Business

Rainmaking to accelerate inter-industry innovation platform to decarbonise shipping

The industry doesn’t want to decarbonise just to be compliant. We recognise the biggest threat is climate change […] and we want to be proactive, said Director.

Published

4 years ago

January 13, 2021

Admin

International corporate innovation and venture development firm Rainmaking on Monday (11 January) said it is seeking to accelerate its cross-industry, open innovation platform to tackle maritime decarbonisation and supply chain resilience in 2021.

Rainmaking Transport’s open innovation platform, first set up in Singapore in early 2020, seeks to foster accelerated collaboration between major industry players such as Vale Shipping and various technology startups to develop innovative solutions that can be adopted to facilitate maritime decarbonisation.

The platform has now run virtually allowing for global collaboration despite lockdowns. In 2020 alone, Rainmaking was able to scan over 4,000 startups within the spaces of Decarbonisation and Resilience.

One key challenge Rainmaking seeks to tackle in 2021 is to bring more actors together, getting customers and the industry decision-makers to view problems from the same perspective and work toward common goals.

“While in the early part of 2020, the world was focused on overcoming the immediate health threats of COVID-19, as the year wore on, this ‘black swan’ event highlighted the vulnerabilities of global business systems and supply chains. The importance of Rainmaking’s mission to tackle these challenges has become ever more apparent,” said Tarun Mehrotra, Director, Trade & Transport at Rainmaking.

“New regulation and changes to the maritime industry are often reaction-driven. Facing climate change is among the first instances where the industry is coming together to get ahead of the curve

“The industry doesn’t simply want to just decarbonise to meet a regulatory law or regulatory driver. We recognise the biggest threat the world faces is climate change. We want to be proactive.”

“Rainmaking has been an essential partner in augmenting Vale Shipping`s innovation pipeline. Thanks to both the Decarb and Supply Chain Resilience tracks, we have been engaging several start-ups with promising results, not only in decarbonisation, but also operational safety and other areas of interest,” added Guilherme Brega, Head of Vale Shipping.

“Digitalisation is the foundation of decarbonisation – with every byte of data used to make better decisions, we move a little bit closer to that ultimate outcome,” noted Matt Heider, CEO of Nautilus Labs, an innovative startup involved in Rainmaking’s Decarbonisation program.

“As we enter 2021 and the post-COVID era, greenhouse gas reductions continue to come to the forefront for every stakeholder, and digital transformation is the only way we’ll fully achieve them.”

Rainmaking said it is confident that its open innovation platform will serve as a conduit to industry-wide collaboration and cross-company co-operation in 2021.

Photo credit: Rainmaking
Published: 13 January, 2021

Winding up

Singapore: Annual general meetings scheduled for Xihe Holdings subsidiaries

Development includes Da Xin Tankers, Dong Sheng Tankers, Dong Ya Tankers and Hua Zhong Shipping; meetings will be held electronically on 7 and 8 May, according to Government Gazette notices.

Published

21 hours ago

April 23, 2025

Admin

Several notices were published on the Government Gazette on Tuesday (22 April) regarding the annual general meetings of the companies and creditors to be held electronically on 22 April for Xihe Holdings subsidiaries.

The subsidiaries are Dong Sheng Tankers Pte Ltd, Da Xin Tankers Pte Ltd, Dong Ya Tankers Pte Ltd, and Hua Zhong Shipping Pte Ltd.

Annual general meeting for Dong Sheng Tankers are to be held on 8 May at the following times:

For the company: 2pm

Annual general meetings for Da Xin Tankers are to be held on 7 May at the following times:

For the company: 10am
For the creditors: 11am

Annual general meetings for Dong Ya Tankers are to be held on 8 May at the following times:

For the company: 10am
For the creditors: 11am

Annual general meetings for Hua Zhong Shipping are to be held on 7 May at the following times:

For the company: 2pm
For the creditors: 3pm

The agenda for all the meetings are:

To receive an update on the liquidation.
To receive an account of the Liquidators’ acts and dealings, and of the conduct of the winding up

Manifold Times previously reported on the winding up of Da Xin Tankers, Dong Ya Tankers and Hua Zhong Shipping Pte Ltd and the appointment of the joint and several liquidators of the firms.

