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Ammonia

Study: Safe ammonia bunkering is ‘economically and operationally viable’ within Pilbara region

Study, commissioned by Yara and Pilbara Ports, was undertaken by Lloyds Register, and looked at key areas including the estimated demand and likely availability of ammonia as a replacement bunker fuel.

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Pilbara Ports Authority on Monday (6 November) said a feasibility study has highlighted the potential for using clean ammonia to refuel ships, particularly iron ore carriers, visiting the Pilbara region of Western Australia.

The study, commissioned by Yara Clean Ammonia (Yara) and Pilbara Ports, was undertaken by classification society Lloyds Register, and looked at key areas including the estimated demand and likely availability of ammonia as a replacement shipping fuel. The potential risks and regulatory requirements for ammonia bunkering (refueling) at the ports were also considered.

Key results of the study show that safe ammonia bunkering is both economically and operationally viable within the Pilbara region.

The study indicated that ship-to-ship bunkering operations could be performed within acceptable risk levels at anchorages in Dampier and Port Hedland. Moreover, the study confirms that existing ammonia production and export infrastructure within the Pilbara, such as Yara’s Karratha plant and Pilbara Ports’ Bulk Liquids Berth at Dampier, could be leveraged to initiate bunkering operations in the near-term.

The results also show the demand for ammonia as a fuel to decarbonise the international iron ore trade, reaching a volume potential of 1 million to 1.5 million tonnes in 2035.

Yara Clean Ammonia Senior Vice President Commercial Murali Srinivasan said the level of demand reflected the push by iron ore miners and the steel industry to decarbonise.

“The study has shown that a key enabler for meeting this demand is Yara’s existing assets including the world-scale Yara Pilbara Fertilizers ammonia plant near Karratha. Furthermore, the current development of Yuri renewable hydrogen project on the Yara Pilbara site will be the first in Australia to inject green molecules into an existing ammonia plant, and Yara is vigorously exploring options to ramp up volumes of clean and low carbon ammonia to lay the foundation for a reliable supply chain to serve the emerging shipping fuel market.” Mr Srinivasan said.

Pilbara Ports Chief Executive Officer Samuel McSkimming said that, with the carbon reduction efforts in the steel industry supply chain, bulk carriers are a natural starting point for the early adoption of alternative marine fuels.

“The Pilbara contains the world’s largest bulk export ports. Last year we achieved 752.4 million tonnes of trade with more than 6,829 vessel visits. This scale of operations cannot be found anywhere else in the world, and it makes the Pilbara’s ports the natural beachhead from which the global bulk carrier fleet will decarbonise,” Mr McSkimming said.

“The study is an important step towards implementing safe ship to ship ammonia bunkering at our anchorages in Dampier and Port Hedland.

“Ammonia is already widely produced, used, and shipped in industrial quantities around the world. To be able to expand its application as a green shipping fuel would greatly reduce shipping emissions.”

A domestic bunkering industry in the Pilbara would also create new industry and job opportunities for Western Australia and the Pilbara community.

“We are proud to contribute to a green transition in the Pilbara region and more broadly in the global shipping industry. Pilbara Ports is progressing on several strategically significant projects, including major port infrastructure upgrades at Dampier and Port Hedland, to support the production of clean fuels in the Pilbara,” Mr McSkimming said

Pilbara Ports and Yara plan to continue working together as first movers to enable safe  ammonia bunkering in the Pilbara as the switch to zero-carbon shipping materializes.

Related: LR chosen to conduct feasibility study on Pilbara potential for ammonia bunkering

Photo credit: Pilbara Ports Authority
Published: 7 November, 2023

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Ammonia

HD Hyundai Heavy Industries wins DNV AiP for ammonia DF large container vessel

Milestone follows the successful completion of a joint development project aimed at addressing the challenges associated with using ammonia as a bunker fuel, says DNV.

