The Motorship January/February 2023

GTT Sloshing Sensor: Sloshing prediction next

Incat Crowther: First large lightweight hybrid

Modelling advances: RCCI modelling development

Methanol & CCS: Stena Bulk’s Hånell

How GTT improves the energy efficiency of your vessels

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ISSUE: Harland & Wolff | Japanese Yard Focus | BWMS feature | Electrification Special

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FEATURES 5 8

14 3D class approval first

Damen Engineering completed its first vessel design entirely created, reviewed and class-approved using 3D models in collaboration with Bureau Veritas (BV) and NAPA.

15 Harland & Wolff revival

Harland & Wolff in Belfast will construct three Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) support vessels following the award of a £1.6bn contract to a British consortium.

15 ETS extension deal

The EU’s legislative bodies have reached a preliminary agreement to extend the Emissions Trading System to maritime emissions from 2024.

30 REGULARS

6 Regional Focus Collaboration, a weaker yen and investment in technology underpin Japanese yards plans to restore competitiveness in existing and emerging newbuilding markets, writes David Tinsley.

8 Leader Brie

10 Extending digital twin models

GTT plans to extend the use of its Sloshing Virtual Sensor to LNG-fuelled vessels equipped with membrane tanks and extend its predictive functionality to cover LNG sloshing.

12 Smaller 450mm-bore LGIM option

MAN ES has confirmed plans to extend its range of LGIM engines to include a 450mm-bore engine in addition to its existing options.

14

Andritz eyes maritime CCS

Andritz plans to collaborate with MISC Berhad to optimise Andritz’s carbon capture technologies for maritime applications.

fing

Tony Foster, CEO and CIO of Marine Capital discusses the challenges of attracting outside investment into the decarbonisation of the UK’s short-sea sector

30

17

Model-predictive control

A Finnish research project developing a medium-speed marine engine based on RCCI technology aims to take advantage of model-predictive control to optimise combustion in real time.

34 Revised URN guidelines decision

Ship

Description Incat plans to convert an existing order into a first reference for its new large lightweight hybrid short-sea catamaran ferry design.

Propeller cavitation and shaft lines are among the focuses of draft revised guidelines covering underwater radiated noise that will be considered at MEPC 80.

The Motorship’s Propulsion and Future Fuels Conference will take place this year in Hamburg, Germany. Stay in touch at propulsionconference.com

VIEWPOINT

NICK EDSTROM | Editor nedstrom@motorship.com

Business models to influence tech choices

Welcome to The Motorship’s first issue of 2023.

2023 promises to be a momentous year for the shipping industry.

Shipowners should be under little illusion about the determination of regulators outside the maritime sector to require greater decarbonisation efforts on the industry. Emissions controls for the California Air Resources Board (CARB) at berth regulations will be extended to car carriers and tankers (calling at the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach) from January 2025, while we report that the EU has reached a preliminary agreement on extending the EU’s emissions trading system (ETS) to the maritime sector from 2024.

Roger Strevens, VP of Sustainability at Wallenius Wilhelmsen noted that the ship owner and operator had examined the impact of such regulations, and identified that every vessel in its fleet would call at California within the course of a two year period.

While the tanker market is also facing similar challenges, the differences between the liner models in the PCTC and the charter model typically used in the wet and dry segments means different calculations are being considered by ship owners in the tanker segment.

The charter model tends not to incentivise owners to invest in energy efficiency measures, as the charterer typically pays for the fuel consumed during the charter. The problem of split incentives is by no means a new one for analysts and economists examining potential pathways for the energy transition.

It is interesting to note that the comparatively high cost of converting dual-fuel engines to operate on some of the alternative fuels that have entered the fuel mix has been concentrated in the liner sector, aided by the comparatively attractive payback periods available for larger-bore engines.

By contrast, there is considerable interest among ship owners and operators in the tanker market in introducing onboard carbon capture functionality to exhaust gas cleaning systems. As Russian commodity traders were wont to say (in happier times), “one’s perspective depends upon your position at the table”.

Other factors are also driving the evolution of the nascent carbon capture market, as we consider in this issue of The Motorship. This is an area where commercial appetite from customers, significant investment from suppliers and a fast-evolving wider commercial market are aligned.

Returning to the wider theme of the economic case for investment in emissions reduction technology, the challenges of encouraging commercial investment into the deep-sea fleet pale compared with that facing the domestic and short-sea markets. This issue’s Viewpoint reflects the perspective of Marine Capital’s ceo, Tony Martin, who noted that the decarbonisation of the UK’s domestic market might cost up to £75 billion. Such a sum can only be financed by attracting investment from the financial community, but the individual investment opportunities are too small to be ‘investible’.

This echoes The Motorship’s long-standing concern about just how the cost of decarbonising the long tail of smaller, and often less financially secure, ship owners around the world will be managed.

FIRST 3D CLASSIFICATION APPROVALS FOR DAMEN SHIP DESIGN

Damen Engineering has announced the completion of its first vessel design to be entirely created, reviewed and class-approved using 3D models in collaboration with Bureau Veritas (BV) and NAPA, the maritime software supplier.

The 2500 m3 dredger concept is the first Damen vessel concept to receive BV certification using 3D model-based classification approval (3D MBA).

The process allows class societies to review and approve designs using 3D models rather than 2D drawings, as at present. Following this successful implementation of 3D MBA, Damen has confirmed that the process is already being applied to further designs including a 1000 m3 and a 4000 m3 hopper dredger.

By using NAPA’s technology, Damen and BV can work collaboratively on the same 3D model throughout the design and review process. The deployment of 3D MBA has yielded positive results, streamlining communication and saving time. The use of 3D MBA also eliminates a major potential source of errors, as Damen no longer needs to translate the 3D models it uses to design vessels into 2D drawings for class approvals, and then back again into 3D to implement the changes.

This first approval follows a partnership between NAPA and Bureau Veritas to implement 3D model based approvals using a neutral OCX file format generated by NAPA Designer that enables BV to perform its prescriptive rule checks and calculations utilizing its in-house tools MARS and VeriSTAR Hull. Laurent Leblanc, Senior Vice President Technical & Operations at Bureau Veritas Marine & Offshore, said:

“We are delighted to deliver this approval for Damen’s 2500 m3 dredger concept which is the result of our collective determination to make 3D model-based approvals a reality in our industry. This milestone demonstrates the effectiveness and viability of 3D MBA to support closer and more efficient collaboration between designers and our classification surveyors while ensuring that all safety and regulatory standards are met. This collaboration with NAPA and Damen is a tangible demonstration of BV’s commitment to work with pioneers in our industry, supporting the safe innovation needed to meet the safety and sustainability challenges ahead.”

8 A NAPA Steel 3D model created by Damen Engineering for structural design, and used by BV for classification approvals

The UK government has awarded a £1.6 billion ($1.97bn) contract to a British consortium for the construction of three Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) support vessels.

Team Resolute, comprising Harland & Wolff, ship designer BMT, and the new UK arm of Spain’s largest shipbuilder Navantia, was awarded preferred bidder status in November. The contract will see £77 million of infrastructure investment at Harland & Wolff’s Belfast and Appledore shipyards, and a further £21 million in skills and technology transfer from Navantia UK.

The contract award, which will lead to the creation of 900 jobs at Harland & Wolff’s Belfast site, brings naval shipbuilding back to Belfast after a gap of two decades. The new support vessels will be the first ships built by Harland & Wolff in Belfast since MV Anvil Point in 2002.

The contract is expected to create 300 shipbuilding jobs elsewhere in the UK and an expected 800 further jobs across the wider UK supply chain.

The majority of the blocks and modules for the ships will be constructed at Harland & Wolff’s facilities in Belfast and Appledore. Build work will also take place at Navantia’s shipyard in Cadiz in Spain, with the final assembly of the vessels to be completed at Harland & Wolff’s Belfast yard.

The series of 216m newbuilds, with the power to operate at speeds up to 19 knots, will have a primary role as replenishment vessels, supplying stores, munitions, spares and equipment to warships at sea.

Production is due to start in

GTT licence appeal

CONTRACT SIGNALS RETURN TO H&W SHIPBUILDING

Credit: UK MOD Crown Copyright 2018. Modi fi ed by TEAM RESOLUTE®

2025, with recapitalisation and yard improvements starting immediately. All three

support ships are expected to be operational by 2032.

The newbuilds, designated

fleet solid support ships (FSS), will have cargo space for 9,000m2 of supplies and stores. They will have a beam of 34.5m and will be the longest vessels deployed by the civilian-crewed RFA, and will have some commonality with the 201m Tide-class fleet tankers. Four of the latter were constructed by Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering to BMT’s Aegir design and commissioned between 2017 and 2019.

Rolls-Royce Power Systems achieves 100% H2 operation

Rolls-Royce has announced that it has conducted successful tests of a 12-cylinder mtu Series 4000 L64 gas engine running on 100% hydrogen fuel. The tests were conducted by the Power Systems business unit and were described by Rolls Royce as ”showing very good characteristics in terms of efficiency, performance, emissions and combustion.”

Rolls-Royce has stressed that the development of hydrogen solutions is focused on meeting emerging demand from the stationary energy sector, rather than the maritime sector. However, the successful tests represent another important step towards the commercial introduction of hydrogen solutions.

However, the first installation

EU ETS deal

of the new engines running on 100% hydrogen is expected to take place at the enerPort II project, where it will generate climate-neutral energy for a planned container terminal at the inland port of Duisburg in Germany’s Ruhr region.

Tobias Ostermaier, President –Stationary Power Solutions, at Rolls-Royce business unit Power Systems noted that the the engine “will be available to our customers as a reliable and clean power source for gensets and combined heat and power plants.”

Dr Jörg Stratmann, CEO –Rolls-Royce Power Systems, added: “We see hydrogen as one of the central elements of the energy transition. It can be used for both storage of excess energy and as a fuel, not only for engines

First digital register

but fuel cells and cogeneration plants to generate climateneutral electricity and heat.”

For several months, the mtu gas engine has been undergoing bench testing and continuous improvement in terms of efficiency, performance, emissions and combustion using 100% hydrogen as fuel. With green hydrogen, these mtu engines can be operated in a CO2-neutral manner in the future.

Due to the different combustion behaviour of hydrogen compared to natural gas, some engine components including fuel injection, turbocharging, piston design and control, were modified in the test engine.

BRIEFS

NH3-ready orders

GTT has succeeded in an appeal to the Supreme Court of Korea requesting that implementation of a lower court’s ruling against GTT be suspended. The Supreme Court of Korea agreed to suspend the execution of a Seoul High Court decision permitting shipyards to request that GTT separates its technology license and technical assistance until a final ruling is made by the Supreme Court of Korea.

screen ships for suspected sanctions evasion

The EU’s legislative bodies reached a preliminary agreement on including shipping in its Emission Trading System (EU ETS) in late January 2023. Subject to final adoption, ships above 5,000 GT transporting cargo or passengers for commercial purposes in the EU will be required to acquire and surrender emission allowances for their CO2 emissions from 2024. Offshore ships will be included from 2027.

The Danish Maritime Authority (DMA) completed the launch of the world’s first digital ship register on 16 January 2023. The DMA informed customers in December 2022 that all registration-based reports notified after 15 January 2023 would need to be filed digitally using MitID in the Digital Ship Register (DSRG). The change will affect more than 6,000 vessels registered in the Danish shipping registers, including vessels domiciled in Greenland.

Grimaldi has entered into a contract with Shanghai Waigaoqiao Shipbuilding Company Limited (SWS) and China Shipbuilding Trading Company Limited (CSTC), to build five new PCTC (Pure Car & Truck Carrier) vessels. The USD630 million order includes an option for two further vessels. The vessels will be delivered between 2025 and 2026. The 200 metre-long and 38-metre wide vessels will have a capacity of 9,000 ceu (Car Equivalent Unit).

Ports must be able to check the background of all vessels and show bodies such as OFAC that they have the technology to

8 Ship construction will return to Harland & Wolff (H&W) at Belfast after a gap of two decades

DETERMINED JAPANESE PLAN FOR LONG-TERM

While the merchant vessel order intake by Japanese yards for 2021 was, at around 16.3m dwt, on a par with that of the preceding year, the indications at this early stage of 2023 are that 2022 brought a pronounced decline in new contract volume, aggravated by a much reduced flow of new bulker contracts.

By David Tinsley

8 Sunflower Kurenai signals a seminal stage in national fleet development, as the first large Japanese ferry with LNG dual-fuel propulsion

Moreover, and notwithstanding the pre-eminence of Japanese shipping in the LNG carrier sector, all Japanese investment in a year of record ordering went to South Korean and Chinese builders.

Clearly, Japanese shipbuilders have not been able to fully benefit from the rapid devaluation of the yen, which would traditionally have been a boost to shipbuilders dealing on US dollar-denominated newbuild contractual terms, and incurring their principal outgoings in yen, as concerns labour and domestically-sourced steel, ships’ equipment and machinery.

In fact, the national currency reached a 30-year low against the ‘greenback’ during 2022. Business sources consider that a weaker yen is here to stay for the foreseeable future, rendered more likely so by governmental and banking community opposition to overmuch intervention.

Collaboration and innovation

An increasing propensity among shipbuilders to technological and commercial collaboration, allied with the acceleration in industrial consolidation, appears to be creating a more resilient platform for the future. Moreover, shipbuilding strategy is largely focused on fostering added design value and enhanced, through-life asset worth by innovating within existing fields of ship production in which the Japanese industry is strong, i.e. bulkers, containerships and LPG carriers, and in which its reputation is first-class for build quality and contractual performance.