Photo credit: Drew Beamer
Published: 23 April, 2025

LNG Bunkering

Osaka Gas launches shore-to-ship LNG bunkering service at its terminal

Company says it is the first gas utility company in Japan to offer LNG bunker fuel at its terminal to vessels and is also exploring the potential of replacing LNG with e-methane as a marine fuel.

Published

21 hours ago

April 23, 2025

Admin

Osaka Gas launches shore-to-ship LNG bunkering service at its terminal

Osaka Gas on Monday (21 April) said it has launched its shore-to-ship LNG bunkering service, becoming the first gas utility company in Japan to offer liquefied natural gas (LNG) at its terminal to vessels.

The first delivery took place today at Osaka Gas’ Senboku LNG Terminal in Takaishi City, Osaka Prefecture, where LNG was supplied to Verde Heraldo, a bulker operated by Mitsui OSK Lines (MOL).

Manifold Times previously reported that the bulker will sail under long-term transport contracts to supply raw materials for JFE Steel Corporation's mills.

With the launch of the shore-to-ship service, in addition to its existing truck-to-ship LNG bunkering service—operational since 2019—Osaka Gas enhances its LNG fuel delivery capabilities to address the current scarcity of facilities in Japan that can supply LNG to vessels.

The company’s future plans include the introduction of a ship-to-ship LNG bunkering service utilising a dedicated LNG bunkering vessel, scheduled to commence in fiscal 2026.

These supply methods aim to provide a stable and flexible LNG fuel supply to an increasing number of LNG-fuelled vessels as the maritime industry transitions away from heavy fuel oil.

This growth in LNG-fuelled vessels is driven by global decarbonisation trends and the International Maritime Organization’s target to achieve net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. Through its LNG bunkering services, Osaka Gas is well-positioned to contribute to maritime industry sustainability.

Osaka Gas launches shore-to-ship LNG bunkering service at its terminal

In addition to expanding LNG fuel supply to vessels, Osaka Gas is exploring the potential of replacing LNG with e-methane as a marine fuel.

Photo credit: Osaka Gas
Published: 23 April, 2025

Alternative Fuels

Japan: J-ENG begins co-firing of first full-scale marine engine with ammonia

Company says the first Japanese-developed and manufactured commercial full-scale, low-speed, ammonia-fuelled two-stroke engine has started co-firing operation with ammonia.

Published

21 hours ago

April 23, 2025

Admin

Japan: J-ENG begins co-firing of first full-scale marine engine with ammonia

Japan Engine Corporation (J-ENG) on Monday (21 April) said the first Japanese-developed and manufactured commercial full-scale, low-speed, ammonia-fuelled two-stroke engine has started co-firing operation with ammonia, which will be installed in a vessel.

J-ENG is developing the engine under the “Green Innovation Fund Project: Next-generation Ship Development” of the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO).

Since May 2023, when J-ENG started the world's first ammonia co-firing operation of a large, low-speed, two-stroke engine in a test engine, J-ENG has obtained many results and knowledge, including stable operation at high ammonia co-firing rates and safe handling of ammonia, through various test operations over a period of about a year and a half.

J-ENG will conduct verification operations on the full-scale engine and plans to ship the engine in October of this year. The engine will be installed on an Ammonia-fuelled Medium Gas Carrier (AFMGC) and then demonstration operations of the vessel will be carried out then.

In order to accommodate a wide variety of ammonia-fueled vessels, J-ENG is also concurrently developing an ammonia-fueled engine with a cylinder bore of 60cm, following the first engine with a 50cm cylinder bore mentioned above, for several promising follow-on projects.

Furthermore, after achieving the development and social implementation of these engines, the company has decided to construct a new plant with the support of a subsidy project by the Ministry of the Environment and the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism through the GX Economic Transition Bonds.

The new plant, which is scheduled for completion in 2028, will expand the production of ammonia fuel engines (in the product mix with fuel oil engines) and promote the spread and expansion of zero-emission ships.

“J-ENG, as a first mover of next-generation fuel engines, will contribute to the development of the Japanese shipping and shipbuilding industries through the early launch and expansion of these engines, and at the same time, contribute to the reduction of greenhouse gases (GHG) in international shipping and the achievement of carbon neutrality by 2050,” the company said on its website.

Photo credit: Japan Engine Corporation
Published: 23 April, 2025