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Alfa Laval and Wallenius Aim to Put Wings on Car Carrier

Though designed for wind propulsion, the Oceanbird technology has more in common with modern aircraft than traditional sailing vessels.

A NEW 50/50 JOINT VENTURE between Alfa Laval and Wallenius is to focus on the development and realization of technology for fully wind-powered vessel propulsion, specifically the Oceanbird telescopic wing sail.

Alfa Laval and Wallenius have partnered before on developing groundbreaking technology. They collaborated previously on PureBallast, which has become one of today’s leading solutions for ballast water treatment.

Though designed for wind propulsion, the Oceanbird technology has more in common with modern aircraft than traditional sailing vessels.

It comprises an array of rigid wing sails, built from steel and composite materials, that generate forward movement instead of vertical lift. These wing sails will be able to turn 360 degrees to make optimal use of the wind.

Transatlantic Car Carrier

The technology will be valid for any vessel type, but it will be implemented first on a transatlantic car carrier. Able to carry 7,000 cars, the vessel will be 200 meters long and will cross the Atlantic in 12 days when sailing at an average speed of 10 knots.

“Wind has a key role to play in decarbonizing the marine industry,” says Peter Nielsen, business unit president, Alfa Laval Marine Division. “Together with Wallenius, we will harness this abundant natural force to meet both climate needs and those of maritime business.”

“Oceanbird wing sail technology will be not only an elegant solution, but also a powerful driver of positive change,” says Per Tunell, COO Wallenius Marine and future Managing Director of newly formed joint venture company AlfaWall Oceanbird.

“The wing sails are up to 80 meters tall and have a telescopic construction,” says Nielsen. “Besides adjusting to catch the wind, they can be lowered to pass under bridges, to handle harsh weather conditions or for maintenance. Because they will interact with the hull in a sophisticated way, they will also require intelligent control.”

While IMO has set a goal of cutting CO2 emissions from international shipping by 40% by 2030, Alfa Laval and Wallenius are committing to decarbonization targets beyond these levels, as, they say, are many other companies and a range of countries.

“We cannot wait until the end of the century to phase out fossil fuels,” says Tunell. “We must create realistic alternatives, including the infrastructure for delivering and supporting them. Wallenius is committed to wind propulsion, and we know from the experience with PureBallast that Alfa Laval can help us make it a global reality.”

“Alfa Laval has supported the marine industry’s evolution for more than 100 years, but today there is new urgency,” says Nielsen. “Wallenius shares our environmental momentum and the determination to find immediate, workable solutions. Having once helped us explore our planet, wind can now help us rescue it.”

Wallenius Marine has early 800 employees, with two ship management offices in Stockholm and Singapore. Since 1934, the company has designed and built more than 70 vessels since the mid-‘90s with a strong focus on sustainable shipping.

MEPC 76: No Moon Shots

DISAPPOINTING THOSE WHO NAIVELY SUPPOSED it capable of bolder things, the 76th meeting of IMO’S Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) concluded yesterday after passing a package of measures to cut the carbon intensity of international shipping that have been widely seen as inadequate. Decisions on such things as the industry-supported “moon shot” plan for a $5 billion green technology R&D fund were kicked down the road.

Commenting on the meeting, the Danish Maritime Authority (DMA) says the agreement reached at MEPC implies that from 2023 to 2026 ships must reduce their greenhouse gas emissions by a total of 11%. The question of how much further ships should further reduce emissions from 2027 to 2030 remains open, and could be decided in 2025.

Denmark went to the negotiations with a clear goal that the IMO’s climate strategy and its goal of at least a 40% reduction by 2030 must be met, and that the short-term rules should show a clear path to achieving this.

