group’s 13,982 TEU containership APL FULLERTON and several other vessels.

The Group’s newbuild, most recent vessels are now equipped with the technology required to use “cold ironing”, and CMA CGM is conducting an extensive retrofitting program so other containerships can also use an onshore power supply.

By the end of 2022, 13 CMA CGM vessels calling at the port of Shanghai will connect to the onshore power supply, and by mid-2023, this number will increase to reach 50.

Beyond significantly improving air quality and reducing CO2 emissions and noise pollution, this cooperation follows the successful pioneering of LNG simultaneous operation (SIMOPS) bunkering achieved in March 2022 in Shanghai, and represents yet another major milestone as part of CMA CGM and SIPG’s strategic partnership to accelerate the shipping and logistics industry’s decarbonisation.

By the end of 2026, the CMA CGM Group will have a fleet of 77 LNG powered vessels of various sizes. 32 “bio and e -methane ready” vessels equipped with dual-fuel engines and LNG-powered are already in service.

The engines deployed on these vessels already have the technical capability of using bio and e -methane, a source of carbon-neutral fuels.

In September, the CMA CGM Group announced the creation of a Fund for Energies, backed by a five-year, EUR 1.5 billion budget, to accelerate its energy transition and achieve Net Zero Carbon emissions by 2050.

The Fund is dedicated to increasing the pace of decarbonisation across the Group’s worldwide ocean, ground and air freight shipping activity, as well as its logistics business.

In particular, the Fund for Energies will support the development and industrial-scale production of renewable energies (biofuels, biomethane, e-methane, green methanol, etc.), while accelerating the decarbonisation of port terminals, warehouses, and land vehicle fleets.

Ludovic RENOU, CEO of CMA CGM China, said: “CMA CGM is steadfastly committed to installing more environmentally responsible solutions on board our vessels, the Group supports cold ironing and we will continue to equip our fleet accordingly. We are breaking new ground by partnering with SIPG, our strategic partner, to collaborate on the mass scale cold ironing, another landmark in our partnership after the historic China’s first LNG SIMOPS bunkering jointly completed by us in March this year. Looking ahead, we will continue to join hands and drive forward more meaningful transformations to pioneer the energy transition together.”

Wenbin Luo, General Manager of Engineering and Equipment Department of SIPG, said: “SIPG has always been committed to the development of green ports and has always supported the energy transformation and decarbonisation of shipping. This year, SIPG and CMA CGM jointly established the LNG bunkering Center at Shanghai Port. Today, SIPG and CMA CGM have confirmed the long-term strategic cooperation of cold ironing, and SIPG will continue to provide onshore power supply services for CMA CGM vessels at Shanghai Port. We firmly believe that enhanced cooperation between ports and shipping companies will accelerate the journey of decarbonisation.”

Photo credit: CMA CGM
Published: 16 December, 2022

Biofuel

Singapore: GCMD introduces new technique for FAME bio bunker fuel fingerprinting

Fingerprinting identifies feedstock origins of FAME-based biofuels used in shipping industry; can be used as a potential tool to detect fraud in marine fuel supply chains and ensure biofuel authenticity.

Published

12 hours ago

December 2, 2024

Admin

Singapore: GCMD introduces new technique for FAME bio bunker fuel fingerprinting

The Global Centre for Maritime Decarbonisation (GCMD) on Monday (2 December) released its latest report, presenting a new technique that creates a fingerprint for Fatty Acid Methyl Esters(FAME) bio bunker fuels.

This fingerprint identifies the feedstock origins of the FAME-based biofuels used in the shipping industry.

GCMD said FAME fingerprinting is needed as the shipping sector is increasingly using biofuels, such as FAME, to reduce its GHG emissions. With that, concerns have arisen regarding the legitimacy of biofuels and whether they are truly sustainable.

Industry bodies are seeing a rising number of cases mislabelling biofuels purported to be made from recycled oils and fats, while suspicions persist that they might be produced from cheaper and less sustainable virgin oils.

“To address these concerns, FAME fingerprinting can be used as a potential tool to detect fraud in marine fuel supply chains and ensure biofuel authenticity. By providing a physical validation method that complements existing certification schemes, FAME fingerprinting can help justify the green premium with genuine environmental benefits and safeguard the integrity of marine fuels supply chain,” GCMD said.

FAME fingerprinting is based on the principle that the fatty acid profile of FAME is unique to its feedstock and can be preserved during feedstock transesterification to produce FAME. The "fingerprint" can then be compared against a database of known fatty acid profiles to identify the feedstock origin.

GCMD worked with VPS who modified existing fuel testing methods to carry out sample analyses using a gas chromatograph with flame-ionisation detection, an instrument commonly found in fuel test laboratories.

The analysis takes about an hour, comparable to the turnaround time for current marine fuel quality testing in the supply chain.

“We have tested this method on a variety of FAME samples from different suppliers, including virgin oils, used cooking oils, palm oil mill effluent, beef tallow and food waste and were able to identify the feedstock origins for each sample,” GCMD added.

Manifold Times previously reported Captain Rahul Choudhuri, President, Strategic Partnerships at marine fuels testing company VPS, forecasting the use of finger printing technology today will likely establish a blueprint of how future alternative bunker fuels’ feedstocks are authenticated.

Captain Choudhuri said this when he gave an update of VPS’ biofuels finger printing trials with GCMD.

Note: The full report, titled ‘Rapid forensic analysis of FAME-based biofuels: Potential use of its fingerprint as a fraud detection tool’, can be downloaded here.

Photo credit: Global Centre for Maritime Decarbonisation
Published: 2 December, 2024

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

12 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

12 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