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FULL FUEL FLEXIBILITY MARITIME • THERE ARE GOING TO BE DIFFERENT ROUTES TO A DECARBONISED SHIPPING INDUSTRY. ODFJELL IS LOOKING HARD AT INNOVATIVE FUEL CELL TECHNOLOGIES SHIPOWNERS, SHIPYARDS, PROPULSION manufacturers and marine architects around the world are currently engaged in a race against time to establish the engine technology of the future – a future that is coming closer every day, with the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) having set stringent limits on carbon dioxide emissions from merchant ships from 2030 and even more stringent limits due in force in 2050. Ships built today will certainly hope to be trading in 2030
“Ships are to be operated for 20 to 30 years and we need flexible solutions that can meet future emission requirements. We do not have time to wait, we have to think about zero emissions already now,” says Erik Hjortland, vice-president of technology at Odfjell. “The fuel cell project is one of the paths we are pursuing. We focus on machinery rather than focusing on one single type of fuel. Fuel cell technology gives us flexibility that ensures environmentally efficient operation
and plans will have to be in place for the next generation. Leading chemical tanker operator Odfjell is participating in the development of fuel cell technologies that offer a way to meet those emissions limits, with potential emissions reductions of more than 40 per cent.
regardless of fuel changes that may occur in the years ahead.” The development project, involving fuel cell technology expert Prototech, engine manufacturer Wärtsilä and Lundin Energy Norway alongside Odfjell, plans to test a 1.2 MW prototype fuel cell at the Sustainable
HCB MONTHLY | NOVEMBER 2020
Energy ‘catapult centre’ in Norway prior to its installation on one of Odfjell’s newest chemical tankers. The aim of the project is to develop fuel cells capable of powering a seagoing vessel and using a range of fuel types, including ‘green’ ammonia and LNG. While LNG is being touted as a good way to meet the ‘IMO 2020’ restrictions on sulphur oxide emission, it is still carbon-based and the maritime world realises that it is only a stepping stone on the road towards a decarbonised industry. PROMISING RESULTS Tests on the new fuels cells so far have been promising. Bernt Skeie, CEO of Prototech says: “Our tests show a CO² reduction of as much as 40 to 45 per cent when using LNG, compared to current solutions. Increased efficiency and reduced fuel consumption also provide significant cost savings, and the ship will be able to sail significantly longer on the same amount of energy. The system will also be ready to operate completely emission-free from the locations where, for instance, ammonia is available for bunkering.”