“Unfortunately, it was not possible to reach an agreement on that ambition. It is positive, however, that despite difficult negotiations with very different views on the matter, we managed to land an agreement that sticks to the 2030 target and leaves traces for the first years—although not with as high ambitions as we wanted,” says DMA Director Andreas Nordseth. “We are now continuing our efforts and must now focus on the requirements in the medium and long term, so that international shipping is not left in doubt that the reduction targets must be met.”

That moon shot initiative?

“Unfortunately, the proposal did not receive the support that the Danish side had hoped for,” says the DMA.

The official IMO version says that “The Committee had a non-exhaustive consideration of a proposal to establish an International Maritime Research Board, funded by a tax on oil fuel used by shipping. The discussion will resume at the Committee’s next session.”

Other commentators have been less measured in their assessment than the DMA.

Opportunity Missed

“This week the IMO showed us the limits of its ambition by failing to take action for the climate or our ocean,” said Ocean Conservancy Shipping Emissions Campaign Manager Dan Hubbell. “It had a rare opportunity to strengthen a short-term climate measure to reduce greenhouse gas emissions this decade, act on black carbon pollution, adopt a robust plan for mid-term measures including a carbon levy on CO2, improve a ban on the use of heavy fuel oil and engage in discussions on scrubber discharges. Yet on all these issues what we have is delay or little better, in spite of the best efforts by some 40 countries like Marshall Islands, Solomon Islands, Tuvalu and the United States.”

Short Term Measures

Meantime the short-term measures agreed, which will be mandatory measures under MARPOL Annex VI, will bring in:

Attained Energy Efficiency Existing Ship Index (EEXI)

EEXI is required to be calculated for ships of 400 gt and above, in accordance with the different values set for ship types and size categories. This indicates the energy efficiency of the ship compared to a baseline. Ships are required to meet a specific required EEXI, which is based on a required reduction factor.

Carbon Intensity Indicator (CII)

The CII determines the annual reduction factor needed to ensure continuous improvement of the ship’s operational carbon intensity within a specific rating level. The actual annual operational CII achieved (attained annual operational CII) would be required to be documented and verified against the required annual operational CII.

This would enable the operational carbon intensity rating to be determined. The rating would be given on a scale—operational carbon intensity rating A, B, C, D or E—indicating a major superior, minor superior, moderate, minor inferior, or inferior performance level. The performance level would be recorded in the ship’s Ship Energy Efficiency Management Plan (SEEMP).

A ship rated D for three consecutive years, or E, would have to submit a corrective action plan, to show how the required index (C or above) would be achieved.

Administrations, port authorities and other stakeholders as appropriate, are encouraged to provide incentives to ships rated as A or B.

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BIZ NOTES

FRASER INDUSTRIES HAS A NEW OWNER

One of America’s best-known Great Lakes shipbuilders has come under new ownership. Superior, Wis.-based Fraser Industries LLC has been acquired by Infrastructure Acquisition Partners LLC, a joint venture between Norway’s Cleaves Invest AS and Foundry Mountain Infrastructure Partners LLC.

“As a Great Lakes maritime company, Fraser Industries has a terrific 133-year legacy on which to build,” said Patrick Kelly, incoming CEO of Fraser. “Under the leadership of the Capstan Corporation since 1977, it has broadened its scope to include Lake Assault Boats and the Northern Engineering Company. We thank Todd Johnson for his stewardship and for the enviable footprint built at Fraser Industries. We look forward to continuing the expansion of capabilities at Fraser in ship repair, boat building and related maritime infrastructure as we prepare for the innovation of new markets, including the emerging offshore wind industry.”

Cleaves Invest is a privately owned ship brokering and independent financial services group of companies with a 40-year history focusing on shipping, offshore infrastructure, energy and financial services.

Chicago-based Foundry Mountain Infrastructure Partners is a North American-focused infrastructure firm with a long duration approach to infrastructure investing.

KEPPEL O&M AND SEMBCORP MARINE MERGER TALKS TO START

Singapore maritime mega merger that has been the subject of speculation for years looks like it’s finally going to happen.

