Decarbonisation

DNV expert highlights fragmented reality of shipping sector’s decarbonisation journey

‘Decarbonisation between shipping firms is fragmented with each facing different maturity and financial capability,’ states Dr Shahrin Osman.

Published

2 months ago

April 4, 2025

Admin

DNV expert highlights fragmented reality of shipping sector’s decarbonisation journey

Players within the maritime sector are operating at different levels of readiness in preparation for IMO 2030/2050 and other emissions regulations even though deadlines and goals are clear, observes an industry expert from classification society DNV.

Dr Shahrin Osman, Director, Maritime Decarbonization and Smart Shipping Centre of Excellence (Singapore/Asia Pacific), Maritime Advisory noted the shipping sector being at a critical crossroads, with significant variations in technological readiness and strategic planning amongst different organisations.

“The shipping industry is really fragmented now, so you could not really size up its overall progress on decarbonisation to a certain state,” he told delegates during The Maritime Energy Mix panel discussion session at Sea Asia 2025.

“We have organisations such as MOL that are a lot more advanced in terms of their planning and decision making, while also having the organisation capability to analyse and make decisions.

“Unfortunately, a lot of organizations are not like MOL that are so advanced.”

As such, Dr Shahrin explained the need for tailored decarbonisation plans for each organisation and emphasised the need for expert advice and collaboration to make informed investment decisions in decarbonisation technologies.

He advised stakeholders to refer to DNV’s latest report Energy-efficiency measures and technologies – Key solutions and strategies for Maritime’s decarbonization journey that provides a comprehensive overview of more than 40 energy-efficiency measures, detailing their fuel-saving effects, cost figures, and suitability for specific ship types.

“It’s about planning, analysing and taking actions now and that is something that we can do for all shipowners,” shared Dr Shahrin.

“If all shipowners adopted energy efficiency technologies, we can save about 16% on bunker fuel and this saving is equivalent to 2,500 very large vessels or 55,000 small and medium vessels. That is a huge amount of savings that we can achieve just by working together.”

However, he noted data from Clarkson indicating the uptake of emissions reduction technologies by shipowners and operators to be still “very limited”.

“It’s not easy, because every investment will be between half a million to 1 million to introduce some of these technologies. Investments for Wind Assisted Propulsion is even worse and you are looking at maybe three to 6 million, but the savings are significant,” noted Dr Shahrin.

“You will need to have that expert advice and input to be able to go to the board or CFO to ask for that investment.

“Decarbonisation between shipping firms is fragmented with each facing different maturity and financial capability. Each shipowner needs to have their own action plan and seek advice from a professional if you do not have your own inhouse expertise.”

Photo credit: Manifold Times
Published: 4 April 2025

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LNG Bunkering

Baleària arranges LNG bunkering operations on same day at Port of Barcelona

Occasion marked the first time three bunkering operations were carried out on three different ships on the same day at the same port in Spain.

Published

22 hours ago

May 19, 2025

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Baleària arranges three LNG bunkering operations on same day in Barcelona

Spanish shipping company Baleària on Thursday (15 May) said it broke an all-time record for the supply of liquefied natural gas (LNG) with the bunkering of three of its vessels in the port of Barcelona.

The occasion marked the first time three bunkering operations were carried out on three different ships on the same day at the same port in Spain.

The company said the three vessels were fuelled with a total of 2,320 MWh of LNG by eight tankers.

Fast ferry Margarita Salas was fuelled by three tankers simultaneously. Ferry Martín i Soler was fuelled by two tankers and ferry Bahama Mama was bunkered by another three tankers also.

“Our commitment to LNG grew by 184% in 2024. Combined with electric propulsion and other eco-efficiency measures, we have managed to reduce our carbon footprint by almost 10% per passenger,” it said.

Photo credit: Baleària
Published: 19 May, 2025

Biofuel

Cosco-controlled Piraeus Container Terminal offers biofuel bunkering services

PCT, a fully controlled subsidiary of Cosco Shipping Ports, has officially introduced biofuel bunkering services for vessels calling at the Port of Piraeus.

Published

22 hours ago

May 19, 2025

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Cosco-controlled Piraeus Container Terminal offers biofuel bunkering services

Cosco Shipping Europe, the regional management company of China Cosco Shipping Corporation in the European Region, on Friday (16 May) said biofuel bunkering is now available at Piraeus Container Terminal (PCT) in Greece.

PCT, a fully controlled subsidiary of Cosco Shipping Ports, has officially introduced biofuel bunkering services for vessels calling at the Port of Piraeus – supporting customers in achieving greener, more sustainable supply chains.

After listening to customer needs, Cosco Shipping (Europe) said PCT swiftly moved into action to re-evaluate legal foundations for biofuel bunkering under ISO 8217:2024 and new Greek regulations.

It added that PCT also partnered with suppliers to provide full-service bunkering options.

Photo credit: Cosco Shipping Europe
Published: 19 May, 2025

Ammonia

ABS answers critical safety questions related to using ammonia as a marine fuel

ABS engineers examined realistic bunkering situations such as STS, terminal-to-ship and truck-to-ship, as well as ammonia dispersion from the vessel due to a leakage incident in the engine room.

Published

22 hours ago

May 19, 2025

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Classification society American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) on Thursday (15 May) published its report to bring together the findings of its advanced research into the performance of ammonia on board.

Critical safety questions such as “how does ammonia behave when it leaks in an engine room?” and “how does a cloud of escaped ammonia disperse during bunkering operations?” are addressed in the latest ABS research.

ABS performed computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations using advanced tools to quantitatively assess the risks associated with ammonia dispersion in accidental leakage scenarios.

ABS engineers examined realistic bunkering situations such as ship-to-ship, terminal-to-ship and truck-to-ship, as well as ammonia dispersion from the vessel due to a leakage incident in the engine room.

“This publication provides a comprehensive report of ABS’ efforts to address the challenges and opportunities presented by ammonia as a marine fuel,” said Vassilios Kroustallis, ABS Senior Vice President, Global Business Development.

“Through detailed analysis of ammonia dispersion studies and emergency evacuation protocols, ABS is contributing to the discourse on safe and supportable maritime fuel alternatives, fostering a culture of preparedness and resilience.”

In addition to CFD simulation analysis, ABS leveraged the latest industry best practices and advancements in software and hardware – including acoustic cameras for detecting and visualizing ammonia leakage – to provide a thorough, three-part framework for owners and operators evaluating ammonia as a cleaner fuel source:

Proactive regulatory engagement and risk anticipation
Development and implementation of a multifaceted safety framework, combining qualitative and quantitative risk assessments
Real-time monitoring and optimized emergency response

Note: Download a copy of the ABS publication Safety Insights for Ammonia as a Marine Fuel here.

Photo credit: Venti Views on Unsplash
Published: 19 May, 2025