Sener completes new design of multi-product bunker tanker

Technology and engineering firm Sener on Monday (5 June) said it successfully completed the conceptual design of a new model of sustainable tanker to supply biofuels during bunkering operations.

The firm completed the conceptual design of a multi-product supply vessel that can carry heavy fuel oil (HFO), very low sulfur fuel oil (VLSFO), biofuels and marine gas oils (MGO), and that can also store the captured CO2 from nearby vessels.

The new vessel has been designed to operate in compliance with the energy efficiency and emission reduction requirements of the International Maritime Organization (IMO). The design also includes different technical economic configurations to help shipowners select the best alternative based on their priorities and needs, such as costs, ease of installation on board, or safety.

The design is intended to allow shipowners to choose different propulsion alternatives (conventional, diesel electric or hybrid), as well as different types of sulphate cleaning systems (open, closed or mixed) and CO2 capture systems.

The naval sector must achieve more energy efficient vessels and reduce its emissions to comply with the new requirements of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and the European Union (EU) in terms of controlling greenhouse gas emissions.

Sener’s new tanker ship design features a complete emission reduction and management system made up of a CO2 capture and storage system, a selective catalytic reduction, or SCR, system (process to convert nitrogen oxides into diatomic nitrogen and water, with help from a catalyst) and a sulphate cleaning system. It is also set up to store the CO2 captured by other vessels in the vicinity, promoting the capture of this compound in the area of operations, and thus help reduce emissions locally.

The application of carbon collectors to this model was made possible thanks to the knowledge acquired by Sener after several decades in the naval sector, providing various engineering services (conceptual, basic and detailed), feasibility studies, and consulting in areas such as digitizstion, the use of alternative fuels and biofuels, emissions cleaning technologies, the circular economy and others.

Sener is working to develop innovative technologies that can contribute to the decarbonisation of the sector.

The company has conducted specific feasibility studies with its customers to analyse the generation of hydrogen on board their fleets through a multi-product reformer that could work with ethanol, methanol or ammonia.

Roberto Fernández Pascual, Director of the Naval Business Unit at Sener, said: “Decarbonising the naval sector is a very important objective for the economy as a whole, beyond the impact on the maritime industry. At Sener, we believe that research and development on innovative technologies that will help us achieve this efficiently is essential if we are to satisfy the IMO and EU demands in this regard. Fleet analysis is a tool to optimize technical and economic resources to help shipowners and shippers in this transition.”

Photo credit: Sener
Published: 6 June, 2023