The Motorship July/August 2022

JULY/AUGUST 2022

Vol. 103 Issue 1205

MAN’s Rasmussen: MeOH conversions

Ro-Ro hybrids: Larger ESS loom

Wärtsilä interview:

Sigurd Jenssen on CCS

Babcock LGE:

Ammonia and LCO2

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE: Atlas Copco compressors | Deltamarin on CII | MARIN wind | Shell H2 project

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CONTENTS

JULY/AUGUST 2022

8

NEWS 16 1st ME-GA FAT

6

HHI-EMD completed the first factory acceptance test (FAT) for MAN’s low-pressure dual-fuel ME-GA engine in June

16 iCER FATs

The first two X-DF2.0 dual-fuel engines to feature WinGD’s intelligent control by exhaust recycling (iCER) have completed FAT

20 New EPM

IMES GmbH will present a new generation of EPM electronic handheld devices at its booth at SMM in Hamburg

FEATURES

12 REGULARS 8 Regional Focus

Italy’s commercial shipbuilding sector retains substantial critical mass and work volume, writes David Tinsley

10 Regulation

Captain Kuba Szymanski, InterManager Secretary General, is calling for changes to vessel design, procedures and regulations to reduce enclosed space deaths

12 Leader Briefing

Online motorship.com 5 Latest news 5 Comment & analysis 5 Industry database 5 Events

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Andrew Scott, Business Development Director at Babcock LGE, assesses the emerging alternative fuel markets and gives an insight into the company’s development priorities.

27

14 MeOH conversion interest

The economics of methanol engine conversions and regulatory changes are driving interest, Klaus Rasmussen, Head of Projects and PVU Sales, MAN PrimeServ tells The Motorship

19 Larger hybrid Ro-Ros loom

Interest in ever larger battery packs is growing in the ferry segment, as interest in hybrid power installation grows, Kari Reinikainen hears

24 Shell doubles down on hydrogen

Shell is moving ahead with plans to create a green hydrogen production and distribution supply chain centred around the Port of Rotterdam

27 On board CCS

Wärtsilä is taking a central role in developing maritime carbon capture & storage (CCS) technologies and expects to retrofit a pilot CCS system on the Clipper Eos in 2023

28 When the wind blows

Researchers at MARIN are examining the regulatory framework and design maturity of wind-assist technologies

The Motorship’s Propulsion and Future Fuels Conference will take place this year in Hamburg, Germany.

Stay in touch at propulsionconference.com

JULY/AUGUST 2022 | 3

NEWS REVIEW

VIEWPOINT

DON’T COMPARE LNG WITH GREEN AMMONIA

NICK EDSTROM | Editor nedstrom@motorship.com

Scaling issues The introduction of increasingly powerful energy storage systems into the commercial shipping market appears to show little sign of slowing.

The introduction of OPS requirements for passenger ferries, container vessels and cruise vessels has been approved by the European Parliament. This will steadily increase availability of OPS across the EU and neighbouring countries over the upcoming period, and will change the economics around installing battery systems on board vessels.

The size of installations is steadily increasing. Even before the first of P&O Ferries Channel ferry newbuildings has been delivered, their sizeable 8.8MWh energy storage systems will be surpassed by Stena RoRo’s 11.5MWh E-Flexer newbuildings. Meanwhile plans are advancing for a cruise ferry to be equipped with a 13.5MWh ESS. This in turn is driving innovation among OEMs and system integrators. As previously reported by The Motorship, a number of vessel designers are planning to integrate ESS into larger vessel designs, while engine designers and OEMs are looking at different configurations.

This evolution of such systems is coinciding with a renewed focus on regulatory developments by class societies. A number of high-profile incidents in Norway, including fires on board the Ytterøyningen and the Brim, have focused attention on ingress protection for the battery modules, after reports of flashovers across the terminals during water-based firefighting.

However, prominent safety specialists, such as Survitec, note that the safety issues go beyond the challenges of designing fire fighting systems to handle different kinds of fires. One area of focus is designing smoke detectors or sensors that can identify safety incidents before they spread between individual battery cells within a string, for instance.

Corvus Energy noted that its new collaboration with Yaskawa Environmental Energy / The Switch is intended to lead to the development of a proprietary battery short-circuit limiter device, and reduce the number of DC hubs required for installations of up to 40MWh. However, other potential solutions exist for shipowners looking to ensure the long-term compliance of their assets, ahead of the introduction of the CII index in 2023. The economics of dual-fuel engine conversions continues to improve, and MAN ES expects a significant number of conversions to be concluded over the coming period, as MAN ES’ Klaus Rasmussen explains in an interview with The Motorship. Interestingly, Rasmussen notes that the economics of methanol conversions are particularly attractive for larger, higher value vessels.

Elsewhere in this issue, we include an interview with Captain Kuba Szymanski, Secretary General of InterManager, addressing potential design improvements that could mitigate the persistent problem of deaths involving enclosed spaces.

We include a short feature on Shell’s recent investment in a 200MW electrolyser to produce green hydrogen outside the Port of Rotterdam.

Germany’s thyssenkrupp is supplying the electrolyser equipment.

4 | JULY/AUGUST 2022

SEA-LNG urges the industry to make like-for-like comparisons when discussing alternative marine fuels.

Discussion of alternative fuels too often compares the green versions of ammonia and methanol with fossil, or grey, LNG, says SEA-LNG. These green versions of ammonia and methanol are still some years away from commercial readiness, and should rightly be compared with green versions of methane, such as bio-LNG or e-LNG (renewable synthetic LNG).

All alternative fuels share a common pathway, starting at fossil-based versions and ending at low and zero-emission hydrogen-based, synthetic fuels.

These synthetic fuels will only become widely available when sufficient renewable electricity and electrolysis capacity comes online to produce them. This is likely to occur incrementally as fuels are gradually decarbonised by blending with increasing amounts of low and zeroemission drop-ins.

Natural gas, and sometimes coal, is the feedstock for almost all methanol, ammonia and hydrogen production. While LNG offers significant greenhouse gas emissions reduction when used as a marine fuel compared with VLSFO, fossil methanol, ammonia and liquid hydrogen have far higher emissions on a well-towake basis because of the large amounts of energy needed for their production. This will delay their adoption until a synthetic or biogenic version is available.

Committing to solutions which

8 Figure 1: all alternative fuels share a common pathway

rely on alternative fuels that will not be available at commercial scale in a renewable form for the foreseeable future, means owners locking in higher-emission and higher-cost decarbonisation pathways. LNG as a marine fuel delivers immediate GHG benefits and a lower risk, lower cost, incremental pathway to zero emissions.

SEA-LNG provides the example of a dual-fuel 14,000 TEU container ship, operating from 2025, with a 25-year lifespan. Over its operating life the different fuel pathways are compared against a VLSFO baseline, assuming increasing levels of drop-in renewable fuels as they become available at increasing scale from about 2030 onwards.

LNG offers immediate GHG reductions and decreasing to zero-emissions by 2050.

Methanol and ammonia pathways start from a worse place than LNG, because emissions are, respectively, 14% and 47% higher than VLSFO. Owners and operators choosing methanol and ammonia pathways will be forced to continue using VLSFO, which offers lower emissions initially than their chosen fuels. This will postpone emissions reduction for several years.

For methanol and ammonia to achieve emissions parity with fossil LNG they will require blends of approximately 30% renewable methanol and 50% renewable ammonia.

For the latest news and analysis go to www.motorship.com

NEWS REVIEW

FAT complete TESTS VALIDATE ICER ENHANCEMENTS for MAN’s first WinGD has reported successful acceptance tests for the ME-GA engine factory first two X-DF2.0 dual-fuel The Engine & Machinery Division of Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI-EMD) has completed the world first factory acceptance test (FAT) for MAN’s low-pressure dual-fuel ME-GA engine.

The FAT was conducted on 28-29 June.

HHI-EMD tested the world’s first MAN high pressure dual-fuel ME-GI engine in 2011.

The ME-GA engine offers a simplified fuel supply system due to its Otto cycle combustion process which is especially advantageous for LNG carriers that use boiloff gas as fuel. The Otto cycle minimises methane slip and allows for the optimization of engine efficiency with an exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) system as a standard.

Now, HHI-EMD is manufacturing a number of the engines. The first engine will be installed to the 174,000cbm LNG carrier in mid of August which is being built at Hyundai Heavy Industries shipyard.

Thomas Hansen, Head of Promotion of 2-stroke engines at MAN Energy Solutions, said earlier this year that MAN ES had already received 152 orders for the company’s two-stroke Otto Cycle engine for LNG carriers.

BRIEFS J-ENG injection test

Japan Engine Corporation (J-ENG) has completed the first test of its 6UEC35LSJ diesel engine for MGO-mono-fuelled/ stratified water injection. This engine will be delivered to Onomichi Dockyard Co. as the main engine of a 17,500dwt costal vessel for MOL Drybulk.

The stratified injection system injects two different liquids from a single injector. MGO and water are injected to realize lower fuel consumption and NOx reduction simultaneously.

6 | JULY/AUGUST 2022

engines to feature intelligent control by exhaust recycling (iCER).

The new technology is said to enable further improvements to fuel consumption and emissions performance from X-DF engines which were introduced to the market seven years ago.

Targeting even more refined combustion control and optimised performance, WinGD introduced the X-DF2.0 upgrade with iCER technology in 2020. This is reported to improve fuel consumption by around 8% in gas mode and 6% in diesel mode, reduce methane slip by up to 50%, as well as satisfying Tier III NOx emissions limits in both modes.

This performance improvement has been confirmed in recent factory acceptance tests for iCER with engine builders CMD in China and IHI Power Systems in Japan.

Using iCER’s low-pressure exhaust recycling technology, engines can harness high recycling rates of up to 50%, WinGD reports, allowing the engine to reach higher compression ratios that further reduce fuel consumption and emissions. Exhaust gas recycling can be used across the full engine load profile in both gas and diesel mode. In gas mode, the pilot fuel required is the same across the full engine load range.

WinGD states that iCER technology has proven advantages compared with high-pressure exhaust gas

K Line decarb MoU

K Line Group signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA) to cooperate on research and pilot projects to decarbonise bulk cargo shipping on 28 June. The cooperation is expected to focus on the development and implementation of new marine decarbonisation technologies suitable for EGA’s bulk cargo shipping routes. The solutions under consideration include kite systems, alt fuels and CCS technologies.

recycling technologies, which offer lower recycling rates, limiting the compression ratios they can reach. It says that this lower combustion control capability of high-pressure EGR systems typically leads to greater diesel pilot fuel injection at higher loads, impacting Tier III compliance, overall emissions and fuel efficiency.

Available with either on-engine or off-engine iCER, X-DF2.0 offers operators the flexibility to optimise combustion with or without exhaust recycling. Using

combustion stability mode without recycling, engines run on a ratio of gas and diesel fuel depending on engine load.

X-DF’s injection technology is said to minimise the amount of fuel used and enables engines to achieve stable combustion up to 100% load with the least possible amount of diesel fuel. For gas carriers, iCER can provide further flexibility through fuel sharing mode, which allows operators to use available boil-off LNG supplemented with diesel or VLSFO.

Yanmar Europe boss

H32C order

Samir Laoukili succeeded Peter Aarsen as president of Yanmar Europe on 1 July 2022. Peter Aarsen has been promoted to become the new chief executive of Yanmar’s global Energy Systems business unit. Laoukili has been working for Yanmar for almost ten years in various finance positions, including his previous position as chief finance officer and member of the board of directors of Yanmar Europe.

Hyundai Heavy Industries Engine & Machinery Division (HHI-EMD) has signed a contract for 25 HiMSEN H32C engines.

The engines will be installed on a series of new 13,000 TEU container vessels to be built

by Hyundai Heavy IndustriesShipbuilding Division. The engine is an upgraded, more fuelefficient version of the company’s existing H32/40 model engine with 20% increased engine output thanks to a variable fuel injection timing device.

