Business

NASA study finds evidence that IMO 2020 sulphur cap reduced air pollution from shipping

Researchers concluded the global fuel regulation played the dominant role in reducing ship tracks in 2020; pandemic-related disruptions played a secondary role.

Published

2 years ago

October 20, 2022

Admin

The IMO 2020 sulphur cap has reduced artificial “ship track” clouds to record-low levels in 2020, reveals a new study conducted by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) which it announced on Wednesday (19 October).

NASA explained ship tracks, the polluted marine clouds that trail ocean-crossing vessels, are a signature of modern trade.

“Like ghostly fingerprints, they trace shipping lanes around the globe, from the North Pacific to the Mediterranean Sea. But in 2020, satellite observations showed fewer of those pollution fingerprints,” it said.

Drawing on nearly two decades of satellite imagery, researchers found that the number of ship tracks fell significantly after a new fuel regulation went into effect.

“A global standard implemented in 2020 by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) – requiring an 86% reduction in fuel sulfur content – likely reduced ship track formation. COVID-19-related trade disruptions also played a small role in the reduction,” NASA added.

Scientists used advanced computing techniques to create the first global climatology (a history of measurements) of ship tracks. They used artificial intelligence to automatically identify ship tracks across 17 years of daytime images (2003-2020) captured by NASA’s Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) aboard the Aqua satellite.

“Without this kind of complete and large-scale sampling of ship tracks, we cannot begin to completely understand this problem,” said lead author Tianle Yuan, an atmospheric scientist at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, and the University of Maryland, Baltimore County.

Ship tracks were first observed as “anomalous cloud lines” in early weather satellite images acquired in the 1960s. They are formed by water vapor coalescing around small particles of pollution (aerosols) in ship exhaust. The highly concentrated droplets scatter more light and therefore appear brighter than non-polluted marine clouds, which are seeded by larger particles such as sea salt.

“By capping fuel sulfur content at 0.5% (down from 3.5%), IMO's global regulation in 2020 changed the chemical and physical composition of ship exhaust. Less sulfur emissions mean there are fewer of the aerosol particles released to form detectable ship tracks,” NASA said.

According to the Yuan and colleagues, similar but regionally defined sulfur regulations – such as an IMO Emission Control Area in effect since 2015 off the west coast of the U.S. and Canada – had not had the desired effect because operators altered their routes and charted longer courses to avoid designated zones.

While analysing 2020 data, the researchers found that ship-track density fell that year in every major shipping lane. (See the map above.) Ship-based tracking data indicated that the COVID-19 pandemic played a role by decreasing global shipping traffic by 1.4% for a few months. But this change alone could not explain the large decrease in observed ship tracks, which remained at record-low levels through several months of 2021 (the most recent data analysed).

The researchers concluded that the new global fuel regulation played the dominant role in reducing ship tracks in 2020.

Photo credit: NASA / NASA Earth Observatory
Published: 20 October, 2022

Bunker Fuel

China: Zhoushan to host 7th IPEC commodities, bunker conferences on 16 to 17 October

Global marine bunker development will be among main topics of discussion at the 7th International Petroleum and Natural Gas Enterprises Conference (IPEC).

Published

1 day ago

October 11, 2024

Admin

China: Zhoushan to host 7th IPEC commodities, bunker conferences on 16 to 17 October

The 7th International Petroleum and Natural Gas Enterprises Conference (IPEC) is taking place at Zhoushan, Zhejiang province, China between 16 to 17 October.

The agenda, provided by the Zhoushan High-tech Zone Administrative Committee to foreign event media partner Singapore bunkering publication Manifold Times, is as follows:

16 October

Registration and sign-in for participating guests
Meetings between Zhejiang Provincial and Zhoushan Municipal leaders with VIPs

17 October

Morning

Plenary Session of the Conference (Oriental Hall, Zhoushan International Conference Center)

Leader’s speech, guest keynote speech, signing of major projects

Discussion Topics [*17 October, 2pm to 5pm]

Focus Topic Meeting: Global marine bunker development*
Location: Haitian Hall, Haizhongzhou International Hotel, Zhoushan

14:00-14:05 - Opening of the Meeting

14:05-14:15 - Speech by Leaders

14:15-14:30 - Announcement of "Top Ten Global Bunkering Ports" and "Top Ten Global Bunkering Companies"

14:30-14:40 - Announcement of Construction Work of Northeast Asia Bonded Marine Fuel Bunkering Hub

14:40-14:50 – Launch ceremony of Zhoushan "White-list" Bunker Barge Mass Flow Meter System Pilot Certification Programme

14:50-15:10 - Signing Ceremony

15:10-16:10 - Keynote speech

16:10-16:35 - Coffee break

16:35-17:05 - Roundtable forum (Topic: Facing green and low-carbon transformation in global shipping, how do marine fuels change in response to the trend?)

