Alternative Fuels

Fincantieri, newcleo and RINA to explore nuclear marine propulsion on large vessels

The three companies signed an agreement to explore closed mini reactor design application for use on large vessels, with potential to decarbonise shipping industry.

Published

1 year ago

July 31, 2023

Admin

newcleo, a nuclear technology company developing innovative Generation IV reactors using nuclear waste as fuel, on Tuesday (25 July) announced that it has signed an agreement with shipbuilding firm Fincantieri, one of the largest shipbuilding companies in the world, and classification society RINA.

Under the terms of this agreement, the three companies are combining their deep international expertise and innovation experience to carry out together a feasibility study for nuclear applications to the shipping industry, including newcleo’s lead-cooled small modular reactors (SMRs) technology.

The deployment of newcleo’s innovative LFR (Lead-cooled Fast Reactor) for naval propulsion would involve placing a closed mini reactor on vessels as a small nuclear battery producing a 30MW electric output. This would require infrequent refuelling (only once every 10-15 years), very limited maintenance and easy replacement at end of life.

newcleo said using clean nuclear energy to power marine vessels would help rapidly decarbonise a sector grappling with huge fossil fuel consumption and its consequent carbon emissions. The shipping industry, via the International Maritime Organization (IMO), approved last week at MEPC(80) the new targets for GHG emission reduction, to reach net-zero GHG emissions by or around (i.e. close to) 2050.

Also, using nuclear power on ships would safeguard the marine ecosystem in the event of an accident. With newcleo’s design the liquid lead inside the reactor would solidify as it cools down in contact with the cold water, enclosing the reactor core in a solid casing, and containing all radiation thanks to the shielding properties of lead.

Finally, the newcleo naval propulsion reactors would eliminate the current need for frequent refuelling, and at the end of its life, the whole LFR unit would be simply removed and replaced with a new one in the ship, and the spent unit taken away for decommissioning and reprocessing.

Stefano Buono, newcleo Chairman and CEO, said: "I am delighted that we are launching a project for civil nuclear naval propulsion with this important feasibility study. Fincantieri and RINA are two global leaders in the shipping sector, and combining their expertise with our technology innovation can bring a real solution to the issue of carbon emissions in maritime transport.”

“From our conception, newcleo's ambition is to contribute to accelerating decarbonisation and providing clean, sustainable and affordable energy to meet the needs of communities and businesses.”

“I look forward to the results of the feasibility study and the next steps of the project.”

Pierroberto Folgiero, CEO and General Manager of Fincantieri, said: “Today Fincantieri reaffirms its vocation to be a pioneer and catalyst for progress in the maritime sector with cutting-edge, efficient and sustainable technologies. Indeed, the agreement allows us to explore the possibility of adding a new and visionary solution among those at our disposal to achieve the ambitious decarbonisation goals the industry has set for itself.”

Nuclear power holds enormous potential and, as such, it needs the best expertise to be expressed, and we are proud to join with partners like newcleo and Rina to help get this done”.

Ugo Salerno, Chairman and CEO of RINA, said: "The improvement of fuel efficiency and vessel design is already giving good results in reducing shipping footprint. But, in order to reach the targets fixed for this industry, we need alternative fuels with low carbon content from well to waste.”

“Nuclear will be one of the answers to these objectives. In addition, small modular reactors will be the most efficient solution to apply nuclear to shipping.”

“We are proud to cooperate with newcleo and Fincantieri in order to make feasible, as soon as possible, the implementation of SMRs on vessels”.

Photo credit: newcleo
Published: 31 July, 2023

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Bunker Fuel

SIBCON 2024: EnterpriseSG to launch new Singapore standard for e-BDN

EnterpriseSG, through the Singapore Standards Council, will launch a new Singapore Standard 709 Specification for Digital Bunkering Supply Chain Documentation.

