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IMO 2020

North P&I Club debunks exhaust gas cleaning systems

Consults Don Gregory and Mark West of the Exhaust Gas Cleaning System Association for answers.

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Alvin Foster, Deputy Director (Loss Prevention) at the North P&I Club asks Don Gregory and Mark West of the Exhaust Gas Cleaning System Association about the finer points of scrubber operations and how the technology allows shipowners to meet the upcoming IMO 0.5% sulphur cap by 2020:

Choosing the best option to comply with the sulphur cap will be a gamble. The economic success of a shipowner’s choice depends heavily on future fuel prices in 2020 and beyond.

If the price difference between high sulphur residual fuels and 0.5%S distillates reaches $400 per tonne in 2020, as predicted by some market analysts, then installing exhaust gas cleaning systems (EGCS) looks like a very attractive option. 

Much has been said and written about EGCS – commonly referred to as ‘scrubbers’ – and whether it is an environmentally sound solution. Is putting the SOx into the sea any better than releasing it into the atmosphere? 

The public perception of the “greenness” of scrubbers may well be different to the reality. To help us decide on what is myth and what is fact, North asked Don Gregory and Mark West of the Exhaust Gas Cleaning System Association (EGCSA) to take part in a short Q&A. 

The following are the opinions of the EGCSA and do not necessarily reflect the views of North. 

Q. Doesn’t an EGCS merely move the pollution from the air into the sea?
A. This is a common misconception – scrubber wash water removes and converts sulphur oxides from the exhaust gases so they are discharged in the wash water as harmless sulphate. After sodium and chloride, sulphate is the most common ion in seawater. Even if all of the sulphur in all of the world’s petroleum reserves were to be scrubbed, the increase in ocean sulphate would be infinitesimally small. Scrubber wash water discharges are also continuously monitored and subject to strict discharge limits. Various studies have concluded that any reduction in pH from scrubbing, will be insignificant when compared with that resulting from increasing atmospheric CO2 absorbed by the oceans. 

Also, open loop scrubbing has been used for years by coastal power stations and by oil tanker inert gas (IG) systems when in port without environmental issues. 
Taking the holistic view, scrubbing enables the use of residual fuel to continue, which means the energy needed for producing distillate fuel and resulting CO2 emissions can be greatly reduced. 

Q. What about the numerous anecdotes about EGCS being unreliable and requiring a lot of maintenance?
A. This may have been the case some years ago before exhaust gas cleaning became widespread. However, scrubbing is an established technology. There have been some reports of pipe failures due to using incorrect materials or incorrect coatings. The key to successful EGCS is extremely professional project management and high quality installation teams. EGCS are designed for the life of the ship. 

Q. Can we expect laws – international, regional or domestic - that will eventually control or ban the discharge of EGCS effluent (particularly in confined waters and ports)?
A. IMO already requires that the wash water parameters of pH, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) and turbidity are continuously monitored and the results logged against time and ship’s position. 

There are a few ports that have prohibited the use of open loop scrubbers in their waters. But there is no evidence to justify the prohibition. There are many examples of land based scrubbers operating for decades without measurable impact on sediments or the surrounding waters. It is very much an emotional reaction. 

Q. Are you confident that refineries will continue to produce cheap high sulphur residual fuels post-2020?
A. Yes - there is no doubt that refiners are worried about the disposal of residues come late 2019 with the switch to 0.5%S fuel. The worst case scenario is the high sulphur fuel falls below the price of coal.

Q. If using closed-loop and hybrid scrubber systems, what happens with the chemical waste? Is it disposed in an environmentally sound manner?
A. The scrubber guidelines require that waste generated by closed loop EGCS is delivered to shoreside reception facilities. It cannot be discharged to the sea or incinerated onboard. 

Q. If the EGCS malfunctions in service, is the vessel in breach of MARPOL Annex VI? 
A. The key advice that EGCSA has received is that ship operators should be open and advise flag and coastal/ port state without delay of the issue and remedial action that is being taken. In the event of a problem preventing system operation, the ship would not be considered as being in immediate breach of the regulations because non-compliance would be unintentional and the provisions of regulation 3.1.2 of MARPOL Annex VI would apply.  

