Business

Saudi Aramco introduces ‘SulPure’ alternative IMO 2020 compliance solution

Installation cost 50% lower than scrubber systems; sulphur collected, processed and sold to farmers as fertiliser.

Published

7 years ago

November 4, 2019

Admin

The investment arm of Saudi Arabian national petroleum and natural gas company Saudi Aramco, Saudi Aramco Energy Ventures (SAEV), has introduced an alternative solution to help shipowners meet IMO 2020 compliance.

SulPure, created by Lausanne-based Daphne Technology, extracts nitrogen and sulphur oxide emissions by passing exhaust fumes through a number of stages.

First, a pre-conditioning unit removes particulate matters, reducing carbon monoxide emissions by 99%. Next, a purification unit generates reactive species that reduce sulphur emissions by 99.3% and nitrogen emissions by 85%.

The nitrogen extracted from the process is released harmlessly into the atmosphere, while the sulphur is collected and made into ammonia sulphate – an agricultural fertiliser which can be sold by ship owners to farmers, creating an additional income.

“It’s exactly the same as you find in normal centralised production of fertiliser,” says Mario Michan, CEO of Daphne Technology. “There’s no waste or toxic pollutants going into the ocean or the earth. Quite simply it removes the sulphur and does something beneficial with it.”

The process of fitting the SulPure system is also significantly shorter than implementing an open-loop scrubber, taking between four and seven days. It requires only access to the chimney, rather than the engine room, and does not involve water, meaning the ship does not need to be taken into a dry dock.

Installation cost is around 50% lower than typical scrubber systems, adds Michan, and the return on investment is around 12 months as a result of anticipated lower fuel costs.

Daphne Technologies is currently developing a prototype which will be tested and then submitted for certification, but has already lined up a number of pilot agreements with vessels in the Baltic.

Michan believes the new technology will bring about a feasible and relatively low-cost and low-hassle solution to the challenges posed by the new IMO regulations, and do so in a genuinely environmentally friendly way.

“Ship owners really care about sustainability and we offer a full closed-loop solution which adheres to IMO 2020, and is financially attractive,” he says. “We’ve put a lot of effort into looking at the end-of-life cycle of our components. That’s the only way to create a sustainable fleet, and ultimately a viable industry in the long-term.”

In January 2019, Daphne Technologies attracted funding from Saudi Aramco Energy Ventures (SAEV), the corporate investment arm of integrated energy and chemicals company Saudi Aramco. SAEV invests in early-stage and high-growth companies in markets such as upstream and downstream oil and gas, petrochemicals, renewables, energy efficiency and water.

“The shipping industry is a lifeline of global trade,” says Hans Middelthon, Managing Director of SAEV Europe Ltd.

“However, shipping is a major pollutant contributing to climate change. We are working to help the industry reverse this trend, and through our investment in Daphne Technologies, we are supporting a young company seeking to address this global and imminent challenge head on.”

Published: 4 November, 2019

Bunker Fuel

Huanghua Port expands bunkering capabilities with dedicated fuel oil terminal

Previously, bunkering vessels serving Huanghua Port were required to replenish marine fuel oil at other ports, including Tianjin, before returning to carry out bunkering operations, often resulting in delays.

Published

9 hours ago

June 16, 2026

Admin

Huanghua Port has strengthened its marine fuel supply infrastructure with the commissioning of its first dedicated, all-weather bunker terminal, a move aimed at improving vessel turnaround times and supporting growing shipping activity at the port, according to China-based news outlets on Thursday (11 June).

On 9 June, bunker tanker Heng Feng You 165 completed fuel loading operations at the terminal in the Huanghua Port Comprehensive Port Area before proceeding to an anchorage to provide bunkering services to waiting cargo vessels.

According to local authorities, the new facility addresses a longstanding bottleneck in the port’s marine fuel supply chain.

Yao Meichen, Deputy Director of the Cangzhou Municipal Ocean and Port Administration Bureau said bunkering vessels serving Huanghua Port were required to replenish marine fuel oil at other ports previously, including Tianjin, before returning to carry out bunkering operations, often resulting in delays for vessels awaiting bunkers.

As cargo throughput and vessel traffic have increased in recent years, the absence of a specialised bunker terminal became a constraint on port efficiency. To address the issue, local authorities invested RMB 266 million (USD 39 million) to develop Huanghua Port’s first dedicated marine fuel oil terminal and actively pursued regulatory approvals for both a domestic transfer export bonded warehouse and a liquid bonded storage facility.

The terminal, which entered service at the end of last year, features a dedicated 5,000-dwt berth and storage tanks with a combined capacity of 66,000 cubic metres. It has a designed annual throughput capacity of 820,000 tonnes and primarily handles marine gasoil as well as 120 CST and 180 CST fuel oils.