Published

16 hours ago

October 10, 2024

Admin

SIBCON 2024: New Singapore standard on digital bunkering to be launched

Enterprise Singapore (EnterpriseSG), through the Singapore Standards Council (SSC), will launch a new Singapore Standard (SS) 709 Specification for Digital Bunkering Supply Chain Documentation, according to Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) on Wednesday (9 October).

MPA said the new standard will ensure data consistency and interoperability between digital systems and facilitate smoother transactions through trusted and verifiable digital bunkering documents.

This comes following Amy Khor, Senior Minister of State for the Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment and the Ministry of Transport, announcing that from 1 April 2025, all bunker suppliers will be required to provide digital bunkering services and issue electronic bunker delivery notes (e-BDNs) as a default.

The move was decided following successful pilots conducted since 1 November 2023 with bunker suppliers, including the top 10 bunker players, in Singapore.

To further enhance transparency and transaction integrity in bunkering operations, MPA will also introduce a centralised e-BDN record verification facility. This enables key stakeholders to verify the e-BDN received against the information transmitted to MPA.

EnterpriseSG has also launched the revised Singapore Standard (SS) 648 Code of Practice for Bunker Mass Flow Metering to include data integrity and transmission requirements in line with this new digital standard.

In the first eight months of 2024, MPA said Singapore saw strong growth of approximately 7% in total bunker sales over the same period last year, reaching over 36 million tonnes. Biofuels and liquefied natural gas bunker sales surpassed 700,00 metric tonnes.

To support the operationalisation of a higher mix of low-carbon alternative fuels, both EnterpriseSG and MPA are developing the Singapore standards for methanol bunkering and ammonia bunkering by 2024 and 2025 respectively.

The standards will cover custody transfer requirements, safety procedures and crew competencies, to ensure safe bunkering operations and handling of these fuels.

MPA also announced that three major shipping lines — Hafnia, K-Line, and MOL — are in early discussions to join the Singapore - Port of Los Angeles (LA)- Port of Long Beach (LB) Green and Digital Shipping Corridor (GDSC) initiative.

Each partner would be expected to spearhead a project to advance the corridor’s decarbonisation and digitalisation goals, such as the adoption of net-zero fuels, Just-in-Time route optimisation, and energy efficiency technologies such as wind-assisted ship propulsion.

The addition of the new partners will significantly strengthen the GDSC’s capacity to drive innovation in sustainable shipping practices and accelerate the adoption of zero/near-zero emission fuels and green technologies along the corridor.

Photo credit: Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore
Published: 10 October, 2024

Alternative Fuels

SIBCON 2024: SGMF releases methanol and ammonia bunkering guidelines

SFMF published Bunkering Guidelines for Ammonia and Bunkering Guidelines for Methanol, as well as Emergency Response Guide for Ammonia; also revealed new brand to reflect four key future marine fuels.

Published

16 hours ago

October 10, 2024

Admin

SIBCON 2024: SGMF releases methanol and ammonia bunkering guidelines

SGMF on Wednesday (9 October) announced the release of the Bunkering Guidelines for Ammonia and Bunkering Guidelines for Methanol, as well as the Emergency Response Guide for Ammonia.

During the 23rd Singapore International Bunkering Conference (SIBCON), SGMF also revealed its new brand reflecting the organisation’s current activities in the four key marine fuels for the future: LNG, methanol, ammonia and hydrogen.

SGMF is a membership-based organisation leading safe maritime decarbonisation with members across the full value chain of marine fuels, including suppliers, operators, owners, equipment manufacturers, class societies, port authorities, individuals and training organisations.

While the search for the perfect alternative fuel continues, SGMF said methanol and ammonia are two of the fuels that the global merchant fleet has identified and is looking to implement, emphasising the importance of these guidelines.

