The Motorship June 2022

JUNE 2022

Vol. 103 Issue 1204

WinGD’s Schneiter:

Optimisation over time

Freedom for all: ABS’s Patrick Ryan

Wärtsilä interview: Roger Holm view

Torsional damping:

Key to BSR-less design

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE: Bergen’s H2 engine | MAN AEngine | ECM feature | Hybrid LNGC project

CONTENTS

JUNE 2022

8

NEWS 16 Autonomous voyage

6

A 180,000cbm LNG carrier, Prism Courage, has sailed autonomously for 10,000km between the Gulf of Mexico and Korea.

16 BV smart ship pilot

As part of a new ‘Smartship’ pilot project, Bureau Veritas is seeking to develop and apply a new BV SMART 3 Class notation covering the use of augmented data in ship operations.

21 J-ENG H2 engine

Japan Engine (J-ENG) is developing an ammonia engine and a high-pressure hydrogen combustion engine, with product launches planned for 2026 and 2027.

FEATURES

15 REGULARS 8 Regional Focus

South Korean industrial will is expressed in new commitments to the long-term wellbeing of shipbuilding and allied technological sectors, writes David Tinsley.

15 Leader Briefing

Roger Holm, EVP and President of Marine Power at Wärtsilä discusses the company’s strategic orientation in an exclusive interview.

34 Design for Performance

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An innovative SDARI container feeder design eliminates the Barred Speed Range, by adding a torsional damper aft of the engine, ABS’s Chris Leontopoulos explains.

16

16 AEngine project advances

MAN ES plans to introduce a second bore size for its ammonia-fuelled engine shortly after launching its 60-bore version in 2024.

18 Improving performance over time

Dominik Schneiter, WinGD’s Vice President R&D discusses improvements in operational performance for the engine maker’s customers in an interview with The Motorship.

22 Digital Freedom for all

Patrick Ryan, Senior Vice President of Global Engineering and Technology discusses the upcoming rollout of the Class Digital Twin in an exclusive interview with The Motorship.

26 Battery-hybrid LNGC

Posidonia, the result of a JDP between Wärtsilä, ABS and Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding (HZS).

28 Nordic fire

Norway-based Bergen Engines is launching a hydrogen-burning engine, with a focus on stationary and maritime applications, Paul Gunton hears.

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

Stay in touch at propulsionconference.com

JUNE 2022 | 3

NEWS REVIEW

VIEWPOINT

EUROPEAN STAKEHOLDERS PROPOSE AMENDMENTS TO FUELEU MARITIME

NICK EDSTROM | Editor nedstrom@motorship.com

Brave new world One of the hottest topics at the recent Posidonia 2022 conference was the potential introduction of on-board carbon capture and storage (CCS). The technology is rapidly gaining interest as a potential emissions reduction technology for vessels in operation.

Interestingly, the pace of technological development is so great that it is rendering new regulations obsolete before they are even introduced. Current rules and regulations will need to be updated to take into account how potential GHG emissions reduction savings should be recognised.

Given the protracted process of reforming the Emissions Trading System (ETS) at the European Parliament, there is little prospect that the legislation could be modified to incorporate future emissions reduction technology.

However, it is worth noting that introduction of on-board CO2 storage is likely to have an impact on vessel safety requirements. CO2 is toxic at high concentrations, and will require the development and installation of specialised monitoring and safety equipment.

Other considerations will also need to be addressed. The creation of inverted ‘reverse supply chains’ will create significant infrastructure challenges for vessels and ports, while space constraints at some ports may prevent the creation of CO2 storage facilities.

However, this issue includes a number of interesting technological advances, ranging from the installation of a 12m-long hydrofoil aboard a Dutch navy vessel, through to the potential elimination of the Barred Speed Range by installing a torsional damper aboard a container feeder. The concept formed part of a concept design of a 3,000 teu container feeder in our Design for Performance section.

Digitalisation acts a common thread running through many of the advances covered elsewhere in this issue. While the close relationship between improvements in machinery reliability and digitalisation advances has been examined previously, one of the less researched areas is how this will lead to improvements in operational performance over the duration of an engine’s time between overhauls. Dominik Schneiter told me that WinGD’s latest engine control algorithms were designed to optimise the engine’s performance based on the underlying condition of the engine.

