The Week in Alternative Fuels
Here are some of the key developments in alternative bunker fuels from the past week.
PHOTO: Model of Brittany Ferries' hybrid battery LNG vessel. Portsmouth
A group of research partners led by the International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT) have set out to conduct a two-year study on methane and NOx emissions from LNG-fuelled vessels. They claim it could become the biggest such study to date, and much needed as current authoritative studies rely on estimates rather than real-world data capture.
Chinese shipping giant COSCO Shipping has ordered two fully-electric 700-TEU containerships for Yangtze River transport.
Korea Gas Corporation (KOGAS) announced that it has chartered a recently acquired LNG bunkering vessel to British oil supermajor Shell that will supply vessels in Rotterdam. KOGAS claims the 18,000 cbm-capacity K.Lotus is the world's largest LNG bunkering vessel, although Avenir LNG's 20,000 cbm-capacity Avenir Allegiance is even bigger.
Spain's Port of Bilbao and the UK's Portsmouth Port both announced this week that they will roll out shore power to curb vessel emissions in port. Bilbao said its systems will power all kinds of vessels. Portsmouth is targeting Brittany Ferries' new hybrid battery-LNG vessels.
Here are the top five stories in alternative fuels this week:
Largest’ to-date LNG shipping methane and NOx emissions study launched to inform IMO and EU policymakers
The International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT) will work with environmental data firm Explicit and Dutch research organisation Netherlands Organization for Applied Scientific Research (TNO) to conduct a two-year study on methane and NOx emissions from LNG-fuelled vessels.
They argue that emissions data from actual voyages will provide a more accurate basis for policymakers to make informed decisions, saying data from the IMO’s Fourth Greenhouse Gas Study is “uncertain” because it is based on estimates rather than real-world data capture.
According to the IMO study, methane emissions from shipping surged 150% higher between 2012 and 2018 as a result of a 30% increase in LNG-fuelled shipping.
ICCT, Explicit and TNO argue that methane emissions can vary greatly between LNG-fuelled ships, depending on factors like engine type and load, especially as engine designs have improved in recent years. Emissions are also heavily affected by the level of leaks from fuel and cargo tanks – also known as methane slip.
The project is called FUgitive Methane Emissions from Ships (FUMES). Vessel emissions will be measured this year and published in a peer-reviewed paper by December next year.
COSCO orders electric containerships for river shipping
The vessels will be chartered to its subsidiary Pan Asia Shipping and primarily sail between Wuhan and Shanghai. Their batteries will be recharged in Wuhan, Nanjing and other locations along the Yangtze River.
COSCO says these electric vessels form part of its “green development” strategy and supports the Chinese Communist Party Central Committee’s “carbon peaking and carbon neutrality” ambitions.
KOGAS charters LNG bunkering vessel to Shell
Korea Gas Corporation (KOGAS) announced that it has chartered a recently acquired LNG bunkering vessel to British oil supermajor Shell.
KOGAS took delivery of the LNG bunkering vessel K.Lotus from Hyundai Mipo Dockyard on 16 March
In 2019, the company signed an agreement with Shell to charter bunkering vessel
KOGAS claims the 18,000 cbm-capacity K.Lotus is the world's largest LNG bunkering vessel, although Avenir LNG's 20,000 cbm-capacity Avenir Allegiance is even bigger.
The vessel has departed for the Netherlands last week, and will provide LNG bunkering services to all sizes of LNG-fuelled vessels in Rotterdam.
Once the charter contract expires, KOGAS says that it may use the vessel to provide services in the domestic South Korean market.
Port of Bilbao to connect vessels to shore power
Spain's Port of Bilbao plans to deliver electricity from renewable sources to docked vessels.
Combining onshore power supply with other measures, the port estimates it can reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 40%.
The port authority will set up shore power systems at seven of its docks. To achieve this, the port will install three distribution centers, 11 transformation centers and 11 shore power connection points in the docks
The systems will have capacity of 1-12MW and power all kinds of vessels in port, it says.
Installations will be carried out this and next year.
Portsmouth Port prepares for shore power for Brittany Ferries
UK’s Portsmouth Port is planning to install onshore power supply for Brittany Ferries, which expects its new hybrid battery-LNG vessels to be operational by 2024.
Portsmouth says the area’s distribution network operator has been informed to rapidly upgrade the electricity supply network, as it needs to be ready before Brittany Ferries' takes delivery of two new hybrid vessels.
The hybrid vessels will run on LNG and can operate partially or fully on battery. They will operate between Portsmouth and the French ports of St. Malo and Caen.
Portsmouth has set a net carbon neutral target for 2030 and a zero-emission target for 2050.