If EGCS operation is not possible, the ship is advised to change over to compliant fuel. However, if there is no compliant fuel on board, the ship should be allowed to complete the current leg of its voyage without deviation and then carry out repair works or bunker compliant fuel. 

Q. Is it too late to order and install an EGCS on a vessel before 2020? 
A. It is understood that most of the EGCSA members cannot now deliver until after 2020. There are some bottlenecks such as availability of laser measurement surveyors and experienced installation teams. However, we understand one particular yard in Korea has recently quoted 19 days for complete installation. As things stand, high alloy steels required for manufacture are still available in sufficient quantities. 

Published: 20 July, 2018
 

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Shipping Corridor

UK-Ireland green shipping corridor initiative receives grant funding

Green Corridor initiative, a collaboration between the ports of Dublin and Holyhead with Irish Ferries and Stena Line, has received EUR 143,621 in grant funding from International Green Corridor Fund.

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UK-Ireland green shipping corridor initiative receives grant funding

Dublin Port on Thursday (17 October) announced the Green Corridor initiative, a collaboration between the ports of Dublin and Holyhead with leading ferry operators, Irish Ferries and Stena Line, has received EUR 143,621 (USD 155,954) in grant funding from the International Green Corridor Fund towards the total project investment.

A Green Corridor initiative, aiming to establish a zero-emission shipping route between Dublin and Holyhead, has moved one step closer following a funding boost from the International Green Corridor Fund.

‘Greening the Irish Sea – The Central Corridor’ is led by ferry operators, Irish Ferries and Stena Line, and supported by Ricardo environmental consultancy in partnership with key stakeholders and is designed to explore the feasibility of a green shipping corridor between Dublin Port and the Port of Holyhead. 

The Holyhead-Dublin trade route is the busiest roll-on/roll-off routes between the UK and Ireland. In 2022, nearly 1.5 million people travelled this route, with over 6,000 sailings accounting for more than 74% of all ferry passenger movements between the two countries. 

The ports of Dublin and Holyhead serve as key economic gateways, handling a significant volume of trade, with Dublin Port handling 83% of RoRo freight and 72% of ferry volumes into Ireland. This study aims to advance the decarbonisation of this critical trade artery.

The stakeholder group, which also includes Dublin Port Company and Holyhead Port Authority, the EDF R&D team and academic partners Maynooth University, will use the funding to assess the suitability of the Holyhead-Dublin route as a green shipping corridor.

Detailed assessments of existing landside and vessel infrastructure will be conducted, accompanied by economic and environmental impact analysis.The initial focus will be on vessels operated by Irish Ferries and Stena Line and the potential for e-methanol as an alternative fuel, although the feasibility of other alternative fuels will also be considered.

Outputs will include assessments of the potential low-carbon energy pathways; a detailed exploration of the regulatory and policy measures that could support the green shipping corridor; and a business case containing project timescales, cost-benefit projections, and delivery plan.

The six-month study commences now in October 2024 and if established, the Green Shipping Corridor (GSC) between Holyhead and Dublin will be the first green route to operate between the UK and Ireland.

 

Photo credit: Stena Line
Published: 21 October 2024

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LNG Bunkering

SEA-LNG: Active LNG-fuelled vessels account for more than 2% of global shipping fleet

Industry coalition says once the order book is taken into account, this number increases to 4% by vessel numbers or 6% by deadweight tonnage.

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Industry coalition SEA-LNG on Tuesday (8 October) reported that active LNG-fuelled vessels now account for more than 2% of the global shipping fleet. 

Once the order book is taken into account, this number increases to 4% by vessel numbers or 6% by deadweight tonnage (DWT). Almost every day brings new announcements of fleet owner investments in LNG-fuelled vessels.  

Numbers have grown from 21 LNG-fuelled vessels in operation in 2010, many of them smaller ships operating regionally, to 590 in operation globally today, including the world’s largest container ships twice the size of any operating in 2010. 