Another common theme at Posidonia was the potential for increasing availability of high frequency data to inform discussions about the frequency of class inspections and overhauls.

Patrick Ryan of ABS told me that one of the drivers behind introducing a new system was that it should act as a change management too. He added the classification society planned to migrate its users onto its Freedom platform later in 2023. If a shipowner agreed to share some data, it could also drive a virtual model of the vessel, which Ryan termed a Class Digital Twin.

This was one of the advances that was being integrated into a Battery-Hybrid LNG carrier project involving Hudong-Zhongua Shipbuilding, which Wärtsilä’s Grant Gassner presented at Posidonia 2022. However, the concept also introduced the possibility of introducing an entirely new business model, in which highly reliable dual-fuel engines and turbochargers are capable of being operated and maintained without any interruption to a gas carrier’s availability between dry dockings.

4 | JUNE 2022

European shipowners and fuel suppliers (ECSA, EWABA, eFuel Alliance, the Advanced Biofuels Coalition and GoodFuels) have called for amendments to the EU’s FuelEU Maritime proposal to ensure that fuels suppliers are responsible for making cleaner fuels available in sufficient quantities.

The organisations also support more ambitious targets in the FuelEU Maritime proposal, saying the Commission proposal falls short of ambition and might not deliver the EU’s ambitious climate objectives for shipping.

They would like to see the targets compatible with the temperature goals of the Paris Agreement and with EU Climate Law. They also want income generated under the EU ETS and FuelEU Maritime to be used to contribute to bridging the price differential between conventional fuels and sustainable and scalable alternatives.

“The current FuelEU proposal does not address the responsibilities of the fuel suppliers and how cleaner and safe fuels will become available in Europe. We think that FuelEU Maritime should address both shipowners and fuel suppliers to ensure that low and zero carbon fuels become commercially available as soon as possible. In order to achieve our climate objectives, cooperation between the shipping industry and fuel suppliers is crucial. We strongly welcome the engagement of our

8 The stakeholders hope to reduce the current cost differential between synthetic and other alternative fuels and conventional fuels

fuel supplier partners in this dialogue,” said Sotiris Raptis, ECSA’s Secretary General. ECSA represents 19 national shipowners’ associations based in the EU and Norway.

“The proposed targets should be raised to create more powerful incentives to invest in technologies that are not based on fossil fuels,” said Dr Monika Griefahn, Chairwoman of the Board of the eFuel Alliance. .

“EU institutions must ensure sufficient ambition in policies targeting to reduce transport emissions. Time to act is now as today’s policy decisions define how companies can move forward with investment decisions. With higher ambition level, industry will have certainty to invest in biorefineries and develop sustainable fuels for the marine sector. We recognise and welcome the increased interest in advanced biofuels in the maritime sector,” stated Marko Janhunen, Chair of Advanced Biofuels Coalition and Public Affairs Director at UPM. The Advanced Biofuels Coalition, LSB, is a coalition of leading advanced biofuels technology developers and producers committed to making a significant contribution to meeting the EU ambitions of decarbonizing the transport sector.

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

NEWS REVIEW The ultra-large, 180,000cbm LNG carrier, Prism Courage, has sailed autonomously between the Gulf of Mexico and Korea, a world first achieved by Avikus, a subsidiary of HD Hyundai (former Hyundai Heavy Industries Group).

The project was a collaboration between SK Shipping and Avikus, with ABS and the Korea Register of Shipping verifying the performance of the technology: HiNAS 2.0, Avikus’ Level 2 autonomous navigation solution.

The Prism Courage departed from the Freeport on the southern coast of the Gulf of Mexico on May 1, passed through the Panama Canal, and arrived at the Boryeong LNG Terminal in South Chungcheong Province in Korea after 33 days. The vessel sailed autonomously for about half of the roughly 20,000 kilometre voyage.

HiNAS 2.0 determines optimal routes and speeds based on Hyundai Global Service’s Integrated Smartship Solution. Its artificial intelligence recognises the surrounding environment weather and wave heights - and nearby ships, and then controls the vessel’s steering commands in real-time. The Level 2 technology can control and operate the ship in addition to the functions of recognition and judgment. The system accurately recognized the locations of nearby ships to avoid collision about 100 times.