For the latest news and analysis go to www.motorship.com

Meett WE E Tech h att SMM M Halll B1.OG G Stand d 102

REGIONAL FOCUS

ENDURING STRENGTHS IN HIGH-VALUE MARKETS

Credit: Fincantieri

While much of Europe’s commercial shipbuilding sector continues to contract under intensified competitive pressure from Asia, and China in particular, the industry in Italy retains substantial critical mass and work volume, writes David Tinsley

Underpinning this resilience are pragmatic, unified business strategies and supportive national policy, coupled with an unerring commitment to technological progress and retention of artisan skills.

A prime mover in the Italian export economy, and the largest European shipbuilder, Fincantieri’s global organisation spans a network of eight yards in Italy and 10 abroad, although care has been taken to maintain know-how and management centres in the homelands. The group has consolidated its primary role as a shipbuilder while leveraging core strengths to foster business diversification both within and outside the marine sector.

Unbowed by its failure to secure a majority stake in premier French shipbuilder Chantiers de l’Atlantique, due to a ruling by the European anti-cartel authorities, Fincantieri continues to pursue opportunities to extend its international influence, through both acquisitions and collaborative agreements.

By the end of March 2022, the group commanded a backlog of commercial and naval work representing a total value of EUR24.8bn($25bn), plus a “soft backlog” of provisional contracts and options amounting to EUR9.6bn($9.7bn). Such is Fincantieri’s status in the luxury passengership sector that the tally of confirmed contracts included 28 cruise vessels.

The combined figure of EUR34.4bn($34.7bn) for orders in hand plus prospective business was equivalent to just over five times the 2021 revenues. Production volume ramped-up

8 | JULY/AUGUST 2022

8 Fincantieri’s Sestri shipyard

steeply last year. The order intake during the opening quarter of 2022 laid down another EUR500m($505m)-worth of newbuild commitments, subsequently augmented by several large-scale contracts, including a milestone deal entailing fuel cell-equipped cruise ships. At the time of writing, other business in the offing featured a new stage of fleet investment by one of the US-based cruise entities, an existing client.

The cruiseship programme runs into 2027 and predominantly involves the group’s Italian yards, while certain tonnage in the expedition-type category is the province of Norwegian subsidiary VARD. Seven cruise vessel newbuilds are scheduled to be handed over during 2022.

The economic multiplier effect of high added-value construction, outfitting and engineering is all the greater in an Italian context for the spread of work throughout the country, since yards and suppliers are distributed around the country, on Ligurian, Tyrrhenian, Adriatic and Sicilian shores.

Just as the production of capital-intensive and technologically sophisticated commercial and naval tonnage imposes considerable demands on project management capabilities, similar oversight and logistic skills are required for the efficient control of multiple, separate production points.

The geographic dispersal of assets and its combined effect on cruiseship production volume and value is amply illustrated in current activities, as with the launch on March 1 of Norwegian Cruise Line(NCL)’s 67,000gt Vista from Genoa’s Sestri-Ponente yard, the June float-out at Ancona of the 10th

For the latest news and analysis go to www.motorship.com

in the 47,800gt Viking Star class, and the recent start to steelcutting at Monfalcone on the first of a pair of LNG-fuelled newbuilds to the account of a joint venture of TUI and Royal Caribbean Cruises.

Following on from a feasibility study into the design and construction of a hydrogen-fuelled cruise ship, undertaken in concert with Geneva-based MSC Group and Italian energy company SNAM, a provisional order was announced in July this year for newbuilds incorporating the technology. The memorandum of understanding embraces fifth and sixth vessels from Fincantieri for the MSC Group’s Explora Journeys brand.

The prospective additions to the orderbook, dubbed as Explora V and VI, are required for service entry in 2027 and 2028, respectively, and will be specified with LNG-capable main engines and hydrogen fuel cell auxiliary plant. The envisaged 6MW fuel cell installations will produce emissionfree power for the hotel load and sustain the shipboard net while in port. Moreover, a revision has been made to the preceding two-ship order, encompassing the 64,000gt Explorer III and IV, whereby each will be enlarged by 19m to enable the incorporation of a new-generation powering system based on LNG and hydrogen.

Corsica Linea’s impending newbuild arrival, the 206m A. Galeotta, testifies to the ongoing refinement of the Visentini ‘product’. Maintaining services all over Europe, the large population of ro-pax and ro-ro ferries built at the Porto Viro(Donada) premises of Cantiere Navale Visentini in northeast Italy, stem from the same efficient design concept.

Developed by the Trieste consultancy NAOS Ship & Boat Design, the Visentini series has reached a new level of hydrodynamic performance and environmental standard with the vessel for the Ajaccio-based ferry company. She will be the first large ship in Corsican trade to be fuelled by LNG, with regular bunkering to take place in Marseilles.

Furthermore, the powering and fuel systems allow for the use of lower- and zero-carbon LNG derivatives, such as bioLNG and hydrogen-derived LNG. A.Galeotta has been built to the maximum beam permissible in the Porto Viro construction dock, on the River Po, and combines capacity for some 900 passengers and crew with a ro-ro intake corresponding to 2,560 linear metres on the trailer decks plus dedicated space for 150 cars.

A characteristic of the Visentini type is the capability for fast transits in laden condition. The Corsican ship’s twin main engine installation directs a total 23,400kW along the two drivelines to controllable pitch propellers, for a specified speed of 23 knots. Two 2,000kW shaft generators will cover the electrical load while under way, including manoeuvring power demand from two bow thrusters.

The NAOS/Visentini breed first appeared in 1995, and the process of enhancement over the years included the adoption of the proprietary FlexBow in 2004. A.Galeotta hosts an improved version, the FlexBow 2.0 design. The yard is no stranger to LNG powering, having completed two 186m ropax ferries with Wartsila 46 dual-fuel propulsion machinery for Spanish operator Balearia in 2019.

Shipbuilding remains a cornerstone of the Genoese maritime and industrial economy, vested not only in Fincantieri’s Sestri-Ponente yard, but also in the T.Mariotti and San Giorgio del Porto establishments. The latter two enterprises are founders of the Genova Industrie Navale(GIN) Holding Group, which also includes local fabrication and outfitting specialists Gerolamo Scorza and Ortec Santamaria, rendering a comprehensive in-house capability for newbuild and conversion projects involving passenger ships and other vessels.

For the latest news and analysis go to www.motorship.com

Credit: Corsica Linea

REGIONAL FOCUS

A combination of GIN resources, including the CIMAR yard at San Giorgio di Nogaro, south of Udine, was brought to bear in the construction of the 147m rail ferry Iginia, delivered earlier this year for service across the Strait of Messina. After float-out of the hull from CIMAR’s premises on the Corno River, the hull was brought around the Italian coast to Genoa for installation of top superstructure, machinery and rail equipment and outfitting by the T.Mariotti/San Giorgio del Porto partners.

The new ship can transport 27 rail wagons on four tracks, plus approximately 900 people, and has been assigned to the route linking the Sicilian port of Messina with Villa San Giovanni on the Italian mainland. The vessel employs three rudder propellers of the Schottel azimuthing thruster type, plus twin bow thrusters, and the propulsive power system is based on Wartsila 26-series medium-speed diesels, supplemented by two battery packs recharged by solar panels and potentially from the grid when alongside.

Operator Rete Ferroviaria Italiana(RFI) subsequently awarded a similar, but slightly larger railship newbuild to Hijos J.Barreras, in northwest Spain. However, it is understood that the contract has not taken effect or has been rescinded, and industry sources attribute this to recurring financial problems at the Vigo yard. RFI is still seeking a further newbuild and the launching of a new public tender will create a fresh opportunity for Italian shipbuilders. The template for the Iginia had been the 2013-commissioned Messina, the last commercial vessel from the former Nuovi Cantieri Apuania at Marina di Carrara.

In the meantime, the first of two ultra-luxury expeditiontype cruise ships ordered from GIN Holding by Seabourn Cruises has been delivered by T.Mariotti. Designed to Polar Class PC6 standard and intended for deployment in diverse environments, the Seabourn Venture features 132 allveranda, sea-facing suites. Towards the end of April, the hull of the second ship, Seabourn Pursuit, arrived in Genoa from the fabrication site in San Giorgio di Nogaro, repeating the production process adopted for Seabourn Pursuit and the RFI rail ferry. Service debut is planned for 2023.

Over the years, the expansion of the GIN Group has included acquisition of French repair specialist Chantier Naval de Marseille(CNM) and the purchase, in conjunction with maritime services company Fratelli Neri, of the Piombino Industrie Marittime yard in Livorno.

8 Ro-pax ferry A.Galeotta float-out

JULY/AUGUST 2022 | 9

REGULATION

DESIGN CHANGES TO REDUCE ENCLOSED SPACE DEATHS In 2018, InterManager launched a survey on enclosed space deaths. Now, as a driving force behind the action being taken on those deaths, the organisation is calling for changes to vessel design, procedures and regulations

8 Captain Kuba Szymanski, Secretary General of InterManager, believes there is under-reporting of enclosed spaces incidents by shipping authorities

Captain Kuba Szymanski, Secretary General of InterManager, said that, first of all, the shipping industry needs to realise that “Houston we have a problem”. InterManager has been keeping statistics on incidents involving enclosed spaces since 1999, and during this period enclosed spaces have claimed the lives of 104 seafarers and 51 shore workers.

Szymanski highlights deaths in May and June this year as indicating that the danger continues.

He believes there is under-reporting of incidents by shipping authorities. An analysis of the IMO’s Global Integrated Shipping Information System (GISIS) database showed that only 26% of enclosed space accidents were reported through GISIS. He believes that accurate reporting is a prerequisite for the introduction of safety improvements – “what is reported is managed” is a management axiom. “By not reporting accidents the shipping industry is not giving people the chance to properly investigate, understand and learn from them. This is potentially putting the lives of more seafarers and port workers in danger.”

Szymanski urges the shipping industry to work harder to address the root causes of enclosed space accidents which InterManager has identified are particularly due to ship design, time pressure on workers, and contradicting and confusing regulations. Dangerous timeframes are imposed for hazardous tasks and safety improvements do not happen because shipping industry investigations encourage a blame culture, he says.

The 2018 survey, Szymanski’s idea, asked a simple question: why do we die in enclosed spaces? Around 5,000 seafarers

10 | JULY/AUGUST 2022

responded, and the results highlighted that procedures are confusing and do not take account of the resources, equipment and time available aboard the vessel. Commercial pressures are a significant impediment to following procedures, and ship design and equipment added to the problems by creating hazards. As well as being hard to reach, enclosed spaces are frequently impossible to properly ventilate or to measure the atmosphere in, some respondents said.

Seafarers asked for more training, prioritisation of management-led safety cultures, and suggested using the “fear factor” to raise awareness of the dangers of working in enclosed spaces. In fact, respondents recommended changing the phrase to “dangerous space” or even “fatal space” to push the message home.

In response to the findings, the Human Element Industry Group (HEIG) set up a project involving some 50-100 maritime sector individuals, and produced an analysis of the problems and how they can be addressed. HEIG includes participants from The Nautical Institute, IMarEST, InterManager, INTERCARGO, ITF, the International Chamber of Shipping, IFSMA, BIMCO, IMPA, Nautilus and IACS. The group worked closely with the IMO, and the enclosed space project also included other organisations such as MAIIF and the Royal Navy.

Designing for safety The group looked at the problem using a hierarchy of hazard control based on the premise that eliminating a hazard is better than accepting it and relying on procedural controls to manage it. The resulting report Technical Solutions to Enclosed Space Fatalities identified a number of generic

For the latest news and analysis go to www.motorship.com

REGULATION changes to the design of ships and equipment that can be made to improve safety: One reason to enter an enclosed space is to carry out repairs or maintenance on equipment within that space.

Careful design can reduce the need for this by ensuring that equipment is not fitted within an enclosed space unless absolutely necessary. If it is, the equipment should require no or minimal maintenance or have a period between overhauls that allows the work to be carried out in drydock. Another alternative is to keep the maintainable components outside the space or making them withdrawable as with tank washing machines and some deep well pumps.