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HD Hyundai Heavy Industries wins DNV AiP for ammonia DF large container vessel

Classification society DNV on Wednesday (30 November) said it has awarded an Approval in Principle (AiP) to HD Hyundai Heavy Industries (HD HHI) for its 15K TEU ammonia dual-fuelled container vessel design. 

DNV said the milestone follows the successful completion of a joint development project aimed at addressing the challenges associated with using ammonia as a marine fuel.

“The project focused on developing designs to enhance safety, including an optimised ammonia tank design, advanced fire safety systems, enhanced ammonia release mitigation system and boil-off gas (BOG) handling systems,” it said in a statement. 

“These innovations could play an important role in building confidence in the safe and efficient use of ammonia as a marine fuel.”

On container ships, where the upper deck is a safe working zone, DNV said an ammonia leak could pose a serious risk. This means, establishing safety design criteria to manage these risks is crucial for the wider commercialization of ammonia-fueled ships.

To this end, fuel pipe leakage scenarios were defined and quantitatively analysed through gas dispersion analyses. Consequently, it was confirmed that, with conventional systems, foreseeable small leakages occurring at connections within the ammonia piping system can form toxic areas with dangerous ammonia concentrations throughout the entire weather deck, highlighting the need for effective mitigation measures. 

The result showed that hazardous areas were significantly reduced by the enhanced ammonia release mitigation system, enabling not only safer enclosed spaces but also safer working areas across the entire weather deck of the vessel.

Seung-ho Jeon, SEVP, CTO of HD HHI, said: “The AiP reflects HD HHI’s dedication to developing sustainable, innovative solutions like ammonia-fuelled vessels, which will play a key role in reducing emissions and shaping the future of shipping.”

Vidar Dolonen, DNV Regional Manager Korea and Japan, said: "This AiP highlights the importance of safety in moving the maritime industry along the path to decarbonization.”

“There are many aspects to building out zero carbon fuels in shipping, and it’s essential that we have them all in place for ammonia to truly establish itself in the marine fuel market.”

“But with new technological solutions, alongside rigorous safety procedures, ammonia reach its full potential as one of the most promising green fuels. DNV is proud to support these advancements from HD HHI as we continue on this journey to an even more sustainable maritime industry.”

 

Photo credit: DNV
Published: 1 November, 2024

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Alternative Fuels

MPA to incentivise Singapore-registered ships to adopt greener engines, technologies

MPA released a circular informing revisions to MSGI- GSP to support emergence of zero- and low-emission engines or technologies and CII requirement under MARPOL Annex VI.

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The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) on Tuesday (29 October) issued Shipping Circular No. 12 of 2024 informing MPA will provide incentives to ship owners of Singapore-registered ships (SRS) with the incentives for zero- and low-emission engine:

This Shipping Circular provides details on revisions to the Maritime Sector Green Initiative (MSGI), which will take effect from 1 January 2025 until 31 December 2027. 

Under the revised MSGI, the Green Ship Programme (GSP) has been enhanced to address the targets set by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) to peak greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from international shipping as soon as possible and reach net-zero by or around, i.e. close to 2050; the emergence of greener engines/technologies; and the Carbon Intensity Indicator (CII) requirement under MARPOL Annex VI which entered into force on 1 January 2023.

Under the enhanced GSP, MPA will provide ship owners of Singapore-registered ships (SRS) with the following incentives:

Adopt Zero-Emission fuelled engine/technology

SRS that adopt engines/technologies capable of using zero-emission fuels (e.g. hydrogen, battery) as its primary fuel. These ships will enjoy 100% concession on the Initial Registration Fee (IRF) and 100% concession on the Annual Tonnage Tax (ATT).

Adopt Zero-Carbon coupled with near-zero emissions fuelled engine

SRS that adopt engines capable of using zero-carbon fuels (e.g. ammonia with pilot fuel capped at 25% on an energy basis with ammonia slip, NOx and N2O addressed) as its primary fuel will enjoy 100% concession on the IRF and 80% concession on the ATT.