In this test crossing, the use of the technology resulted in an increase in efficiency of around 7% while reducing greenhouse gas emissions by about 5%.

BRIEFS BV smart ship pilot

As part of a new ‘Smartship’ pilot project, Bureau Veritas is seeking to develop and apply a new BV SMART 3 Class notation covering the use of augmented data in ship operations. Working with Laskaridis Shipping and METIS, BV is trying to develop a range of additional digitalisation class notations, with a focus on the augmented ship. The SMART 3 notation will also cover ship to shore connectivity, remote decision support and remote operations.

6 | JUNE 2022

LNG CARRIER SAILS AUTONOMOUSLY TO KOREA 8 The Prism Courage sailed autonomously for about half of its transit from the Gulf of Mexico to Boryeong LNG terminal in South Korea

Avikus plans to commercialize HiNAS 2.0 this year after receiving a certification from ABS for the results of the ocean crossing.

Autonomous navigation technologyis attracting interest as a potential solution to workforce shortages, GHG emissions, and crew safety challenges in the maritime sector.

Infineum lubricants for MAN two-strokes The company is expanding its range of Single Oil Category II solutions for MAN B&W two-stroke engines.

A new combination of Infineum M7095 with Infineum performance booster additive package has been approved under MAN Energy Solutions Category II lubricants for two-stroke engines operating on low sulphur fuels (>0.5% S).

“The achievement of this approval once again proves that we can provide our customers with superior technology solutions,” said Louise Renouf, large engine technology manager, Infineum. ”It ensures that customers are well positioned for future, lower carbon fuels and lower base number (BN), leading to lower ash, gives improved cleanliness

in an increasingly stringent regulatory world.”

The Main No-objection Letter (NOL) received from MAN Energy Solutions (MAN ES) for Infineum M7095 follows on the back of the approval for the recently launched Infineum M8040 additive package.

It means that Infineum M7095, an OEM approved 20BN marine diesel cylinder oil additive package, can now be combined with Infineum’s performance booster additive package to meet 40BN MAN category II lubricant requirements.

Infineum has completed rigorous field testing for M7095, accumulating 3,200 running hours on a vessel operating on VLSFO (<0.5% S) fitted with a 6G60ME-C9.5 engine, in addition to a field test of 1,500 running

hours on a vessel running on distillate fuel (DMA <0.1% S) fitted with a 6S35ME-B9.5 engine and a pre-screening test.

These multiple tests validated that Infineum M7095 with Infineum performance booster additive package delivers improved overall cleanliness capabilities versus a 100BN category II (Cat II) cylinder oil for two-stroke Mark 9 engines and higher. Its detergent and dispersant capabilities control deposit build-up, which reduce wear rate on pistons and liners and keep engines working for longer.

Infineum M7095 with Infineum performance booster additive package is an option without the need for bright stock in the formulation to provide customers with more alternatives to suit their supply chain operations.

Bilobe tanks order

Acta Marine DF order

DDV verification AiP

TGE Marine Gas Engineering has been awarded the tank supply contract for a 12,000 m3 LNG bunkering barge with US-based Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding.

The companies will design and supply the cargo handling system including two 6,000 m3 bilobe Type C tanks. The barge will be built for US-based owner Crowley and operate under a long-term charter with Shell NA LNG, LLC. The barge is expected to start operations along the US East Coast in 2024.

Acta Marine has placed an order for 2+2 methanol MDO/ HVO powered DP2 CSOVs at Turkish shipyard Tersan.

The first two vessels are scheduled for delivery Q2 and Q3 2024. The vessels are primarily aimed at the offshore wind construction market and carry the new SX-216 TWIN-X Stern design from Ulstein Design & Solutions that was exclusively designed for and in cooperation with Acta Marine.

DNV has awarded TechnipFMC its first notation for Data Driven Verification (DDV) of Dynamic Positioning (DP) systems.

The use of a digital system enables the crew to run test activities and automatically harvest secure and reliable data on the vessel’s behaviour.

This data can then be verified by the surveyor using a digital playback application, without the need for a surveyor to physically attend.