Keppel Corporation Limited and Sembcorp Marine Ltd. have entered into a non-binding Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to enter into exclusive negotiations with a view to combining Keppel O&M and Sembcorp Marine.

The companies say the objective is to create a stronger combined entity in response to dramatic changes in the global offshore and marine engineering and energy sectors.

While the outlook for oil exploration and related activities remains uncertain, the outlook for energy transition is robust, including areas such as offshore wind and hydrogen.

“As peers orientate themselves to capture these opportunities, so too must Keppel O&M and Sembcorp Marine,” the companies say.

Concurrent with the MoU on the potential combination, Keppel has also signed a non-binding MoU with Kyanite Investment Holdings Pte Ltd. for Keppel O&M’s legacy rigs and associated receivables to be sold to a separate asset company that would be majority owned by external investors. Kyanite is a wholly owned subsidiary of Temasek, the Singapore government owned investment fund that is a significant shareholder in both Sembawang and Keppel.

New NPS Vessel Will Serve Ellis Island and Statue of Liberty

All-steel passenger/utility vessel is named Annie Moore, after the 15-year-old Irish girl who was the first immigrant to sign the Ellis Island register

TAI ENGINEERS LLC, NEW ORLEANS, LA., has completed the detailed design and construction of a new utility vessel, the Annie Moore, for the National Park Service (NPS).

NPS will use the 74 foot long by 24 foot wide vessel to transport VIPs, official passengers, supplies and equipment to Ellis Island from Battery Park, New York, N.Y. One of its duties will be to transport national and international dignitary guests to the Statue of Liberty.

The vessel has seating for 40 passengers, and a galley on the main deck. A knuckle boom crane is provided for loading/unloading of palletized cargo.

The NPS named the all-steel passenger and utility vessel after the 15-year-old Irish girl who was the first immigrant to sign the Ellis Island register.

The USCG Subchapter-T inspected vessel was built jointly by TAI and its subcontractor Aluma Marine at its facilities in Harvey, La. It is designed and built to American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) Rules. The ice belt and the bow structure of the hull are designed to ABS Ice class C0 rules and the vessel includes ice strengthened reduction gears, propulsion shafting, rudders, and propellers. The vessel is equipped with twin Caterpillar C18 propulsion engines.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Marine Design Center (MDC) supported NPS by providing project management, engineering, and contract management support for the new vessel.

This is TAI’s fifth vessel design and build contract for the U.S. Army. All were completed within contract schedule and budget.

New Crowley Tugboat is Small but Powerful

CROWLEY MARITIME CORPORATION’S SHIP assist and harbor escort services group has taken delivery of Apollo, a powerful and maneuverable 78 foot long tugboat that delivers an estimated 94 tons of bollard pull and will operate on biofuel.

The tugboat has completed final outfitting at shipbuilder Diversified Marine Inc. in Portland, Ore., and will deploy soon to serve the San Francisco Bay. The Apollo, and sister tug operated by Crowley, Hercules, were designed by Robert Allan Ltd. to be the most powerful tugs in the U.S. under 80 feet long.

As sustainability requirements become more important in California and other ports while container ships become larger, Apollo will be well-suited for the Bay Area market. Operating on biofuel, the vessel’s fuel-efficient and lower carbon footprint results from a pair of Caterpillar Marine 3516 Tier IV-compliant engines that meet federal mandates and the State of California’s environmental regulations.

“With all the congestion in the ports of California, performance is a No. 1 concern for customers. Crowley’s newest tug will continue to make harbor escort and ship assist efficient for ship operators while meeting and exceeding current demands for sustainability,” said Crowley Vice President Paul Manzi. “Maneuverability improves safety and allows for more efficient service.”

“With Apollo, we have a rare mix of high performance with an efficient design with lower carbon footprint,” he added. “It’s leading the way in California and showing the industry what’s possible in light of the sustainability push that’s taking place.”