17:05-17:35 - Roundtable forum (Topic: The road to develop high-quality offshore fuel bunkering metering under the new developments)

17:35-17:40 - Moderator’s summary

Utilising financial innovation, futures and spot cooperation to promote the construction of a hub for the allocation of bulk commodity resources*
Location: Putuo Hall, Zhoushan International Conference Center

Open development of global shipping trade*
Location: Donghai Hall, Hilton Zhoushan

International iron ore trade development*
Location: Banquet Hall 1/3, The Westin Zhujiajian Resort, Zhoushan

Development of China's new chemical materials industry during the “15th Five-Year Plan”*
Location: Banquet Hall 1/3, The Westin Zhujiajian Resort, Zhoushan

Development of non-ferrous metal mining industry*
Location: Lianhua Ocean Hall, Hilton Zhoushan

16 and 17 October
International maritime law of the free trade port (zone)
Location: Fortune Hall, Zhoushan CaiFu Hotel

Photo credit: Zhoushan High-tech Zone Administrative Committee
Published: 11 October, 2024

Alternative Fuels

SIBCON 2024: Vitol anticipates securing LNG bunker licence in Singapore

‘It would be unthinkable not to deploy at least one of the three barges Vitol has on order in Singapore,’ says Vitol’s Head of Asia Mike Muller during a panel discussion.

Published

2 days ago

October 11, 2024

Admin

SIBCON 2024: Vitol anticipates securing LNG bunker licence in Singapore

Energy trader Vitol’s Head of Asia Mike Muller on Wednesday (9 October) said the company is anticipating being granted a LNG bunker licence in Singapore soon.

“It would be unthinkable not to deploy at least one of the three barges Vitol has on order in Singapore,” he said.

Mike Muller made the announcement during the Viewing the Energy Transition Through the Lens panel discussion at the 23rd Singapore International Bunkering Conference (SIBCON).

“We expect to see growth in LNG use as a bunker fuel for at least another decade, and probably longer,” he added.

On the increasing uptake of biofuels, he said Vitol is seeing demand for biofuel blended bunkers in Singapore roughly doubling every year at the moment, heading for around 1 million mt this year and maybe 2 million mt next year.

“Demand for 100% biofuel from shipping customers is also starting to pick up as of this year and we have led the way in commissioning new IMO type 2 barges to fulfil this demand - indeed an important Asian customer of ours has taken three deliveries of B100 UCOME biofuel just in recent weeks here in Singapore,” Muller explained.

Manifold Times previously reported Vitol securing three LNG Bunkering Vessels (LNGBV) through its shipping company, Vitol International Shipping Pte Ltd (VIS).

The vessels were secured via a seven to ten year time charter agreement with Avenir LNG Limited (Avenir) and an order for two vessels at the CIMC Sinopacific Offshore & Engineering Co. Ltd shipyard in Nantong, China.

The time charter agreement with Avenir is for one newbuild 20,000m3 LNGBV. The time charter will commence at delivery from the shipyard in China in Q4 2026 and will serve a period of seven years with options to extend up to ten years in total

Vitol also ordered one 12,500 m3 and one 20,000 m3 LNGBV at the CIMC SOE shipyard in China. The vessels will be delivered in Q4 2026 and Q3 2027 respectively.

Photo credit: Vitol
Published: 11 October, 2024

Bunker Fuel

SIBCON 2024: Bunker players sign SCMA pledge to drive progress within Maritime Singapore

Bunker players involved include Consort Bunkers, Equatorial Marine Fuel, Golden Island, Hong Lam Marine, Kenoil Marine Services, Marubeni International Petroleum and Sinopec Fuel Oil.

Published

2 days ago

October 11, 2024

Admin

SIBCON 2024: Bunker players sign SCMA pledge to drive progress within Maritime Singapore

Some 10 bunker players on Tuesday (8 October) signed a pledge with Singapore Chamber of Maritime Arbitration (SCMA) at the 23rd Singapore International Bunkering Conference and Exhibition (SIBCON).

The bunker players involved are Consort Bunkers Pte Ltd, Equatorial Marine Fuel Management Services Pte Ltd, Fratelli Cosulich Bunkers (S) Pte Ltd, Global Energy Trading Pte Ltd, Golden Island Pte Ltd, Hong Lam Marine Pte Ltd, Kenoil Marine Services Pte Ltd, Marubeni International Petroleum (S) Pte Ltd, Sinopec Fuel Oil (Singapore) Pte ltd and Victory Pte Ltd.

SCMA and the pledgees will work together to promote and enhance the capabilities and opportunities within the Maritime Singapore community and ecosystem.

Among the aspirational goals embodied by the SCMA Pledge is that the pledgees give preferential consideration, where appropriate, for the use of the SCMA Arbitration Rules for the resolution of their maritime or international trade disputes.

The bunker players may also use its best endeavours to support the Maritime Singapore community and ecosystem, including contributing to the development and dissemination of best practices as well as providing support and opportunity to young maritime legal and dispute resolution professionals in the form of internships, mentorships, and educational seminars aimed at fostering the next generation of maritime leaders.

SCMA, a specialist arbitration institution, is the only arbitration institution in Singapore focused on maritime and international trade disputes.

It offers the maritime and international trade sectors a set of arbitration rules and guidelines which are flexible and cost effective.

Users of SCMA arbitration include maritime companies, international traders and commodity companies for the resolution of their disputes such as those involving charterparty, bunker, commercial sales, cargo, oil and gas, shipbuilding and ship repair.

Photo credit: Singapore Chamber of Maritime Arbitration
Published: 11 October, 2024