Methanol – With the first vessels already running on methanol, and many more on order, methanol is ahead of the curve in terms of adoption. It has also overtaken regulation, meaning that these early adopters are having to put forward safety solutions that have not yet been documented, and bunker suppliers using existing chemical carriers are trying to second guess what conversion and equipment may be needed to make their vessels physically compatible with the ships being produced. These methanol bunkering guidelines have been published as a first draft to highlight the key safety factors that need to be considered when designing and bunkering a vessel of any type with methanol.

Ammonia – Despite ammonia (NH3) not yet being commercially available as a marine fuel, this bunkering document provides guidance to all the stakeholders currently investigating and developing the bunkering of ships with fully refrigerated (-33°C) ammonia.

A range of potential hazards are expected with bunkering ammonia and to date there is very limited experience, with only one series of bunkering trials conducted as at March 2024.

As a result, Bunkering Guidelines for Ammonia draws primarily on the current experience of LNG bunkering, the wider ammonia marine transport industry and the shoreside ammonia production and transport industry experience.

“The overall aim of these guidelines is therefore to ensure that ammonia-fuelled ships are bunkered safely, reliably, efficiently and in an environmentally responsible way, targeting the avoidance of operational or fugitive emissions of ammonia,” SGMF added.

These publications have been compiled with extensive input from the SGMF membership, as well as with collaborative support from the Global Centre for Maritime Decarbonisation (GCMD) and the Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller Center for Zero Carbon Shipping (MMMCZCS).

Note: The bunkering guidelines are available in the shop on SGMF portal and the Emergency Response Guide for Ammonia can be downloaded through its free resources section.

Photo credit: SGMF
Published: 10 October, 2024

LNG Bunkering

Bunker One to launch physical LNG bunker fuel supply in January 2025

Firm has established Bunker One LNG BV, which will manage the physical LNG fuel portfolio, including last-mile delivery, and will be headed by Managing Director, Michael Behmerburg.

Published

17 hours ago

October 10, 2024

Admin

Bunker One to launch physical LNG bunker fuel supply in January 2025

Bunker Holding’s physical supply division, Bunker One, on Wednesday (9 October) said it is set to launch LNG bunker supply in northwestern Europe as of January 2025.

Building on its existing successful activities supplying alternative fuels, Bunker One is expanding its current fuels portfolio by adding physical LNG and mass balanced LBM (Liquefied Biomethane). Bunker One expects to be ready to commence first physical LNG deliveries in January 2025.

Bunker One has established a new entity, Bunker One LNG BV, which will manage the physical LNG fuel portfolio including last-mile delivery and will be headed by Managing Director, Michael Behmerburg.

Peter Zachariassen, CEO of Bunker One, said: “We are extremely pleased to be welcoming Michael Behmerburg to steer our Bunker One LNG entity. Michael brings a wealth of experience that is important for us to navigate properly in the upcoming transition.”

Bunker One LNG BV has chartered the 10,000 cbm LNG Bunker Vessel, Coral Fraseri.

Michael Behmerburg, said: “We are working hand in hand with the vessel’s owner Anthony Veder to bring the vessel into operation. The vessel will undergo a regular class renewal at the end of 2024, during which several modifications will be carried out to enhance her capabilities as an LNG bunker vessel.”

The purpose of the modifications is to prepare the vessel for best-in-class service to the majority of seagoing vessels, including tankers, container ships, and car carriers. Bunker One LNG BV is currently in the process of securing bunker permits which will cover key ports in Northwest Europe.

Valerie Ahrens, Senior Director of New Fuels and Carbon Markets at Bunker Holding, said: “We are very excited about this move to include physical supply of LNG and LBM as part of Bunker Holding’s fuel offering, which builds on our successful activities supplying LNG through third parties.”

“Fossil LNG can offer up to 23% in greenhouse gas (GHG) reductions compared to conventional fuels and accompanies shipping’s transition to a multi-fuel future. Hence, we regard LNG as a stepping stone to bio-LNG and e-LNG, which will help the industry achieve the mid-century decarbonisation targets set by the IMO.”

Photo credit: Bunker Holding
Published: 10 October, 2024