Significantly, the new, more challenging business environment and intensified competition from China and South Korea has not prompted a widespread move into other

spheres characterised by high capital intensity, such as offshore vessels and cruise ships.

Application to autonomous ship technology, embracing R&D and physical trials involving research institutes, equipment makers, shipowners and shipbuilders, is also of an order and extent that positions Japan in the global front line as regards prospective commercial readiness.

A plethora of new technical initiatives, applied to standard sizes of bulker and tanker powered by, or prepared for, lesspollutant or future fuels – the most recent proposals including a ClassNK-endorsed, ammonia-fuelled Newcastlemax carrier – demonstrate a widespread bid to update portfolios in tune with the challenges presented by shipping’s energy transition. Cost efficiencies associated with serial or standardised production can help alleviate the premium attached to other than conventional powering arrangements.

The currently limited worldwide orderbook for bulker and tanker tonnage, in proportion to the existing fleet size, together with proliferating environmental criteria and the cruclal need for energy efficiency competitiveness, would suggest demand growth sooner rather than later.

One of the latest endorsements of Japan’s shipbuilding policy gravitation, whereby constructional prowess in target sectors is blended with a more advanced but pragmatic eco concept, is afforded by a project for a 40,000dwt handysize bulker, newly ordered by Taylor Maritime Investment (TMI).

The London-listed firm has opted for an ammonia-ready design from a “top tier” Japanese yard, securing a completion date during the opening quarter of 2024 – “a rare early delivery window given Japanese newbuild contracts are now only

deliverable in the second half of 2025” stated the company in January this year. “The vessel will serve to lower the fleet’s overall average age and enhance its ESG (environmental, social and governance) credentials,” said TMI.

All the main players in Japan have effectively withdrawn from full-scale LNGC construction, concentrating instead on technological and design work and specialised equipment supply. However, with LNG carrier newbuild prices rising(the representative contract value for a 170,000m3 vessel incorporating two-stroke, dual-fuel propulsion is now $140m), it is understood that some consideration is now being given to a market return. Meanwhile, the growing nomination of dualfuel installations across the range of vessel types has provided an incentive to Japanese yards to invest in producing shipboard LNG fuel tanks, as has been the case at the expansion-minded Imabari Group.

Resilient Ro-Pax demand

Over a period of years during which Chinese shipbuilding has come to dominate the international market for large ro-pax ferries, and until recently almost totally eclipsing European production, certain Japanese yards have maintained a high profile in the sector, albeit through domestic operators’ policies of continual fleet modernisation.

Denoting a seminal stage of investment in the coastal transportation infrastructure, Japan’s first LNG-fuelled ro-pax ferry has been phased into Inland Sea service. The 200m Sunflower Kurenai offers a 50% increase in freight capacity relative to the retired ship on the long-haul route linking Osaka with Beppu, on Kyushu.

Two such newbuilds were contracted from Mitsubishi Shipbuilding by Mitsui OSK Lines (MOL) in November 2019, and Sunflower Kurenai leads Sunflower Murasaki out of the Shimonoseki yard at Honshu’s western tip on the Kanmon Strait.

The design combines provision for 716 passengers with a ro-ro intake equating to 137 trucks of 13m, or a corresponding commercial mix. Although the passenger certification is roughly equivalent to that of the previous generation, the onboard facilities have been enhanced in keeping with the company’s bid to promote its “casual cruise concept”, building business in the leisure segment as a complement to the line’s transport function.

Entailing 12-hour transits of the Inland Sea, the operation connecting Osaka, Japan’s third most populous city, with the western island of Kyushu, is maintained under the Ferry Sunflower brand. Schedules and year-round service dependability call for vessels to be capable of sustaining just over 22 knots. The propulsion system for each of the newbuild vessels is based on two 16-cylinder models of Wärtsilä’s 31-series medium-speed engine in its LNG/heavy oil dual-fuel version.

Sunflower Kurenai was phased into duty on January 13 this year, superseding the 1997-built, 153m Sunflower ivory. The second newbuild, Sunflower Murasaki, was launched at Shimonoseki during August and is expected to be commissioned in May, taking over from the 26 year-old Sunflower Cobalt

The first-of-class put down a new marker for the industry towards the end of December when she inaugurated the skidbased truck-to-ship bunkering method. The skid solution ensures that four LNG tank trucks feed the vessel simultaneously, speeding the bunkering process and allowing the requisite fuel for the round-voyage to be taken aboard within the limit port turnaround cycle.

A similar arrangement will be adopted for the second pair of LNG dual-fuel ferries ordered by the MOL Group last year

from Naikai Zosen. These third and fourth newbuilds are due to be placed with MOL Ferry Co on the Oarai/Tomakomai route during 2025, providing a coastwise link between the Kanto region and the northern island of Hokkaido.

Machinery that will run primarily on LNG should cut CO2 emissions by about 25% as well as virtually eliminating SOx. The preparedness to bear the investment premium entailed reflects MOL Group strategy to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2050. Beyond the corporation’s immediate fleet renewal plans, MOL is promoting the wider adoption of LNG fuel through the development of the necessary fuel supply infrastructure in Japan and overseas.

There has long been a substantial variance between European and Japanese ferries in onboard standards, specifically as regards the range and quality of passenger facilities, not least because the ships are seen as fulfilling a vital transport role rather than as platforms for leisure travel. However, the latest generation of Japanese ro-pax vessels demonstrate that an uplift is under way in this respect, in answer both to rising passenger expectations and to a realisation of the enormous scope for mini-cruise business amid the beauty and interest associated with the Seto Inland Sea and other coastal regions of the Japanese archipelago.

Notwthstanding the outfitting intensity of large ferries, and the reliance on a broader range of skilled trades and contractors to fulfil such newbuild projects, the steady output of ro-pax vessels does not necessarily infer a wider ambition or easy transition to entering or re-engaging in the market for cruiseships. Heavy losses sustained six to seven years ago on export cruise ship orders by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, as it was then, through cost overruns and delays, have coloured thinking and subsequent business strategies in that organisation and beyond.

Cruiseship caution

Whether or not preliminary plans by Mitsui OSK Lines(MOL) to invest in the construction of two 35,000gt cruise vessels will signal a prestigious project for the domestic shipbuilding industry – or will be placed abroad, mirroring NYK Line’s latest cruiseship investment – remains to be seen.

MOL is strengthening the group’s business sectors outside its mainstream shipping activities in line with the 2022 portfolio development strategy. Ocean cruising has less linkage or exposure to shipping market fluctuations, and Japanese demand is expected to grow significantly in the coming years. The envisaged newbuilds would accordingly be designed to suit national tastes and would be deployed by MOL Passenger Lines (MOPAS). The latter currently operates a single, smaller cruise vessel dating from 1990.

NYK Line’s decision in 2021 to order a 744 passengercapacity newbuild from Meyer Werft in Germany was an extremely significant event, both as a rare European success on the Japanese market, and as the only order for a cruise vessel signed by the worldwide shipbuilding industry in that pandemic-beset year. The 52,000gt ship is destined to raise the bar in the Japanese premium luxury segment, and the technological level will be referenced by a dual-fuel power and propulsion installation, podded propulsors, dynamic positioning, cold-ironing, hydrodynamic tailoring to planned routes, and a raft of measures to protect those aboard against infectious diseases.

German industrial willingness, and technical and logistical capacity, to take on a bespoke, moderately-sized newbuild, with no or limited scope for sisterships that would yield cost benefits in repeat or serial production, increases the challenges for Japanese shipbuilders looking to enter or reenter the market.

DECARB FUNDING NEEDS WILL REQUIRE FRESH INVESTORS

Tony Foster, CEO and CIO of Marine Capital discusses the challenges of attracting outside investment into the decarbonisation of the UK’s short-sea sector

Speaking at the launch of the UK Domestic Shipping: Mobilising Investment in Net Zero report in January 2023, Tony Foster discussed the challenges of attracting the inward investment of up to £75 billion (USD93bn) into the UK’s domestic maritime sector to fund its transition to net zero.

While the report itself seeks to address some of the techno-economic issues related to the decarbonisation of the UK’s domestic and short sea shipping sectors, Marine Capital itself contributed a focus on the commercial challenges and opportunities the transition presents.

Although the estimate of £75 billion is no more than an estimate, it does demonstrate the necessity of attracting outside investment into the industry. In particular, the report examines how investment hurdles might be overcome and external funding sources mobilised to invest in the sector.

These questions are vitally important to the wider decarbonisation debate. The decarbonisation of the sector will require investments in retrofits and conversions, as well as the installation of port infrastructure to provide bunkering of alternative fuels and in some cases shore power. No less importantly, we will have to invest in our human capital, ranging from investment in training through to safety.

These questions need to be answered to cut through the ‘chicken and egg’ paradox of alternative fuel supply and demand. We know that these questions around future fuel supplies, availability at ports and even potential customers are being considered right now when decisions are being taken around specifying the fuels upon which a newbuild will operate.

Green corridors are intended to act as a shortcut to create demand for these fuels. But progress on the ground is lagging somewhat behind the rhetoric.

We also note that the rapid growth of offshore wind capacity, and the future emergence of floating wind capacity, is also likely to create infrastructure bottlenecks near ports. “This is a knotty problem, which we expect will may well require specific government intervention.”

But access to capital represents a particular challenge for domestic operators, partly because the small scale of the niches mean that they are too small to attract institutional investors. Equally, the small size of the domestic and shortsea operators means that they are unable to access capital.

The financial institutions located in the UK do not the appetite, or even perhaps the capacity, to provide debt funding for fleet replacement, which we estimate may cost over £40 billion over the coming decades.

But the domestic industry players in nearly all cases will not have the necessary equity to fund this themselves. The market consists of a long tail of smaller shipowners, many of whom might not be able to attract bank finance. This is likely to have a disruptive effect on many aspects of the market, ranging from existing business models and contractual relationships, through to shortening the operational life of assets and forcing some ship owners to commission newbuildings for the first time.

From a financiers’ perspective, asset risk valuations are complicated by a lack of familiarity with the shipping sector, while the lack of scale on projects and inability to aggregate transactions can lead to credit risk being applied.

Although a variety of other financing schemes have been applied in other parts of the world, and we have also looked at the possibility of applying Contracts for Difference (CFD) to the maritime sector, I think an asset leasing model has significant potential. In the UK, this has already been successfully applied in the railway sector.

In order to have the breadth and depth to be able to offer fleet replacement opportunities to smaller companies in the sector, it would require private capital, both the equity and the debt. The government’s role could be limited to providing guarantees to ensure a floor price for vessels at the end of the lease, for example.

Such a model appeals as it addresses most of the risks of acquiring future assets, and also requires no upfront capital commitment from government and potentially no cost in the long run. Such creative approaches are likely to be required as the maritime sector is likely to face stiff competition from other sectors for government funding in the current climate.

8 Tony Foster

Green corridors are intended to act as a shortcut to create demand for these fuels. But progress on the ground is lagging somewhat behind the rhetoric

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GTT LOOKS TO EXTEND DIGITAL

TWIN MODEL FUNCTIONALITY

GTT announced that it has been awarded an Approval in Principle (AiP) by Lloyd’s Register for the use of its ‘Sloshing Virtual Sensor’ to optimise LNG membrane tank maintenance

The AiP has validated the use of GTT's ‘Sloshing Virtual Sensor’ for sloshing activity assessment to optimise the LNG membrane tank maintenance frequency.

The solution will allow the survey frequency for membrane containment tanks aboard LNG carriers to be extended, potentially by up to from 5 years to 7.5 years, subject to the approval of the request for a Tank Alternative Survey Plan by GTT, the classification society and the flag state.

GTT noted that the latest AiP for the sensor had been awarded after a project including Lloyd’s Register and Shell International Trading and Shipping Company Limited (STASCO), as well as multiple ship owners and flag states. GTT identified the contribution made by Shell as particularly valuable in helping to refine the use cases and validate the value proposition.

The project demonstrated that the predictive functionality of the Sloshing Virtual Sensor was accurate by validating the design methodology of GTT’s digital twin solution, and subsequently by comparing the predictions produced by the digital twin with real-time operational data from a Floating Storage and Regasification Unit (FSRU), a Floating Liquefied Natural Gas (FLNG) facility and an LNG carrier.

“All the technology aspects were thoroughly assessed, including the design, the validation methodology and the implementation details,” a GTT representative told The Motorship.

Upgrade requirements

For existing GTT Digital customers, the upgrade effort depends on the initial solution they already have on-board. Otherwise, the Sloshing Virtual Sensor can be applied for new building as well as vessels in-service. The only difference is that we may need to conduct a past-life study for vessels inservice to set up the initial fatigue and/or damage risk state.

The physical requirements for the installation on board are comparatively limited. The solution requires the installation of a motion reference unit (MRU) on board the vessel to measure the ship motions, along with an “edge” computer

that collects the relevant data signals and performs some preliminary computations before sending the data to the shore for further analysis and computations.

The AiP did not approve the individual sensors but it did define the specification of the sensors when used for the envisaged application. The system was designed to be able to continue to operate in case the MRU unit fails, using hindcast data to compute the sloshing activity in the tank as an interim measure until the sensor is returned to operation.

GTT notes that it is currently working with all of the major classifications societies to allow all the LNG vessel owners and charterers to benefit from this technology. “We believe that this technology has the potential to become an industry standard,” a GTT representative said, adding that it plans to develop a similar technological solution for LNG-fuelled vessels fitted with a membrane tank.

The company is also seeking to extend the scope of the predictive functionality to cover LNG sloshing prediction inside the tank. “By reducing the LNG evaporation caused by the LNG sloshing, we can help the owners better manage the cargo and the charterers reduce the loss of cargo.”