Access arrangement to enclosed spaces are governed by IACS requirements, but the size of the manhole needs to be suitable for the size of seafarers and the equipment they need to carry. Rescue operations also needs to be considered.

Rescuers may be wearing breathing apparatus and will need to manoeuvre the casualty out of the manhole.

While pump and compressor rooms have fixed ventilation, other areas may not. Small areas could be fitted with a fan with an ‘elephant’s trunk’ that could enter via a separate access point to the manhole. Air circulation would be improved, and the air being expelled could easily be monitored.

Tanks that require cleaning could be designed without internal supporting structure to facilitate draining. They could also be designed with sloping bottoms, and sumps to collect sludge. Cleaning could be undertaken without the need for full entry, and top access could facilitate mechanical cleaning.

Greater use could be made of fixed gas monitoring systems so that entry to the space is not required for testing.

This could be particularly important for some foc’sle spaces on general cargo ships with doors into holds that may not routinely contain hazardous cargoes.

Connected spaces Australian ladders pose a significant risk to bulk carrier cargo access, states the report. These ladders were required by AMSA to manage fall risks. They have landings at intervals and are often enclosed. While they pose little risk at the loading port when the holds are empty, clean and ventilated, they will share the atmosphere once a hazardous cargo is loaded, and there will be limited airflow when hatch covers are open, so the space may remain hazardous.

Enclosed ladders could be eliminated from newbuilding designs and replaced with vertical ladders with strong rings to protect from grab damage. Mesh “windows” could be installed on existing enclosed ladders or forced ventilation and a fixed monitoring system could be added to the bottom of the space.

A hazardous cargo can also result in danger to connected working spaces. Even a very small hole can result in an oxygen deficient atmosphere migrating to another space.

Connections should be eliminated where possible, or forced ventilation and fixed gas detectors could be installed.

often a mismatch of equipment that does not fit comfortably or work correctly. The report indicates that there should be an integrated review of equipment and applicable ISO standards.

Current regulation is built around IMO 1050(27) “Revised Recommendations for Entering Enclosed Spaces Aboard Ships” which was last updated in 2011. There are some significant issues with this document, and HEIG is preparing a submission to IMO, in conjunction with Flag States, to address some of these concerns. The UK’s Code of Safe Working Practices (COSWP) has recently been revised with the participation of HEIG members, and ISGOTT 6th Edition was revised in 2020, jointly published by OCIMF, ICS and IAPH. It includes guidelines and recommendations for enclosed spaces.

Further changes to industry practices are being considered. The HEIG report proposes a register of enclosed spaces be prepared for each vessel that includes the physical layout of the space, hazards present, ventilation information, along with other information that would help with risk assessments and subsequent entry.

Many sources of regulation and guidance conflict with each other, says Szymanski, and some confuse people instead of helping them. “Good examples are the Code of Safe Working Practices, the ISGOTT Guide, and IMO resolution 1050. There is recent improvement, but still the language used varies, leaving huge space for interpretation.

Let me stress: lack of consistency allows people to interpret things differently and unfortunately that kills!

“The use of breathing apparatus (BA) sets is a striking example. Ashore only emergency services personnel can use them - full stop. Onboard, on one hand we say something very similar: “BA sets are to be used in an emergency only, but we also say they can be used when operational issues require. This disparity has killed many, many people.” He notes that some oil majors still require wall wash tests which can only be done safely wearing BA sets.

Leadership After the survey, Szymanski said: “When I examined the results of the survey, I noticed that the most positive responses came from within companies where senior managers took a leading role on safety matters, where they engaged themselves and led from the front. I would especially like to thank those individuals, because it is them who are creating the company safety culture.”

Today, Szymanski continues to urge the shipping industry to work harder to address the root causes of enclosed space Big changes need to come, particularly in the way accidents. “Big we think about the reasons we visit enclosed spaces. Do we really need to be there physically and that frequently?”

8 Captain Kuba Szymanski InterManager Secretary General

Regulatory clarity The investigators found that there is a tendency to rely on procedures and to cite failure to follow procedures as the main cause of accidents. However, these procedures are complex and require understanding of the risk and the procedure to be successful. They may require special tools and be labour intensive and time consuming. Additionally, locking and signage arrangements may not follow standards recognised by stevedores.

There is also little standardisation in personal protective equipment for enclosed space operations. Onboard, there is

For the latest news and analysis go to www.motorship.com

JULY/AUGUST 2022 | 11

LEADER BRIEFING

BABCOCK INCLUDES AMMONIA AND LCO2 AMONG TARGETS Andrew Scott, Business Development Director at Babcock LGE, assesses the emerging alternative fuel markets and gives an insight into the company’s development priorities in an exclusive interview with The Motorship

8 “We are working alongside the major [OEMs] and shipowners to develop a [ammonia] solution that works for all ship configurations.”

Andrew Scott, Business Development Manager, Babcock LGE

Q

Since our last interview in November 2021, the pace of developments in the market for alternative liquid and gaseous cargoes has accelerated. Before we turn to upcoming product developments, could you share your perspective on how your existing portfolio of products is evolving?

We have been fortunate enough at Babcock LGE to celebrate another record- breaking year in 2021 for both contract wins and vessel deliveries. The business offers a range of innovative technologies for the global gas carrier fleet and continues to expand our suite of solutions to enable the transition to net zero.

In terms of latest product launches, a particular high-point was the launch of our ethane cargo handling and fuel gas supply system – branded ecoETHN® - on the world’s largest ethane carrier in China in January 2022. This was an extremely proud moment for Babcock LGE and particularly in light of the continued logistical challenges faced in China with COVID-19. ecoETHN® enables the highly efficient carriage of ethane by integrating the cargo handling system with the fuel gas supply system – a significant benefit to the ship operators.

Our market leading LNG Boil Off Gas reliquefaction solution; ecoSMRT®, continues to secure significant market share in the newbuild LNG carrier sector, benefitting from the growing demand for long-haul transport of LNG as a cleaner source of energy. We have on-going product enhancements for ecoSMRT® and will soon be launching the latest version which will reduce overall plant footprint.

A

12 | JULY/AUGUST 2022

Can you share any details about how you see demand for LPG-fuelled vessels to evolve?

Market intelligence shows that today, up to 90% of LPG carriers ordered today are dual-fuel – indicating demand for LPG-fuelled vessels has grown significantly.

Babcock LGE’s LPG fuel gas supply system - ecoFGSS® - will be in service on 25 vessels within the next 2 years and we continue to see strong interest in LPG as a fuel from multiple industry stakeholders – shipowners, energy majors, and shipyards on both newbuilds and retrofits.

Whilst the high LPG price is currently a commercial challenge for dual-fuel ships, LPG will become more competitive over time, especially as the price of Very Low Sulphur Fuel Oil (VLSFO) reaches new highs. Our operational experience in LPG as a fuel makes us the perfect partner to retrofit ecoFGSS® on vessels which will require upgrades to align with Energy Efficiency Existing ship Index or Carbon Intensity Index rating standards – now a crucial consideration in today’s competitive markets. Babcock LGE is working with several prominent LPG shipowners on these projects.

Babcock LGE has also developed a training programme for our ecoFGSS® solution which has been made available to our customers and will maximise the efficiency and expertise of ship’s crew, reducing downtime.

Q A

How is Babcock LGE responding to the significant increase in interest in alternative liquid and gaseous cargoes? In particular, how do you envisage ammonia will fit within the types of cargoes transported by sea?

Q

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LEADER BRIEFING As the industry’s focus switches to zero carbon fuels, ammonia has come to the forefront of discussions, offering a carbon-free, hydrogen-rich fuel which is truly ‘green’ when produced using renewable energy sources.

For many years, the main issue associated with ammonia was its toxicity and it was assumed, for practical intents and purposes, to be non-flammable. However, for many projects it is now the transition fuel of choice, with engine manufacturers working to deliver ammonia-capable engines in the next few years. We are working alongside the major Original Equipment Manufacturers and shipowners to develop a solution that works for all ship configurations. The pace of development is at the mercy of the engine manufacturers of course but we know testing is underway on ammonia engines which is extremely promising, and a crucial step on the voyage to zero carbon shipping.

A

As an established developer of Fuel Gas Supply Systems, do you see any specific issues around ammonia’s characteristics?

Safety is a top priority for Babcock LGE and that is why our systems prioritise safety as an integral component of all designs. As part of a rigorous Process Hazard Analysis (PHA) approach, Hazard Identification and Hazard and Operability studies are conducted internally and externally, supported by input from shipowners, Classification Societies, shipyards and suppliers. This, together with Reliability, Availability and Maintenance studies, ensures the safety and reliability of our technologies which we understand is the top concern for our customers.

Q A

The introduction of new fuels and cargoes is likely to change the market over the medium term. How do you see the market evolving, and are you looking at products that address the different requirements of different fuel types, for example?

We recognise that there will not be one single future fuel as has been the case for many years with conventional fuels. What works for some shipowners may not work for others; what is clear is the appetite for alternative fuels which has grown significantly in the past 2-3 years and will continue to do so. Babcock LGE’s strategy is to design solutions to meet customer requirements. The market is going through a stage of learning, with the introduction of bridging fuels – including LPG and LNG – which will enable market and crew learnings to occur whilst solutions for true zero carbon shipping are under development. Babcock LGE’s ecoFGSS-FLEX® will enable multiple fuels to be used when they are available.

Q

A

You have previously discussed your perspective on novel fuels, such as hydrogen. Do you think some of the technical challenges are likely to act as a barrier to entry for hydrogen?

The issues associated with marine transportation of liquefied hydrogen e.g., carriage at below 250°C, high flammability range, embrittlement and small molecular size, are well known and will undoubtedly be resolved but in the immediate term are effectively barriers to entry. Additionally, the quantities of hydrogen that would be required to be a viable marine fuel at scale are currently not available, particularly truly green hydrogen.

Q

LCO2 carriers share several of the key design features of an LPG carrier. While not a straight copy by any means, Babcock LGE’s extensive experience in LPG – with over 300 ships in service – makes us the ideal partner for development. We have been involved in multiple industry projects with shipowners, shipyards and energy majors which consider the full CO2 value chain and are working on large scale and mid-size liquefied CO2 carriers. LGE’s involvement will be primarily concentrated on the cargo handling system of the vessels and our solution will be designed based on known specifications, cargo compositions and voyage profiles to ensure optimisation of design. By considering not only the vessel in isolation, but the full value chain, LGE’s cargo handling technology will be both flexible and market ready.

As with the wider Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) market, development depends on increased investment in CCS projects, as well as the introduction of frameworks to support investment – either environmental regulations, carbon tax or government funding, or all three. It is widely acknowledged that without CCS, the world will struggle to reduce emissions in line with the Paris Agreement and thus it is crucial this infrastructure is developed as soon as possible.

A

8 Andrew Scott, Business Development Manager, Babcock LGE

8 Babcock LGE plans to upgrade its ecoFGSS™ (pictured), designed for LPG, to ecoFGSS-FLEX®, allowing owners to utilise LPG, ammonia, methanol or DME as their fuel of choice

One area where there has been a lot of development in the past six months is in the nascent carbon capture market. Could you share any details about your research into the development of systems for liquid CO2?

Q

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JULY/AUGUST 2022 | 13

RETROFITS & CONVERSIONS

MeOH CONVERSIONS POISED TO TAKEOFF: RASMUSSEN MAN Energy Solutions expects to see a rapid rise in the number of dual-fuel engine conversions concluded over the coming period, Klaus Rasmussen, Head of Projects and PVU Sales, MAN PrimeServ told The Motorship.

Enquiries for conversions were particularly intense in consumer facing segments, such as containers and pure car and truck carriers (PCTCs), Rasmussen said. The Motorship has previously written about the introduction of low carbon and zero carbon tariffs within the container segment.

While MAN ES was having conversations with owners, charterers and beneficial cargo owners in all the major segments, enquiries from the container segment were “particularly active”.

