Alternative Fuels

Fossil Free Marine and OKQ8 to launch world’s first unmanned mobile marine station in Sweden

For the first time, boaters will be able to conveniently access modern drop-in renewable fuels that can be run in any diesel or gas engine, resulting in reductions of CO2 emissions.

Published

2 years ago

July 28, 2022

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Fossil Free Marine on Wednesday (28 July) said the very first unmanned mobile marine station, developed by the company and built by Swede Ship Composite in Hunnebostrand, will be established in Lidingö, near Stockholm in Sweden and operational from the end of this month.

The station will be operated by Swedish fuel company OKQ8.

The new Fossil Free Marine unmanned mobile fuel station is a true world’s first - patent-pending, design protected, assured by DNV, and compliant with the same strict environmental and safety standards as a modern unmanned station on land.

It bridges the distribution gap, from suppliers of sustainable fuels to boat owners wishing to reduce their environmental impact.

For the first time, boaters can now conveniently access modern drop-in renewable fuels that can be run in any diesel or gas engine, resulting in immediate and substantial reductions in CO2 emissions (up to 90% reduction of CO2e with e.g. HVO100).

Karl-Oskar Tjernström, co-founder and CEO of Fossil Free Marine said: “This is obviously a massive milestone for Fossil Free Marine, as we can now show both the fuel industry as well as the marine industry what we have been working on for many years.”

“But for us, it’s a stepping stone, as we plan to change the way fuels are distributed in the marine sector, and take part in making boating sustainable, on a global scale.”

“We’re happy to have found a partner like OKQ8, that shares our vision of what needs to be done to make pleasure boating sustainable. Our technology is truly groundbreaking, enabling distribution of renewable fuels in large volumes, even in the most sensitive marine environments like fresh water reservoirs.”

The first unit was delivered to site, in Islinge (Lidingö) on Thursday, 21 July, for installation and commencement of operations in the coming week.

At Islinge, the new unmanned marine station lies directly adjacent to OKQ8’s already existing marine station, enabling both pleasure boats and commercial traffic alike to make the needed shift to renewable fuels, with a solution that is both economically viable, safe and environmentally friendly.

The initiative is partly funded by grants from “Climate Leap” (KlimatKlivet). The grant from KlimatKlivet is for “incremental costs associated with supplying renewable fuels” and is part of a Swedish government scheme in support of local climate investments.

Facts:

Hull construction in advanced military composite
Length: 24 m, width: 4,3 m, weight appr. 35 tons (empty)
Internal volume: 60 m3, divided into six separate fuel tanks
Designed and built in Sweden, by major composite shipyard Swede Ship Composite
Fully unmanned operations, 24/7/365
Life expectancy: >50 years

Key advantages:

Construction is future-proofed from an environmental and safety perspective, and well protected from fuel theft, with all piping securely below deck, beneath a single locked access hatch.
Enables increasing the number of fuel qualities, allowing the operator to more closely follow changes in consumer demand, e.g offering smaller volumes of more niche fuels, such as specific biofuels, while maintaining financially viable operations.
Complies with even the most stringent environmental safety regulations, e.g for freshwater reservoirs, and provides a future proofing for coming regulations for other sensitive marine environments.
Increased volume capacity enables more profitable operations, due to improved logistics and lower risk of out-of-stock.
Stays level even with varying tank volumes, thus ensuring safe operations as well as giving reassurance to end customers.
Tanks are compatible with all types of liquid fuels, including more corrosive modern biofuels, making the product future-proofed.

Photo credit: Fossil Free Marine
Published: 28 July, 2022

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.

Published

3 days ago

January 10, 2025

Admin

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.

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

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.

Published

3 days ago

January 10, 2025

Admin

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

Bunker Fuel

Singapore: KPI OceanConnect, partners deliver first renewable diesel to cruise industry

Delivery of bunker fuel from Neste was made at Singapore Cruise Terminal, with the fuel sourced from Vopak Penjuru Terminal and transported to a cruise ship via barge “Maple”, operated by Global Energy.

Published

4 days ago

January 9, 2025

Admin

Singapore: KPI OceanConnect, partners deliver first renewable diesel to cruise industry

Global provider of marine energy solutions KPI OceanConnect on Wednesday (8 January) said it partnered with Neste and Global Energy on the first successful delivery of renewable diesel, also known as HVO100, for the cruise industry in Singapore.

The landmark delivery of Neste MY Renewable Diesel™ took place in November 2024 and marked a significant milestone for the Asia-Pacific marine sector.

Neste MY Renewable Diesel™ is made from 100% renewable raw materials and is a direct replacement for fossil diesel, helping the industry meet its sustainability goals.

The use of this renewable diesel can result in up to 90% greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction over its lifecycle compared to fossil diesel.

The fuel is a drop-in solution and is suitable for all diesel-powered engines without the need for additional investment or modification to engines or fuel infrastructure.

The delivery of renewable diesel from Neste was made at the Singapore Cruise Terminal, with the fuel sourced from Vopak Penjuru Terminal and transported to the cruise ship via bunker barge Maple, operated by Global Energy.

KPI OceanConnect facilitated the successful delivery of the renewable diesel, working closely with the vessel's technical team to ensure engine compliance. KPI OceanConnect collaborated with Neste to source the fuel and with Global Energy for operational agreements in Singapore waters.

Ee Pin Lee, Head of Commercial APAC, Renewable Products at Neste, said: "This first supply of Neste MY Renewable Diesel to the marine sector in Asia-Pacific is a significant milestone and demonstrates the versatility of the product across a wide range of applications where it can replace fossil diesel. It is an effective solution for enabling the marine sector to be more sustainable."

Chow Munee, Group Business Manager, Global Energy, added: “Partnering with Neste and KPI OceanConnect to supply renewable diesel to the marine sector in Singapore is an important step in helping our clients reduce their environmental impact. By providing seamless and reliable delivery of HVO, we are supporting the industry’s transition without compromising operational efficiency. We’re proud to play a role in driving these crucial efforts within the maritime sector.”

Jesper Sørensen, Head of Alternative Fuels and Carbon Markets at KPI OceanConnect, said: “We are proud to be industry first movers in sourcing and delivering HVO for our clients, helping them reduce their carbon footprint and achieve their environmental goals. By working closely with Neste and Global Energy, we were able to offer high-quality biofuel to our client, laying the groundwork for further fuel uptake and decarbonisation progress. This successful delivery is a testament to how partnerships can help advance the industry’s green transition.”

Photo credit: KPI OceanConnect
Published: 9 January, 2025