Business

GCMD awards concept study on offloading LCO2 captured on board ships to LR

Offloading is likely to take place alongside concurrent cargo and/or bunkering ops; study will address safety and operational considerations on offloading of LCO2 captured onboard tankers, amongst others.

Published

1 year ago

April 12, 2023

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The Global Centre for Maritime Decarbonisation (GCMD) on Wednesday (12 April) said it awarded its concept study on offloading liquefied CO2 (LCO2) captured onboard ships to Lloyd’s Register, supported by their partner Arup.

GCMD said shipboard carbon capture can be a mid-term solution for decarbonising international shipping.

“For the industry to operationalise shipboard carbon capture technologies, addressing the offloading of captured CO2 is key to the entire value chain. LCO2 is likely one of the common forms in which CO2 will be stored and offloaded after its capture onboard ships, and its offloading is likely to take place alongside concurrent cargo and/or bunkering operations,” it said.

The GCMD concept study will address safety and operational considerations surrounding offloading of LCO2 that has been captured onboard tankers, bulkers and container liners, including articulating the temperatures and pressures under which this process would optimally take place and the different receptacles to be used for this purpose. The outcome of the study can also provide insights for off-loading CO2 as a cargo under currently less-established operating and storage conditions.

The GCMD LCO2 offloading study: a fundamental prerequisite

Currently, there are no guidelines for offloading captured CO2. The findings of the study will form a basis to enable sea trials in Phase 3 of Project REMARCCABLE (Realising Maritime Carbon Capture to demonstrate the Ability to Lower Emissions). One of the world’s largest end-to-end demonstrations of shipboard CO2 capture at scale, Project REMARCCABLE is a 500-hr pilot that will be using non-proprietary amine-based solution, aiming to demonstrate 30% annual CO2 emissions reduction or 1300 kg/hr of CO2, store 375 metric tonnes of LCO2 onboard, and offload LCO2 after 10 days of sailing.

GCMD announced its Invitation-for-Proposals (IFP) on 6 December 2022 to a shortlist of classification societies and engineering consultants. The shortlisted recipients were invited to articulate the concept design for offloading shipboard liquefied CO2 captured on board ships to shore, and to ship storage facilities in major ports, of which guidelines are also not available for large-scale CO2 cargo offloading. In response to the IFP, a total of six proposals were received. In addition to internal evaluators, GCMD solicited the input and assessment of three external evaluators, all of whom are industry veterans with extensive domain expertise.

Professor Lynn Loo, CEO of the Global Centre for Maritime Decarbonisation, said: “We are pleased to be working with Lloyd’s Register on this LCO2 offloading concept study. The learnings from this study will inform how captured CO2 can be offloaded from various vessel types in general, and enable the sea trials on Stena Impero that are being planned as part of Project REMARCCABLE more specifically.”

Assessing and validating the land-side infrastructure for LCO2 offloading

A broader intent of this LCO2 offloading concept study is to assess the readiness of current infrastructure for LCO2 offloading. Scenario-based CAPEX and OPEX models for LCO2 offloading infrastructure buildout and operation costs will be generated. Additionally, a review of existing gaps in analytical methods, verification procedures, competency standards, and regulation regimes that are needed to enable LCO2 offloading at major ports will be conducted.

GCMD aims to validate and finalise the study’s findings with industry stakeholders, such as port and terminal operators, vessel owners, and shipyards. Through this concept study, GCMD will help support the establishment of regulatory and operational guidelines and help set a precedence for future piloting and demonstration projects related to shipboard carbon capture technologies at scale. With both the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) and the Port of Rotterdam Authority (POR) as observers on this study, the findings can help assess the prospects of LCO2 to support maritime decarbonisation.

Nick Brown, CEO of Lloyd’s Register, said: “Conducting this concept study for the Global Centre for Maritime Decarbonisation will deliver greater industry understanding around the safety and operational issues that need addressing for offloading captured LCO2 from vessels.”