Extended Survey Frequency

By moving to a Tank Alternative Survey Plan, the survey frequency for LNG carriers could be extended from 5 years to 7.5 years, according to GTT’s base case. For stationary units like FLNGs and FSRUs, the base case is 10 years, but it could be even more depending on the classification society involved.

For both the stationary vessel types, GTT notes that the extension period depends not only on the vessel’s type but

also upon the weather conditions experienced at the site as the exposure impacts sloshing activity.

The extension of the survey period is expected to have a significant effect on the availability of LNG carriers, as well as FLNGs and FSRUs. The Motorship notes that physical tank surveys involve dry-docking, with knock-on effects on schedules, while entry into the containment vessel increases the risk of additional off-hire times.

8 GTT has received AiPs from Bureau Veritas and Lloyd’s Register for the use of ‘Sloshing Virtual Sensor’ for class surveys of its membrane tanks, and is currently working with all of the major classifications societies for this technology

By reducing the frequency of physical surveys, it is expected that shipowners will benefit from reduced maintenance time and costs, while charterers will benefit from enhanced uptime, and increased cargo deliveries within a charter contract.

“In a survey cycle, the potential savings for the ship owner is in the range of hundreds of thousands of US dollars, while [additional profits for] the charterers is in the millions of US dollars.”

WHAT SHIP OWNERS AND OPERATORS ACTUALLY WANT

Accelleron commissioned a survey for ship owners and operators, aiming to shed light on how maritime companies approach maintenance and servicing of their turbochargers. Here’s an overview of the results

As ship owners around the world respond to environmental regulations that are changing the way vessels are powered, there is less certainty than ever around what future vessels will look like. The markets of the future are equally uncertain; current widespread supply chain disruption and economic turbulence will impact trade flows, vessel utilization and profitability across shipping segments, as well as affecting fleet expansion and renewal plans.

These trends create a challenging environment for planning future ship operations, which is particularly problematic in an industry renowned for longevity. Maintenance is a critical consideration for optimizing the availability and useful lifecycle of ships, and a significant factor within total lifecycle cost and operational expenditure. But with little insight into fleet composition or usage in the future, long-range planning is definitely not a simple task.

That’s why Accelleron commissioned a survey for ship owners and operators, aiming to shed light on how maritime companies approach maintenance and servicing of their turbochargers in particular, and how this can continue to develop to meet the needs of ship owners and operators in future. The survey highlighted five key areas that ship owners and operators feel strongly about.

The need for change

According to the responses to the survey, there’s a need for improvements in the way turbochargers are serviced and maintained. This is evident in the frequency of unplanned downtime, with 42% of companies surveyed reporting disruption in the previous year due to turbocharger-related issues. Improving the reliability of turbocharger technology is a top development priority for 91% of respondents, succeeded only by the need for efficiency improvements. The drive for greater reliability is a goal we share here at Accelleron, with servicing and maintenance helping our customers to avoid unplanned downtime.

Controlling service cost

The rising costs associated with turbocharger service and maintenance is also a concern for several companies, with 38% noting an upward trend. In part, this is led by the growing demand for turbocharger servicing, suggesting that in some cases the machinery selected by operators requires more frequent service support. Global prices of labor and materials are also a factor, driving up the cost of spare parts and service engineers. In the short term, during the COVID-19 pandemic, restrictions on movement and new health and safety procedures also contributed to growing costs, although some of these costs can be mitigated by using Accelleron’s range of service agreements.

Long-term service agreements

Around 60% of companies reported that turbocharger service costs are remaining stable. This perhaps correlates with the

61% who are engaged in long-term service relationships with their turbocharger supplier, engine supplier or specialist service company. Among other advantages, contractual service arrangements, such as Accelleron’s Turbo SmartCare, offer greater scope for flattening costs across a long period, with the ability to absorb and adapt to short-term price increases. For those entering long-term service agreements, minimizing cost and improving cost predictability are key considerations, coming close behind technical competency and availability of spares and engineers.

Digital monitoring

There are many avenues for reducing the cost of turbocharger servicing. For 63% of respondents, condition-based monitoring and predictive maintenance hold the most potential. However, there is a lag between companies recognising this and implementing the digital technologies that will enable it; just 51% of companies are currently using digital monitoring of turbochargers. A further 21% are planning to introduce digital monitoring, while the remainder prefer manual monitoring. Features such as Accelleron’s Turbo Insights are key, using digital solutions such as compressor maps to help customers to get ahead.

Future service advances

The widespread belief in a digital solution to optimizing maintenance was reinforced when respondents were asked about future technologies with the potential to support machinery servicing. The use of artificial intelligence or machine learning was the most enticing prospect for 39% of companies, with 92% placing it in their top three. Other technologies with the potential to improve future service and maintenance include advanced materials to reduce costs and improve durability, cited by 36% as the top priority to be explored by technology and service providers. Accelleron is also a firm believer in upgrades, helping customers to save money and reach sustainability targets.

These are just some of the headline details from the survey, highlighting the issues that are most important to ship owners and operators. We’ll be bringing you some of the finer details, and highlighting the ways Accelleron can help, soon.

8 Ship owners and ship managers shared their thoughts on turbochargers in a survey

TWO-STROKE ENGINES

NEW OPTION IN METHANOL POWER

Methanol-capable two-stroke propulsion options have been extended into a lower power range by MAN Energy Solutions in response to heightened interest in the fuel as a means of reducing shipping’s carbon footprint, writes David Tinsley.

The latest development involves a methanol dual-fuel variant of the 450mm-bore G45ME-C engine, under the G45ME-LGIM designation, widening the market reach of the technology among smaller ocean-going vessels.

The G45ME-C family is characterised by an exceptionally high stroke-to-bore ratio of 5:1, entailing a piston travel distance of 2,250mm. The heavy fuel oil engine, updated nearly two years ago as the C9.7 version, spans a nominal, maximum continuous output band from 6,950 to 11,120kW at the L1(111rpm) rating, and 4,000-5,600kW at the L4(85rpm) setting, while a broadly similar power profile applies to the LNG dual-fuel, G45ME-C9.5-GI gas-injected variant.

Shipowners, operators and builders now have the choice of eight MAN low-speed engine series, at six bore sizes, able to run on methanol. The addition of the G45ME-LGIM means that the portfolio starts from 4,000kW, stretching to just over 82,000kW in

8 MAN ES has confirmed plans to extend the range of LGIM engines to include a 450mm-bore engine in addition to its existing options

installations using the largest methanolcapable engine in the range, the G95ME-LGIM.

LGIM dual-fuel technology was initially introduced at the 500mm-bore size, and was first ordered for a programme of chemical/ product newbuilds intended for worldwide trade with methanol cargoes. Subsequently, 2021 saw the release of LGIM versions at 950mm- and 800mm-bore, augmented last year by 600mm- and 700mm-bore models, bringing all main types of large and mediumsized merchant vessel within the compass of the technology.

Design delivery schedules for the new

Source:

G45ME-LGIM type are expected from the end of March 2025 onwards.

As concerns the clutch of 600mm- and 700mm-bore LGIM models announced in early 2022, MAN is tentatively scheduling opening design deliveries of the S60ME-LGIM towards the end of 2023, and is looking to mid 2024 in the case of the G60ME-LGIM and G70ME-LGIM types.

By November 2022, 19 engines of the 500mm-bore LGIM series had been taken into service at sea, and the forward orderbook totalled 78 units across the different bore sizes, including 24 of the G95 variants at the top end of the range. The 950mm-bore methanol dual-fuel engine figures prominently in Maersk’s newbuild programme, as in series of 16,000TEU and 17,000TEU boxships contracted from Hyundai Heavy Industries.

Increasing selection and consideration of the LGIM offering reflects methanol’s cleaner-burning, low-carbon properties, and its potential as a zero-carbon fuel if supplied as ‘green’ methanol. It also offers practical advantages in terms of storage and bunkering at ambient temperatures and available supply infrastructure.

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Japan’s largest shipbuilder is taking a stake in the country’s two-stroke engine production sector, writes David Tinsley. A draft agreement has been signed for Imabari Shipbuilding’s intended 35% equity participation in a company to be created through the spin-off of Hitachi Zosen’s marine engine business.

Hitachi would retain a 65% holding in the new entity, which has the interim title ‘HITZ Marine Engine Preparatory Corporation’. A trade name will be adopted with effect from the completion of the transaction and planned business start on 1 April 2023.

Imabari is a dynamic force in the industry, consistently investing in existing facilities and acquisitions and now controlling 10 domestic yards and other interests.

The group’s rationale for the latest tie-up is to ensure the stable supply and procurement of engines for its newbuild workload from the Hitachi works, with an eye to next-generation machinery on the path to zero-emission ships, while Hitachi is looking to expanded sales, improved profitability and increased focus on new-technology engine development.

Both shipbuilding and marine engine manufacturing in Japan face a tougher business environment and intensified competition, accentuated by volatile steel and material prices. Furthermore, technological

NEW JAPANESE ENGINE FORCE IN THE MAKING

and spanning all main types, including boxships, tankers, bulkers and ro-ro vessels.

As part of its environmental focus, and in keeping with a strategy of maximising in-house capabilities, Imabari’s Nishi-Tadotsu division has begun manufacturing LNG fuel tanks for dual-fuel vessel newbuilds.

demands have increased in recent years, and are now accelerating through the energy transition towards carbon neutrality, placing extra pressure on design and R&D resourcing and associated costs.

The two parties aim to achieve cost reductions through the close business association and by optimised procurement of materials. The scale of Imabari’s own requirements is implicit in annual newbuild output, last year alone amounting to 62 ships

the Ballast Water Treatment

Hitachi Zosen has a track record of more than 80 years in building marine engines, and its current operations are distinguished by the company’s licensee status for the two leading names in large, two-stroke propulsion machinery, MAN Energy Solutions and Winterthur Gas & Diesel(WinGD). Production is focused at the Ariake complex, supplying yards both in Japan and overseas.

Complementing engine manufacturing, Hitachi is also a leading force in NOx exhaust aftertreatment systems. Its market scope in emissions abatement solutions is also being expanded through the development of methane oxidation catalysts, following a Japanese joint industry project addressing methane slip from LNG-fuelled vessels.

8 Imabari Shipbuilding formed a capital and business alliance with Japan Marine United (JMU) at the beginning of 2021ore engine in addition to its existing options

ANDRITZ INKS DEAL TO DEVELOP ONBOARD CCS SOLUTION

International technology group, Andritz, has signed a deal to collaborate with Malaysian energy shipping group MISC Berhad on the application and optimisation of Andritz’s carbon capture technologies for stationary and maritime applications

The MoU also covers the execution of engineering, procurement, construction, installation, and commissioning (EPCIC) of CCS systems for marine and land-based applications.

Andritz has extensive experience supplying wet and dry scrubber solutions to customers in the maritime sector, while it recently completed a first trial carbon capture and storage plant attached to a cement works in Germany.

The 25-metre high amine process based plant – the first of its kind in Germany - began operation in mid-September 2022 at the cement works operated by Rohrdorfer Cement in Germany. The plant will have a daily capacity of 2 tonnes of CO2. Some of the technological challenges addressed by the technology company, including the need to maximise the purity of the recovered carbon dioxide while ensuring the longevity of the solvent used in the process, are likely to be applicable to maritime applications.

The Rohrdorfer cement project is also investigating potential end-user markets for the recycled carbon dioxide, ranging from the fumigation of fruit or vegetables, use in the beverage industry or for further processing into basic chemicals.

MoUs to investigate wider CCS chain

The memorandum of understanding (MoU) between Andritz and MISC Berhad was signed on 18 January 2023. The agreement was accompanied by the signature of two other memoranda, in which MISC Berhad agreed to work together with Mitsui & Co., Ltd. and Samsung Heavy Industries (SHI) to explore opportunities on carbon capture and storage (CCS) solutions in the maritime value chain.

MISC has agreed to collaborate with Mitsui & Co., Ltd. to investigate business opportunities across the CCS value chain. This cooperation includes the identification of potential CCS hubs, as well as the assessment of the commercial and technical viability of CCS solutions.

Mitsui has previously identified CCS and maritime CO2 transportation as potential growth areas over the coming years. Mitsui is trying to develop approximately 15 million tonnes per annum of CCS capacity by 2035.

The agreement with SHI also covered the joint development of floating carbon dioxide (CO2) solutions to facilitate and support the optimisation of offshore CCS projects.

Commenting on the announcements, MISC’s President & Group Chief Executive Officer, Captain Rajalingam Subramaniam said, “Carbon capture and storage technologies as well as related infrastructure, are pivotal measures to support and accelerate the transition towards a low-carbon future. Strategic collaborations with global stakeholders have always been our approach, and we will continue forging partnerships in the development and commercialisation of the carbon capture and storage value chain. The MoUs reflect MISC’s ambition to define our role in a future that is being shaped by the energy transition and we are pleased to explore opportunities in this new venture with our partners. We would like to thank Mitsui & Co., Ltd., SHI and Andritz for this purposeful partnership.”

8 Andritz completed a first trial carbon capture and storage plant attached to a cement works in Germany in late 2022

The Rohrdorfer cement project is also investigating potential end-user markets for the recycled carbon dioxide, ranging from the fumigation of fruit or vegetables, use in the beverage industry or for further processing into basic chemicals

15

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CARBON CAPTURE COULD PERMIT NEGATIVE CO2 EMISSIONS

Regulators need to make appropriate choices to avoid penalising first movers like Stena Bulk, Erik Hånell, president and CEO of Stena Bulk tells The Motorship

The rapid evolution of onboard carbon capture technology was one of the main topics when The Motorship interviewed Erik Hånell, president and CEO of Stena Bulk, at the end of last year. He was upbeat about the progress of an onboard carbon capture project and identified the potential for onboard carbon capture to result in net negative CO2 emissions as a potentially significant development.