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

REGIONAL FOCUS

INTENSIFIED KOREAN DRIVE TO BE TOP PLAYER

Credit: SHI

South Korean industrial will is expressed in new commitments to the long-term wellbeing of shipbuilding and allied technological sectors, writes David Tinsley

This year’s European anti-trust ruling on South Korean shipyard consolidation may prove counter-productive since it appears to have given an added spur to the national industrial determination that has been unwavering since the country embarked on its large-scale commitment to heavy engineering and shipbuilding back in the early 1970s.

After prolonged deliberation, the European Commission (EC)’s rejection of the proposed merger of Hyundai Heavy Industries Holdings (HHIH) and Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering (DSME) has aroused indignation on the Korean peninsula and anger is feeding an intensified bid, on the part of both the business and government, to strengthen the industry’s global standing.

Dismay over the EU executive’s decision in January this year to block the HHIH acquisition of DSME and resulting union was all the greater for the fact that the creation in November 2019 of a Chinese behemoth had elicited no such European response. Over half China’s shipbuilding industry is now vested in China Shipbuilding Group (CSG), the organisation formed through the re-merger after 20 years of the government-owned enterprises China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC) and China Shipbuilding Industry Co (CSIC).

In fact, HHIH’s scheme to absorb DSME and create a more robust, capacious Korean force had been provoked by rising concern over the growing commercial threat posed by the Chinese shipbuilding industry and state ambitions. The Chinese, in turn, had contended that the unification of its two major groups had been spurred by the prospect of HHICDSME integration.

On 17 December 2019, the EC had opened an in-depth investigation into the possible ramifications of the formation of the proposed Korean grouping. At that time, the warning bells had sounded in Europe as regards the potential

8 | JUNE 2022

8 Beating heart of Samsung Heavy Industries’ shipbuilding business, the Geoje yard complex

competitive consequences in relation to the container ship, oil tanker, LPG and LNG carrier newbuild markets. In the event, the edict that eventually transpired on 13 January this year was predicated specifically on the globally dominant position that the envisaged Korean heavyweight would occupy in LNG carrier construction.

HHIH, DSME and compatriot Samsung Heavy Industries have, over the years, built a position whereby they together account for the preponderance of world LNG tanker production. The EC said that HHIH and DSME would have a combined market share of at least 60%.

Subheading Subheading Subheading Subheading In fact, despite a now more robust Chinese challenge, South Korea’s enduring status as the primary constructor of LNG carriers, augmented by a broader than ever, domestic supplier network and technological R&D platform, has been exemplified already this year by the contract inflow at Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering (DSME) alone.

Between January and April, the company secured orders for 12 LNG tankers, entirely for export.

EU antipathy to the merger had evidently been hardened by the fact that European principals accounted for half of all LNGC orders over the preceding five years. This ostensibly fed wider European concerns as to the capital cost implications of a reduction in the number and choice of vessel suppliers, inferring subsequently higher gas prices for EU customers and energy consumers, at a time when LNG has assumed considerably greater importance to Europe’s energy diversity and energy security.

Significantly, the prohibition is only the tenth merger blocked by the Commission over a 10-year period. In May, HHIH challenged the decision by launching an appeal.

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

REGIONAL FOCUS Having shifted into a holding structure under the aegis of Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering (KSOE), the HHI group’s shipbuilding sector comprises Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI), Hyundai Samho Heavy Industries (HSHI), and Hyundai Mipo Dockyard (HMD). DSME and its Okpo shipyard complex would have added a fourth arm to the organisation.

In the aftermath of the EC anti-trust ruling, HHI Holdings resolved to revive its Gunsan yard, located on the Yellow Sea in North Jeolla Province, and which had been closed and placed on a care and maintenance basis in 2017. The facility features one of the world’s largest newbuild dry docks, some 700m in length, served by a 1,600t-capacity gantry crane.

Gunsan is set to re-open at the start of 2023, and will assist the group to work through an expanding orderbook. It is expected to initially focus on the fabrication of blocks for large container ships.

Although analysts have of late been pointing to a slowing in the global boom in newbuild contracting, the South Korean shipyard orderbook, as measured in gross tonnage, reached its highest level for six years in April 2022. The strength of the market through 2021 and into the first four months of the current year has propelled the workload to its highest point since 2016, and higher added-value ship types, such as gas carriers. Figure prominently in the listings.

The business direction of the Korean yards is clear from the fact that the average price commanded for newbuilds on the peninsula is substantially in excess of that entailed with orders in China.