“This study, in collaboration with stakeholders from across the maritime value chain, will support the establishment of regulatory and operational guidelines around offloading captured liquid carbon dioxide from vessels, which is crucial to enabling safe adoption of carbon capture technologies on board.”

“It will also offer a timely assessment of the capital expenditure and operating expenditure of the infrastructure needed to offload liquid carbon dioxide from ships thus enabling the industry to make informed decisions for creating this infrastructure.”

Borbala Trifunovics, Ports & Maritime Leader at Arup, said “Action on maritime decarbonisation requires innovative new approaches to infrastructure and operations at ports. We are bringing together our maritime and energy expertise to shape solutions for LCO2 offloading that are safe, efficient and integrated with wider port functions.”

To support the study, GCMD has convened a consortium of Study Partners and Observers who have the relevant domain expertise, interest and experience to provide inputs over the course of the project and support the review of the final report.

The study will commence in April 2023 and is expected to complete within 9 months.

Photo credit: Lloyd's Register
Published: 12 April, 2023

Bunker Fuel

SIBCON 2024: Singapore bunker suppliers must provide e-BDN from 1 April 2025

Senior Minister of State Amy Khor also announced MPA will reduce the frequency of verification checks for mass flow meters from twice a year currently, to once a year, from 1 April 2025.

Published

5 hours ago

October 9, 2024

Admin

SIBCON 2024: Singapore bunker suppliers must provide e-BDN from 1 April 2025

From 1 April 2025, all bunker suppliers in the Port of Singapore will be required to provide digital bunkering services as a default, said Senior Minister of State for Transport and Sustainability and the Environment Amy Khor on Wednesday (9 October).

Khor said Singapore will be the first port globally to implement digital bunkering at scale. MPA launched the digital bunkering initiative on 1 November 2023, becoming the first port in the world to implement electronic bunker delivery notes (e-BDN).

“This initiative is expected to save the industry close to 40,000 man-days annually. In addition, MPA will introduce a centralised electronic Bunker Delivery Note record verification facility to enhance the transparency and integrity of transactions in bunkering operations,” she said in her speech at the 23rd Singapore International Bunkering Conference and Exhibition (SIBCON).

She emphasised that the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) will work closely with industry partners and the unions to digitalise and streamline processes to improve efficiency in our port; strengthen our capabilities for the bunkering of future fuels and encourage adoption of these fuels; and upskill our workforce to facilitate the green transition.

Khor also made the following announcements:

From 1 April 2025, MPA will reduce the frequency of verification checks for mass flow meters from twice a year currently, to once a year. Singapore was the first port globally to adopt mass flow meters in 2017, and this new move is expected to help the industry save approximately $300,000 annually.
From 1 January 2025, MPA will roll out two innovative AI applications, DocuMind and DocuMatch, developed in collaboration with cloud service providers to drive greater efficiency in our port. These are expected to accelerate certificate processing time from up to three days currently, to a few minutes for most transactions.
Two ammonia bunkering proposals by Mitsui and Fortescue-Equatorial Marine Fuels have been selected by the consortia for the next round of Request for Proposal to provide a low- or zero-carbon ammonia solution on Jurong Island for power generation and bunkering.
MPA will commit $50 million to support the implementation of the refreshed Maritime Singapore Green Initiative, to further encourage the early adoption of green fuels and technologies across the maritime industry.
Singapore will continue to strengthen international partnerships through initiatives like the Green and Digital Shipping Corridors (GDSCs) to enable the digitalisation and decarbonisation of shipping. On 9 October, MPA and the Shandong Provincial Transport Department will be signing the Singapore-Shandong GDSC at the sidelines of the 25th Singapore-Shandong Business Council co-chaired by Mr Chee Hong Tat, Minister for Transport and Second Minister for Finance, and Mr Zhou Naixiang, Governor of the Shandong Provincial Government.

