Japanese shipping firm Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd. (MOL) on Monday (29 June) introduced its Wind Challenger Project that aims to use wind energy for assisting vessel propulsion using sails enhanced by cutting-edge technologies and materials.
MOL said it started examining the basic technologies in a joint industry-academia research project led by Tokyo University in 2009, and is now in the implementation phase in cooperation with Oshima Shipbuilding Co.
As part of this phase, the company plans to install one sail on a 100,000 dwt bulk carrier which has already obtained an Approval In Principle (AIP) from Nippon Kaiji Kyokai for its design of the hard sail system.
MOL added it will continue to move toward a more detailed design, aiming to launch a new-building vessel equipped with a hard sail in 2022.
The sail would reduce the vessel’s GHG emissions by about 5% on a Japan-Australia voyage, and about 8% on a Japan-North America West Coast voyage, noted the company.
The long-term goal is to develop a widely accepted solution to achieve the IMO target in combination with other measures to reduce GHGs by equipping vessels with multiple sails, it said.
Photo credit: Mitsui O.S.K. Lines
Published: 30 June, 2020
Development takes place after completion of an industry-first biofuel trial onboard Svitzer Intrepid which has been running since September 2021.
International Sustainability and Carbon Certification certified B20, B30 and B50 biofuel blends will help clients reduce GHG emissions.
‘This is a perfect one-two punch. In the short term we need to clean up emissions from current fleets. In future, hydrogen is the obvious answer,’ said CEO.
Orders two newbuildings at Japan Shipyard, one at Namura Shipbuilding, and one at CSSC’s Shanghai Takahashi Shipbuilding as part of fleet development programme.
MAN Energy Solutions states that the new engines will be capable of burning bio-methanol as well as e-methanol. Vessels will be ready for service from Q1 2024.
Research shows ammonia can be safely and effectively applied as a marine fuel to reduce harmful emissions.
‘This biofuel bunker delivery represents a new chapter for Eng Hua as we are now moving with the times towards the era of decarbonisation,’ Mike Sin, Director at Eng Hua, tells bunkering publication Manifold Times.
MPA has also asked Glencore to improve its internal procedures to ensure that prompt action is taken in future when it becomes aware of, or reasonably suspects, any irregularity in fuel quality, it states.
Dynamic Asset Investments Limited and Goldsland Holdings Co Ltd helped Vermont UM Bunkering maintain a “Cash Float” of about SGD 100,000 to facilitate “buyback” bunker transactions at Singapore port.
Senior Cargo Officer gained SGD 48,800 worth of commission from “buyback” bunker transactions and illegally obtained SGD 410,712.257 by cheating Vermont, a Singapore court heard on Thursday (21 July).
Firm hopes to leverage partnership in Greece as a springboard to expand into neighbouring and overseas markets including Europe and China, says Robin Van Elderen, Regional Head Bunkers, Europe, Sing Fuels.
Singapore can help less developed countries in SouthEast Asia through ‘piloting and scaling fuels and technology as well as a leading hub for green finance’, said DNV Group President and CEO Remi Eriksen.
