Marine energy solutions provider KPI OceanConnect on Thursday (12 September) announced the opening of its new office in Tokyo, Japan, to strengthen its regional presence and support to local customers. 

The office is KPI OceanConnect’s fifth in Asia, reflecting an increasing commitment to strategic growth in the region.

Japan is a leading innovator in the maritime industry, operating the third largest merchant fleet and is an important market for KPI OceanConnect. 

The new office, led by Ken Kobayashi, Head of Japan, will help existing and new clients navigate increasing operational complexity in the marine energy sector, from new alternative fuels to tightening environmental regulations. 

The announcement follows KPI OceanConnect’s recent publication of robust financial results for the year 2023/2024 and demonstrates its continued commitment to investing in building strong partnerships across the marine fuels value chain worldwide. 

The expansion of the local team in Japan will enable KPI OceanConnect to actively engage with Japanese buyers and suppliers on a daily basis to exchange knowledge and expertise to support the development of innovative energy transition strategies for its clients. 

The launch of the new office was celebrated with an opening reception on 10 September. The event was attended by the group’s owner, Nina Østergaard Borris and the Executive Management team of KPI OceanConnect, including Anders Grønborg, CEO, Dorthe Bendtsen, COO, and Jesper Sørensen, Global Head of Alternative Fuels and Carbon Markets. 

To celebrate this milestone, KPI OceanConnect hosted an opening reception at the XEX Tokyo restaurant, just steps away from its new office in the Burex building. The event also featured music by DJ Yumi.   

Anders Grønborg, CEO of KPI OceanConnect, said: “KPI OceanConnect has worked closely with clients in Japan for a very long time. As a key market for our sector and our business, this new office allows us to be closer to our customers and other important local stakeholders.”

“It is a time of transformation in the maritime value chain, and we are ready to work with our partners to identify opportunities for further collaboration and innovative solutions. We believe that our values of decency, good governance, transparency and long-term sustainability resonate well in this market.”

Ken Kobayashi, Head of Japan, KPI OceanConnect, said: “KPI OceanConnect is here to support its clients in turning today’s challenges and future uncertainties into opportunities for growth and innovation. From new fuels to new regulations, our network of experts is focused on delivering tailored, value-adding services to clients to future-proof their decision making, no matter the complexity.

“With a partnership-driven approach, we’re enabling greater transparency and innovation and are helping rewrite the bunkering playbook to support clients through the energy transition.”

Photo credit: KPI OceanConnect
Published: 13 September, 2024

The European Community Shipowners’ Associations (ECSA) on Thursday (12 September) announced the launch of the Clean Maritime Fuels Platform. 

The new Clean Maritime Fuels Platform is a bottom-up industry initiative aiming to enhance communication between the shipping sector and fuel producers and to identify common challenges and possible solutions, considering the implementation of the Fit for 55 package and the transition to a net-zero economy by 2050.

Members of the initiative include ECSA, FuelsEurope, eFuel Alliance, European Waste-based & Advanced Biofuels Association (EWABA), HydrogenEurope and Methanol Institute. 

According to ESCA, access to clean maritime fuels is a top priority for the decarbonisation of the shipping sector. 

The recently published Draghi report on the Future of European Competitiveness identifies shipping as one of the most difficult sectors to decarbonise, requiring around 40 billion in annual investments between 2031 and 2050. 

The report highlighted that, while the EU is a world leader in sustainable renewable and low-carbon fuels for the decarbonisation of transport, it has limited installed capacity and planned production. The EU needs to start building a supply chain for clean fuels, or the costs of meeting its targets will be significant.

Representatives of ECSA, FuelsEurope, eFuel Alliance, EWABA, HydrogenEurope and Methanol Institute held their first meeting on 12 September and agreed on the objectives and the working principles of the new platform. Members also started to discuss the key topic of infrastructure gaps.

The platform will focus on policies and tools to support the production and uptake of clean maritime fuels in Europe including areas such as maritime in EU ETS and funding opportunities.

The platform will hold regular meetings with ECSA taking care of the secretariat’s tasks.  

“Today, the shipping and energy industry join forces and launch a dialogue platform that can facilitate better flow of information about the common challenges we are facing. We need all hands on deck to make the energy transition happen. In order to meet our targets, we need clean fuels available in the market in sufficient quantities and at an affordable price. European shipowners are proud to launch with the fuel producers the Clean Maritime Fuels Platform”, said Sotiris Raptis, ECSA Secretary General.

“We are very excited to launch the Clean Maritime Fuels Platform today. Our 55+ members from across the EU are working tirelessly to produce waste-based and advanced biodiesel of the highest quality requirements and GHG savings to bring a new era of clean shipping to Europe. We believe that a closer collaboration between renewable fuel suppliers and ship owners will significantly reduce technical, operational, and financial barriers across the supply chain for the development and uptake of renewable maritime fuels”, said Angel Alvarez Alberdi, Secretary General of EWABA.

“The energy transition is a gradual journey, not an overnight change. It demands a robust regulatory framework and collaboration among all stakeholders involved to drive effective decarbonization. As we work alongside our 100 members through the complexities of this transition, the Clean Fuels Maritime Platform will play a crucial role in accelerating our shift to cleaner fuels and innovative technologies. By combining our collective expertise and efforts, we are not only tackling the pressing need for emission reductions but also laying the groundwork for a more resilient and sustainable maritime industry”, said Greg Dolan, CEO of Methanol Institute.

Photo credit: European Community Shipowners’ Associations
Published: 13 September, 2024

Galveston LNG Bunker Port, LLC (GLBP) on Thursday (12 September) said it has entered into a Gas Supply Agreement (GSA) regarding the delivery of natural gas to the GLBP terminal in Texas City, Texas.

Texas-based GLBP has laid the foundation for a partnership with Energy Transfer’s Houston Pipeline Company (HPL) for the supply of natural gas to the proposed Galveston LNG Bunker Port project, which will be the first dedicated LNG bunker terminal in the US Gulf Coast.

The two companies have executed agreements, which outline the gas supply and additional pipeline facilities required for the delivery of natural gas to the GLBP facility. 

This gas supply agreement supports GLBP in providing LNG marine fuel to customers in the Galveston Bay Port complex, including the ports of Houston, Galveston and Texas City, as well as Galveston Offshore Lightering Areas, on a long-term basis.

“Securing gas supply is essential to the successful delivery of LNG as a fuel in Galveston Bay, and working with an experienced natural gas pipeline operator like HPL will ensure the safe operation and delivery of supply to the facility,” said Jonathan Cook on behalf of GLBP. 

“We are proud of the relationship we have with HPL and are excited about the opportunities we have to work closely with them in supporting the strengthening of US energy infrastructure, and the maritime industries decarbonization journey.”

Among the industries adopting LNG as a marine fuel, the cruise ship, Roll on-Roll off (RoRo) car carriers, and containerized shipping industries are particularly notable, both due to their significant bunker requirements as well as their prominent involvement in the Galveston Bay port complex.

Currently, cruise ships already make approximately 380 port calls each year at the three existing cruise terminals in Galveston, with a 4th terminal recently announced and starting construction. 

In addition, there are over 10,000 deep draft vessel calls annually in the Galveston Bay port complex. GLBP and HPL will play a major role in providing affordable, clean marine fuel to these essential maritime sectors.

The Galveston LNG Bunker Port is currently under development toward a Final Investment Decision (FID). The project is expected to be operational by the first half of 2027.

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Photo credit: Galveston LNG Bunker Port
Published: 13 September, 2024