Adopt Low-Carbon fuelled engine with CF Value < 1.375 

SRS that adopt engines capable of using fuels with CF (conversion factor between fuel consumption and CO2 emission) < 1.375 as its primary fuel will  enjoy 75% concession on the IRF and 50% concession on the ATT.

Adopt Low-Carbon fuelled engine with 1.375 < CF Value < 2.750 

SRS that adopt engines capable of using fuels with 1.375 < CF Value < 2.750 as its primary fuel will enjoy 50% concession on the IRF and 20% concession on the ATT.

Exceed IMO’s MARPOL Annex VI EEDI requirement

SRS that exceeds the requirements of IMO’s MARPOL Annex VI Phase 3 EEDI by 10% or more will enjoy 20% concession on the IRF and 20% concession on the ATT.

Achieve CII Rating A

SRS that achieve a CII “A” rating would also receive an additional 5% concession on ATT.

Ships that are already registered as SRS but not currently under the GSP may also apply, should they meet the criteria but have not applied previously, or have carried out modifications to ships to meet the criteria.

For registration anew scenarios, that is, those involving existing ships but changing owners in the Singapore Registry, there would be no concession on the registration anew fees for the new ship owner as this fee is not considered as IRF. However, the ship owner can still enjoy the corresponding concession on ATT if the ship qualifies for the GSP.

This circular will take effect and supersede Shipping Circular No. 7 of 2022 on 1 January 2025.

Any queries relating to this shipping circular should be directed to the Singapore Registry of Ships dedicated contact via email: [email protected].

Note: Full details on the revisions of MSGI- GSP for Singapore-registered ships can be found here.

 

Photo credit: Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore
Published: 30 October 2024

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Ammonia

Study: Green ammonia shows ‘promise’ but draws attention to challenges

Findings of University of Manchester study draw attention to a wide range of factors that challenge both its viability and its adoption as a truly “green” option, at least within Paris-compliant timeframes.

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A recently released study by University of Manchester has concluded green ammonia is considered to show promise based on the shipping industry’s experience of storing and transporting ammonia for the global fertiliser industry and recent moves to incorporate dual-fuel engines into the fleet.

However, the findings of the study draw attention to a wide range of factors that challenge both its viability and its adoption as a truly “green” option, at least within Paris-compliant timeframes.

The study, titled Green ammonia adoption in shipping: Opportunities and challenges across the fuel supply chain, said to effectively align with the Paris Agreement's goal of limiting global warming to 1.5°C by 2050, the international shipping sector must overcome challenges around being first movers in order to transition into using alternative low-carbon fuel.

It also noted that there continues to be uncertainty surrounding the release of the potent GHG N2O from ammonia combustion if used widely in real world conditions, leading to questions around its green credentials. 

“However, it is ammonia’s significant toxicity that leads stakeholders to highlight the importance of implementing new safety regulations to properly protect mariners and the marine environment,” it added.

With an absence of clear policy drivers, coupled with competing demand for green ammonia and hydrogen from other sectors, the study said stakeholders also perceive a range of economic risks impeding its adoption.

“This in turn feeds into the slow build-up of supply chain infrastructure required to mitigate midstream and downstream factors, particularly port storage, handling, and transportation, as well as a reticence to invest in specifically designed alternative fuelled ships.”

With challenges surrounding the adoption of alternative fuels including green ammonia and that they are also sought after by other sectors, the findings therefore point towards a need for the industry to focus other emission mitigation measures in parallel, that can reduce the sector’s overall reliance on liquid fuel.

“Options including slow steaming, wind-propulsion with route optimisation and the plethora of ship efficiency improvements already available, can all curb fuel use, and help to reduce financial risk,” it said.

“And importantly, unlike the fuel options available today, they have a greater chance of realising near-term emission cuts aligned with the IMO’s 2030 and 2040 ‘strive’ targets.”

Note: The study titled ‘Green ammonia adoption in shipping: Opportunities and challenges across the fuel supply chain’ can be found here.

 

Photo credit: Chris Pagan on Unsplash
Published: 29 October 2024

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