While the container segment was not unique in being affected by the upcoming introduction of EEXI and CII regulations, the competing demands of maintaining scheduled liner services and customer pressure for low emissions transportation were particularly acute.

Alternative solutions for liner operators, including engine power limitation solutions or reducing operational speeds would also require investments to optimise the propulsion system and potential off hire time. Some container operators are also conscious that speed reductions on routes might require additional capacity to maintain liner services at slower speeds, The Motorship has heard.

“Just within the container segment, we are developing solutions for more than 500 engines. We can basically cover all the engines that had been put into the market for container vessels from 7000 teu. We can retrofit [them] into methanol within the next couple of years.”

This was also the case in segments where the economics of using a cargo as a fuel for their own business were supportive, such as LPG. While LPG-fuelled LPG carriers currently enjoy a fuel cost advantage of up to 30% compared with conventionally fuelled competitors, for owners operating in the US Gulf region, that is not the main driver behind the business case.

“For owners switching to dual-fuel operation using LPG as the secondary fuel, their vessels will be compliant with CII until the end of the decade,” Rasmussen said.

Methanol retrofit economics There was particular interest in methanol conversions for a number of reasons. First and foremost, retrofitting engines to operate on methanol was likely to be a medium-term solution for operators concerned about CII compliance over the coming decade.

While the economics of conversions were a secondary consideration, Rasmussen noted that the overall cost of converting container vessels did not vary considerably between 5,000 teu container feeders and 24,000 teu ultra large container vessels. “The engine conversion might only cost 25% more, while the overall project cost would only cost 50% more.”

Rasmussen noted that the relative cost of converting larger sized container vessels was proportionally lower for larger vessels (see Typical conversion costs table above).

However, those costs were based on engine conversions to operate on LNG. By comparison, engine conversions to operate on methanol have lower capex requirements, with economies in the fuel tank and fuel supply line.

“Dual-fuel methanol conversions are likely to be 30% lower than the equivalent LNG conversions.”

However, Rasmussen was adamant that in general owners were taking a risk mitigation approach when considering conversions rather than a straightforward economic approach.

Ammonia retrofit costs MAN ES has previously publicly committed to concluding the first ammonia engine conversion in 2025, around 12 months after the first ammonia fuelled engine comes to market.

When asked about the potential for ammonia conversions, Rasmussen noted that the engine project itself was continuing. Rasmussen expected to be able to have a first cost perspective by the end of 2023 or early 2024, when he expected to be able to discuss the potential material cost requirements for conversions with interested shipyards and owners.

Rasmussen noted that initial discussions around ammonia conversions had begun with some shipyards, and that “ball park” estimates were that the overall cost of ammonia conversions would be similar to LNG conversions.

“We expect the shipyards to account for a greater proportion of the conversion costs than in LNG conversions, for example”.

Rasmussen said that he was also seeing a number of major ship owners engage directly with MAN ES around potential ammonia engine conversions. Technical teams within larger ship owners acting as main contractors represented a significant shift in conversions.

14 | JULY/AUGUST 2022

Class, dwt

Engine

DF conversion, US$

Engine conversion, US$

Supramax, 65kt

5S60ME-C8.5

13-16

3.5

Kamsarmax, 81kt

6S60ME-C8.2-10.5

13-16

3.7

Newcastlemax, 210kt

6G70ME-C9.5

16-19

3.9

VLOC, 325kt

7G80ME-C9.5

16-21

4.2

MR tanker, 50kt

6G50ME-C9.5

13-15

3.5

LR2, 110kt

6G60ME-C9.5

16-18

3.7

VLCC, 300kt

7G80ME-C9.5

19-21

4.2

Feeder, 5,000 teu

6G80ME-C9.5

19-23

4.1

10,000 teu

11S90ME-C9.2

26-32

5.2

15,000 teu

11G90ME-C10.5

26-32

5.2

24,000 teu

11G95ME-C10.5

30-35

5.3 8 Typical LNG conversion costs

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Source: MAN Energy Solutions

Medium term CII compliance concerns are underpinning interest in methanol conversions from container and PCTC sectors

RETROFITS & CONVERSIONS

‘‘

For owners switching to dual-fuel operation using LPG as the secondary fuel, their vessels will be compliant with CII until the end of the decade Consultancy services Rasmussen added that the MAN ES was engaging with clients at an earlier stage in the conversion process, as customers considered issues, such as regional fuel availability and pricing, as well as route specific issues.

He cited the case of US owner Matson, which had recently decided to convert the Daniel K. Inouye to dual fuel LNGpowered operation.

The cost of LNG in North America, where it is anchored to the Henry Hub gas benchmark price, means that LNG conversions are still attractive from a cost comparison perspective in the region. Interest outside North America has slowed in line with the recent rise in international gas prices, The Motorship notes.

In addition, the Daniel K. Inouye is an extremely fast container vessel operating the fastest commercial transPacific route between Long Beach in California and China, via Hawaii. Conversion to dual-fuel operation represented an attractive alternative to alternative CII compliance strategies relying on reduced speed, Rasmussen said.

This was in addition to the complex range of engineering tasks required during the preparatory stages of a dual-fuel engine conversion. “We can spend thousands of hours on calculations and modelling during the pre-quote phase,” Rasmussen noted.

This was leading MAN ES to engage with shipowners at a variety of different levels, ranging from individual assets up to fleet level discussions around phasing the conversion of vessels to remain within fleet wide CII thresholds.

MAN ES feels a particular responsibility to help to deliver solutions to help the industry achieve decarbonisation, given that around half of all global freight is propelled by an MAN engine.

“Our engines are responsible for over 1.5 % of the global CO2 emissions, so we have a significant impact on the global maritime sustainability agenda,” Rasmussen concluded.

8 Klaus Rasmussen, Head of Projects and PVU Sales, MAN PrimeServ

Large modern ME-C engines key to retrofit market While MAN ES has over 22,000 2-stroke engines in service, a number of considerations apply, which limit the potential number of engines that are suitable for conversion.

Only modern ME-C engines installed since 2015 are suitable for conversion, while a minimum bore size of 50 applies. This lowers the number of potential vessels suitable for conversion to 4,800.

He added that conversions of vessels costing less than USD50m (when new) were not typically considered. This winnowed the addressable market down to 3,800 vessels.

However, Rasmussen noted that the cost of the conversion could not exceed 25% of the newbuilding value in order to be commercially viable. One way of maintaining cost discipline was to ensure that the

engines have 100% matching Parent Engine tests conducted in an alternative fuel version.

This further reduced the addressable market to just over 11% of the number of MAN engines in service, or 2,500 vessels. The proportion measured by total installed power would be significantly higher, owing to the larger average size of the vessels’ engines.

“These 2500 engines are actually consuming more that 11 % of the world’s entire bunker fuel consumption. MAN is actually already now in a position to provide conversion solutions to secure that a significant volume of the whole maritime energy consumption can be converted to utilize sustainable produced bunker fuels synthetic natural gas, e-methanol and e-ammonia.”

Rasmussen noted that while the tanker

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Size Tankers

50,000 dwt+

Bulkers

160,000 dwt+

Containers

7,000 teu

PCTC

6,000 CEU

8 Typical qualified vessel types

and bulker segments accounted for around 70% of vessels within this narrow pool of vessels that could potentially retrofit to operate on alternative fuels rapidly, the container and Ro-Ro segments accounted for just over 20% of potential vessels. A relatively small number of LNG tankers and larger number of LPG tankers completed the range of vessels.

JULY/AUGUST 2022 | 15

HYBRID PROPULSION

DIRECT-DRIVE ELECTRIC PROPULSION ADVANTAGES Forward-thinking owners who want to optimize energy efficiency and outrun ever-stricter environmental regulations need future-proof propulsion solutions that are versatile and reliable Direct-drive electric propulsion based on permanent magnet (PM) technology ticks all the boxes, says Jussi Puranen of Yaskawa Environmental Energy/The Switch.

I am convinced that direct-drive electric propulsion will replace conventional diesel-mechanical systems as the premium solution for energy-efficient ships within 10 years.

Given looming new regulations including EEXI and CII, and Phase 3 of EEDI, many existing ships will need to be retrofitted to improve performance. Ships with low EEXI scores may struggle commercially as the market becomes more choosey, while poor performance in the CII will also put vessels at a competitive disadvantage. Owners will need to take remedial action.

Leading the pack Direct-drive electric propulsion based on permanent magnet technology is, in my view, the premium solution to meet these challenges. The system does not require gearing and is significantly more reliable versus conventional geared installations. Everyone knows replacing a dodgy gearbox on any vessel is a huge task.

The ‘permanent’ in PM means the magnetic field created requires no current to be fed into the rotating unit, making the technology very efficient. Rotation speed of the motor is around 100 rpm instead of 1,000 or 1,500 rpm. PM motors are also much simpler in construction than conventional synchronous motors. Only minor maintenance such as checking seals and cooling fans is required, prolonging motor life and reducing operating costs.

Integration flexibility PM motors have already been successfully applied to directdrive electric propulsion in ships both with single and twin screws. The system can be used both with fixed pitch and controllable pitch propellers, and in the future could also be possible for podded propulsion. Power capacity suits any size of vessel. The latest-generation machines can provide up to 12MW to 15MW on one shaft line, but two in tandem doubles the power. The same tandem solution on twin shaft lines can give up to 50MW of power, suitable for the largest vessels. With electrical propulsion, you also have full torque available starting from zero speed – versus conventional combustion engines that have no torque at close to zero speed. That is perfect for powerful icebreakers, for example, needing to bash through ice ridges from a standing start.

Fuel agnostic PM motors can be powered by gensets using any energy carrier, be it methanol, ammonia or hydrogen in the future, perhaps even nuclear energy from on-board thorium reactors.

Batteries too, of course. Frequency converters enable precise speed control via the vessel power management system. The entire system is also more compact, which is a huge advantage, especially for retrofits with limited space.

Granted, the efficiency of PM motors depends on vessel

16 | JULY/AUGUST 2022

operating profile. They are most efficient at 50¬–70% of full load, which happily matches the optimal point at which ships mostly operate today. They also have unmatched power density and can be up to 50% lighter than conventional machines. Quiet operation and minimal vibration are further benefits.

8 Jussi Puranen, Head of Product Line, Electric Machines, Yaskawa Environmental Energy/The Switch

Setting the standard Megawatt-class PM machines also make perfect shaft generators to boost efficiency at any power and any speed.

They have become commonplace for shaft generators, typically at the request of shipowners. I believe the same will happen with direct-drive electrical propulsion using PM motors, both for newbuilds and retrofit projects. A recent comparative study for a 174,000 cbm, twin-screw LNG carrier showed that installing a PM shaft generator saves an estimated USD 75,000 in fuel costs every year. This would be more or less the same for electrical propulsion using a PM motor. That’s a pretty good base to work from.

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HYBRID PROPULSION

BATTERY SHORT-CIRCUIT LIMITER DEVICE UNDER DEVELOPMENT Under the three-year memorandum of understanding (MoU), Corvus Energy becomes the preferred partner for Yaskawa Environmental Energy/The Switch in the ongoing development of its proprietary battery short-circuit limiter device.

8 Corvus Orca battery system installation. The battery short-circuit limiter (BSCL) developed by The Switch will enable reduced short circuit current and reduced system size for large battery system installations

The agreement also includes the joint promotion of each party’s products.

Connecting high-energy-content batteries to one electrical system carries high risk of releasing a massive amount of short-term current that can result in system damage. Battery packs consequently have to be split between several DC-Hubs to handle the amount of energy.

The more batteries that are hooked up, the more DC-Hubs would be required – theoretically up to eight for a 20 MWh energy storage system (ESS). The battery short-circuit limiter is innovative because it limits short-term current from each set of batteries, immediately blocking the short-circuit system. This allows more batteries to be connected to the electrical system and fewer DC-Hubs, making the entire system more compact and representing a significant financial saving. The space saving in terms of cabinet length means less CAPEX while at the same time promoting safety, efficiency and reliability.