Authorities said the facility has been operating smoothly since its launch and is capable of ensuring a stable supply of bunker fuel for vessels calling at the port.

The bunkering infrastructure will be further enhanced following approval from Shijiazhuang Customs for the establishment of both the domestic transfer export bonded warehouse and liquid bonded storage facilities. The additions are expected to strengthen Huanghua Port’s ability to provide bunkering services to international-going vessels.

“The commissioning of the marine fuel oil terminal has completely changed the previous situation of off-site fuel supply and ships queuing for fuel, achieving benefits for both bunkering vessels and cargo ships,” said Dong Xianke, General Manager of Cangzhou Bohai New Area Gangkun Marine Fuel Co., Ltd., the terminal’s operator.

Photo credit: David Yu from Pixabay
Published: 16 June, 2026

Methanol

China: Chimbusco takes delivery of new methanol bunkering vessel in Zhoushan

Company says commissioning of “Zhong Ran LV Neng 85” will further enhance its service capabilities in green methanol bunkering in major domestic ports.

Published

10 hours ago

June 16, 2026

Admin

Chimbusco takes delivery of new methanol bunkering vessel in Zhoushan

China Marine Bunker (PetroChina) (Chimbusco) recently took delivery of its first bunkering vessel in China to deliver methanol to dual-fuel ships.

The 8,500-dwt duplex stainless steel chemical tanker Zhong Ran LV Neng 85 was successfully delivered in Zhoushan.

The company said the commissioning of this new ship will further enhance Chimbusco’s service capabilities in green methanol bunkering in major domestic ports and expand its national marine new energy service and support network

During the delivery period, Chimbusco said it focused on safe operations and conducted special training for all crew members of the vessel.

The training covered methanol bunkering operation specifications, prevention of collisions between commercial and fishing vessels, daily vessel reporting, and voyage report filling standards.

Manifold Times previously reported the launching of the bunkering vessel at Taizhou Fangzhen Shipbuilding Wharf in Zhejiang.

The floating out of the ship comes after Chimbusco has obtained methanol bunkering licences for Shanghai Port and Ningbo Port.

Photo credit: China Marine Bunker (PetroChina) (Chimbusco)
Published: 16 June, 2026

LNG Bunkering

CCEC and CMA CGM form joint venture to build and operate LNG bunkering vessel

Each party will hold a 50% ownership stake in the joint venture, which has been established for the purpose of constructing, chartering, and operating one 20,000 cbm dual-fuel LNG bunkering vessel.

Published

10 hours ago

June 16, 2026

Admin

Capital Clean Energy Carriers Corp. (CCEC), an international owner of ocean-going gas vessels, on Friday (12 June) announced the formation of a joint venture company with CMA CGM.

Each party will hold a 50% ownership stake in the joint venture, which has been established for the purpose of constructing, chartering, and operating one 20,000 cbm dual-fuel LNG bunkering vessel.

The joint venture marks CCEC’s entry into the LNG bunkering segment, the company’s first vessel dedicated to marine fuel supply.

In connection with this transaction, the joint venture has entered into a shipbuilding contract with Nantong CIMC Sinopacific Offshore & Engineering (CIMC SOE) for the construction of the vessel at a contract price of USD 82.8 million, with delivery expected in the third quarter of 2028.

Incorporating the latest technologies, the vessel is designed to enable safe and reliable LNG transfers across a wide range of operating conditions. Advanced emissions reduction systems, combined with highly efficient dual-fuel power generation, are designed to help the vessel meet applicable environmental standards of the global shipping industry.

In addition, the joint venture is expected to enter into a 12-year time charter with a joint venture company formed between CMA CGM and TotalEnergies, commencing upon delivery of the vessel from the shipyard.

Jerry Kalogiratos, CEO of Capital Clean Energy Carriers, commented: “This joint venture marks CCEC’s entry into LNG bunkering — a natural extension of our gas platform from carriage into marine fuel supply.

“Working alongside counterparties of the calibre of CMA CGM and TotalEnergies, we can help build the infrastructure that allows LNG to deliver a cleaner emissions profile, alongside security and diversity of supply, while opening a new, long-term contracted revenue stream for the Company through the Joint Venture.”

Christine Cabau, Executive Vice President Operations and Assets of CMA CGM, said: “Together with Capital Clean Energy Carriers and TotalEnergies, we are committed to building a reliable and high-performance LNG bunkering supply chain, which is essential to ensuring the availability and reliability of fuels such as LNG that represent the first step in the decarbonization of our industry.”

Photo credit: Scott Graham
Published: 16 June, 2026