Danish investment entity Innovation Fund Denmark has announced the establishment of a consortium to develop a two-stroke, ammonia-fuelled engine for maritime shipping.
The AEngine project aims to specify and demonstrate an entire, marine-propulsion system that will pave the way for the first commercial order for an ammonia-fuelled vessel.
MAN Energy Solutions will lead the consortium that also numbers: Eltronic FuelTech, the Danish fuel-system supplier; the Technical University of Denmark (DTU); and DNV GL, the leading classification society. Delivery of the engine is scheduled by 2024.
Ammonia as a marine fuel has the potential to decarbonise the marine industry, according to MAN Energy Solutions.
The product is an energy carrier that does not contain carbon, and whose combustion therefore does not produce CO2. Similarly, its production from electricity doesn’t require a carbon-based source, while its production is infinitely scalable.
Since large quantities of ammonia are already transported around the world, it is a well-established commodity with some 120 ports globally currently involved in its import/export and some with storage facilities. Thus, using ammonia to power ships would be a natural step with infrastructure already in place.
The project aims to demonstrate – at full-scale – a large marine engine running on ammonia at MAN Energy Solutions’ test facility, Research Centre Copenhagen. The project comprises three main stages:
“MAN Energy Solutions has spoken in favour of a maritime energy transition in shipping for many years now and we understand the need to work with a wide group of industry partners to develop sustainable solutions,” said Brian Østergaard Sørensen. Vice President, Head of Research & Development, Two-Stroke at MAN Energy Solutions.
“Ammonia is a fuel with a lot of potential and yet another, important step towards decarbonising the marine market.
“We already have a convincing track-record in developing engines running on alternative fuels – having developed the world’s first 2-stroke engines driven respectively by methanol, ethane and LPG – and have great expectations for this project.”
Photo credit: MAN Energy Solutions
Published: 22 October, 2020
IMO decision to task ISO with new standard reflects growth of interest as methanol as marine fuel.
3,300 mt of LNG was delivered in less than 24 hours thanks to the cooperation of partners Heerema, Anthony Veder and Port of Rotterdam Authority.
Installs Furukawa Battery battery pack to explore Eco Marine Power developed solar energy power solution.
Aims to reduce CO2 emissions in international shipping's value chains by using synthetic methane as bunker fuel.
Research studies use of methanol as fuel in converted diesel engines of smaller vessels in Sweden.
VLCC Hull No. 99 is to be equipped with an air lubricated hull and VLCC Hull No. 100 will feature a newly developed auxiliary sail assistance system for propulsion.
Bunker orders of ISO 8217:2010 spec LS 380 cSt 0.5% for Nord Gemini, Nord Titan, Ocean Rosemary, and Luzern were placed through global commodities trading and logistics house Trafigura Pte Ltd.
While Covid-19 concerns are important, Captain Rahul Choudhuri was quick to note this does not mean bunker fuel related issues have indeed disappeared from the shipping sector.
‘Therefore, representing the players of the Malaysian bunker industry, we sincerely hope that this matter can be refined and reconsidered immediately so that all parties benefit together,’ says communication.
Maureen Poh, a Director of Helmsman LLC, offers plain practical tips on the differences between US and EU Sanctions and shares some thoughts on what companies could do if they are potentially exposed to sanctioned entities.
‘We [Consort Bunkers] have the opinion that the bunker business in Singapore is not related to the widely reported earlier cargo commodity trading mishaps,’ company source tells Manifold Times.
Representatives of INTERTANKO, Helmsman and Rajah & Tann gather to discuss IMO 2020, legal frameworks for the purchase and supply of alternative marine fuels, and the handling of bunker claims.
