Alternative Fuels

New proposal to IMO urges governments to ‘bite the bullet’ to meet net zero 2050 targets

ICS emphasises that delivery of IMO GHG reduction targets will only be plausible if governments ‘bite the bullet’ and adopt a maritime GHG emission pricing mechanism in 2025 for global implementation in 2027.

Published

7 months ago

August 15, 2024

Admin

The International Chamber of Shipping (ICS), working with the governments of Bahamas and Liberia, on Monday (12 August) presented a comprehensive new proposal to ensure delivery of the ambitious UN International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) target to achieve net zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from international shipping by or around 2050.

At the heart of the proposal is a GHG Fee, charged to ships per tonne of CO2 equivalent (CO2e) emitted, combined with a “feebate” mechanism to incentivise the accelerated production and uptake of zero/near-zero GHG marine fuels, such as green ammonia, hydrogen and methanol, sustainable biofuels, and new technologies such as on-board carbon capture.

While the principal purpose of the proposed maritime GHG pricing mechanism is to narrow the significant cost gap with conventional marine fuels, around USD 2.5 billion per year would also be allocated to an “IMO Net Zero Shipping Fund” to support maritime GHG reduction efforts in developing countries. This is to help ensure that shipping’s transition to net zero will be truly global and that green fuels will be available in all ports worldwide.

ICS takes no view on the quantum of what the GHG Fee should be, which would depend on the reward rate agreed per tonne of GHG emissions prevented by the use, by ships, of zero/near-zero GHG energy sources. But if, for the first five years of implementation, IMO sets the reward rate at about USD 100 per tonne of CO2e prevented (including upstream emissions), the proposal suggests that a GHG Fee initially equivalent to about USD 60 per tonne of conventional fuel oil consumed by ships could be sufficient to achieve the purposes of the measure.

The primary objective of the proposed IMO “mechanism” is to accelerate the production and uptake of new green marine fuels by reducing their cost disadvantage, with feebates (rewards) being disbursed to ships for the CO2e emissions prevented by not using conventional fuel oil.

GHG fees will be collected, and feebates disbursed, via a web-based automated IMO “mechanism”, the prototype for which ICS has already developed and submitted to IMO.

From the revenue generated from the GHG fee, an amount equivalent to 20% of the revenue allocated to support the feebate programme will be transferred annually to the newly proposed IMO 2 Net Zero Shipping Fund, with this proportion subject to adjustment within five years of entry to force.

ICS Secretary General, Guy Platten, said: “A GHG pricing mechanism using a flat rate GHG fee and a feebate element will be vital to bring about the rapid development and uptake of green marine fuels.”

“To incentivise the production and use of green marine fuels our proposal includes a carefully thought out feebate mechanism, which is fuel neutral, to incentivise prevention of up to 100 million tonnes of GHG emissions per year during the first five years.”

“This will help de-risk investment decisions and enable shipping to rapidly reach a “take-off” point in the use of green marine fuels, something which is needed urgently as their current availability is virtually zero.”

“It is time for governments ‘bite the bullet’. Unless a distinct GHG pricing mechanism and feebate programme are included in the IMO regulations adopted next year, we genuinely fear that shipping’s transition to net zero by or around 2050 will be unlikely to succeed.”

The latest proposal from Bahamas, Liberia and ICS, will be discussed at the next round of IMO negotiations, which resume in London on 23 September, to develop a new package of mid-term GHG reduction regulations for international shipping, for adoption by governments in 2025.

Note: The full submission to the IMO is available here.

Photo credit: CHUTTERSNAP on Unsplash
Published: 15 August, 2024

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SMW 2025: Singapore to launch new standard for electric harbour craft this week

MPA and Enterprise Singapore will launch the Technical Reference 136 to provide guidelines for the development and operation of charging and battery swap systems for electric harbour craft, says minister.

Published

7 hours ago

March 24, 2025

Admin

SMW 2025: Singapore to launch new standard for electric harbour craft this week

Minister of State for Transport Murali Pillai on Monday (24 March) said Singapore will launch a new standard for electric harbour crafts this week as part of Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore’s (MPA) efforts in facilitating decarbonisation for domestic harbour craft to achieve the republic’s national target of net-zero emissions by 2050.

“MPA and Enterprise Singapore will launch the new Technical Reference 136 this week to provide guidelines for the development and operation of charging and battery swap systems for electric harbour craft,” Murali said during his speech at the opening ceremony of the Singapore Maritime Week 2025 (SMW 2025).

“This will enhance the safety and interoperability of electric harbour craft charging infrastructure.”

This is one of the initiatives MPA is undertaking to prepare for the bunkering of alternative marine fuels and decarbonising Singapore’s domestic maritime sector.

The minister said Singapore is taking steps to support the use of various fuels by the industry and position Singapore as a leading bunkering hub for alternative fuels.

“Over the past two years, we have supported trials of alternative fuels such as ammonia and methanol. These have contributed to the development of new technical references and IMO guidelines to enable the safe and efficient use of these marine fuels,” he said.

“MPA and Enterprise Singapore published the new Technical Reference 129 on Methanol Bunkering earlier this month, and we plan to launch a new standard for ammonia bunkering later this year.”

He added MPA has also recently allowed licensed bunker tankers to carry and deliver biofuels up to B30.

“Pilots for up to B100 are ongoing, and we welcome bunker suppliers to engage in these pilots,” he said.