Hånell also evaluated the wider alternative fuels landscape, and recognised nascent interest from producers in transporting alternative fuels as cargoes. However, Hånell concluded with a powerful call for regulators to ensure that new regulations do not perversely penalise the outcomes that they are trying to incentivise, or require subsequent amendment, to the detriment of early adopters, like Stena Bulk.

Hånell began by discussing Stena Bulk’s investments in dual-fuel methanol powered options for a number of vessels as part of a joint venture. “It's the only technological development that is commercially today that offers a clear pathway to zero emissions, at least from a theoretical point of view.”

Hånell outlined the potential for methanol to be produced via low-emission routes, such as electrolysis with the addition of carbon dioxide. “You can build something today that in theory can actually come down to zero CO2 emissions when the green methanol is produced [at the commercial volumes] that will be needed in the future.”

Stena Bulk is also closely following research into other alternative fuel technologies. “When it comes to comes to other alternatives such as ammonia or hydrogen, we expect that there will be some time before the technologies are ready, and there will also be a number of safety issues to deal with in that respect.”

Stena Bulk was also looking at the possibilities of transporting alternative fuels as cargoes. “We are definitely looking at it, and we have had a few producers looking at hydrogen [transportation], for example. But it is it is very complicated… given the [small] volumes we're talking about, and the technical requirements [minus 260 centigrade] around liquid hydrogen. I think it's very, very difficult for large vessels… even if the technology is going very fast.”

Hånell was more upbeat about the possibilities of onboard carbon capture and storage. Referring to the pace of technological development, Hånell noted that “the technology has moved from something that might be available in a decade to something that we will probably install on one of our ships later in 2023.” Stena Bulk was participating in a R&D project to install an onboard carbon capture and storage system on one of its MR tankers (REMARCCABLE).

Hånell noted that Stena Bulk was already looking at the possibility of installing onboard carbon capture and storage units on board its existing vessels, including its methanolfuelled fleet, if the technology can be successfully developed.

He noted that the carbon capture landscape was moving quickly. “In fact, discussions about the technology have moved from whether it is technically feasible to whether it

will work in practice, and the proportion of CO2 that the solution will capture.“

The combination of onboard carbon capture with green methanol would also significantly reduce the emissions generated by a vessel. Hånell noted that the REMARCCABLE coalition was targeting at least 30% absolute CO2 capture in its trial installation, and that this ambition appeared to be achievable.

“By combining the use of green methanol as a fuel with carbon capture, we could theoretically operate vessels that have a negative CO2 emission footprint [on a well-to-wake basis],” Hånell said.

Hånell recognised that the technology would benefit from regulatory support, adding “as long as US and Europe agree to something, I think we will need to take action if you're going to be a global operator.”

However, Hånell also stressed that the industry would prefer that the decisions taken by the regulators make sense. “We have had had a couple of instances in the last decade, where initial decisions have actually been negative. I’m referring to the Ballast Water Treatment System and scrubbers regulations. I think it's very important to have decisions are well thought through, that actually work for the ambition that we have and that do not have to be changed after two or three years.” Hånell noted that this was particularly relevant for ‘first movers’ like Stena Bulk, where the first investments made might be “less useful”.

But in general, Hånell expressed a preference for selfregulation as a model for the industry. Stena Bulk’s investment into emissions reduction technology is selffinancing because emissions reductions typically lower the amount of fuel consumption as well. This was why Stena Bulk was continuing to invest in other efficiency developments, ranging from propellers to bulbs to the shape of the hull, he concluded.

8 Erik Hånell

RCCI PROJECT EMBEDS MODELBASED COMBUSTION CONTROL

Finland’s Clean Propulsion Technologies project is developing a medium-speed marine engine based on Reactivity Controlled Compression Ignition (RCCI) technology which is designed to take advantage of model-predictive control to optimise combustion in real time

The project is in its final year, with the engine almost built, and Project leader, Maciej Mikulski, Professor in Combustion Engine Technology at Finland’s University of Vaasa, says the self-learning functionality is derived from the same predictive models that are used to develop the engine calibration. It will optimise key operating parameters relating to the in-cylinder fuel blending and advanced variable valve actuation. The functionality will further help detect anomalies to support condition-based maintenance and fault detection.

RCCI is a variant of Low-Temperature Combustion technology that uses in-cylinder fuel blending by first injecting a low-reactivity fuel such as natural gas, methanol or hydrogen combined with air and recirculated exhaust gases followed by injection of a high reactivity fuel such as biodiesel directly into the combustion chamber.

The demonstration dual-fuel LNG, RCCI engine developed by the Clean Propulsion Technologies project is expected to increase engine efficiency by 2 percentage points compared to current dual-fuel engines, reduce GHG emissions by 20%, reduce methane slip by 90%, and result in ultra-low NOX and PM emissions. Further progress towards near zero emissions will be achieved through advanced after-treatment and hybridization technologies also being developed.

The project has showcased a paradigm shift in engine development methodology, with the predictive simulation models that enable calibrating the engine with only limited physical testing. This approach was needed to fast-track the complexity associated with optimising 15 independent engine control parameters. (State-of-the-art gasoline engines in cars have about five independent control variables.)

“It’s a new engine concept, and we need to put it into the laboratory and start testing where the optimum is. With 15 independent control parameters, this ends up involving 10 to the power of 17 calibration points at full factorial. This translates to around two trillion years of laboratory work if we were able to work 24/7. Clearly, we had to find a more efficient way.”

Simulations based on widely-used reactive models would take several weeks for a single combustion cycle - something Mikulski’s team can now do in three minutes.

“Instead of a 3D framework predicting how the vortex moves, we have simplified the thermal and reactivity stratification being created across the cylinder. The 13 zones still reflect the mixing but allow for much faster simulation.” The simplification still matches the experimental results within 5% in all combustion indicators.

For the whole factorial optimization, assuming dedicated time on a supercomputer cluster, a model run takes around three weeks. The new in-house combustion model has now been coupled with the commercially available GT-Suite system to facilitate full propulsion train modelling.

To ensure robust operation of the ultra-sensitive RCCI engine, parts of the modelling framework need to be able to calculate combustion in real-time, to support the engine

control functions. For this, a simplified but still physics-based model of the combustion chamber has been developed. The real-time surrogate is built by direct linearization of the detailed multi-zone chemical-kinetic solution and matches it in accuracy but only around a certain range of operating conditions.

“Previously simulations have been used to help develop individual components of the engine, but we are creating a complete rapid prototyping package to support the engine and powertrain control-development framework. The development of the whole system is based on a fully predictive optimization model, including embedded solutions for integration with a controller in real-time. Aside from enabling our ambitious goals in RCCI engine performance, our project will be the world’s first demonstration of the model-based workflow on such a scale.”

Mikulski says the main engine model, named the University of Vaasa Advanced Thermo-Kinetic Multi-Zone Model (UVATZ), enables superior insight, fast predictive optimisation and control development, and is the fastest RCCI modelbased development toolchain for the level of fidelity/ predictivity it achieves. “It will be validated in real use cases when the experimental platform fires up.” That will happen in the next few months, and Mikulski is confident the testing will be completed the end of 2023.

A smaller high-speed engine for non-road mobile machinery is being developed in parallel as part of the project, and it will ultimately be designed to use hydrogen as fuel. This could pave the way for marine applications later on.

The current project is funded by Business Finland and includes 15 partners including University of Vaasa, Tampere University, Aalto University, Åbo Akademi University, VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland and LappeenrantaLahti University of Technology LUT, Wärtsilä Finland, AGCO Power, Dinex Finland, Proventia, Bosch Rexroth, Geyser Batteries, APUGenius, Napa and Meyer Turku.

8 Emma Söderäng, Xiaoguo Storm and Maciej Mikulski at the engine laboratory at the University of Vaasa

FIRST OCEANBIRD WING SAIL RETROFIT ON LCTC IN 2024

Oceanbird, the joint venture between Alfa Laval and Wallenius Lines, confirmed that they were planning to retrofit the first installation of the company’s new Oceanbird Wing 560 solution aboard a large car and truck carrier (LCTC),

tween Alfa Laval and Wallenius Lines, con rmed that we allation solution rrier (LCTC), MV Tirranna, in 2024

The installation is planned to occur when the 7,620 ceu LCTC enters its scheduled five-year dry dock, which is expected in the middle of 2024.

Speaking at a press event in London on 26 January, Oceanbird’s managing director, Niclas Dahl announced that he expected the wind-assisted propulsion solution to achieve fuel efficiency savings of 7-10% on favourable transatlantic routes.

e 7,620 ceu k, which is 26 nced that he achieve fuel ntic routes.

The 150 ton, 40 metre high, 14 metre wide incorporates a main sail and a flap, allowing the wing to optimise the aerodynamic forces. “The solution will be effective sailing into headwinds at angles of up to 10 degrees,” Emil Kotz, Technical Manager, Oceanbird told The Motorship

As a result, the design of the wing sail will be able to produce propulsive forces while operating in a variety of wind directions.

Before the first installation on the vessel is completed, the test rig will undergo testing at a test location in 2023.

In parallel with the terrestrial testing, Oceanbird is expected to work with classification society DNV to obtain type approval for the wing sail’s design.

Oceanbird’s managing director, Niclas Dahl, confirmed that the 220-metre 7,000 ceu Orcelle Wind PCTC project was also on track, and that the vessel was expected to be completed by 2026

fixed wing he to on will be 10 be able to a of mpleted, the 023 ceanbird is V to obtain its e company he Sail pplicable olution was m that was g sail, Kotz ally suitable l constraint, a horizontal e efor

The first retrofit installation of the wing sail is expected to act as a significant boost for Oceanbird towards bringing its Oceanbird wind power technology to market. The company is also likely to consider offering the solution, as the Wing Sail retrofit solution was expected to be equally applicable to other large vessels, such as tankers and bulkers.

A particular competitive advantage of the solution was expected to be the folding deployment system that was being integrated into the design of the wing sail, Kotz mentioned. This would make the solution potentially suitable for operators for whom air draft was an operational constraint, and would also allow the solution to be placed in a horizontal position during adverse weather conditions. The Motorship notes that this will also make the solution suitable for vessels in the bulker segment that require complex cargo operations.

The company announced in early January that a consortium of 11 partners had received a grant of EUR9 million from the EU’s Horizon fund, as a contribution towards the cost of launching the first wind-powered PCTC, Orcelle Wind. The consortium has a strong Swedish representation,

and includes a number of research and academic partners that participated in a three year research project funded by the Swedish government that concluded in 2022.

Oceanbird’s managing director, Niclas Dahl, confirmed that the 220-metre 7,000 ceu Orcelle Wind PCTC project was also on track, and that the vessel was expected to be completed by 2026.

Oceanbird’s 150 ton, 40 metre high, 14 metre wide fixed wing incorporates a main sail and a flap, allowing the wing to optimise the aerodynamic forces

Oceanbird’s ton, 40 metre h incorpora a w to the f

FORESHIP SEES FUEL CELLS AND BATTERIES IN FUTURE MIX

Foreship is currently active in two cruise ship projects which use Foreship’s plug-and-play containerised ‘e-house’ solution as a means of integrating the fuel cell on board ship. Jan-Erik Räsänen, Chief Technology Officer at Foreship, discusses the future of cruise ship electrification with The Motorship

Why would the cruise industry consider batteries and fuel cells?

The IMO’s aim to halve marine greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 when compared to 2008 levels looks beyond the reach of even the most energy-efficient combustion engines. Supplementary or replacement shippropulsion technologies are therefore required, and battery systems alone are not capable of propelling large vessels over long distances. Against this background, fuel cell technology, which converts hydrogen-rich fuel into electrical and thermal energy by electrochemical oxidation, represents a promising alternative, especially if supported by battery systems for peak loads.

For vessels that are already diesel electric, like many cruise ships, what would be the trajectory to further electrification?

Conventionally, where big ships are concerned, the assumption has been that battery power is most useful for specific purposes, for example for manoeuvring in zero emissions zones. However, the reality is that battery power is increasingly being chosen for the way stored energy supports peak engine loading, improving flexibility and meaning that a specific operation can be carried out with fewer gensets.

Foreship has undertaken 39 projects covering shipboard battery power. Its assessment is that hybrid solutions achieve efficiency gains across the ship’s entire power load of between 2.5% and 4.7%. The true potential depends on a variety of factors, including the specific ship’s characteristics, its operating profile, the power plant set up, its use of and access to shore power, etc.

In some cases, owners would have liked to include a battery but it hasn't been possible. Why would that be the case?

Considering that battery power of 1MW/h can weigh in at roughly 10,000kg of extra equipment, clearly there are examples where ships are already operating too close to their stability limits to accommodate the installation.

To recommend the right battery power, we need a firm idea of objectives, but also a detailed analysis of the available space on board, the impact on stability, existing systems, the piping and cabling requirements, etc. In fact, there’s a fivestep Foreship approach that extends from the feasibility study and concept design stage, through to detailed analysis, class requirements and project management – either at the yard or with the ship underway.

Will batteries always offer some value beyond what fuel cells can provide and so be part of longterm electrification, or are they likely to just be a bridging technology while other zero-emission power systems mature?

