Mining company Vale on Thursday (30 June) said its pioneering project resulting in a design to incorporate multi-fuel tanks on iron ore carriers has received an Approval in Principle (AiP) from the classification society DNV.
The independent assessment performed by DNV verifies the technical feasibility of the design, and indicates that based on this system, developed in partnership with Norwegian companies Brevik Engineering AS and Passer Marine, vessels chartered by Vale could be adapted to store marine fuels such as liquefied natural gas (LNG), methanol and ammonia in the future.
The multi-fuel tank design is part of the Ecoshipping programme, developed by Vale to adopt new technologies and renew its fleet with the aim of reducing carbon emissions from shipping.
A preliminary study for ships of the Guaibamax category estimates that emissions reductions can range from 40% to 80% when powered by methanol and ammonia, or up to 23% in the case of LNG, said Vale.
Currently, dozens of second-generation VLOCs (Very Large Ore Carriers) already in operation, with 400 and 325 thousand tons of capacity, have been designed for future installation of an LNG system, including an under-deck compartment to receive a tank with capacity for the entire voyage.
Having received the AiP for the multi-fuel tank design, a pilot project will be developed in the coming months for the implementation of this system on a Guaibamax.
“The multi-fuel tank system removes some of the main barriers to the adoption of alternative fuels, which include regulatory and infrastructure uncertainty in defining the optimal fuel. It is a solution for the future, but one that could also impact existing ships, many of which have more than 20 years of service life ahead of them. Allied to other energy efficiency technologies in progress at Vale, such as rotating sails and air lubrication, it allows us to have more efficient vessels with very low carbon emissions,” explains Vale’s Shipping Technical Manager, Rodrigo Bermelho.
Carbon Target
In addition to adopting alternative fuels, Vale has developed innovative energy-efficient technologies: last year, the company presented the first ore carrier equipped with rotating sails and the first Guaibamax ship with air lubrication installed. These initiatives are part of Ecoshipping, a programme created by Vale’s shipping area to meet the company’s challenge to reduce its carbon emissions, in line with what is being discussed within the International Maritime Organization (IMO).
Vale has announced investments of up to USD 6 billion since 2020 to reduce its scopes 1 and 2 emissions by 33% by 2030. The company has also committed to a 15% reduction in scope 3 emissions by 2035, related to the value chain, of which shipping emissions are part, since the ships are not owned by the company. The targets are aligned with the ambition of the Paris Agreement.
Photo credit: Scott Graham on Unsplash
Published: 4 July, 2022
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