Methanol

Damen wins class and flag states approval for methanol-fuelled workboats

By working closely firstly with Bureau Veritas and later with the Dutch and Belgian flag authorities as well, Damen can now offer designs for a wide range of methanol-powered workboats.

Published

2 months ago

October 13, 2023

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Dutch shipbuilding company Damen on Wednesday (11 October) said it has won Approval in Principle (AiP) for designs of methanol-powered workboats from the classification society Bureau Veritas (BV) and Dutch and Belgian flag authorities.

Starting in the summer of 2022 and working closely from the outset with BV, Damen has developed and gained AiP for designs of methanol-powered compact vessels. LNG carriers set the standards for this type of fuel, but their size has resulted in rules that are very different to those required by much smaller vessels. A new design approach was needed to make them applicable for workboats.

By working closely firstly with BV and later with the Dutch and Belgian flag authorities as well, Damen can now offer designs for a wide range of methanol-powered workboats. These range from tugs, stationary dredgers and high-speed vessels to fast crew suppliers, pilot boats, stan patrols and fast ferries, as and when the engines for these types of vessels are available.

The framework lays out the design modifications that are required to ensure that the methanol-powered workboats have standards of safety at least equal to their diesel-fuelled equivalents. Part of the process involved identifying existing rules that were not applicable to smaller vessels so they could be replaced with alternative solutions, and then identifying and analysing the risks. The Damen team also had an additional goal; to develop standardised solutions that could be used across the workboat portfolio.

The initial proposals were presented to Bureau Veritas and thereafter changes were implemented in a back-and-forth process. With the collaboration with Bureau Veritas working well, Damen brought on board the flag states of the Netherlands and Belgium on the basis that flag states would need to give their own approvals before vessels can be built. The Netherlands and Belgium were selected as among the most likely early adopters of sustainable workboats.

The next stage was the establishment of a Hazard Identification Workshop. Chaired by an independent expert, solutions were presented, alternative designs proposed, and additional measures and safeguards identified where required. Obtaining the input of all the key stakeholders at a relatively early stage helped reduce the time required to implement all the changes and so achieve approval in principle in a relatively short time.

Pieter Spruijt, Technical Specialist Alternative Fuels and Damen System Owner Methanol Systems, said: “We are very pleased to now have the approvals in principle.One of the interesting outcomes of the design process is that the methanol storage and fuel systems will take up less space than they would have under the prescriptive rules.”

“Small vessels present a real challenge with space at such a premium, but our designs will not only keep the vessels compact, they will also be more sustainable as they will not require additional inputs when being built. This is another step forward in Damen’s ambition to be the world’s most sustainable shipbuilder.”

Herman Spilker, Bureau Veritas’s Vice President North Europe, said: "Bureau Veritas had the privilege of assisting Damen in achieving an approval in principle for a modular-based methanol fuel system.

“Several innovative technical solutions for compact ships were devised and successfully underwent the approval and HAZID process under the oversight of the acknowledged Flag States of the Kingdom of the Netherlands and the Kingdom of Belgium. We look forward to assisting Damen in the construction of the inaugural unit.”

Photo credit: Damen
Published: 13 October, 2023

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Methanol

Marine Fuels 360: Methanol presents easiest path towards maritime decarbonisation, says DNV

Captain Singh was confident the bunkering infrastructure in Singapore will be ready to welcome methanol-fuelled vessels due to the coordinated efforts between various agencies.

Published

9 hours ago

December 6, 2023

Admin

The use of methanol as a bunker fuel presents the least path of resistance towards maritime decarbonisation, believes the Principal Consultant, Head, Research and Development, Maritime Advisory, SE Asia, Pacific, and India at classification society DNV.

Captain Satinder Singh Virdi was speaking amongst panellists in the Methanol Panel session at Marine Fuels 360 on Tuesday (28 November) when he offered an opinion about reasons behind the increasing awareness of methanol as a marine fuel.

“The ease of adopting methanol is perhaps one of the reasons. The product exists as a liquid at ambient temperature and has been carried on vessels for the last 80 years, so it is not something new,” he stated.

“What is new is we're going to use methanol as a bunker fuel. Ease of adoption, ESG compliance, as well as getting closer to decarbonisation goals are the drivers for shipowners adopting methanol.”

According to Captain Singh, the trend for methanol-fuelled newbuildings have continued in October where DNV’s Alternative Fuels Insight (AFI) platform recorded 230 vessels on order where 156 comprises of containerships.