Subheading Subheading Subheading Subheading Shipyard capacity reservation agreements signed in May 2020

by Korea’s ‘Big Three’(KSOE/HHI, DSME and Samsung) with LNG exporter Qatar reserved shipbuilding slots for the construction of 100 or more LNG carriers over a five-year period, primarily to meet the needs of the North Field expansion project. An initial tranche of firm contracts involving six vessels from DSME and Samsung transpired towards the end of last year, and a further 10 could be concluded in Korea during 2022. The range of other orders, notably for large container ships, secured by the major players has ensured overall production continuity for some years ahead. Moreover, a resurgence among Korea’s medium-sized yards has also contributed to the rising workload.

A revitalised force is K Shipbuilding, formerly STX Offshore & Engineering. The STX Group had at one time ranked as the fourth largest shipbuilder worldwide, with interests that included the major yards in Finland and France. STX had launched its first debt restructuring effort in 2013 and asset sales, bankruptcy and filings for court receivership ensued.

State-owned Korea Development Bank, the lead creditor, had begun exploring the sale of the remnant STX shipbuilding operation at Jinhae in 2020, as part of wider, national efforts to strengthen South Korea’s smaller and mid-size yards.

This led to the purchase of STX Offshore & Engineering last July by a Korean financial consortium and re-launch as K Shipbuilding. The new entity made immediate inroads into the market, and further batches of orders secured so far this year have involved tankers and container ships in the medium-size category.

An enduring force is KSOE’s Hyundai Mipo Dockyard(HMD), which has assumed pole position in attracting new work for tankers in the medium-range(MR) segment. Continual design refinement is reflected in the latest iteration of its 50,000dwt petrochemical carrier type.

Notwithstanding the pronounced uptake in ordering, and some price firming, any benefits to the bottom line will not manifest themselves for some time, such is the nature of

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

shipbuilding. Yards therefore still remain financially challenged in the wake of Covid-19 and its effects and are accordingly sensitive to increases in steel prices and ships’ equipment. Substantial hikes in the cost of plate had to be absorbed last year, and a further steel price increase for Korean yards now appears imminent. How this might impact on newbuild prices during the second half of 2022 onwards remains to be seen.

The country’s outgoing president Moon Jae-in, whose fiveyear tenure ended on May 9, had been a firm advocate for the industry and for its ongoing and future national economic role as a volume producer of higher value-added tonnage embracing advances in environmentally-considerate design and engineering. A supportive government is aiming to foster further technological improvements and innovation to meet market demand for low-carbon, and ultimately zero-carbon design and powering solutions, and make South Korea globally pre-eminent in the ‘eco’ vessel field.

Korean Register of Shipping(KRS) has linked with domestic shipbuilders on hydrogen carrier design projects and has conducted studies into shipboard hydrogen containment, both high pressure gas storage and cryogenic liquid storage.

This year, the society signed a memorandum of understanding with DSME and STX Energy Solutions for joint work on the development and standardisation of solid oxide fuel cells in marine applications.

8 In January 2022, Hyundai Heavy Industries Group signed a memorandum of understanding with Palantir Technologies to build a big data platform for the Group’s core businesses

Subheading Subheading Subheading Subheading R&D underpins the business drive in South Korea, shaping the quality of the product offering, shipbuilding efficiency and productivity, and promoting technological self-reliance.

The Korean research infrastructure now also embraces an overseas presence. KSOE’s initiative in setting up an R&D operation in India during 2019 has recently been followed by the inauguration of a European R&D centre in Dusseldorf.

Collaboration has been forged with RWTH Aachen University on research into future propulsion systems for large ships powered by ‘green’ energy such as hydrogen and ammonia.

Last year’s groundbreaking contract placed by Maersk with HHI for eight 16,000TEU container ships with methanol dualfuel, two-stroke main engines was indicative of the industry’s pragmatic approach to the energy transition and expectations of ‘blue chip’ owners. For its part, the government’s practical measures backing the industry include the training of 8,000 shipbuilding technicians and exploration of rapid, large-scale productivity gains through the application of digitalisation and ‘smart’ 4.0 industrial concepts.