The limiter is essentially an ultra-fast, semi-conductorbased protection device that operates based on actual system measurements with microsecond response, said Teemu Heikkilä, Head of Product Line, Converters at Yaskawa Environmental Energy / The Switch. It opens the DC electrical circuit by disconnecting a battery set in the event of a fault anywhere in the system, preventing the battery set from discharging itself. Such a sudden release of energy could result in major damage and, in the worst case, an electrical fire. The limiter minimises the risk by stopping the energy loss in microseconds.

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“From a technical perspective, the market hasn’t yet come to grips with this connectivity challenge,” he says. “Class rules, which were primarily designed for AC/DC systems, are lagging behind the rapid pace of technology in DC power distribution.”

He believes the limiter is the first product fit for purpose with battery systems that are getting bigger almost by the day. “Its key benefit, mirroring the electrification trend where the larger the ESS the better, is that you can increase the energy content of the ESS while minimizing the number of parallel systems required.”

In principle, implementing the limiter means that only two DC-Hubs are needed for an ESS up to 40 MWh, so the savings grow in tandem with the size of the battery package, he added.

While battery systems on board ships until now have been limited to below 10 MWh installations, future projects are increasing to many times this size. The device works for the entire Corvus ESS portfolio, including Corvus Orca, but is particularly suited to Corvus Energy’s Blue Whale ESS, which is designed to meet large operational energy demands at a cost-effective kWh price. The Blue Whale system has been specifically developed for large battery installations ranging from 10 MWh and upwards. Typical vessel applications include cruise ships as well as large ferries, yachts, merchant ships, inland vessels and workboats.

The battery short-circuit limiter (BSCL) is a standalone product to be placed close to the batteries and between drives. The space saving it generates complements Blue Whale’s low weight and low total system volume. The BSCL can also be retrofitted to existing systems for extra security.

JULY/AUGUST 2022 | 17

HYBRID PROPULSION

FERRY INDUSTRY KEEN TO USE EVER LARGER BATTERY PACKS The ferry industry is keen to install more and more powerful battery packs: on large vessels that operate on relatively short crossings, they form part of a hybrid power installation that allows e.g. emission free operations in ports

8 Bergen Cruise Line concept

Stena RoRo recently said battery packs of 11.5MWh would be fitted on two E-Flexer newbuildings it has on order in China and which Brittany Ferries will operate on bareboat charter. Bergen Cruise line, a new venture based in Norway, is planning to build a 210 metre long cruise ferry that would carry 2,380 passengers on a service between Bergen and Stavanger in Norway and Newcastle in the UK. The ship, which the promoters plan to enter service in 2026, would have a 13.5 MWh battery pack installation.

Batteries have always been on the agenda when it comes to ferries used for relatively short crossings, said Anders Orgaard, Chief Commercial Officer at OSK ShipTech in Denmark. “This is because of the stowage factor of other alternative fuels, batteries gain momentum on crossings of up to three to four hours,” he told The Motorship.

The two E-Flexer ropax ferries that Stena RoRo is building for bareboat charter to Brittany Ferries will use the battery packs onboard to have zero emissions when operating in port. “As these are rather big vessels, the 11.5MWh installation that each one will have could only power them for something like half an hour,” Orgaard noted, adding that Stena Elektra that Stena Line plans to operate between Gothenburg and Fredrikshavn will need a 70MWh installation cover the three hour crossing.

Look at total cost of ownership However, both the size of the installations and the potential size of the roro vessel on which they are fitted are both increasing. “The reason is that one should always look at the total cost of ownership,” he continued. A battery pack installation will allow a vessel to shut down one engine when arriving in port. The power management system onboard will allow the thrusters to use the battery pack instead for power.

18 | JULY/AUGUST 2022

“A 25% load factor (of a diesel engine) is very bad for fuel economy, you should rather use one auxiliary at 75% of mcr (maximum continuous rating) and top the power supply up with the battery pack,” Orgaard said. Peak shaving is one of the major advantages that a battery pack installation offers, he added The amount of space that the battery pack takes up onboard and how that relates to a conventional engine arrangement depends on the vessel.

In the case of the two HH Ferries’ vessels that operate between Helsingor and Helsingborg, a crossing of 20 minutes, this was solved by placing the 8MWh battery pack on the uppermost deck, above all passenger accommodation.

However this was only possible because the vessels had plenty of stability that was not compromised by the additional weight that was placed high up on the vessel.

Stena Elektra, meanwhile, which is being designed from the outset to operate on battery power, will be a very stable vessel: while a conversion requires the stability to accommodate the weight of the installation, on a newbuilding the design can be adjusted to tis requirement.

The lower cargo hold of a roro vessel is a lead candidate where a battery pack can be located. Being deep down in the vessel, it is a good location from the point of view of stability.

From an operational point if view, it is an awkward location for cargo, which means that while the freight carried there may add to the capacity of the vessel, it does not necessarily make it any more profitable than without such a hold.

Stena RoRo to use water cooled battery packs Guillaume Clement, VP Global e-Marine, e-Transport Solutions at Leclanche, the French company that will deliver the battery packs to the Stena RoRo E-Flexers that Brittany

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HYBRID PROPULSION Ferries will operate on charter, said the company manufactures the cells it uses by itself, not only in a unique way that is unmatched by others but with a roadmap dedicated for Industrial application.

Leclanche cells have a life cycle up to four times longer than that of its competitors, Clement continued, adding: “So, for a given operation profile, we can achieve more with less and so have a smaller battery pack The company’s cells are water cooled: not only it is better for the life time of the battery pack, but it also means that there are no hot spot but even temperature across the pack.

It also allows modules to be close to each others for a smaller and lighter solution.

Half a dozen new energy storage technologies to come to market Looking at the outlook in the battery pack sector in general, Senior Advisor Vesa Marttinen at the Finnish consultancy MarineCycles said that China currently produces 95% of all the electric buses in the world.

Ship design work itself is about iterating compromises – it is based on a spiral on which progress is made by optimising the entity. The future needs of markets – revenue drivers, in other words – and costs that arise from regulation, energy and crewing etc. seek a balance.

This happens through the interaction between the needs of a specific route – the operator’s point of view – and that of the resale value of the vessel, which is the owner’s point of view. Regulators that occasionally favour some technologies over some others can mix this pack of cards, which is otherwise governed by pure market forces, he said.

“If we talk about crossing the (English) Channel, internal combustion engines can be removed from ships in 10 years’ time. However, if we look at a crossing that takes more than six hours, battery packs take up too much space. Fuel cells remain at an early stage of development as well, although they were first tested onboard roro vessels some 15 years ago,” Marttinen noted.

However, both China and the European Union invest heavily in developing battery pack technologies: new generations of energy storage solutions will take up less space, which will enable the use of them to power ferries on overnight crossings in the future.

“Other considerations to bear in mind include positioning voyages between various operating regions, which are a challenge to battery powered vessels. One also has to remember that safety is a guiding principle in shipping: there is still work to be done in fire safety of battery packs and the safe return to port rule must always be met,” he concluded.

Battery pack fire safety gains prominence As battery pack installations on board ships become larger and larger, the question of fire safety also becomes increasingly important, but in case of a fire in a battery compartment, the challenges differ materially from those in case of a fire in a conventional engine room.

“For vessels with battery systems we have a mandatory class notation, BATTERY (SAFETY, POWER). These rules have seen frequent updates given recent fires and as more research has been completed,” said Anders Tosseviken, Senior Principal Approval Engineer at DNV Andreas Ullrich, Global Market Leader, Passenger Ships & Ferries at Bureau Veritas noted that while safety is covered by SOLAS, as of today, it does not include specific rules covering the installation of large lithium-ion battery packs on board.

“BV has developed specific requirements in this respect. In a nutshell, it requires a specific project risk assessment, and provides rules for battery testing, certification and installation onboard. For every installation our rules requires a HAZID (hazard identification study) to be performed to assess the risk and agree on mitigating measures. This should be done preferably at an early stage of the design,” he told The Motorship.

As far as hybrid vessels are concerned, the question of redundancy is not an issue, but certain details should be borne in mind to avoid black out situations. “In general there should in those cases no issue with redundancy, however a proper power

management system should be installed to avoid among others failure sequences which might lead to a black-out. This will as well be checked during the aforementioned HAZID,” Ullrich noted.

In general, on a hybrid vessel fitted with both diesel-generators and a battery pack for the purposes of both propulsion and main source of power, compliance with SOLAS requirements is ensured by the diesel generators.

Sverre Eriksen, Senior Principal Engineer at DNV pointed out that the principles of SOLAS require redundancy in the main source of power, e.g. two gensets or one genset and one battery. “When all the main sources of power is based on batteries only, the main sources of power shall consist of at least two independent battery systems located in two separate battery spaces,” he continued.

Ullrich said that in the case of a SOLAS vessel relying only on batteries for propulsion and main source of power, it is to be demonstrated that the level of safety is equivalent to that of a conventional design (complying with the requirements of SOLAS II-1/41) through the alternative design approach.

Should a fire break out in a battery compartment, the challenges differ significantly from such incidents in conventional engine room, DNV’s Tosseviken said. “The off-gases from Battery fires include hydrogen (H2) and methane (CH4). In addition, heat is generated from the

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thermal runaway. The challenge is therefore very different from what we face in case of a “standard engine room fire” involving marine diesel oil or heavy fuel oil.”

The DNV class notation suggest primarily freshwater based water mist for protection of battery spaces. “Other systems with two shots of gas with increased design concentration can be applied when it is documented that it can extinguish the relevant off-gases,” he said, adding: “Use of seawater is not recommended at this will short circuit the damaged part of the battery.

This makes the fixed fire extinguishing system essential. It has to be designed in a robust way as sea water fire hoses can only be applied for boundary cooling for the battery case.”

BV’s Ullrich said that fire-fighting systems installed in battery rooms are intended for ship safety and are to be compatible with the specific battery chemistry, and the adequation of the fixed fire-extinguishing system to the battery type is to be documented.

“Several extinguishing media may be considered, including fresh water, foam, inert gases etc. Aim of the systems is to mitigate the risk, to get temperatures down and to avoid spreading of the fire. If battery packs are installed in the engine room and not in a dedicated battery room, the hazards created by batteries need to be considered especially from a fire risk point of view. This will be incorporated in the HAZID required<’ he concluded.

JULY/AUGUST 2022 | 19

HYBRID PROPULSION

EPM NEXT GENERATION The German IMES GmbH, specialist in field of cylinder pressure sensors and engine monitoring systems, will present the new generation of its successful electronic handheld devices type EPM on its booth A2 235 at SMM in Hamburg Since 2008 the electronic indicator EPM-XP is in series production and up to now IMES offers four different EPM types: EPM-Peak, EPM-XP, EPM-XPplus and EPM-XPplus-vibro.

All EPM devices are battery powered, compact and lightweight handheld devices for 2- and 4-stroke diesel engines. They convince with their ease of use, robustness, and high accuracy. There is no need of factory calibration, neither after several years of operation.

More than 5,000 units have been sold up to now.

The measurements the user can perform are depending on the EPM type he is using. The digital peak pressure indicator EPM-Peak is designed to measure the maximum value of cylinder pressure while the engine analyser EPMXPplus-vibro enables advanced combustion pressure measurements including vibro-acoustic diagnostic on 2- and 4-stroke diesel engines.

The further development EPM Next Generation offers one common hardware for all EMP types, this enables a simple upgrade from peak pressure indicator EPM-Peak up to engine analyser EPM-XPplus-vibro. The user can download a higher version from the Internet and it is not necessary to send the device back to IMES. The collected data of all EPM types can be displayed and evaluated from the EPM visualization software. Via USB port the device will be connected to a PC and the visualization software identifies the EPM type and activates the corresponding software functions. Depending on the instrument peak pressure, pressure- and combustion behavior, performance data as well as valve timing will be evaluated and analyzed. If the PC is connected to the internet it will be automatically checked if there are any hardware or visualization software updates. The user can install the updates and they are free of charge.

Furthermore, the optimized handheld devices of the EPM Next Generation offer 2 additional function keys for an easier handling and a larger and more comprehensive display.