Battery power will offer value beyond what fuel cells can provide for two reasons:

First, fuel cells offer – and will continue to offer – slow responsiveness to load variations. Batteries will provide the load ramping capability fuel cells need to optimise efficiency. In general terms, our view is that optimal efficiency will be achieved when a battery offering 10-15% of the fuel cell’s power rating is included for load ramping.

Like fuel cells, many of the alternative fuels being put forward to solve shipping’s low carbon needs won’t be practical until 2035 at least. In contrast, battery technology is mature enough to help today and is being scaled up on a commercial basis in a way that will grow its contribution significantly before other solutions become reality. Today, the installed base of shipboard battery power is equivalent to 560MW/h. As soon as 2025, we think this will reach 1GW/h.

Are fuel cells likely to move beyond the role of being a genset replacement?

We expect fuel cells will be used in a wider role than genset replacement in the years ahead. Shore power is not always available at the destinations cruise ships call, for example: we expect marine fuel cell technology to scale up to support zero emission hotel power - depending on the hotel load demand - to between 7MW to 13MW within five years.

Furthermore, where commercial ships are concerned, the market is fully aware of the progress being made by methanol as a fuel for two stroke engines. However, the situation is different for the four stroke engines which drive diesel electric cruise ships, where higher pressures and the balance between pilot and main fuels are real issues. There is no doubt that these will be solved by the engine makers, but there is a window of opportunity for fuel cells as a cruise ship propulsion technology. A fuel cell which used reformed LNG as its feedstock, for example, could do so without being subject to methane slip.

8 Jan-Erik Räsänen

ELECTRIFICATION 10 YEARS ON

The shift from AC to DC grids has paved the way for increased onboard electrification, and 10 years on, the flexibility that it brings is enabling greater power optimisation

In March 2013, ABB delivered its first onboard DC grid system to the MPSV Dina Star, making it the first IMO vessel in the world powered by a modern, primary DC power system.

A DC-based power system enables simple, flexible integration of variable speed gensets and shaft generators, batteries and fuel cells, says ABB. For offshore vessels, it can bring better fault tolerance as well as the fuel saving benefits of variable speed generators and energy storage. For ferries, this enables hybrid or fully electric operation. For large cruise ships, the ability to distribute main power at 1000Vdc instead of 690 or 660Vac represents savings of up 40% or more on cabling.

The DC switchboard was a gamechanger for engine manufacturers, because it enabled variable speed operation and more optimal engine utilisation and therefor minimal fuel consumption, says Bernd Friedrich, Senior Manager and Head of Solutions Engineering at MAN.

The ability to run engines efficiently during mostly calm conditions but to also be able to increase the thrust applied to the propeller within 10 seconds for high current conditions was important for a recent MAN Energy Solutions system developed for Seaspan. For this solution, MAN together with its partner AKA configured a hybrid system with two generators, a DC switchboard, energy storage, and electric machines driving two azimuth thrusters with fixed pitch propellers. The energy storage provides the boost needed for high-current navigation much faster than the engines would have been able to, especially in gas mode on dualfuel engines.

Combinator curve

Energy storage also enables the propeller to be run closer to their combinator curve. Typically, the gap is around 20%, but with the availability of a power reserve if something unpredictable happens, this can be reduced to 10% or less. This means the propeller can typically be run at a lower RPM, maintaining hydrodynamic performance while reducing energy consumption.

Diesel mechanical systems are still best suited to the operating profile of many deepsea vessels, but MAN’s hybrid version (HyProp Eco) enables incorporation of a degree of

electrification. It includes controllable pitch propeller, PTI/ PTO, electric machines and batteries, with single or dual main engines driving the shaft mechanically. “This enables a good trade off and split between the number of cylinders we install on the main engine and the auxiliaries,” says Friedrich. “Typically, we try to achieve a loading on our engines of 8590% where the engine is optimized but we still have some margin. This is strategic loading, and load fluctuations can be handled by energy storage, so we can often have one cylinder less on the main engine.”

Variable speed gensets

Torsten Büssow, Managing Director, Electrical & Power Systems Business at Wärtsilä, says a DC system makes sense in two situations: when the system has a big battery, because it will give DC electricity, or if variable speed gensets are desirable.

However, he says, DC is not needed for the incorporation of solar systems onboard. “Solar panels come with smart converters that will generate 200-500kW that can go directly to the switchboard. There's no advantage on the DC grid. Otherwise, you need to have a DC power module, and each connection to a converter drives up the costs,” says Büssow.

“A DC grid comes with electrical losses of around 5%, so it's adding a lot of cost to the whole propulsion system. You pay twice, basically, for the DC grid and for the battery. So, in many cases, it's not needed.” While a DC system will be used for the battery and for charging the battery from shore power, an AC system can still be used for the normal vessel gensets and main propulsion.

8 Torsten Bussow

A DC grid comes with electrical losses of around 5%, so it's adding a lot of cost to the whole propulsion system. You pay twice, basically, for the DC grid and for the battery. So, in many cases, it's not needed

Some in the industry have indicated that the power capabilities of DC grids are limiting the uptake of hybrid solutions in large vessels, but John Olav Lindtjørn, Head of Product & Portfolio Management, Electric Solutions at ABB Marine & Ports, says there are other, more important factors. These include the cost and availability of marine grade batteries. Cost and availability are also issues for fuel cells, as is the viability of viable zero-emissions fuels.

“The upper limit depends on a number of things,” says Lindtjørn. “To start – the main factor is will often be limited by a combination of maximum power of individual power sources or loads. Today, this is around the 6MW mark for sources and 8MW for loads. If a system design stays within these parameters, the next limit would be the point at which power distribution becomes impractical using low voltage (690Vac or 1000Vdc). This depends on the application. If the main source of power is low voltage (e.g. batteries or fuel cells) and there is little need to distribute power over long distances, there would be a strong motivation to stay with a low voltage DC system. In such cases systems could approach (and possibly exceed) 30MW installed power. On the other hand, if the main source comes from internal combustion engines, it may be tempting to go for a medium voltage AC solution sooner.”

Time as a parameter

Unlike a direct engine-driven ship where typically power sources are separately dedicated either to mechanical propulsion or to electrical auxiliary power, in GE Power Conversion’s Ship’s Electric Grid any prime mover can feed any load or consumer on the vessel. This unlocks higher levels of flexibility, resilience and efficiency, particularly coupled with the growth in vessel power demands for complex operational systems that have transitioned to needing electrical rather than mechanical or hydraulic power.

The Ship’s Electric Grid inherent scalability means electric architectures and propulsion are just as suited to smaller and lower voltage vessel fleets as to the biggest, higher voltage ships. One of the biggest advantages is in ‘right-sizing’ the power system which comes from this ability to share power around the vessel. The vessel’s power system is more likely to be able to be configured without over-sizing one element (for example, propulsion or auxiliary power), helping to mitigate the occurrence of black-outs but also to reduce contingency or oversized power sources, which are often under-utilized on traditional mechanical drive ships.

The size of battery installations is a potentially limiting factor for electrification that is giving way to new technology.

Leclanché has been selected as the battery technology provider for two hybrid vessels being built for Stena Line and Brittany Ferries. Each battery system has a capacity of 11.3 MWh, so the RoPax ferries will be the world’s largest hybrid vessels.

Current limitations

GE Power Conversion’s Nick Smith says: “More customers are asking us how they can help to future-proof their ships for higher energy needs. Energy-efficient architectures, like GE’s SeaPulse™ Advanced AC and DC architectures, help to optimize the ship’s power network, providing the right levels of power and power quality across propulsion, on-board services and operations.”

Power network flexibility and configurability are also enhanced by the Ship’s Electric Grid incorporating increasingly intelligent and digitalized automation, control and energy management systems. “Electric ships function as microgrids, but they historically have functioned as power, not energy networks,” says Smith. “Ships’ power management and energy storage systems are adding ‘time’ as a parameter to become holistic energy management systems. It means we can shift to a more efficient and more automated way of getting power in the right place at the right time.”

Yaskawa Environmental Energy/The Switch has developed a battery short circuit prevention device that boosts the safety of large battery installations and expands the scope of onboard electrification possible. “The flip side of using very large batteries is the need for much greater protection for the rest of the power distribution system. Without fast, reliable protection, a sudden release of energy can result in major damage or, in the worst case, an electrical fire,” says Asbjørn Halsebakke, Manager Technical Solutions Marine Business.

The company’s Battery Short-circuit Current Limiter (BSCL) and the closely related Electric Current Limiter (ECL) enables energy storage systems in excess of 1 MWh, minimises the number of parallel systems required and thus reduces installation size. “In principle, implementing a BSCL means you only need two DC-Hubs for an ESS of up to 40 MWh,” says Halsebakke.

The standalone device is placed close to the batteries and between drives. The ECL supports the further development and use of DC power distribution. It maintains the integrity of

8 Bernd Friedrich

Ships’ power management and energy storage systems are adding ‘time’ as a parameter to become holistic energy management systems. It means we can shift to a more efficient and more automated way of getting power in the right place at the right time

The Switch DC-Hub in any situation by disconnecting a critical fault in microseconds. Thus, DC loads can be safely connected to a DC-Hub.

Donato Agostinelli, Sales Manager at Steerprop, cites a progression in electrification that will eventually result in the complete overhaul of the engine and propulsion rooms. Long shaft lines have been replaced initially by dieselelectric propulsion systems and that is paving the way for fully battery and fuel cell powered systems. “This has enabled more efficient thruster systems by going from Z-Drive with two reduction gears, to L-Drive where only one reduction is needed and mechanical efficiency is further improved.”

Alt fuel benefits

He says the benefit can be huge, with over 25% energy savings under 50% MCR, and it also provides energy efficiency for the most demanding operations. “In today's electric vessels, this means savings on the needed battery capacity requirements, for example, and less fuel consumption. When talking of future fuels with generators and fuel cells running with methanol, hydrogen, ammonia, etc., this also plays an important part, since the storage requirements will be three to 10 times higher than the storage volume requirements of today's vessels.”

A series of battery/new fuel combination vessels is already being developed by Damen Shipyards in cooperation with offshore personnel transfer company Windcat and CMB.

TECH. The power requirements of the “Elevation Series” hydrogen-powered Commissioning Service Operation Vessels (CSOVs) are driven by DP2 rules and notations and therefore need to account for worst case failures such as loss of an engine, switch board or propulsion unit, without impact on the vessel duty – in this case the use of the gangway to transfer technicians to an offshore structure.

Windcat says the power system design is that of a diesel electric vessel, hence no gearboxes. Subject to final configuration it will have approximately 5.6MW of installed main engine power, coming from three medium speed engines. Given the DP2 design, the engines are supported by a c800kW battery that acts as a peak shaving / spinning reserve alternative. This reduces fuel burn by removing the need to have an additional engine spinning without load in case of a worst-case failure. Similarly, when slightly more power is required than the loaded engines, the battery can be used. Finally, the battery can be used to support shore power needs and or offshore hotel load if for example

Onboard wind power is likely to have signi cant impact on power system designs. The EU’s CHEK project is anticipating that ships can achieve power savings of around 20% by combining wind assist technology with weather routing. In

general, the savings can be considerable, varying between 10-30%, depending on the typical routes, operational speeds and weather profile. Savings of this magnitude could result in lower engine power requirements on newbuildings, says Mia Elg, R&D Manager at Deltamarin. “Today it’s typical that cargo ships operate at lower speeds than design so we see often engine loads of 50-70%. When adding the considerable energy savings possible with wind and voyage optimization, the engine loads get even smaller.”

DC system evolution

This will change ship design significantly. “It of course takes some courage to design new systems and specify things in a new way, but for instance the methodology that we have presented in the CHEK project, including simulations run in several “generations” including verifying the results always when possible, gives us the confidence to go forward.”

Meanwhile, ABB Marine & Ports continues to push the limits of its Onboard DC Grid™, also increasing its high-power capabilities, by expanding capabilities of the existing system, enabling better integration with medium voltage AC solutions and increasing the DC voltages.

Matti Lehti, Global Product Manager at ABB Marine & Ports, says the next big development in onboard power systems may be within higher-powered DC systems with a combination of medium and low DC voltages in the same system. He sees three key enablers: high-frequency, galvanically isolated DC/DC converters (DC voltage transformers) allowing the coupling of different DC voltage levels from low voltage to high voltage and simpler integration of large batteries and fuel cells into higher DC bus-voltages. Additionally, new medium voltage converter types that support larger medium voltage DC switchboards as well as medium voltage DC protection devices.

It of course takes some courage to design new systems and specify things in a new way, but for instance the methodology that we have presented in the CHEK project, including simulations run in several “generations” including verifying the results always when possible, gives us the confidence to go forward

8 From left to right: John Olav Lindtjorn, Matti Lehti, Nick Snith

DC-HUB SOLUTIONS KEY TO STREAMLINING DRIVE DESIGN

Paul Atherton, General Manager, Operation Unit Norway, explains why Yaskawa Environmental Energy/The Switch’s holistic approach to designing DC power distribution solutions is a game-changer in power drive design

“Our individual DC-Hub building blocks are standardized, but which modules and how many of each a project requires can vary with the spec – that’s the essence of standardized tailoring. It’s all about scalability, flexibility, ease of system integration and reducing lead and execution times.”

The marine power drives market has undergone a key evolution in recent years. While there is still strong demand for single drive applications that require a dedicated cabinet for each application, the new trend is towards centralizing multiple drives in a common cabinet. That resulted in the strategic development of The Switch DC-Hub as a robust multi-source, multi-load DC system that includes several converters in the same unit.

