The Week in Alternative Fuels

Here are some of the key developments in alternative bunker fuels from the past week.

PHOTO: A model of the hydrogen fuel cell system. Corvus Energy

Lloyd's Register, Samsung Heavy Industries and MISC Berhad have agreed to develop the world’s two first very large crude carriers (VLCCs) to be fuelled with green ammonia as part of the Castor Initiative.

A.P. Moller - Maersk has partnered with five other companies to explore whether to set up an e-methanol plant in Singapore. Maersk has been searching high and low for methanol to fuel its 12 container ships on order, and announced last month it had secured at least 730,000 mt/year by 2025.

Norwegian engineering firm Corvus Energy aims to roll out its hydrogen fuel cell system to the shipping industry within two years after getting it approved by shipping classification society DNV.

Grieg Edge notched up a DNV approval, too, for its design of a tanker that will run on green ammonia produced through hydro and wind energy at an ammonia plant in Berlevåg in northern Norway.

Port Houston came out with a 2050 carbon neutrality target. The major US oil and refining hub has set out to eliminate dockside emissions, run low-emission trucks, implement green corridors and promote green fuels in the shipping industry.

Africa-focused energy firm Chariot has set out to establish a hydrogen and ammonia supply chain between Mauritania and Europe.

Denmark's Bornholm Bunker Hub plans to supply green fuels such as methanol and ammonia to more than 60,000 vessels passing by the island of Bornholm and Port of Roenne near the Baltic Sea.

A consortium led by the Global Maritime Forum and players from the mining and bulk carrier industries have signed a letter of intent to develop a green corridor for iron ore shipments between Australia and East Asia.

Under the “Nordic Roadmap” initiative shipping classification society DNV will work with partners to identify barriers to introduce zero-carbon fuels across the Nordic region.

Japanese conglomerate Itochu Corporation is leading a global effort to develop a Joint Study Framework for Ammonia Bunkering as part of its plans to decarbonise its operations.

Norwegian cruise line Hurtigruten is working to build zero-emission ships for voyages along Norway’s coasts and fjords. It has yet to narrow it down to a fuel technology, but said shore power is likely to play at least some part for vessels while in port.

Bernhard Schulte Shipmanagement has teamed up with ammonia specialist Amon Maritime to combine knowledge and better manage future ammonia-fuelled vessels.

Here are the top five stories in alternative fuels this week:

Trio sets out to build zero-emission VLCCs

A group of shipping players have agreed to build the world’s two first very large crude carriers (VLCCs) that can be fuelled with green ammonia as part of the Castor Initiative.

Shipping classification society Lloyd’s Register announced it has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with South Korean shipbuilder Samsung Heavy Industries and Malaysian shipowner and operator MISC Berhad.

The vessels will be dual-fuel and come into operation by the end of 2025 and early 2026. MISC subsidiary AET will operate them.

They form part of the Castor Initiative to “make zero-emission shipping a reality”.

To meet the International Maritime Organisation’s (IMO) 50% greenhouse gas reduction target for 2050, zero-emission vessels need to become the default option by 2030, Lloyd’s Register chief executive Nick Brown said.

The firms will identify green shipping corridors to find locations to bunker green ammonia in, and train ship crew on how to operate the two VLCCs on ammonia.

“Getting these vessels on water is not the only focus, there is the long game of ensuring the reskilling of talent and the availability of bunkering facilities which are key to the sustainable operations of these two new vessels,” MISC president and chief executive Datuk Yee Yang Chien said.

The Maritime Port Authority of Singapore, which has backed a multi-fuel transition decarbonise shipping, said partnerships like these are key to reach upcoming global emission targets.

Singapore’s Jurong Port said it is looking for ways to contribute to develop logistics and a supply chain to deliver ammonia as a bunker fuel to these VLCCs and other ships.

Maersk signs MoU to set up Asia’s first e-methanol plant

The envisioned plant would have a minimum production capacity of 50,000 mt/year and target demand from the shipping industry. Results from a feasibility study is due by the end of the year will determine whether they will go through with it.

Biogenic carbon dioxide will be captured and converted into e-methanol using renewable energy. The companies say this can cut greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) from ships significantly.

Corvus Energy's hydrogen fuel cell system gets DNV nod

Corvus Energy says its fuel cell system power an entire vessel or act as an extra power source, with water as the only effluent. 

The partners expect to run sea trials of the fuel cell system on ships next year and expand factory capacity to roll it out commercially by 2024.

Grieg Edge plans to deploy its first green ammonia tanker by 2025

Grieg Edge has been granted an Approval in Principle (AiP) from shipping classification society DNV for the design of its 7,500 cbm-capacity ammonia tanker MS Green Ammonia.

MS Green Ammonia will also run on green ammonia and is part of the Berlevåg plant project, a 100 MW hydrogen plant that will produce green hydrogen and ammonia. The plant is expected to start producing green ammonia by end of 2024.

The ammonia tanker will ensure safe transport of green ammonia from the plant and will carry out ship-to-ship bunkering, says Grieg Edge.

Chariot to establish hydrogen and ammonia supply chain between Mauritania and Europe

UK-based renewable energy firm Chariot Transitional Power has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Port of Rotterdam. The duo will link up with buyers and secure contracts for hydrogen and ammonia.

Last year Chariot signed an MoU with Mauritania’s Ministry of Petroleum, Mines and Energy for Project Nour, a 10 GW green hydrogen project in the country. Chariot is currently conducting feasibility studies and seeks to form a consortium for the project.

Chariot intends to distribute green hydrogen from Mauritania to locations across Europe.