All devices of EPM family are equipped with the very robust cylinder pressure sensor HTT-06 that offers a very good thermodynamic performance and they all have a battery capacity of more than 20 working hours.

8 IMES will present the next generation of its EPM electronic handheld device at its booth at SMM in Hamburg in September

Compact contender in high-speed stakes French high-speed engine maker Moteurs Baudouin has unveiled an especially compact new model targeted at small vessel and workboat propulsion applications, writes David Tinsley The new engines was introduced at the Euromaritime Exhibition in Marseilles in June.

Yhe 6F21 diesel covers a power band up to 735kW at 2,300rpm crankshaft speed and is characterised by a claimed ‘best in class’ power density.

As the latest outcome of the steady investment in Baudouin since its acquisition by the Weichai Group of China 13 years ago, the 127mm-bore addition to the portfolio incorporates a two-stage turbocharger system, two intercoolers and high-pressure common-rail fuel injection, operating at 2,200bar.

20 | JULY/AUGUST 2022

The engine structure is strengthened to withstand high torque and a cylinder pressure in excess of 200bar, although this has been achieved through the use of light materials, so as to keep overall weight down. Cast iron and steel have been employed only where stress and temperature criteria so demand. The flywheel housing, oil sump, covers, brackets, supports, and heat exchanger bodies have all been constructed from light alloys.

Conceived for the broad market spread encompassed by high-speed diesel power, the 6F21 is offered at three duty ratings, common to which is the 2,300rpm maximum rotational speed. Thus, the P3 intermittent duty model for pilot boats, small passenger vessels and workcraft, delivers 599kW, and the P4 light duty engine for military and fast rescue vessels, survey ships and other

vessels turns out 662kW, while the P5 high-performance version, for the leisure market, yields 735kW. With main dimensions of 1,470 x 1,100 x 1,075mm main dimensions, making for what Baudouin describes as “the most compact marine engine in our history”, the six-cylinder in-line 6F21 is suited to the smallest of machinery rooms.

Ease of maintenance has been an important tenet of the design project, as expressed in the adoption of individual cylinder heads, ease of access to key components without necessitating engine dismantling, and front mounting of fuel filters.

Weichai has ploughed more than EUR100m(US$105m) into Baudouin since taking over the 1918-founded company in 2009.

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HYBRID PROPULSION

WHY SHIPS’ ‘REAL’ CARBON FOOTPRINT IS KEY TO INVESTMENT Shipowners and operators should be well into planning ahead for the EEXI and CII regulations coming in from 2023, and what improvements they should make so their ships comply. The best future-proof path forward is to base investment decisions on analysis of a ship’s actual carbon footprint, says research manager Mia Elg of ship designer Deltamarin Energy-efficiency rules under EEXI and CII are being extended to cover practically all tonnage, old and new.

Given that we will potentially move towards even tighter emission targets even faster than expected, I recommend that owners and operators first perform a preliminary analysis of the status of their existing fleet to give a basic understanding of the compliance challenge, then ensure their ships pass the EEXI requirements. Many will have already done this simply as a ticket to operate.

The first, and in my experience, most popular, option is to implement engine power limitation (EPL). Main engine EPL is fully possible for many typical bulkers and tankers because it seems the typical operative load is rather low, between 50% and 70%, mainly due to higher design speeds versus typical operating speeds today.

Saving energy If EPL isn’t an option, you can move on to assessing technologies that improve engine and propulsion performance, and energy-saving devices (ESDs). Various individual ESDs can reduce EEXI value marginally, typically 2% to 5%. These include shaft generators, devices for improving hydrodynamic performance and waste-heat recovery. One interesting alternative that may alone reduce EEXI values considerably is wind-assisted propulsion; our research shows that even moderate wind-assisted propulsion combined with several other technologies could reduce EEXI values by 10%-15%.

Carbon capture is an additional measure in the future to reduce a ship’s footprint. Depending on a potential carbon tax introduced for fuels, we estimate a realistic payback time for carbon capture, with an emission reduction rate of between 25%-40%, of less than five years. However, we don’t yet know how it will be considered in the EEXI calculation or CII reporting.

For all ships it’s important to be aware that good performance in EEXI doesn’t guarantee an acceptable result in CII. In addition, EEXI is a ‘one-time’ check, whereas CII is the required level of ship ‘carbon performance’ that will be assessed continually.

Simple equation Calculating CII rating is straightforward. All you need is the annual fuel consumption (converted to carbon emissions with a fuel-specific carbon factor), the distance the ship has travelled and its capacity. Any ship landing in the D band for three consecutive years or getting an E rating in a single year will need an improvement action plan.

I suggest optimization investment should focus more towards CII, but still keeping in mind the vessel’s ‘real’ carbon/environmental footprint. This is because the relationship between EEXI versus CII versus actual energy

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efficiency is not always linear. The rules are constantly developing and will be corrected towards real environmental impact in any case.

8 Mia Elg of ship designer Deltamarin

Energy modelling What mix of improvements are optimal requires ‘energy modelling’ simulating the operational profile of the vessel and the different machinery and available fuel options. Our research shows energy modelling and related analysis can have a massive impact on CII performance and power consumption per mode.

Any energy-saving method applied on a typical cargo ship will bring similar savings in the CII context. This is not always the case with a typical passenger ship because the calculation punishes ships with large hotel load and that spend considerable time in port (although shore power is a good method to improve CII performance).

Since there is no guarantee that the CII correction factors under discussion, still after MEPC 78 on 6-10 June, will be introduced in final IMO rules, I recommend focusing on the ship’s actual carbon footprint as the basis for investment decisions as the most future-proof way forward. In addition, while the regulation involves no hard punishment and owners will have several years to improve scores, the real drivers for good CII performance will likely be commercial ratings where being a low performer will not be good PR, and high fuel prices where energy savings are good for business.

JULY/AUGUST 2022 | 21

DECK MACHINERY

CONSIDERATIONS WHEN SELECTING COMPRESSORS Paul Clark, CTS Sales and Marketing of Atlas Copco Compressors provides a guide to marine compressors.

8 Atlas Copco offers a remote data monitoring system that offers continuously updated data on compressor operations

Marine compressor systems are vital elements that must be specifically designed for multiple duties as an integral part of shipboard operations. Whether they are located in the engine room or on deck, they have to be robust and reliable to withstand the environmental conditions experienced while operating in mid-ocean, often days or weeks away from landfall and servicing facilities.

As marine compressor solutions become ever more sophisticated, it is a wise precaution for ship owners and shipyards making equipment choices to examine the application roles, the equipment options, and the regulatory framework specific to maritime operations.

The starting point for these considerations has to be the principal duties of shipboard compressors.

Principal compressor duties The first and foremost duty for the compressor is providing starting air for the main engines, normally at a pressure of 30 bar, followed by the supply of starting air for diesel generating sets. The latter can be at 10 or 30 bar pressure depending on the starting air method, either direct in the cylinder or by a starting air motor.

High quality, clean, dry, oil-free air at 7-8 bar is an equally essential requirement for consistently accurate performance of vital bridge instruments, such as monitoring and engine control systems. It is also required for cargo pumps turbine governors and LNG/LPG cargo instrument air applications.

Also needing clean dry air, is a vessel’s main engine remote control pneumatic systems, tank gauging operations, together with temperature and pressure controls.

At the same time, an efficient supply of low-pressure working air is an essential requirement for a wide range of other important applications − for tools, air-operating lights,

22 | JULY/AUGUST 2022

air-operated fans, dry bulk handling, nitrogen booster compressor operation, ballast water treatment, soot filtration, exhaust gas cleaning equipment, air for sewage systems − everything from regular maintenance to bulk handling needs a 7 bar-13.8 bar air supply on tap.

And finally, there are specialist applications such as medical air or high-pressure air for seismic operations, bubble curtains and for diving or air breathing apparatus bottle filling.

The equipment criteria Within the practical shipboard constraints of minimum power consumption and restricted installation space, it is vital for shipyards and shipowners to ensure that the performance and build quality of a marine compressed air system can meet the operational criteria for reliability, energy efficiency, stability, safety, and regulatory compliance.

Reliability: That has to be the watchword for all essential shipboard systems. Marine compressors must be fully optimised for shipborne use and be designed and constructed for continuous operational capability within engine room environments of up to 50 degrees C ambient.

That means robust, tried and tested components and ancillaries that combine the benefits of long service intervals and energy-efficient whole life performance.

Stability at sea: The compressors’ component configuration should be designed to provide a low centre of gravity that minimises equipment stress even in severe running conditions. It must comply with the Lloyd’s Register Rules and Regulations of operating conditions for main and auxiliary machinery that: ‘installed equipment can operate normally in rough seas at an angle of inclination athwartships of 15 degrees static/ 22.5 degrees dynamic and 5 degrees fore-and-aft static/7.5 degrees dynamic’.

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DECK MACHINERY Electrical safety: Under the LR regulations concerning location and construction of electrical installations, all electrical equipment is to be constructed or selected and installed such that live parts cannot be inadvertently touched, do not cause injury when handled or touched in the normal manner; and are unaffected by any water, steam or oil and oil vapour to which it is likely to be exposed.

Accessibility and compact dimensions: This is a major issue in equipment siting. However large a vessel may be, the engine room space is always at a premium. That is why the best option is to match required performance to equipment designed with fully integrated components, such as air dryers, thereby offering the smallest footprint.

A compact compressor’s dimensions should allow installation access through standard ship-sized doors and thus avoid hot work necessary to accommodate the unit. For the same reason, air connections and ancillaries such as condensate drains should be located at one side of each unit to allow maximum proximity to bulkheads and provide easy access for routine maintenance procedures.

Compliance: It is importance to establish that the materials, construction, and environmental impact of shipboard compressor equipment conforms to the rules, inspections, and certification procedures of the major recognised classification organisations. LR, ABS, DNV, ClassNK and RINA are just some of the major companies in the classification society business whose focus is to ensure owners and shipyards conform to the safety, security and quality standards set by the shipping industry.

It is the equipment manufacturers and suppliers responsibility to comply with all major classifications and Environmental Protection notations such as EP, clean design; comfort notations; environmental performance monitoring; and Green Passports (Inventory of Hazardous Materials).

All ships also have to comply with the Annex IV of MARPOL 73/78 Regulations for the Prevention of Pollution by Sewage from Ships and have to be equipped with sewage plants. To keep them in proper working condition and good balance, the sewage plant needs air to stimulate the growth of the bacterial culture. This application requires low pressure, clean and guaranteed oil-free air, best delivered by the latest low-pressure compressor screw blowers whose energy requirement is on average 30% more energy-efficient than conventional Roots-type lobe blowers.

Energy efficiency Finally, the ultimate goal is for marine compressor equipment that demonstrates significant energy efficiency. Much has been achieved by the advanced design of key components, such as the non-contact intermeshing screw elements of an oil-free compressor, the sophisticated control algorithm of the electronic regulator used to control the speed of a compressor’s induction motor. But the most significant benefit of all is VSD technology that closely follows the air demand, automatically adjusting the motor speed, and results in achieving energy savings of up to 35% and even more.

Linked to this goal is the overriding requirement for marine compressor installations whose design and efficiency generates sustainable onboard productivity for the owners and operators yet presents no risk for the global environment.

Air power for RRS Sir David Attenborough As a practical example of the need for custom solutions to marine air power needs, shipbuilders Cammell Laird Construction installed Atlas Copco marine-duty compressors aboard one of the most advanced polar research vessels in the world, RRS Sir David Attenborough.

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8 Atlas Copco offers a family of 5-90 kW oil-injected screw marine compressors

The vessel’s full spectrum of compressed air duties was met from Atlas Copco’s MAS range of marine compressors, technically advanced solutions fully optimised for shipborne use. The MAS family of 5-90 kW oil-injected screw marine compressors, derived from its premium GA range of stationary industrial units, sets the standard in marine compressed air production, combining low cost of ownership with reliable, energy-efficient performance.