“Opting to use conventional AC systems versus centralized DC distribution and DC-Hubs really depends on the operational profile of the vessel. However, the larger batteries and/or fuel cells that ships will increasingly be equipped with are DC energy producers, so a DC-Hub is the most efficient option. Our solution is also purpose-built for the marine market, unlike other offerings that have been modified from other industries,” says Atherton.

Building block philosophy

Even though each DC-Hub project is unique, the company can still perform efficient engineering because a Hub or Hubs can be assembled using different standardized building blocks. “In one project, there can be two active front-end building blocks and one motor inverter (MI) and an EBL. Another project might feature our DC/DC chopper. Projects can have any variation of number and type of modules, just like LEGO. Even though our standalone drives are products that share the building blocks used in the tailored DC-Hubs deliveries, every DC-Hub project shares the same foundation as the standalone drives,” he adds.

Systems integration legacy adds value

This holistic approach simplifies design for system integrators or OEMs, who can easily select and fit together different components for the design needs of each vessel, thus requiring less man-hours and customization. “We are a product supplier, but our own history in system integration gives us an inside understanding of customers’ needs – and the processes and challenges involved. Our Norwegian operations acquired in November 2016 formerly did system integrations for Wärtsilä, so our personnel are very familiar with power and energy management systems and other external vessel systems. They know first-hand how our drive components need to dovetail with them,” says Atherton.

Designed for optimal efficiency

The Switch DC-Hub offers a wide choice of power generation, energy storage, charging, propulsion power and clean power options for any ship system. “The solution cuts out costly conversions between AC and DC and is able to handle tens of

megawatts of power, while at the same time reducing or eliminating the need for bulky components such as transformers. This reduces overall system weight and volume, further enhancing vessel performance and efficiency,” says Atherton.

Unique protection concept

DC distribution is in many cases more efficient than AC, but concerns about safety and reliability previously hampered its use. The Switch DC-Hub provides complete selectivity and ride-through capabilities for optimal protection and safety. “Our proprietary specialized protection tools – the Electronic DC Breaker (EDCB), Electronic Bus Link (EBL) and Battery Short-Circuit Limiter (BSCL) – limit short-circuit current and isolate any faulty parts ultra-fast, making low-voltage DC distribution safe with guaranteed redundancy built in. That’s a major differentiator for us versus the use of conventional fuse solutions that don’t ensure protection,” says Atherton.

While the EDCB deals with any power module failure inside a DC-Hub, the EBL ensures selectivity between DC-Hubs in the event of a fault, responding within 10 microseconds. “Even with a full short circuit in the DC-Hub or in the cables between DCHubs, the grid voltage typically drops less than 100 V from around 1,000 V DC,” says Atherton. The BSCL, meanwhile, establishes a protected connection between large batteries and existing electrical systems, limiting the short-circuit current from the batteries to a safe level.

Future-proofing energy sources and loads

8 Paul Atherton

ned to be can ew design, add a new DC-Hub gy source or r in when it uture-proofing a mportant e owner is making. tted in ropriate ning nate the erators ys ring tion Hub ure This on winrs,”

The Switch DC-Hub is designed to be extremely scalable and flexible. “While it can be customized to the specific needs of any new vessel design, using our EBLs you can easily add a new DCHub to the original DC-Hub ring to accommodate a new energy source or consumer. With no clear winner in sight when it comes to alternative fuels, future-proo vessel in this way is extremely important in view of the long-term investment the owner is making. The Hub can also be retrofitted in existing vessels and is especially appropriate for those with dynamic positioning (DP) operations where it can eliminate the need for numerous generators running in parallel,” Atherton says.

“To sum up, in addition to being very adaptable, standard tailoring affords much greater production control of the different DC-Hub building blocks, so we can assure availability for customers. This shortens the lead and execution time of projects, which is a winwin approach for all stakeholders,” he concludes.

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INFO DISPARITIES CHALLENGE FOR RETROFIT INVESTMENT

The shipping industry has to invest in energy saving devices as part of requirements to reduce its carbon footprint. As many sectors of the industry have enjoyed rather good freight markets in the recent past, the availability of funds may not be a major problem, but here are other difficulties that affect the investment decision

8 Sophisticated ship owners and operators, such as Wallenius Wilhelmsen, have deep dataled insights in identifying the fuel efficiency savings and payback period for individual investments aboard their vessels, based on expected operational performance improvements. This data gap is creating a significant advantage over less sophisticated competitors

“The situation is a bit the same as in the case of preventive maintenance. If part of the machinery breaks down in the engine room when the ship is in the middle of the Pacific, leading to costs of $200,000 it is easy for the accounting department to establish the cost of the incident. But if preventive maintenance means that such an incident will not happen, it is not quite as easy,” Dr. Martin Stopford, the shipping economist, told The Motorship.

Measuring the results of investments in energy saving devices is, quite often, somewhat complicated. Manufacturers state that their equipment will save an owner so and so many percent in fuel consumption, but in reality the picture can be more complicated than that. One of the reasons is that there is not always enough data to establish the actual savings in case of each ship.

“Hard evidence is difficult to obtain: what tests have been done, it is difficult to get hard facts sand what you do get is not very bankable,” Stopford pointed out. “I would say that You should be able to finance these investments out of your cash flow, this should not be a problem now, given the past few years good (freight) markets. Banks are likely to help you if you can corner them by convincing them them that the investment will generate cash,” he continued.

Part of the challenge in establishing the performance of

energy saving devices comes from the fact that these are digital pieces of equipment. Technical staff at shipping companies is often not very strong in this field and recruitment of people with the right skills can be a challenge for a small owner. In addition, the engine room as work environment is not known for excellence in teamwork and improvements here could serve the industry well in various ways.

A practical implication of all this is that defining the payback time of an investment is not always easy. “If the payback time is one year or less, you are quite likely to make an investment. But if it is two years, you may do it, but if it is three years, you kick the proposed investment out,” Stopford said. The payback time of an energy saving investment obviously also depends on the price of energy: the higher the price, the more attractive an investment becomes, and vice versa.

On the other hand, there is evidence that things are getting better. The Carbon Intensity Indicator (CII) index is forcing the industry to measure its performance and to take action in case of ships that perform poorly, Stopford concluded.

Performance data gathering makes good progress

The shipping industry generally speaking makes money by buying and selling ships; due to the volatile nature of the freight markets, returns from operating activities are usually

rather meagre when measured over a long period of time. Therefore there is a tendency to operate ships at as low costs as possible.

The question of payback time of investments in energy saving devices needs more study, said Jonathan Chappell, Senior Managing Director - Surface Transportation and Marine Transportation equities at Evercore ISI in New York. “We have done math on scrubber paybacks, but don’t have enough information in fuel saving devices at this point,” he told The Motorship.

The shipping industry is working hard to accrue the hard data that is needed to establish how much various energy saving devices actually reduce fuel consumption and thereby emissions, said Anders Reddish Karlsen, shipping analyst at Kepler Chervreux in Oslo.

“A problem here is that it is difficult to eliminate the effect of other factors (than an energy saving device), such as wind and currents. No two voyages are exactly the same,” he said. The age of there vessel and in which part of the world it is trading also impact energy consumption.

“However, I’m pretty sure that most owners are actively looking for options to reduce their fuel costs and they test various devices,” he continued. Owners will find out which devices work for them and then roll the best options across their fleets, which again means that more hard data regarding the performance of equipment will be gathered over time.

Digitalisation is also helping the shipping industry to progress on this path. “Years ago it was common that the office would hear of a ship once a day. Only in recent years has big data started to make an impact on shipping and now it is possible to monitor the performance of equipment onboard in real time,” Karlsen pointed out.

Looking further into the future, many observers suggest that existing ships will have to start using another, greener fuel later in their lives, which could be an expensive investment in some cases.

“Over 30% of current new builds are designed for dual fuel. Using drop in fuels such as biofuels does not present a problem but high cost conversion of older vessels -10 years plus - are less likely. Purchasing carbon offsets is a more likely outcome with shorter life spans,” said Robin Meech, Managing Director, Marine and Energy Consulting Limited in the UK.

Part of much bigger picture of business transformation

Danish Ship Finance, the Copenhagen based shipping bank, said in a market report dated 22 November that for ship owners, the medium term outlook is about energy efficiency. “Many shipowners may choose simply to wait, retrofit existing vessels and comply with forthcoming IMO regulation. Adopting such a position could work, but not in isolation,” Danish Ship Finance said.

The bank pointed out that shipping has produced low earnings from operations when seen against a long time

frame, except for short lived super cycles. This has encouraged owners to look for asset purchases and sales as the principal way of making money. This, however, may not remain a relevant approach in the future.

“Many players are investing heavily in long term efficiency improvements that they hope will introduce radical reductions over time,” Danish Ship Finance said. It warned that those owners that do not follow the path of “their digital competitors” might end up creating less value on the same freight rate than the learners. “The message is clear: transformation is not an option, it is a business imperative,” the bank pointed out.

Rules regarding the Carbon Intensity Index (CII) indicator of IMO will require a 2% annual energy efficiency improvement between now and 2026, but cargo owners may demand more in the form of e.g. larger annual reductions. Owners who operate their own fleet may decide to invest heavily in long term energy efficiency improvements to increase the CII ratings of a fleet will thereby increase its earnings potential.

But investment in commoditised standard solutions that are likely to deliver little more than “table stakes” in order to remain in business. “The winners of the long term energy race are those that operate their fleets at significantly lower costs and with significantly lower emission footprints, but at significantly higher earnings,” Danish Ship Finance concluded.

8 Dr. Martin Stopford, the shipping economist, identified investment valuations as a barrier to attracting investment

Over 30% of current new builds are designed for dual fuel. Using drop in fuels such as biofuels does not present a problem but high cost conversion of older vessels - 10 years plusare less likely. Purchasing carbon offsets is a more likely outcome with shorter life spans

Hard evidence is difficult to obtain: what tests have been done, it is difficult to get hard facts sand what you do get is not very bankable. I would say that You should be able to finance these investments out of your cash flow, this should not be a problem now, given the past few years good (freight) markets. Banks are likely to help you if you can corner them by convincing them them that the investment will generate cash

‘‘

ELECTRIC MOTHERSHIP CONCEPT CHANGES SERVICE MODEL

Power-as a service is integral to an innovative offshore wind farm service model seeks to integrate a battery-electric mothership with pure electric crew transfer vessels with offshore electric charging

A coalition of UK based technology developers, naval architects and autonomy experts have joined forces with a Shift to develop a battery-hybrid offshore charging vessel concept. The vessel, which could be based on a converted offshore service vessel, is designed to act as mothership for up to six crew transfer vessels servicing offshore wind fields in the North Sea or elsewhere in the UK’s waters.

None of the technological elements included in the proposal, ranging from the use of offshore charging through to battery swapping, is innovative. However, the elements have not been combined with the digitalisation aspects of the proposals before, as far as Dr Peter Collinson of autonomous vessel consultancy Dendrityca knew, told The Motorship in an exclusive interview.

The project specifies 15m-long Swath crew transfer vessels. The CTV design is particularly well suited to operating in the North Sea, as its hull form is naturally heave damped, with low motions eliminating the need for gangways.

The concept is expected to connect with a battery recharging and recycling hub established at the port, and would rely on the battery-electric service vessels replacing discharged batteries with fresh batteries (using a swappable battery basis). The onshore hub would also feature a battery container charging point. “The advantage of this approach is that the offshore wind farm will be serviced by vessels potentially operating on energy generated at the windfarm, without requiring it to be converted to hydrogen or hydrogen vectors, such as ammonia”.

The design also anticipates that the larger mothership vessel will operate on electricity drawn from a designated charging point installed offshore at the wind farm.

One of the interesting aspects of the proposal was that the battery integrator in the project, Shift, proposed to offer swappable batteries for the CTVs based on a Power-as-aService (PaaS) model. As part of the this model, Shift would supply, operate and own the energy storage systems (ESS), the charging infrastructure and the service vessels using PwrSwap.

The ESS themselves would be fitted on a modular basis and provided on a subscription basis, allowing them to be

easily replaced if necessary. The swappable battery system will include Shift’s liquid-cooled IP67/A60 battery cells.

The PaaS system would be supported by a digitalisation tool monitoring the operational performance of the Shift system. While the system will also help to optimise the delivery of speeds, loads and navigation routes, it will also be integral to the pay-as-you-go model.

Offshore Wind Markets

Just as one contract for fleet auxiliaries does not signify a renaissance in UK shipbuilding, there is no reason that the UK should maintain its current position as a leading developer of offshore wind power assets. Both the US and the European Union have made expanding their offshore wind generation capacity by 2035 part of their decarbonisation packets.

While the expansion of market opportunities for wind turbine installation vessels is already translating into a surge of new orders for WTIVs, the market opportunities for servicing the fixed bottom generation assets is less clear.

A related issue is connected to the servicing requirements, as licences for newer and larger fields are continuing to be awarded. “This will inevitably lead to increased demand for CTVs to service offshore wind assets in deeper waters, without beginning to take into account the expansion of offshore infrastructure this transition will generate,” Dr Peter

8 The Zephyrus hybrid-electric OSV would act as a mothership for CTVs servicing offshore wind farms

We estimate that the Zephyrus model will be up to 50 percent cheaper than a contract serviced with conventionally powered vessels, adding that the majority of the savings were the result of lower fuel and opex expenditure on the vessels

‘‘

Other countries have applied specific regulations to their offshore assets in order to achieve specific decarbonisation outcomes. referring to Norway’s regulations to encourage the electrification of offshore oil and gas rigs in Norwegian waters, as well as proposals to force OSVs and CTVs operating in Norwegian waters to operate on alternative fuels by the second half of the 2020s

Collinson of autonomous vessel consultancy Dendrityca told The Motorship in an exclusive interview.

