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Alternative Fuels

Dalian delivers China’s first seagoing LNG bunker vessel to ENN Energy Holdings

‘Xin Ao Pu Tuo Hao’ became the first domestic newbuilding LNG bunker vessel in China that complied with CCS Rules for LNG Bunkering Vessels, according to CCS.

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Xin Ao Pu Tuo Hao

China Classification Society (CCS) on Monday (19 September) said the liquified natural gas (LNG) bunker vessel Xin Ao Pu Tuo Hao was successfully delivered at the offshore site of Dalian Shipbuilding Industry Group Co., Ltd on 16 September. 

CCS said it independently carried out plan approval and construction inspection of the first C-type tank equipped LNG bunkering ship. 

The 8,500 cubic metres (m3) LNG bunkering vessel was built by Dalian Shipbuilding Industry Group Co., Ltd. for ENN Energy Holdings Co., Ltd, one of the largest users of LNG in China and managed and operated by Southwest Maritime Limited. 

It became the first domestic newbuilding LNG bunker vessel in China that was classed by CCS and complied with CCS Rules for LNG Bunkering Vessels.  

The ship has an overall length of about 119.3 metres, a moulded width of 19.8 metres, a moulded depth of 11 metres, a design draft of 5.9 metres and a scantling draft of 6.5 metres. It is equipped with a dual-fuel main engine, two dual-fuel generators and a shaft generator. 

The ship is equipped with two independent "C" type liquid cargo tanks with a minimum design temperature of -164 °C and a design steam pressure of 3.75bar. 

The ship is also equipped with a cryogenic unit, GCU and LNG bunkering system, with powerful cargo handling and bunkering capabilities.

“As the first LNG bunkering ship to be constructed and graded by CCS, the whole process of plan approval and construction took more than three years. With new ship types and new technologies, CCS cooperated with each other and worked together to tackle key problems,” said CCS. 

According to a separate 2019 statement by technology group Wärtsilä on the ship, it is China’s first seagoing LNG bunker vessel and the first vessel of its kind built and owned by Chinese companies. 

Wärtsilä provided the vessel’s cargo handling system, the Wärtsilä 34DF dual-fuel main engine, the gearbox, controlled pitch propeller (CPP), shaft generator, two Wärtsilä 20DF dual-fuel auxiliary engines, and the ship’s sewage treatment plant.

The firm also said the vessel is the first newbuilding LNG bunkering vessel for ENN Energy Holdings and is part of the Group’s ambition to play an active role in the international marine LNG fuel supplier market. With this bunker vessel, ENN will be capable of supplying fuel to the world’s biggest LNG fuelled vessels.

The vessel is intended to be based at the ENN Zhoushan LNG receiving and bunkering terminal in China’s eastern Zhejiang province. In addition to providing bunkering supply operations, it will also carry out gas testing services for LNG carriers and other LNG fuelled vessels.

Disclaimer: The above article published by Manifold Times was sourced from China’s domestic market through a local correspondent. While considerable efforts have been taken to verify its accuracy through a professional translator and processed from sources believed to be reliable, no warranty is made regarding the accuracy, completeness and reliability of any information.

 

Photo credit: China Classification Society
Published: 20 September, 2022

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Alternative Fuels

DNV: LNG dominates alternative-fuel vessel orderbook for 2024

According to DNV, LNG was the industry’s alternative fuel of choice by year-end; 264 LNG vessel orders were placed in 2024, over double that of 2023 which was 130 orders.

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The maritime industry’s exceptional newbuilding year 2024 drove a significant rise in orders for alternative-fuelled vessels, according to the latest data from DNV’s Alternative Fuels Insights (AFI) platform.

A total of 515 such ships were ordered, representing a 38% year-on-year increase compared to 2023, underscoring the industry's growing commitment to decarbonization.

The growth in alternative-fuelled vessel orders has been heavily driven by the container and car carrier newbuild boom over the last three years. In 2024, 69% of all container ship orders were for ships capable of being powered by alternative fuels, driven by cargo owners responding to consumer demands for more sustainable practices and liner companies preparing to replace older tonnage. The preferred fuel choice for this segment was LNG (67%). In total the container and car carrier segments made up 62% of all alternative fuel orders in 2024. 

Knut Ørbeck-Nilssen, CEO Maritime at DNV, said: “As we work towards decarbonizing the industry, we are encouraged by the growth in alternative fuel vessels over the past few years. While recent figures are promising, we must keep pushing forward.”

“The technological transition is underway, but supply of alternative fuel is still low. As an industry we need to work with fuel suppliers and other stakeholders to ensure that shipping has access to its share of alternative fuels in the future. It is also important that the safety of seafarers is ensured as we make this transition. This will require investment in upskilling and training.”

LNG was not the only fuel on shipowners’ minds as 2024 saw them betting on multiple alternative fuels. 166 methanol orders were added (32% of the AFI orderbook), reflecting shipping’s growing interest in a diverse fuel pool as it strives to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Most of these methanol orders (85) were in the container segment.

While methanol drove newbuilding orders for alternative-fuelled vessels at the beginning of the year, LNG was the industry’s alternative fuel of choice by year-end. The number of LNG vessel orders placed in 2024 was 264, over double that of 2023 (130).