At the opening ceremony of SMW 2025, Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong, together with Murali, also launched Singapore’s first Maritime Digital Twin, an advanced simulation model developed by MPA in partnership with the Government Technology Agency of Singapore (GovTech) that integrates real-time data to enhance decision-making and improve management of maritime operations in Singapore waters.

Murali said the digital twin will integrate data from different sources and provide a platform for information sharing. This will enable the development of tools to optimise port efficiency and reliability above, at and below the sea surface.

“For example, the digital twin will enable scenario simulations and dispersion modelling, which can inform standard operating procedures for the safe bunkering of alternative fuels such as methanol and ammonia,” he said.

The minister added MPA will roll out the digital twin to pilot users later this year, before progressive implementation for the wider industry.

“In future, we can extend this to the global maritime ecosystem through our Green and Digital Shipping Corridors with other countries and ports,” he said.

Photo credit: Maritime and Port Authority of SingaporePublished: 24 March, 2025

Alternative Fuels

TFG Marine welcomes first of four ‘L’ series IMO type II bunkering tankers of Consort Bunkers

TFG Marine to operate Consort Bunkers’ bunkering tanker “Pearl Lavender”, capable of carrying methanol, biogrades up to B100, as well as conventional fuels, at Singapore port from April onwards.

Published

7 hours ago

March 24, 2025

Admin

TFG Marine welcomes first of four 'L' series IMO type II bunkering tankers of Consort Bunkers

Global marine fuel supply and procurement firm TFG Marine on Friday (21 March) said it attended the delivery ceremony of bunker tanker Pearl Lavender at China Merchants Jinling shipyard in Nanjing.

The IMO type II chemical bunkering tanker newbuilding is amongst others under long-term time charter from Singapore-based bunker supplier and logistics services provider Consort Bunkers Pte Ltd (Consort).

"This state of the art vessel, capable of carrying methanol, biogrades up to B100, as well as conventional fuels, will be operational at the Port of Singapore from April 2025, further advancing our product offering to our client base in the APAC region," said TFG Marine.

"As the first of four barges in this order, this investment builds on our commitment to low-carbon fuel bunkering infrastructure, reinforcing our vision for a multi-fuel future.

"With methanol, biofuels, ammonia, and other alternative fuels playing an increasingly significant role alongside traditional marine fuels, we continue to support the industry's transition towards cleaner energy solutions."

Manifold Times previously reported that Consort first contracted six ‘L’ series 6,500 dwt IMO Type II bunker tankers with China Merchants Jinling Shipyard (Nanjing) Co., Ltd. in April 2023.

The ‘L’ series of bunker tanker newbuildings gained recognition from the China Association of The National Shipbuilding Industry (CANSI) as amongst the Chinese shipbuilding sector’s top 10 innovative vessels for 2024.

Last year, TFG Marine announced the signing of a long-term time charter agreement with Singapore-based bunker supplier and logistics services provider Consort Bunkers for four newbuild bunker tankers.

Photo credit: TFG Marine
Published: 24 March, 2025

Alternative Fuels

RINA awards Type Approval to VINSSEN for maritime fuel cell stack

Approval of VINSSEN 60kW maritime fuel cell stack will accelerate the demonstration and commercialisation of its 120kW maritime fuel cell power generation system.

Published

7 hours ago

March 24, 2025

Admin

RINA awards Type Approval to VINSSEN for maritime fuel cell stack

South Korea’s maritime decarbonisation technology provider VINSSEN on Friday (21 March) said it has received Type Approval from Italian classification society RINA for its 60kW maritime fuel cell stack.

The company said the approval will accelerate the demonstration and commercialisation of VINSSEN's 120kW maritime fuel cell power generation system.

Despite the absence of clear maritime hydrogen-related legal standards, the company has leveraged regulatory sandboxes to systematically conduct technology verification and rigorous certification procedures, demonstrating its technical expertise.

“The recent Type Approval from RINA not only strengthens international confidence in hydrogen fuel cell technology for eco-friendly ships but also marks a significant step toward full commercialisation,” it said.

“This milestone reflects the company's commitment to promoting hydrogen fuel cells as a key solution for reducing maritime carbon emissions.”

The certification process involved performance and environmental tests based on IEC standards, all of which VINSSEN successfully passed. The vibration test confirmed the system's durability under specific frequency and acceleration conditions.

Additionally, the dielectric strength test showed that the system could withstand high voltage without insulation failure, meeting all required standards.

“These challenging tests were successfully completed, confirming the reliability and safety of VINSSEN's fuel cell module for maritime and shipbuilding applications,” the company said.

Looking ahead, VINSSEN plans to accelerate the development of next-generation hydrogen fuel cell solutions, including a 150kW high-output fuel cell stack and an onboard fuel cell power generation system using reformed gas (75% hydrogen and 25% nitrogen). These innovations will increase the feasibility of applying MW-class hydrogen fuel cell systems to larger vessels.

A VINSSEN representative said: “This Type Approval is a key milestone for the commercialisation of MW-class maritime hydrogen fuel cell systems. We will continue leading the maritime market through ongoing technological innovation and the pursuit of global certifications.”

Manifold Times recently reported VINSSEN receiving an Approval in Principle (AIP) certification from the Korean Register (KR) for Korea's first tugboat featuring a hydrogen fuel cell propulsion system.

Photo credit: VINSSEN
Published: 24 March, 2025