A separate and related development relates to the expected introduction of floating offshore wind generation capacity. This is attracting interest in East Asia, particularly where shallow coastal waters availability is limited, and might eventually open up new offshore areas for exploitation.

Commercial model

In common with other offshore assets, such as oil and gas, the initial focus of wind operators during the recent period has been on installing assets and ensuring availability rather than focusing on cost-optimisation during the performance of servicing contracts.

Collinson noted that the Zephyrus model was likely to offer significant cost savings for maintenance over the 25-year or so operational life of the assets.

“We estimate that the Zephyrus model will be up to 50 percent cheaper than a contract serviced with conventionally powered vessels,” Collinson said, adding that the majority of the savings were the result of lower fuel and opex expenditure on the vessels.

“We haven’t taken into account the additional cost savings that the Zephyrus model will produce if future regulatory changes alter the cost of conventional fuels,” he added, noting that the expected introduction of the Emissions Trading System in the EU and a future potential carbon levy could change the economics of such a model.

“Other countries have applied specific regulations to their offshore assets in order to achieve specific decarbonisation outcomes,” Collinson said, referring to Norway’s regulations to encourage the electrification of offshore oil and gas rigs in Norwegian waters, as well as proposals to force OSVs and CTVs operating in Norwegian waters to operate on alternative fuels by the second half of the 2020s.

It remains uncertain whether the UK will choose to introduce requirements for vessels servicing offshore wind farms to be zero emission or low emission.

Collinson concluded by noting that there was an opportunity to develop a wider UK supply chain, with a number of the project participants, such as AMC Ltd and MJR Power & Automation and Ad Hoc Ltd. based in the country.

8 The proposal envisages developing a swappable battery hub to supply energy to the CTVs based on a Poweras-a-Service (PaaS) model. Such hubs are expected to offer opportunities for battery recycling as a future step

8 The Zephyrus project includes UK-designed full-electric CTVs

DAWNING OF LIGHTWEIGHT HYBRID RO-PAX

Pioneering Australian aluminium shipbuilder Incat is in negotiations with a customer to convert an existing order into what would be the first reference of its large hybrid short-sea catamaran ferry

Incat confirmed that initial discussions with South American ferry operator Buquebus to introduce a battery-hybrid propulsion concept onto a large lightweight ferry under construction had advanced (see box below).

The battery-hybrid design is focused on the maximisation of battery-electric power augmented by diesel gensets, and is proposed as a contender to conventional, mid-sized ropax vessels.

Conceived by the Incat Group company Revolution Design, the innovative new type is 148m in length, raising the bar in the context of wave-piercer capacity and scale economy, offering substantial savings in energy usage and power needs, and displaying ‘green’ credentials. A slightly larger version, at 151m, is also foreseen.

The Incat 148E design offers a transitional route to zeroemission performance in the ferry sector, enabling regular

service at up to 21 knots in hybrid mode and adaptation to full battery operation at a later stage. On a waterline length of 146.4m and draught of 4.1m, the twin hull spans 30.5m.

As drafted, the 148E is laid out for a vehicular load equating to 2,194 linear metres in lanes of 3.1m and 2.3m, plus up to 1,200 passengers. The main garage deck offers 1,068 lanemetres for freight, while the weatherdeck ahead of the superstructure provides 914 lane-metres primarily for cars and vans. The balance of 212 lane-metres is available on the forward, internal ramps.

A clear height of 4.6m is obtainable throughout the main deck level, while a headroom restriction of 2.1m applies elsewhere. The ro-ro payload capability corresponds to approximately 60 tractor/trailer combinations plus 245 cars.

The location towards the stern of the passenger block, where seating for nearly 1,200 is arranged in lounges on two

First reference under discussion

South American ferry operator Buquebús has been consulting with Incat Tasmania about the possibility of altering an existing order to replace the specified LNG powerplant with a battery-electric solution.

If the order proceeds, the vessel would become the world’s first large, lightweight, zero emissions ferry. The discussions surround a 130 metre long lightweight newbuilding. The Ro-Pax will have a capacity for 2,100 passengers and 226 vehicles. The ferry, which is to be delivered in 2025, is intended to serve the 200km

River Plate route connecting Buenos Aires and Montevideo in Uruguay.

Incat Group Chairman and Founder Robert Clifford commented “the customer wants this to happen, Incat wants this to happen, and whilst there are matters to be finalised, I am extremely confident that Incat can deliver this ground-breaking ship. In my experience unless we see something come in from left field, this is a ‘done deal’.

“Obviously, there needs to be sufficient energy supply in the ports that the ship would visit but we understand that this is

progressing positively. The batteries and electric motors are being worked through with our suppliers, to ensure they can deliver the technology required in the timeframe we need them.”

The company announced that it is expanding its workforce and investing in its production facility in preparation to respond to what it expects will be a significant expansion in demand. Incat expects the delivery of a battery-hybrid lightweight vessel to open up a new high-growth market for similar vessels.

8 Buquebus is poised to order the first reference of Incat’s hybridelectric lightweight ferry design

decks, promises a more comfortable voyage in head seas than would be the case were the accommodation placed forward.

Incat’s weight-saving approach to hull lines, structures and onboard systems fosters minimum energy consumption. The rationale behind the design and construction concept is that the same power will propel a light displacement aluminium ship through waves more effectively than its heavy displacement, steel counterpart. While a battery installation implies high density, the amount of batteries can be reduced by lowering the vessel’s average speed requirement.

The most efficient electric-powered ship, asserts Incat, will be light and will sail at medium to low speeds.

The designers indicate that the lightweight ferry will use up to 40% less power than a comparable capacity passenger/ vehicle ferry, with corresponding savings in emissions. Furthermore, the aluminium wave-piercing ro-pax can more readily be converted to a zero-emission setup due to its lower power requirement.

Electric power is supplied by a battery outfit amounting to 10MWh of energy storage, with diesel augmentation for hybrid operation from CAT XQC containerised diesel gensets, or power modules, feeding two Azipod electric azimuth propulsors.

The podded units in the preliminary specification are of the DO1100 type, which yield an output in the 2,775-3,470kW range for ship speeds of around 20 knots. The Azipod D technology blends the best features of the original C-series with those of the high-output XO type.

It is foreseen that the gensets would cover 50% of power needs as a whole, and would effect battery recharging when alongside where no link with the shoreside grid is in place. At a future stage, the battery capacity could be increased to 30MWh, conferring greater range and speed in electric mode.

Incat recently entered a collaboration with ABB to further develop the 148m ferry concept and similar vessels. Seeking a viable pathway to zero-emission performance in the midsized segment of the ferry market, the two companies will evaluate hybrid operation and adaptability for a subsequent switch to full battery-electric mode. As and when shore charging facilities materialise, Incat-built electric ferries such as the 148E type and the slightly longer 151E would make greater use of batteries as proposed.

Besides the Azipod propulsion technology, giving assurance of precise control and manoeuvrability with maximised efficiency across the vessel’s operating profile, the ABB involvement in the 148E design would extend to the proprietary Onboard DC Grid power distribution, Ability power and energy management systems (PMS/EMS), 800xA distribution control systems and remote diagnostic system.

The orderbook at Incat’s Hobart yard in Tasmania comprises three wave-piercing ferries, including the 130m LNG dual-fuel newbuild contracted by Buquebus for the River Plate crossing, a 76m vessel booked by a South Korean operator, plus a 120m cat to unspecified account.

Leclanché to bring higher-performance Li-ion batteries

Leclanché, the integrated European battery supplier and manufacturer, has announced that it succeeded in reducing the cost and environmental impact of producing a new high-performance Lithium-ion cell.

By altering the chemistry of the NMCA cathodes (nickel-manganese-cobaltaluminium oxide), Leclanché claims to have reduced the cobalt content in the cathodes to 5%. The cells are reported to have a 20% higher energy density compared with conventional cells without altering the size, weight or charging/discharging rate.

“With the water-based production of the high-capacity NMCA cathodes, we have reached a decisive milestone in lithium-ion technology,” emphasizes Dr. Hilmi Buqa, Vice President R&D at Leclanché. “Until now, producing them using environmentally friendly processes was considered impossible. But, now we have mastered the process.”

Leclanché is the first company in the world to implement the environmentally friendly process in the production of Li-ion cells. The newly developed G/NMCA cell has a nickel content of around 90%, which increases the energy density and enables

the significant reduction of the cobalt content by 15%.

At the same time, it offers a longer service life, high cycle stability and good chargeability. Thanks to the high-volume energy density and high cycle stability, the new cells are particularly well suited for heavy-duty applications such as ships, as well as land transportation modes, such as buses and trucks.

Environmental benefits

While the improvements in the production process for the cell will reduce the environmental embedded in the cell by eliminating the use of highly toxic organic solvents (NMP) from the production process and replacing it with a water binder-based process, the advance will also improve the new cells’ end-of-life appeal. The new G/ NMCA cathodes are said to be easier to dispose of and are also recyclable.

Interestingly, most high-capacity NMCA cathodes are manufactured using organic solvents such as NMP (N-methylpyrrolidone). These are highly toxic and harmful to the environment. In

April 2018, NMP was added to the list of Substances of Very High Concern, which can have serious irreversible effects on human health and the environment. The use of NMP has therefore been restricted by the European Commission.

Leclanché’s water-based process is also less energy intensive, offering a 10-30% reduction in energy consumption compared with ‘conventional’ NMCA cells.

Leclanché plans to bring its new environmentally friendly G/NMCA cells to market in 2024.

A clear height of 4.6m is obtainable throughout the main deck level, while a headroom restriction of 2.1m applies elsewhere. The ro-ro payload capability corresponds to approximately 60 tractor/trailer combinations plus 245 cars

8 Leclanché’s new G/NMCA cells will have a 20% higher energy density compared with conventional Li-ion cells.

CYBER SECURITY AUDITS NEED TO COVER BWMS: BIO-UV

By BIO-UV Group’s Maritime Division, BIO-SEA Business Director, Maxime Dedeurwaerder

From September 2024, ships with systems that fail to meet IMO and/or US Coast Guard requirements are at risk of detention by Port State Control authorities with serious off-hire implications, berthing delays, charter disruption, and large financial penalties. Yet, some owners have not invested sufficient resources in their ballast water installations. And to be fair, there has been plenty of time to tackle the challenges, of which there are many.

These projects are much more than simple equipment acquisition, though this of course is a fundamental consideration. But equally as important, in my view, is integrating the system within an existing ship. This, together with a vessel’s likely operating profile, should drive decisions on the choice of technology.

As the market has grown in maturity, it has weeded out the technologies of choice. And today, the vast majority of systems operate on the basis of ultra-violet (UV) treatment combined with filtration, such as our BIO-SEA system, or electro-chlorination. There are other technologies, of course, but they tend to be suited for specific vessel and operational requirements.

However, the backdrop is far more complicated than this because even systems based on the same treatment technology vary significantly in terms of efficacy. Waters of high turbidity such as those found off parts of the Chinese coast, for example, are challenging for UV systems. That is why our BIO-SEA system is a carefully designed combination of UV disinfection and filtration.

In our arena, there are two clear groups of UV system manufacturers – one in Europe and one in Asia – whose systems provide different levels of efficiency. Careful analysis of system performance – level of UV dose and holding time, for example – is therefore essential.

At BIO-UV Group, we have our own internal engineering personnel who specialise in the correct dosing levels, for example. So, we don’t have to rely on external engineering or development teams. This means that we can bring to bear knowledge gained from water treatment system installations in other challenging industrial sectors.

Cyber security needs

I want to draw owners and operators attention to the looming requirements of cyber security.

The operating software used by ballast water treatment systems poses a threat to a vessel’s cyber security, as it represents a point of entry for the cyber hacker. If the ballasting system is accessed by criminals there is a significant risk to ship stability, crew safety and the environment. We recommend in the strongest terms that owners ensure that

The differences between systems have important implications for ship operators. One, it is important to pick a ballast water system that can be integrated effectively with a ship’s likely trading pattern. If the vessel is to trade in Asian waters much of the time, robust filtration and UV dosing is an important factor. A second aspect of this point is whether a ship’s operating profile can be adjusted – to enable ballast hauls between two ports where water conditions are challenging, for example.

We have seen a number of owners opting not to install treatment systems because their ships operate consistently in the same region. But in our experience, this is a shortsighted strategy because the absence of an effective system has a significant impact on vessel value and can also be a constraint on vessel deployment.

Furthermore, the cost of retrofit can be significantly less than the reduction in a vessel’s value resulting from not

the ballast water treatment system’s control software is sufficiently protected against cyber-attack.

This has a number of implications for BWMS systems. It is important to bear in mind that there are a huge number of systems installed some time ago, well before some of the latest advances in cyber security were made available. Most of these legacy systems are probably not suitable for security upgrades and could be attractive targets for criminals.

8 Annual system checks for BWMS systems are mandatory under US regulations and should form part of a robust maintenance schedule, BIO-UV’s Maxime Dedeurwaerder insists

As many of you know, the International Association of Classification Societies (IACS) has recently published two unified requirements relating to the cyber resilience of ships and their equipment. And we are following these and making sure that they will be implemented on system installations from 2024. We have recently completed testing new BIO-SEA cyber secure control software for to ensure that our cyber framework offers the right level of security and hope to have full class approval in 2023.

having a ballast water installed. This is because of constraints on future employment possibilities.

