The Week in Alternative Fuels
Here are some of the key developments in alternative bunker fuels from the past week.
PHOTO: C-Job says its new tanker can carry enough hydrogen to fuel 400,000 medium-sized cars or 20,000 heavy trucks. C-Job Naval Architects
The International Maritime Organisation (IMO) has set out to develop “non-mandatory” safety guidelines for ammonia as a bunker fuel.
The Maritime Technologies Forum (MTF) argues that ammonia has potential to replace conventional fuels, but that a lack of technological readiness and a regulatory framework is holding back its roll out.
The two Dutch energy infrastructure firms Gasunie and Vopak have said they will develop hydrogen import terminals in Dutch and German ports, with the first inflows expected by 2025.
C-Job Naval Architects and LH2 Europe have designed a new liquid hydrogen tanker which they claim will "revolutionise" the green bunker fuel market in Europe.
Danish offshore shipping company Esvagt has contracted Turkey’s Cemre Shipyard to make what it claims will be the world’s first methanol-ready service operation vessel.
New Zealand's city of Auckland aims to switch its entire fleet of passenger ferries over to run on electric power by 2040.
Bunker fuel supplier Monjasa has blended and supplied its first bio-bunker stem in the UAE.
UK-based biofuel firm Green Fuels Research (GFR) has successfully converted fish farm waste into marine fuel.
Global commodity trader Louis Dreyfus has completed a first bio-VLSFO trial on one of its juice shipment vessels.
Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha (NYK) signed a long-term charter contract with China National Offshore Oil Corporation’s (CNOOC) Singapore arm for six LNG carriers to be delivered in 2026 and 2027.
Fuel oil demand from the shipping industry is expected to peak by 2025, while LNG will drive growth in the longer-term through displacing nearly 600,000 b/d of fuel oil demand by 2030, consultancy Wood Mackenzie predicts.
A tally from shipping classification society DNV estimates that 51 new LNG-powered vessels were ordered in April compared to 14 in March.
The International Bunker Industry Association (IBIA) has teamed up with three other organisations and firms to coordinate their efforts towards reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
Here are the top five stories in alternative fuels this week:
IMO to develop ammonia bunker fuel guidelines
The International Maritime Organisation (IMO) has set out to develop “non-mandatory” guidelines to ensure safe use of ammonia as a bunker fuel.
The decision was taken at the 105th session of the IMO’s Maritime Safety Committee (MSC), which met from 20 to 29 April.
The Sub-Committee on Carriage of Cargoes and Containers (CCC) is expected to complete the draft for guidelines by 2023 and send it to MSC for approval.
Dutch duo to build hydrogen import infrastructure for 2025 start
The two Dutch energy infrastructure firms Gasunie and Vopak have said they will develop hydrogen import terminals in Dutch and German ports, with the first inflows expected by 2025.
They say global supply chain networks need to be redrawn and infrastructure build to handle the quantities of green hydrogen required for the transition to more environmentally sustainable fuels.
Hydrogen will be imported to these ports on liquid hydrogen carriers or with ammonia as a hydrogen carrier. Gasunie and Vopak will develop storage infrastructure for hydrogen and ammonia imports, for transport on vessels, via pipelines or by train or road.
Last month, Vopak and Gasunie announced they had teamed up with the Port of Rotterdam and HES International to build an ammonia import terminal - the ACE Terminal - in Maasvlakte in Rotterdam. The terminal will import green ammonia, which will serve as a hydrogen carrier that can be converted back to hydrogen later.
Large-scale liquid hydrogen tanker designed
C-Job Naval Architects and LH2 Europe have designed a new liquid hydrogen tanker which they claim will revolutionize the green bunker fuel market in Europe.
LH2 Europe will produce green hydrogen using renewable electricity in Scotland, and market it at a competitive price with diesel.
It will be able to deliver 100 mt/day of liquid hydrogen from Scotland to Germany, and gradually scale it to 300 mt/day, depending on demand.
The 141 meters long tanker will have a storage capacity of 37,500 cbm. Powered by hydrogen fuel cells and equipped with three liquid hydrogen storage tanks, the vessel itself will have zero greenhouse gas emissions, says C-Job.
The vessel is expected to be commissioned by 2027.
Monjasa supplies bio-VLSFO stem in UAE
Monjasa's tanker vessel Monjasa Server supplied 233 mt of biofuel (B20) stem to Great Eastern Shipping Company's tanker Jag Prerana off Dubai.
The B20 blend had 20% biofuel and 80% VLSFO.
The bunker supplier said the biofuel was blended onboard the Monjasa Server, together with energy company Uniper and biofuel producer Neutral Fuels.
NYK charters six LNG vessels to CNOOC
Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha (NYK) has signed a long-term charter contract with China National Offshore Oil Corporation’s (CNOOC) Singapore arm for six LNG carriers to be delivered in 2026 and 2027.
NYK plans to build and own a total of 45 LNG-fuelled vessels in short term, and proposes to convert them to be powered by low-emission fuels such as biogas and synthetic methane in the future.
It also four methanol-fuelled ships and two ammonia-fuelled ships under development. One of the ammonia-fuelled ships will be ocean-going and expected to come into operation in 2026.