However, even the most advanced compressors offering long maintenance intervals and service lives still need attention. That is why Atlas Copco offers parts and services packages which provide peace of mind while vessels are at sea. Atlas Copco's global presence means that servicing, spare parts supply, training, and technical support can be supplied locally wherever it was required.

Atlas Copco can supply original compressor parts, and OEM non-Atlas Copco parts, direct to freight forwarders or anywhere on the planet at short notice. Over 3600 Atlas Copco field service engineers in 180 countries are ready to attend onboard when assistance is needed for major services and overhauls.

The role of SmartLink Knowing the status of marine compressed air equipment at all times is the surest way to spot any developing problems, uncover potential energy savings, and achieve maximum uptime of the compressed air systems. These insights can be realised through SmartLink, Atlas Copco’s remote data monitoring system that works via a vessel’s internet (satellite) network, and where compressor data will be continuously updated. Alternatively, SmartLink can rely on passing through network coverage areas and data can be uploaded from there.

Conclusion When it comes to marine compressor applications it is evident that there is no one-size-fits-all solution. Each machine installation requires matching specification and performance to the shipborne equipment and the operational profile.

Equally, the hardware installation has to be supported by a worldwide onshore service and parts support network. In making equipment choices there is no doubt that shipyards and shipowners will give preference to suppliers who can offer a wide range of compressor options, a 24/7 global support network of marine experts, based in all major industrial ports, together with an immediate OEM parts supply backed by informed maintenance procedure guidance.

JULY/AUGUST 2022 | 23

PORTSIDE INVESTMENT

SHELL DOUBLES DOWN ON DUTCH HYDROGEN STRATEGIES

Source: Shell

Shell is moving ahead with plans to create a green hydrogen production and distribution supply chain centred around the Port of Rotterdam

As part of the energy giant’s energy transition plans, it is planning to establish a 200MW electrolyser plant at Maasvlaakte. The plant is expected to be the world’s largest electrolyser plant when it begins supplying green hydrogen produced from renewable electricity from offshore wind energy to Shell’s Pernis refinery at Botlek.

The scale of the investment and its ambition is not in doubt: the investment in the 200MW plant is estimated at close to EUR1 billion, although much of that investment will go into infrastructure surrounding the plant. Shell will take the final decision for the investment later this year. If approved, the electrolyser is expected to become operational in 2024.

The investment is likely to include the creation of hydrogen pipeline HyTransPort and installation of electrolysers at the ‘conversion park’ at Maasvlakte. The first phase of 32-kilometres-long underground pipeline HyTransPort will end at Pernis. It is to be part of the pipeline corridor the port of Rotterdam plans to construct for renewables. The pipeline will eventually connect the national hydrogen backbone and hydrogen storage facilities of HyNetwork Services as well as the international hydrogen network, which is envisaged in a subsequent phase 2.

A spokesman for Shell, Marc Potma, confirmed that Shell had a positive outlook on the role that hydrogen will play in the energy transition. The investment is aligned with Shell’s focus on investing in electrification and the production of other molecular energy sources throughout the supply chain that Shell aims to control.

The scheme brings together a number of interested stakeholders, and there are no fewer than five separate

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8 The greenfield 200MW Shell Holland Hydrogen 1 plant will have the largest capacity in Europe when production starts in 2024

discussions with potential industrial consumers and/or producers of hydrogen.

Project timescale Much of the preliminary work on the project has already been awarded. Shell has already selected thyssenkrupp to build the electrolyser plant, according to the design of architect company Kraaijvanger. In November 2021, Shell selected the Australian engineering enterprise, Worley, as the project lead on the technical integration of the electrolyser project.

The offshore wind farm from which the project will draw electricity, the 759MW Hollandse Kust Noord (HKN) wind farm, will become operational in 2023. The project had initially envisaged bringing the electrolyser plant into operation at the same time, but the target is now to have the plant in good working condition in 2024.

A pilot project While the creation of the project will create significant volumes of green hydrogen, the production economics of green hydrogen remain challenging. Dutch energy expert Ed van Dort estimates that it will require 58kWh of electricity to process a kilo of hydrogen.

A Canadian colleague, Paul Martin, a co-founder of the Hydrogen Science Coalition echoed van Dort’s concerns about the efficiency of the electrolysers.

“Green hydrogen's chief economic problem as an energy storage medium is the cost of electrolysers and storage equipment- and distribution cost isn't going to be as low as some expect either. Multiplying the low capacity factor of a

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PORTSIDE INVESTMENT wind or solar production unit by another seasonal capacity factor of say 0.5 or less doesn't add up to a low capital cost per kg of hydrogen stored. This stored fuel would be very expensive indeed, even if the power itself were quite cheap.”

That was without considering the advisability of using green hydrogen as a direct substitute for grey hydrogen (produced from natural gas) in desulfurisation of fossil fuels at the refinery, Martin added.

That said, there was no shortage of potential Dutch partners, ranging from Tennet, which can build large offshore connectors, pipeline supplier Gasunie, supplier GasTerra, as well as potential electrolyser suppliers Nouryon Akzo Nobel.

Hydrogen was a core focus of knowledge and R&D hubs focused on hydrogen usage, while the ports of Amsterdam, Rotterdam and Groningen have all expressed interest in handling hydrogen carriers.

Optimistic views The Port of Rotterdam’s director of new business Nico van Dooren confirmed this upbeat outlook. The port saw the rise of imports of hydrogen as the potential emergence of a new trade, while for other colleagues at the port, it offered a potential solution to reducing emissions.

Van Dooren noted that stakeholders in a number of other regions were examining the business case for producing renewable electricity from large-scale wind farms and world-scale photovoltaic fields. Van Dooren’s search for hydrogen imports has resulted in travels from Chile to Saudi Arabia, from Canada to Australia and from Texas to Morocco as well. All efforts are done in an attempt to make the Rotterdam port a European hub for renewables.

In his capacity as Port of Rotterdam Authority advisor, Sjaak Poppe added that the port also anticipates unexpected developments as a whole. The need and necessity to step up production of green fuels presented itself already some

years ago in an attempt to reduce emissions in the port and North-western Europe in general.

Being aware of the current impact of actual sanctions the European Commission adjusted its ambitions for the import of hydrogen fuels from 5.6 million tonnes in 2030 to 20mn tonnes in 2050.

That is not enough for the demand for hydrogen in the Netherlands and in hinterland Germany, which is why the port of Rotterdam is in search of additional imports worldwide.

The port’s ambition is to produce hydrogen for the Rotterdam-based industries and become the logistic hub for the European hydrogen economies. The port already collaborates with Shell, German leading steel company ThyssenKrupp and German energy producer RWE for hydrogen transportation into Germany.

European, Dutch and German financial support will help to connect inland port areas Moerdijk and Limburg-based Chemelot to materialise this.

8 The green hydrogen produced from the new electrolyser will be used to substitute hydrogen at Shell’s Pernis refinery

Shell and Antony Veder eye LH2 shipments to Rotterdam Shell and Antony Veder eye LH2 shipments to Rotterdam.

A new agreement between a Shell subsidiary, Shell New Energies NL BV, and ENGIE, Vopak and Antony Veder will assess the feasibility of producing green hydrogen in Portugal and shipping liquefied hydrogen to the Netherlands.

The consortium envisions hydrogen being produced by electrolysis from renewable power in the industrial zone of the Sines port in Portugal.

According to a Shell statement, the liquefied hydrogen would be shipped to the port of Rotterdam for onward distribution and sale. Shell identified the transportation, marine and aviation sectors as potential markets, noting that the development is aligned with their decarbonisation strategies.

The aim is to deliver a first shipment of liquid hydrogen from Sines to Rotterdam by 2027. The project will initially assess the potential of producing, transporting, and storing around 100 tonnes per day, with the potential to scale this up over time.

Within the consortium, Shell and ENGIE will

collaborate across the full value chain and Anthony Veder and Vopak involvement will focus on shipping, storage, and distribution.

This feasibility study follows the signing of an MoU in 2020 between the governments of Portugal and the Netherlands to produce and transport hydrogen. More recently,

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8 A consortium of Netherlands-based firms aim to deliver a first shipment of liquid hydrogen from Sines in Portugal to the port of Rotterdam by 2027

Portugal and the Netherlands confirmed their joint goals at the Rotterdam World Hydrogen Summit in May 2022.

JULY/AUGUST 2022 | 25

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MARINE TECHNOLOGY

CARBON CAPTURE

ONBOARD CCS TECH LIKELY TO USE OPEN-SOURCE SOLVENTS Wärtsilä is taking a central role in developing maritime carbon capture & storage (CCS) technologies and says it will most likely rely on generic solvents to facilitate worldwide availability for shipowners Sigurd Jenssen, Director at Wärtsilä Exhaust Treatment, says that the company’s on-going testing of a 1MW landbased system at its research centre in Moss, Norway, demonstrates good performance without the need to replenish the solvent after five months. “We are not seeing any significant solvent degradation, but we don't really know yet how long the solvent will last or how big a OPEX component it will be. So far it looks very, very promising that the degradation is quite slow.”

The system being developed works for the exhaust of any fuel containing carbon, including HFO, diesel and LNG. “As long as you have CO2 in the exhaust, we know we can capture it,” says Jenssen.

Depending on the fuel, there will be different forms of pretreatment, because SOx, NOx and particulate matter should be removed as much as possible before the carbon capture process. The exhaust gas also needs to be cooled, as the process works optimally between 30 and 40 degrees Celsius.

A standard scrubber is used to remove the pollutants, and an absorber containing the solvent then removes the CO2 which is stripped off in a second part of the system and then liquified for storage. The system operates as a closed loop for the solvent. “We are first and foremost equipment suppliers, so we don’t plan on developing our own solvent.

We are looking at open-source supply, so shipowners can source it anywhere in the world, but we are also looking at qualifying proprietary solvents. There’s a number out there from the bigger oil and chemical companies, so we will test those to make sure that they work within our system.”

With the equipment design already scoped out and ready for scaling, testing is part of the ongoing research being conducted by Wärtsilä along with determining the optimal pressures and temperatures required.

Wärtsilä Exhaust Treatment and the Norwegian shipping company Solvang have agreed on a full-scale pilot retrofit installation on Solvang’s 21,000cbm ethylene carrier Clipper Eos. The companies expect to retrofit the pilot CCS system on the Clipper Eos by 2023. The vessel has a 7MW main engine, and Jenssen is confident about up-scaling and marinizing the technology. “We don't expect problems; we have done this in the past.

“A key element to making sure this is a good solution is to recover as much of the energy as possible from the ship because the capture process requires electricity and heat.

Heat recovery is one of the advantages with the process that we have chosen. Getting hold of that waste heat and utilizing it for something sensible is better than just letting it go overboard either with the exhaust or with coolant water.”

Wärtsilä aims to have a system about the same size as a SOx scrubber that will capture 70% of the CO2 in the exhaust gas. This figure also matches IMO decarbonisation targets for 2050, and would require roughly 10% of engine power to operate.

Every tonne of fuel burnt, generates approximately three

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‘‘

8 Sigurd Jenssen, Director at Wärtsilä Exhaust Treatment

We are not seeing any significant solvent degradation, but we don't really know yet how long the solvent will last or how big a OPEX component it will be. So far it looks very, very promising that the degradation is quite slow tonnes of CO2. As the density of liquid CO2 is 1.1, around 1,100 cubic meters of storage would be required for every tonne of CO2. The space for this is likely to be available on many tankers, but some cargo capacity may need to be sacrificed on bulkers and container vessels, says Jenssen, but he points to the larger storage tank requirements for new fuels such as hydrogen, or even LNG. He says Wärtsilä aims to make the space sacrifices as small as possible.

Jenssen estimates that the cost of capturing CO2 would be somewhere between 50 and 70 euros per tonne.