Photo credit: Singapore Ministry of Transport
Published: 9 October, 2024

Mass Flowmeter

Singapore-based Metcore and LR team up for MFM certification service

Both launched an independent accredited certification service to certify the accuracy and reliability of bunker fuel quantity received via Mass Flow Meters.

Published

5 hours ago

October 9, 2024

Admin

Singapore-based MFM system measurement solutions provider, Metcore International Pte Ltd (Metcore), and classification society Lloyd’s Register (LR) on Tuesday (8 October) launched an independent accredited certification service to certify the accuracy and reliability of the quantity of fuel received via Mass Flow Meters (MFM).

The service provides an additional conformity assessment of the installed meters, positioned, used, maintained and continually certified to the ISO 22192:2021 standard.

The demand for greater accuracy in delivered bunker quantities, coupled with the need for greater transparency, security and process automation, is fuelling the widespread adoption of MFMs across the bunker industry. In 2017, the Maritime and Port Authority (MPA) of Singapore mandated the use of MFM for bunkering operations. SOHAR Port and Freezone has announced a mandate from the start of 2025 and the Port of Rotterdam and Antwerp-Bruges are also set to introduce mandatory use of MFMs in 2026.

To help address the concerns that shipowners and bunker buyers have with the use of MFM on bunker tankers, the LR-Metcore MFM certification service aims to minimise the likely causes of measurement error and ensure that the MFM system serviceability extends beyond its initial qualification at installation. Its post-approval conformity assessment program includes metering-data analysis to monitor crew competency to help maintain secure integrity for continual measurement performance.

In the event of a dispute, the service also offers an independent bunker delivery MFM digital data review as part of the investigation process, helping ensure all parties can carry out a detailed review of the data.

Lewis Cox, LR’s FOBAS Business Development Area Manager, said: “With the potential to eliminate bunker quantity disputes, minimise turnaround time and boost confidence in delivery data – particularly as ship operators seek to account for emissions from the fuel they consume – using Mass Flow Meters seems to be a win for all stakeholders.”

“But the reality of adopting them is not necessarily as straightforward. With the new LR-Metcore MFM certification service, bunkering stakeholders will have peace of mind that their installed meters are certified in conformity with internationally recognised standards for enhanced transparency and trust.”

Photo credit: Metcore International
Published: 9 October, 2024

LNG Bunkering

Seaspan Energy takes delivery of first LNG bunkering vessel

“Seaspan Garibaldi” will take first cargo and finalise commissioning in Vancouver before its first ship-to-ship bunkering in Long Beach, where Seaspan will bunker a series of vessels.

Published

5 hours ago

October 9, 2024

Admin

Seaspan Energy takes delivery of first LNG bunkering vessel “Seaspan Garibaldi”

Seaspan Energy on Monday (7 October) said it took delivery of its first LNG bunkering vessel, the Seaspan Garibaldi and is currently sailing to Vancouver.

Manifold Times previously reported that the vessel is the first of three 7,600m3 LNG bunkering vessels and it is named after Mount Garibaldi, or “Nch'ḵay̓”.

The Garibaldi will take first cargo and finalise commissioning in Vancouver before its first ship-to-ship bunkering in Long Beach, where Seaspan will provide Simultaneous Operations to bunker a series of vessels.

Following its first bunkering, the Seaspan Garibaldi will continue to provide low-carbon solutions to vessels on the West Coast of North America and will soon be joined by Seaspan Energy’s second LNG bunkering vessel, the Seaspan Lions (Ch’ich’iyúy Elxwíkn).

The Seaspan Garibaldi is 112.8 metres in length, 18.6 metres in width, 5 metres in draft, with a design speed of 13 knots.

CIMC Sinopacific Offshore & Engineering (CIMC SOE), a small-scale gas carrier shipyard in the world, was appointed to build all three LNG bunkering vessels.

Photo credit: Seaspan
Published: 9 October, 2024