With a further 564 on order, the total number of LNG-powered vessels in operation by the end of 2028 will be 1,154. Added to these are 772 LNG carriers in operation, with a further 341 on order at the end of 2023. This means that over 2,000 of the world’s 60,000 largest vessels are LNG-powered. 

In addition, according to DNV, LNG dual-fuel vessels make up one third of the new build order book. If DWT is used, the LNG-powered fleet in operation and on order of 142.5Mt DWT represents 6% of the world’s total 2,224 Mt DWT.

Peter Keller, Chairman, SEA-LNG, said: “It is gratifying that LNG is finally gaining favour amongst so many shipowners. LNG is the only practical and realistic alternative fuel pathway available today – even for those shipowners that may also be considering other such pathways.”

“While we have always said that a basket of fuels will be required for shipping to meet the 2050 emissions reduction targets, the rationale for the LNG pathway remains unchanged.”

“The LNG pathway using liquefied biomethane and eventually hydrogen-based e-methane currently provides the only viable option to making progress towards 2050, starting with immediate carbon reductions, now. LNG also continues to help solve critical local emissions and health related environmental concerns.”

In support of this expansion in LNG dual fuel vessels, SEA-LNG said LNG bunkers are currently available in 185 ports, with an additional 50 being added next year. 

“The bunkering vessel fleet has increased from a single vessel in 2010 to 60 in operation today, with a further 13 on order and significant interest in the maritime community to continue to invest in these needed assets,” it added. 

 

Photo credit: Venti Views on Unsplash
Published: 8 October, 2024

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Shipping Corridor

South Korea reviews proposal of green shipping corridor bill

‘Bill’s explicit inclusion of zero-carbon ships is important because it prevents LNG ships, often falsely labelled as eco-friendly, from being used in green shipping corridors,’ says John Yum of SFOC.

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Korean non-government organisation Solutions for Our Climate (SFOC) on Friday (4 October) said 15 members of the National Assembly, led by legislator Dae-rim Moon, introduced the Special Act for Supporting the Establishment of Green Shipping Corridors.

SFOC said the bill, which explicitly outlines support for establishing green shipping corridors, is the first of its kind globally. 

“In light of growing international interest in green shipping corridors, the bill holds significant meaning both domestically and internationally,” it said on its website.

It highlighted the two most important aspects of this bill are as follows: 

  • It explicitly states that zero-carbon ships must be deployed on green shipping corridors. 
  • The government can support businesses in the shipping and shipbuilding industries that sign memorandums of understanding (MOUs) related to green shipping corridors. 

“If this bill is passed, we can expect a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions in both domestic and international shipping through the expansion of green shipping corridors beyond the existing plan between the eastern ports of South Korea (Busan, Ulsan, Masan) and the U.S. northwestern ports (Seattle, Tacoma, Everett),” SFOC said.

“This will also help maintain the competitiveness of the shipping and shipbuilding industries into the mid-21st century.”

John Yum, Shipping Lead at Solutions for Our Climate (SFOC), said: “In a time when the climate crisis is accelerating, carbon neutrality in shipping is of great importance. Green shipping corridors are a significant policy mechanism because they not only prevent carbon emissions domestically but also contribute to eliminating emissions during the shipping process between countries.”  

“The Special Act for Supporting the Establishment of Green Shipping Corridors is a positive step towards reducing emissions in shipping. Particularly, the bill's explicit inclusion of 'zero-carbon ships' is important because it prevents LNG ships, often falsely labelled as eco-friendly, from being used in green shipping corridors.”  

“Whether this bill is successfully passed by the National Assembly will impact South Korea’s ability to achieve national carbon neutrality targets for shipping.”

“While more than 40 green shipping corridors have been announced worldwide, South Korea’s new bill is the first global example of national legislature being introduced to regulate the parameters of green shipping corridors.”

“This case serves as a global example for other countries currently implementing or seeking to introduce green shipping corridors, particularly in terms of ensuring that fossil-fuel based false-solutions such as LNG are not included in these decarbonisation efforts.”

 

Photo credit: Lauren Seo on Unsplash
Published: 7 October, 2024

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