Therefore, we see that having an effective system installation is a significant priority for buyers. This is clearly evident in the offshore market (OSVs and PSVs, in particular) and is likely to underpin a buoyant retrofit market lasting well past September 2024.

It should also provide guidance for those who claim that there is no return on investment for system installations. It is true that having a system does not increase revenue generating capability. But the converse is also true – not having one could result in the loss of a charter contract or a discount in vessel value. In other words, there is a price attached to not having a robust system on board.

Another key aspect which we believe is sometimes overlooked is the need for ship operators to account for ongoing system service and maintenance and, critically, crew training. We are moving from a market in which it was important to have a system installed on board, to one in which it is essential to demonstrate that the system operates effectively and is properly managed by the seagoing staff onboard.

We believe that shipowners should rely on support from system manufacturers in terms of training and annual system checks. Although such checks are not required by the IMO, they are mandatory under US regulations and should definitely be included in a robust maintenance schedule.

We have found, in practice, that seafarers who need to familiarise themselves with certain types of systems can be supported at the same time as the annual check. They may well be familiar with generic systems, but not with the requirements relating to specific installations.

For the record, our BIO-SEA systems are relatively easy to use, and personnel training is straightforward. We use a network of Certified Service Partners around the world to ensure that our clients have access to the best service and support in any location. This approach also safeguards the validity of our OEM original warranty.

We also strongly recommend that ship operators should keep a stock of spare parts on board. Although this is not a class requirement, why would you not keep spares for a ballast water system in the same way as you would for any other critical system on board?

Techcross announces first unified BWMS control

Techcross, the Korean ballast water management system (BWMS) supplier, has announced that it has concluded orders for two new products as part of its diversification strategy. It has recently concluded a contract for a unified control panel for its BWMS system, permitting vessel personnel to monitor and control the company’s BWMS system, as well as its tank level gauge and valve lining systems remotely.

TThe unified control panel, named the Techcross IBTV (or Techcross Integrated BWMS TLGS VRCS), will be installed in a demonstration vessel of a research institute in Korea in July 2023.

Techcross will deliver its first reference of its Internet of Things based Techcross IBTV control panel in July 2023.

The solution will allow all the equipment related to the BWMS to be controlled from a single workstation, reducing operational complexity. Techcross notes that in addition to the LGS (Tank Level Gauging System) and VRCS (Valve Remote Control System), the system can also handle the ballast pump.

Cold ironing and electrolysis

Techcross has also announced that it will deliver its first order of a onshore power system (or Alternative Marine Power, AMP)

system in April 2023. Techcross recently established a new business focused on shore power supply in response to tightening environmental regulations worldwide. The company cites port level initiatives in the US and China that have banned the operation of generator sets while a vessel is at berth.

In addition, The Motorship notes that Techcross was awarded a contract in September 2022 to develop core materials, parts, and equipment for water electrolysis. The project, which is being coordinated by Korea’s Ministry of Trade, Industry, and

Energy, comprises 16 consortia and 4 subprojects designed to develop localised water electrolysis technology.

Within the four-year KRW14 billion (USD11.1 million) government-funded project, Techcross is responsible for the “Development of Diaphragm Membranes and Electrodes for Large-area Alkaline Water Electrolysis”. Through this progress, Techcross aims to internalize large-area separators and electrodes, which are core materials for alkaline water electrolysis stacks and intends to reduce production costs and acquire quality competitiveness.

At BIO-UV Group, we have our own internal engineering personnel who specialise in the correct dosing levels, for example. So, we don’t have to rely on external engineering or development teams. This means that we can bring to bear knowledge gained from water treatment system installations in other challenging industrial sectors

MEPC 80 TO CONSIDER DRAFT URN GUIDELINES UPDATE

The next meeting of the IMO’s Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC 80) will consider draft revised guidelines covering the reduction of underwater radiated noise (URN) agreed by the IMO Sub-Committee on Ship Design and Construction (SDC 9) in late January

8 Draft revised guidelines relating to the reduction of underwater noise from commercial shipping will be considered at MEPC 80 in June 2023

The review aims to make new recommendations based on the latest developments in ship design and technology and to address any barriers that could prevent the wider take up of noise reduction measures. This includes potential solutions relating to the retrofit of existing propeller and shaft technology that could contribute to a more peaceful marine environment.

Initial findings from research carried out by Thordon Bearings indicates a seawater-lubricated propeller shaft could have an important role to play in reducing propeller noise given it is significantly quieter than one lubricated by oil.

While comparative studies have yet to be completed, the Canadian polymer bearings specialist says the low URN of a ship operating seawater-lubricated propeller shaft bearings is, more than any other aspect, the primary reason why the arrangement is favoured by naval forces and the fisheries sector.

“For fishing vessels, we are told: ‘seawater-lubricated propeller shafts don’t scare the fish away’. And for naval ships, a low signature means they can avoid a submarine’s passive sonar system,” says Tony Hamilton, Technical Director,

Thordon Bearings. “But we are now seeing more sectors –cruise, expedition, and research ships, for example – adopt a seawater-lubricated arrangement for noise abatement reasons alone.”

Hamilton furthers that noise emissions should be considered as serious as marine exhaust gas emissions or any other source of ship-to-air and ship-to-sea pollution; but there is currently no legislation in place to prevent or reduce this source of environmental damage.

“Research shows the increase in ships and ship traffic globally is resulting in a steady rise in ambient noise across the frequency spectrum but current guidelines on URN are simply that: guidelines. More meaningful mandatory measures are required if the wider commercial maritime industry is serious about having a zero environmental impact or achieving UN Sustainable Development Goal #14, protecting life below water,” he says.

Typically, a rotating propeller and the vortex cavitation phenomena it creates can generate more than 180dB of underwater radiated noise – a din louder than a jet engine –and can be heard by marine fauna up to a hundred miles away.

Indeed, research carried out last year by the University of Victoria, one of Canada’s leading research academies, found that the noise from increased ship traffic in the Arctic is resulting in “ship-avoidance reactions by beluga whales at extremely far distances – much farther than the whales could be seen from a ship.”

The propeller is responsible for about 85% of a ship’s URN, with anything above 155db an existential threat to marine life, including whales, seals, porpoises, and dolphins, as it severely impairs their ability to navigate, communicate, source food, find a mate, avoid danger, and survive. Anthropogenic ocean noise negatively affects ecosystems, impacts biodiversity, and can alter the aquatic food chain.

“Unlike ships operating a metal bearing, an elastomeric polymer bearing is a noise dampener,” says naval architect Jeff Butt, Thordon’s Business Development Manager, Navy and Coast Guard. “There is a significant amount of empirical data and testimony indicating its noise abatement capability.”

Butt says that while the navies of the world will not release data specific to their vessels’ acoustics for obvious reasons, “we are told we win naval contracts because our COMPAC material exceeds the noise signature requirement. We have customers stating the material is substantially less noisy, and fishing vessel operators cite much larger catches after they have converted to a Thordon bearing.”

While it is completely logical that a seawater-lubricated polymer bearing is less noisy than the metal variety, the Thordon material is also reportedly quieter than rubber bearings and staves.

Gary Ren, Thordon’s Chief Research Engineer, says a common problem with conventional rubber bearings is the squeaking and squealing that can occur when trawling at low speeds.

“This high-pitched noise will reverberate for miles under water. But the friction associated with conventional bearings is removed with our system, meaning shafts turn more easily. Noise is absorbed by the bearing in the 20 to 200rpm range,” he says.

Propeller noise and cavitation on a seawater lubricated propeller shaft could apparently be reduced even further by “degasifying” the water around the screw, by injecting water filtered through a 5μm membrane around the propeller blades.

According to the authors of the paper Prevention of Cavitation in Propellers, published in in 2020 by Firenze University Press, “this boundary layer at least partially increases the negative pressure required to initiate cavitation at the surface, reducing the occurrence of cavitation during the relative movement”.

During trials on a test rig in Australia, measurements

pointed to 10db noise reduction after releasing the degassed water behind the propeller.

There is also the Prairie Air System, which some navies have been using to reduce propeller cavitation and, to a lesser extent, hull noise, for years. This method involves channelling air along the leading edge of the blade.

Similar systems are being developed for commercial ships. And in 2019, for instance, Kongsberg Maritime announced it had adapted its Blade Air Emission system for commercial use. The company said the system, applicable to conventional fixed pitched and controllable pitched propellers, “minimises substantially underwater radiated noise” and, is “a real game-changer” in propeller design.

Similarly, the PressurePores concept unveiled this year by the University of Strathclyde and a UK-based start-up reduces propeller tip vortex cavitation by applying a small number of strategically placed holes in the propeller blades.

Meanwhile, researchers at the University of British Columbia, Canada, are studying how fluid injections could help control propeller movement and if the introduction of wavy, serrated blade edges can “break up” the water flow patterns that result in cavitation noise.

Dr. Rajeev Jaiman, an associate professor at the University’s Department of Mechanical Engineering, and his team are also developing an AI-based solution capable of analysing the fluid interactions and dynamics behind the noise. The intention is to develop software to aid the design and manufacture of quieter propellers.

The researchers are working closely with Seaspan Shipyards, Robert Allan Limited, and Vard Marine in the fiveyear project that has funding support from Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC).

“The good news for us, as researchers,” says Jelovica, “is that the marine industry is receptive to these innovations. It recognises the need to change and to become more sustainable and environmentally friendly.”

Draft URN guidelines agreed

Shortly before going to press, the International Maritime Organization announced that draft revised guidelines related to the reduction of URN from the shipping industry had been agreed by the IMO Sub-Committee on Ship Design and Construction (SDC 9), which met in late January 2023.

The draft guidelines revise the previous guidelines (issued in 2014), and include updated technical knowledge, including

reference to international measurement standards, recommendations and classification society rules. They also provide sample templates to assist shipowners with the development of an underwater radiated noise management plan.

The guidelines assess the different approaches that are available to designers, shipbuilders and ship operators to reduce the underwater radiated noise of a vessel. They are intended to assist relevant

stakeholders in establishing mechanisms and programmes through which noise reduction efforts can be realised.

The draft guidelines will now be submitted to the Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC 80), which meets from 3-7 July 2023, for approval.

The draft guidelines were developed by a correspondence group with further work completed by a working group which met during the Sub-Committee session.

This high-pitched noise will reverberate for miles under water. But the friction associated with conventional bearings is removed with our system, meaning shafts turn more easily. Noise is absorbed by the bearing in the 20 to 200rpm range

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BEATING THE JAPANESE INVASION

The international magazine for senior marine engineers

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The influence of Japan on world shipbuilding continued to come under the microscope of The Motorship in February 1973.

Then, the question was why, if Western European shipyards were planning to join together to resist the expansion of Japanese yards, were so many of them ordering main engines from Japan? The reason seemed to be that Japanese engines, even built under licence to European designs, were both cheaper and offered faster delivery. Our predecessors pointed out that even European yards with their own engine works were likely to order crankshafts from Japan.

No such questions were asked about the vessel featured in the main ship description – Fleetbank –one of a series of 16,634 dwt cargo liners built by Doxford, and powered by a 12,000 bhp Doxford J type engine. The ship was built to an established design, 17 of which had previously been delivered, but featured the capability of carrying a number of containers as well as traditional general cargo. The main engine was a Doxford 67J6 opposed piston two-stroke, with two Napier turbochargers. The engine was the first to be fitted with a new Doxford damper, said to reduce stresses by as much as 60% as well as offering simpler maintenance.

Doxford engines were thought to be holding their own against the Japanese invasion, with many companies routinely ordering them (despite, it was somewhat cynically noted, the company’s “modest” sales and publicity efforts). As well as a healthy demand for the J type, the company had great plans for its upcoming ‘Seahorse’ medium speed unit, still of opposed piston design, which would offer a power output of 2500 bhp per cylinder. Another feature of the Doxford design was said to be its favourable fuel efficiency and low lubricating oil consumption.

A review of 1972’s marine diesel and gas turbine developments naturally focused on the everincreasing power demands of the latest larger and faster ocean-going vessels. Here, the large medium speed engine of 1500-2000 bhp per cylinder was thought to show considerable promise, though it was noted that the Diesel engine had still to gain a foothold for the largest ship type, the 300,000dwtplus VLCC. But the supertanker sector, with power

demands of some 50,000bhp, could in theory be served by the latest super-large bore low speed engines. With orders being placed for 500,000 dwt-plus ships, which would need twin-screw power plants, engines such as B&W’s K98GFwith 3800 bhp per cylinder could well find a niche in this market. Still larger-bore engines were offered by Sulzer, with the RND105, as well as Fiat, renamed as GMT, whose 1060S was said to be able to achieve 5250bhp per cylinder.

Two examples of car/bulk carrier were described in February 1973, designed for the emerging trade between Europe and the US, carrying new vehicles outward and conventional bulk materials on the return voyage. The larger of the pair, from the German Lübecker yard, was of 33,300 dwt and 14,000bhp, giving a service speed of 17 knots. With the eight car decks in use, it could carry 2700 VW cars, and had the option for 152 TEU of containers as well as normal cargo in bulk mode. The design was offered with a choice of three engines, a MAN K10Z70/120E or two from Fiat – the 787S or B759S, each rated between 13,500 and 14,000 bhp. The smaller 25,250 dwt, 15.75 knot vessel from Kaldnes of Norway was designed to operate out of smaller ports and comply with St Lawrence Seaway regulations. The main engine was a B&W 6K74EF of 10,600 bhp, equipped for automated operation.

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8 The Doxford-built and powered Fleetbank cargo liner

8 A 10-1060S engine, destined for a tanker, at the Trieste works of GMT

JUNE 202 Southampton United Kingdom 14

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