Wärtsilä is also partnering with the LINCCS consortium to scale and create carbon capture technologies and infrastructure. Last year, the consortium received 111 million Norwegian Kroner in funding for CCS research and development. The LINCCS project is focused on reducing costs for new carbon storage facilities by 70% and advancing the development of carbon capture technologies in a range of sectors. Other project partners include SINTEF, Aker Solutions, Aize, Cognite, Equinor, Lundin, TotalEnergies, Wintershall, and Vår Energi.

JULY/AUGUST 2022 | 27

DESIGN FOR PERFORMANCE

RESEARCH PROJECTS DEEPENS WIND-ASSIST DESIGN INSIGHT Researchers at MARIN are examining the regulatory framework and design maturity of wind-assist technologies

8 MV Ankie after installation of the extended VentiFoils

Over 20 companies participated in the WiSP1 project that evaluated the potential fuel savings of wind-assisted propulsion and finished in 2021. Emissions savings analyses from currently sailing ships range from roughly 5% up to 15% as a yearly average, but that is just the beginning, says Rogier Eggers, Senior Project Manager at MARIN. Now a follow-on project WiSP2, led by MARIN and ABS, is focused on evaluating the potential for greater savings as the technologies mature.

WiSP1 saw analysis mainly on the 5-15% wind-assisted scenario that was submitted to MEPC76 (June 2021) by Comoros and RINA. A follow-up informal working group led

by Germany, also with other input, resulted in a revised guide line for the prediction of wind propulsion performance under EEDI and EEXI: MEPC.1/Circ.896. At that time, Eggers says a controversial change was also introduced: this guideline allows for the calculations to only consider the 50% best winds when determining EEDI and EEXI values. The impact of this is now also being investigating in WiSP2.

“This offers a big incentive. An incentive may be considered appropriate. Other energy saving devices (e.g. air lubrication) is only to be assessed at one speed and loading condition and in calm seas whereas wind propulsion was to be assessed using overall global wind conditions. Ships with wind propulsion are more likely to sail in better wind conditions. However, at the same time, the implemented incentive is very large. Also, some device types which are very selective with the wind conditions that they can work with may be favoured more than other devices that present a wider range of usable wind conditions. In short: we feel more work is needed, and we will do that in WiSP2”

28 | JULY/AUGUST 2022

For efficiency gains of 5% to 15%, there is not a lot of further discussion needed on ensuring ships’ operability in demanding conditions, says Eggers, who has been heavily involved in both projects. “Ships generally still behave the same way as a conventional ship, but as you go to more substantial proportions of wind power being used, more discussion is necessary. For instance, significant yaw moments are introduced that depend on the wind condition.

In order to counteract these loads, steering systems will need to constantly keep the ship in balance. Enough reserve capacity needs to be ensured for manoeuvring and course keeping in wave, although it is mentioned that some wind propulsion systems may also in fact help steer the ship” Current regulations were never intended for this scenario. In the updated circular for EEDI and EEXI there is a disclaimer that there would be a bias in the current regulations if they were applied to more substantially more wind power onboard, and correcting this is a focus area for WiSP2, along with other regulations, such as the IMO manoeuvring standards.

Ultimately, the aim of WiSP1 and now WiSP2 is to prove what kind of fuel savings shipowners can achieve, enabling them to make informed investment decisions. A study by CE Delft on the market potential for wind propulsion found that a major barrier to uptake is the shortage of transparent and independently verified information and methods to predict the performance of wind propulsors. Other barriers identified were a lack of sufficient practical examples and tailor-made work to demonstrate compliance with statutory and class rules and regulations.

“We have seen some really large savings being predicted by developers, followed by still larger claims by their

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DESIGN FOR PERFORMANCE competitors, but there is a lot of uncertainty. The assumptions behind these predictions were often not published, so you couldn’t make apples-to-apples comparisons,” said Eggers.

WiSP2 aims to: 5 Improve methods for transparent performance prediction 5 Use the improved methods to provide ship owners/ operators with fast low-cost predictions for their fleet 5 Further review of the regulatory perspective, recommend improvements and clarifications, and provide examples to establish compliance 5 Develop a basic performance prediction tool to be used by participants 5 Propose in-service speed trials 5Assess the influence of seakeeping on performance.

The WiSP2 team is examining a range of vessels including coastal vessels of some 3,000 dwt up till 300,000dwt tankers and a range of wind technologies including Dynarig sails from Dykstra Naval Architects, VentoFoil suction wings from Econowind and wingsails and Flettner rotors from other participants.

The new findings from WiSP2 will be condensed into updated recommended methods for performance prediction and reported as submissions to MEPC, potentially other IMO committees and a new dedicated committee working on standards at the International Towing Tank Conference (ITTC). They are expected to be made public in March 2023.

Eggers believes that existing technologies can offer largescale wind power to a ship. In an update to industry at Posidonia, Eggers and his colleague Anton Kisjes discussed the case of a 300-metre Newcastlemax bulk carrier fitted with four Flettner rotors each 35 x 5 metres sailing. On common global routes for this type of ship, estimated fuel savings are about 10-15% annually in a business as usual scenario (fixed speed and course). Weather routing, more selective choice of routes and increasing number of wind propulsion units may push that up to 15% - 20% and further when the ship design and speed is also altered.

The determination of estimates such as this, they explained, particularly as more wind power is incorporated, involves verifying structural and seakeeping performance and evaluating the aerodynamics of how the propulsors interacted with each other and with the vessel.

Hydrodynamically, forces and moments need to be calculated as a function of drift and heel; propeller efficiency is calculated as well as ensuring there is sufficient steering capacity for course keeping in waves and during turning.

Course keeping can improve or worsen depending on many factors, and other measures may be needed to ensure e the safety and performance of the vessel. Relevant parameters eters include hull dimensions to create more draught, V-shaped aped sections or box keels, enlarge skegs, high-lift or multiple ultiple rudders or other appendages such as dagger boards.

MARIN’s research efforts go beyond WiSP. The research earch organisation announced the launch of the Optiwise HORIZON IZON Project in 2022 which aims to holistically improve design n and control of commercial ships with wind propulsion. The e EU funded research project is targeting average energy savings vings between 30% and 50% when compared to equivalent valent conventional ships while ensuring operational feasibility y in a realistic wind climate.

Eggers is one of the leaders of the project: “Fruitfull and promising progress has been made with the introduction on of new devices to the market, with some 15+ ships sailing ailing commercially with wind propulsion in the world fleet. Wind propulsion is so far mostly applied without re-considering g the thin a overall ship design and operations. Whereas that fits within vings. business-as-usual scenario, it does limit the attainable savings.

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“With Optiwise we are building on R&D already under development among the consortium partners in the last years and re-thinking the design process and energy management of ships with wind propulsion, while still making sure that these ships conform to common operational and regulatory requirements. We thereby expect to enable and showcase much higher savings than what can be seen in the present market applications.”

The Optiwise project will pursue its objectives through three operational use cases: a bulk carrier with Flettner rotors, a tanker with wing sails and a passenger vessel with a AeroRig system involving rigid panels. These cases will provide a methodology that can be applied to the majority of the seagoing shipping fleet.

While the wind propulsion type is preselected for each ship type, the exact implementation and change of the ship design and energy management is fully open to further performance enhancement. One option that Eggers envisages is the replacement of a single main engine with a number of generators that will provide more flexibility in power output and enable the engines to run more optimally than a single large engine would at low loads. He also envisages that DC distribution, when available at scale, may be suitable for gensets to run at optimal loading, and that controllable pitch propellers may be used to reduce drag and possibly to act as generators at the times when wind power is the dominant power source onboard.

The project scope involves extensive simulations where disciplines such as aerodynamics, hydrodynamics and routing and energy management are holistically brought together. This will be complemented with basin tests to assess manoeuvring and seakeeping, bridge simulations to assess crew operation, and land-based wind propulsion tests to verify better control.

The project will deliver open guidelines for integrated system optimisation with wind propulsion and smart measurement and control for best operation. The guidelines will be demonstrated in the aforementioned experimental model tests, bridge simulations and measurements on a full scale land based wind propulsion unit.

The WiSP and Optiwise projects demonstrate a resurgence of research on wind assisted propulsion for ships, but this is not the first time it has occurred. Ever since the diesel engine and propeller have dominated ship propulsion, there has been research on wind propulsion, notably at the time of the oil crisis in the 1980s. Eggers is optimistic that this time the research will lead to a major uptake of wind propulsion.

8 Rogier Eggers, Senior Project Manager at MARIN

JULY/AUGUST 2022 | 29

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50 YEARS AGO

THE FUTURE OF WORLD SHIPBUILDING The international magazine for senior marine engineers EDITORIAL & CONTENT Editor: Nick Edstrom editor@mercatormedia.com Correspondents Please contact our correspondents at editor@motorship.com Bill Thomson, David Tinsley, Tom Todd, Stevie Knight, Wendy Laursen Production David Blake, Paul Dunnington production@mercatormedia.com

The July 1972 issue of The Motorship took a look forward, asking how ship design might develop in the following 30 years.

The first conclusion was that merchant ships would grow in sophistication, narrowing the technological dividing line between warships and commercial vessels. Propulsion was one instance of this: commercial vessels were expected more widely to adopt not only gas turbines, but also nuclear power.

In fact, Japan was stated to be building 280 nuclearpowered ships in the 30-year period under investigation.

One prediction which certainly proved correct was the growth in containerisation, although at the time container vessels were mostly loss-making, because the industry had not found the right balance between over-large vessels which relied on only a few routes and passages to handle the trade, and smaller vessels, less able to absorb the stresses of rough seas.

Unpredictability of the labour force at the docks, with an understandable resistance to change, was another problem. These, however, would all be overcome, with containerisation offering a viable interface between sea, rail and road transport systems. The LASH (lighter aboard ship) concept too showed promise, offering versatility and quick turnround in port, while the OBO (oil-bulk-ore) carrier was another example of a possible transport revolution, such vessels negating the need to travel in ballast, though the wide differential between cargo densities was acknowledges as presenting structural challenges.

Although ships were expected to grow, up to around 500,000 dwt, this would be accompanied by a boom in short-sea ro-ro traffic, able to carry large loaded lorries, doing away with the need for loading and unloading – but, in a prescient nod to future environmental concerns, use of such large vehicles could be restricted by government regulation. And despite expected growth in gas turbine and nuclear propulsion, the high-power diesel engine directly driving a propeller would reign supreme for large ocean-going ships.

Ship descriptions majored on the first of a trio of cross-Channel ro-paxes to be operated by British Rail, in conjunction with its French, Belgian and Dutch collaborators under the new ‘Sealink’ brand. The three were being built at Brest naval dockyard in France, and were said to offer new standards of comfort and facilities for the 1400 passengers. 130

32 | JULY/AUGUST 2022

8 The 5000gt cross-Channel ferry Hengist SALES & MARKETING

cars or 38 trucks could be carried on the lower decks, loaded via a stern ramp and bow door, offering drive-on drive-off convenience. Main engines were a pair of Pielstick 16-cylinder PC2V engines, each rated 7,500 bhp, burning HFO. The August issue offered a taste of things to come, with a scholarly study on the selection of propulsion machinery for LNG carrier ships. Boil-off gas, an intrinsic feature of these cargoes despite good tank insulation, was seen as offering potential ‘free’ fuel for propulsion. It was recognised that boil-off gas could be used ‘as is’ in the engines, or re-liquefied to return to the cargo tanks or for storage in fuel tanks for propulsion. Dual fuel engines seemed to be the answer, but the different characteristics of gas and oil fuels presented many challenges. Diesel, steam turbine and gas turbine options were all considered.

Surprisingly, perhaps, the most viable solution was seen as a dual-fuel low-speed diesel. As we now know, achieving this ideal would take many more years.

Finally, another nod to today – the new HyundaiMipo shipyard in South Korea, due to be completed later that year, announced plans to build six supertankers, up to 700,000 dwt each, per year. A&P Appledore had helped set it up, staff were being trained at Scott Lithgow, with similar input from other European countries. Nobody in 1972 seemed to appreciate just how the Korean shipbuilding industry would grow.

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8 Management from Appledore, Maersk and Hyundai examine a model of the new Korean shipyard

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