“The trend started when Maersk increased their newbuild order of methanol-fuelled vessels; before that it was mostly LNG as an alternate fuel,” he said.

Captain Singh was confident the bunkering infrastructure in Singapore will be ready to welcome methanol-fuelled vessels due to the coordinated efforts between the Singapore Shipping Association, Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore, Global Centre for Maritime Decarbonisation, and other organisations.

“We are all working together to support Singapore’s future maritime operations. Singapore is an international maritime centre, and we want to establish ourselves as the leading maritime city,” he explained.

“I would call this a cohesive action by all relevant partners, such as shipowners, charterers, classification societies, ship managers, bunker testing firms, mass flow meter manufacturers, bunkering companies, and more.

“It is important for Singapore to be seen as a fair supporter of bunkering in terms of reliability and reputation, and if things go wrong actions are taken very strictly to ensure transparency and quality. So, in that way I am satisfied to say that ‘yes’ we have what it takes to make methanol bunkering happen.”

Photo credit: Informa
Published: 6 November 2023

Alternative Fuels

CENIT and Hinicio to explore feasibility of zero-carbon bunkers in Colombia

Mission is to explore the feasibility of producing, storing, supplying, and exporting zero-carbon bunker fuels at strategic port locations in Colombia, says centre.

Published

9 hours ago

December 6, 2023

Admin

The Centre for Innovation in Transport (CENIT) on Tuesday (5 December) said it was teaming up with Hinicio, a strategy consulting firm focused on sustainable energy and mobility, for a project funded by The World Bank in Colombia.

CENIT said their mission was to explore the feasibility of producing, storing, supplying, and exporting zero-carbon bunker fuels at strategic port locations in Colombia.

“The shipping industry is poised to become a major demand centre for zero-carbon fuels, particularly green hydrogen-based options like green ammonia and green methanol,” CENIT said in a social media post.

“And it will play a pivotal role in transporting these zero-carbon fuels from emerging production hubs in Latin America to high-demand centres in Europe and East Asia.”

“This project takes us a step closer to decarbonising ports and fostering a sustainable future for maritime transportation.”

Photo credit: Luis Desiro on Unsplash
Published: 6 December, 2023

Methanol

Suez Canal and Scatec ink MoU for green methanol bunkering in East Port Said

Deal aims to issue a licence to Scatec to conduct green fuel bunkering operations in East Port Said and will include investments in production capacity of 100,000 tonnes of green methanol per year by 2027.

Published

1 day ago

December 5, 2023

Admin

Suez Canal and Scatec inks MoU for green methanol bunkering in East Port Said

The Suez Canal Economic Zone (SCZONE) Authority on Sunday (3 December) said it has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Norwegian renewable energy company Scatec for green methanol bunkering in East Port Said, Egypt.

The MoU was signed at the sidelines of the 2023 UN Climate Change Conference (COP28).

The project will cost USD 1.1billion and will include investments in clean energy generation, with a production capacity of up to 100,000 tonnes of green methanol per year by 2027.

It will use 190 megawatts of electrolyzer capacity, powered by 317 megawatts of wind energy and 140 megawatts of solar energy.

The deal also aims to issue a licence to Scatec to conduct green fuel bunkering operations in East Port Said.

Waleid Gamal El-Dien, chairman of SCZONE, said: “The signing of a new MoU with Scatec represents an extension of the partnership that began with the company’s first project in SCZONE, which was inaugurated by President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi on the sidelines of COP27 in November 2022, and recently succeeded in exporting the world’s first shipment of green ammonia.”

“SCZONE’s regional pioneering in the green bunkering field came as a result of SCZONE’s ports readiness to provide this service, in addition to the prompt move towards green fuel production in cooperation with major international companies.”

“This is to maximise the benefit of integrated industrial zones equipped with world-class infrastructure, in addition to the investment incentives and supportive work environment that SCZONE provides to its success partners.”

“East Port Said is the destination of the green bunkering project due to its location northern Suez Canal, and its integration with the ports of East Port Said and West Port Said, and therefore it is located near the ship’s waiting areas.”

“We emphasise that green bunkering is not a main target in itself, but an imperative global requirement, especially since shipping is responsible for 10% of the world’s carbon emissions, so the use of green fuels in maritime transport will significantly affect the reduction of carbon emissions.”

Photo credit: SCZone
Published: 5 December, 2023