Ammonia saw promising momentum in the earliest months of the year and continued to grow throughout 2024. A total of 27 orders were placed for ammonia-fueled vessels. The first non-gas carrier ammonia-fuelled vessels orders were placed in 2024 (10), mainly in the bulk carrier segment (5). While still in its early stages, this provides further evidence of ammonia's emergence in the alternative fuel market.

Deliveries and bunkering

The number of LNG-fuelled ships in operation doubled between 2021 and 2024, with a record number of deliveries (169) in 2024. By the end of 2024, 641 LNG-powered ships were in operation. According to the AFI orderbook, this number is expected to double by the end of the decade. 

While the bunkering infrastructure for some alternative fuels remains underdeveloped, LNG bunkering is maturing. The number of LNG bunker vessels in operation grew from 52 to 64 over the last year, with continued growth expected in 2025. The significant gap between LNG bunkering supply and demand is expected to widen over the next five years based on the AFI orderbook. 

Addressing this challenge by developing the appropriate infrastructure for alternative fuels – both for vessels and bunkering - can create demand signals to stimulate long-term fuel production. With the EU regulatory package, Fit for 55, setting requirements on a large network of ports to have LNG bunkering infrastructure, it is expected that the availability of LNG in ports will increase.

Jason Stefanatos, Global Decarbonization Director at DNV, said: “Market conditions, infrastructure development, fuel production updates, and cargo owners' needs are all shaping the demand for different fuels, both in the short and long term.”

“The shifting trends in LNG and methanol orders this year might be due to the slow development of green methanol production. In the long run, green methanol has potential to be part of the energy mix along with ammonia.”

“In parallel, LNG offers a vital bridging fuel option benefiting from existing infrastructure and short-term emissions reductions while being capable of acting as a long-term solution as well, assuming RNG (Renewable Natural Gas) will be available and provided at a competitive price.”

 

Photo credit: DNV
Published: 13 January, 2024

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LNG Bunkering

China: Ningbo Zhoushan Port completes first LNG bunkering operation for 2025

Bunkering vessel “Hai Yang Shi You 302” supplied more than 10,000 cubic metres of LNG bunker fuel to containership “MSC Adya” at the Ningbo-Zhoushan Port port on 5 January.

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China: Ningbo Zhoushan Port completes first LNG bunkering operation for 2025

Zhejiang Pilot Free Trade Zone Zhoushan Area on Wednesday (8 January) said Ningbo-Zhoushan Port successfully completed its first LNG bunkering operation for the year. 

Bunkering vessel Hai Yang Shi You 302 supplied more than 10,000 cubic metres (m3) of LNG bunker fuel to containership MSC Adya at the port on 5 January.

Zhejiang Seaport International Trading, the bunker supplier for the operation, successfully obtained the Zhoushan Anchorage LNG bunkering licence in June 2024, extending refuelling services from dock to sea. 

The company’s services cover Meishan, Chuanshan, Daxie and other port areas. 

As China's first river-sea LNG transport and bunkering ship,  Hai Yang Shi You is currently placed permanently at Ningbo Zhoushan Port, providing a variety of bunkering methods such as ship-to-ship and ship-to-shore.

Zhejiang Seaport International Trading will continue to expand the scope of bonded LNG bunkering operations and new alternative fuels such as green methanol, ammonia and biofuels in the Zhoushan Area. 

Related: China’s first river-sea LNG bunkering ship completes inaugural bunkering operation

 

Photo credit: Zhejiang Pilot Free Trade Zone Zhoushan Area
Published: 10 January, 2025

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Nuclear

VARD and partners team up to explore nuclear propulsion for shipping

Project, which involves Knutsen Tankers and DNV, will evaluate fourth-generation nuclear reactor technologies for their viability in commercial shipping applications.

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VARD and partners team up in project to explore nuclear propulsion for shipping

Norway-based shipbuilder VARD on Friday (3 January) said it has partnered with the Norwegian University of Science and Technology in Ålesund, Norway and other key stakeholders in the NuProShip I project, which explores nuclear propulsion for the maritime sector. 

NuProShip, short for "Nuclear Propulsion in Shipping," will evaluate fourth-generation nuclear reactor technologies for their viability in commercial shipping applications.

In this project, an extensive assessment of 99 companies developing advanced reactor technologies led to the selection of three promising reactor types:

  • Kairos Power (USA): Fluoride high-temperature molten salt reactor using Tri-structural Isotropic (TRISO) fuel particles, designed for robust and efficient operation.
  • Ultrasafe (USA): Helium-cooled gas reactor, also employing TRISO fuel particles, known for their resilience and safety in extreme conditions.
  • Blykalla (Sweden): Lead-cooled reactor concept utilizing uranium oxide as fuel, offering high efficiency with advanced cooling mechanisms.

VARD said TRISO fuel particles, noted for their durability and containment properties, play a crucial role in two of these reactor types. 

“TRISO technology in fact, is renowned as one of the most resilient nuclear fuel types available today,” it added.

Alongside VARD, the NuProShip project is supported by other partners, including DNV, the Norwegian Maritime Administration, ship owner Knutsen Tankers, and the Spanish nuclear consultancy IDOM. 

VARD’s primary contribution involves integrating these reactor systems into various vessel types, assessing the technical challenges to enable the future commercial use of nuclear-powered ships.

 

Photo credit: VARD
Published: 10 January, 2025

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