JUNE 2022 | 9

REGULATION

MEPC78 FAILS TO AGREE ON REVISED GHG TARGETS The 78th session of the IMO’s Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) met from 6-10 June but failed to reach agreement on more ambitious GHG targets or on the establishment of the International Maritime Research Board (IMRB) and International Maritime Research Fund (IMRF)

8 Wärtsilä is able to use the Aurora Botnia (pictured) as a floating extension to its R&D facilities in Vaasa

The IMO's current strategy calls for a reduction in CO2 emissions per transport work of at least 40% by 2030 compared to 2008 levels and a reduction in total annual GHG emissions of at least 50% by 2050 compared to 2008 levels. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), along with leading voices within the shipping industry, have indicated that this is not ambitious enough.

At MEPC78, some nations called for full decarbonisation by 2050 but others wanted further work done on the feasibility of this goal before making a decision – which is now expected at MEPC 80 in July 2023.

The World Shipping Council (WSC) issued a statement saying that the step change to alternative fuels will require much more of all maritime actors, and the role of IMO member states in progressing the necessary regulatory pathways and public-private partnerships cannot be overstated. It is promising therefore that MEPC78 saw a constructive discussion on the revision of the IMO GHG strategy, with a clear majority of member states in support of a 2050 zero GHG target.

“Transitioning global shipping from a carbon dependent industry into one that operates without greenhouse gas emissions is a massive task. We are encouraged by member state contributions that recognize the need to focus on key actions, and urge all member states to accelerate and expand this crucial work. Container and vehicle carriers are already investing in the development of zero GHG technologies and are committed to enabling the industry’s transition to zero. Governments need to take decisive action now to provide clear regulatory structures and market signals that drive investment and support ambitious front

10 | JUNE 2022

runners,” said John Butler, President & CEO of WSC. In closing remarks at MEPC78, IMO Secretary-General Kitack Lim said he was encouraged by the commitment to set more ambitious GHG emission goals. “Continued constructive dialogue and achievements are a true testament to the spirit of cooperation that prevails here in the Committee. As you all know the world is watching and therefore, we need to continue to deliver through concrete ambitious outcomes in the years ahead.”

Dr Aly Shaw, Policy Lead at commercial advisory service provider UMAS, was also positive: “IMO’s current heading seems encouraging. It was reassuring to see the appetite for a fair and equitable transition has been carried forward from the last meeting into MEPC78. Looking forward, we may assume that we are on a path for a stronger ambition from IMO in the Revised Strategy and a continued focus on equity and fairness throughout discussions on future policy measures, including emissions pricing.”

Research funding proposal “dead” Discussions regarding the establishment of an R&D Fund and International Maritime Research and Development Board (IMRB) continued, but Lloyd’s Register noted that there were concerns that the proposals did not adequately address the principle of common but differentiated responsibility. Doubts were raised over how money directed at research could achieve an equitable decarbonisation transition.

Guy Platten, International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) Secretary General, commented: “By refusing to take forward the shipping industry’s proposed research and development fund, the IMO has wasted its opportunity to kick start a rapid

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

REGULATION transition to zero-carbon technologies which will be vital if we are to decarbonise completely by 2050. Despite the support of many IMO States, we have been frustrated by short-sighted political manoeuvring which has led to the proposal in effect being killed. The signal this sends means that the financial risk associated with green investment will remain high, slowing down efforts to switch to zero-carbon fuels as soon as possible.

“Some claimed that the fund was a market-based measure and did not go far enough, deliberately misinterpreting our intention. The fund was never presented as a carbon pricing measure, which, although being an additional measure which we also fully support, is politically far more complex and will take many more years to develop. If governments had shown the political will, the separate R&D fund could have been up and running next year, raising billions of dollars from industry at no cost to governments.

“Despite the lack of government leadership at the IMO, the shipping industry remains committed to finding ways of achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2050. Funding for R&D will be top of the agenda at the Shaping the Future of Shipping Summit, to be hosted by ICS in London on 21 June.

We will bring together leading CEOs from across our global industry to find ways to practically decarbonise shipping.”

Simon Bennett, Deputy Secretary General of ICS, added: “In addition to providing half a billion dollars per year to support global R&D programmes, the fund would have provided US$50 million per year to support maritime greenhouse gas reduction projects in developing countries – a 10-fold increase to the current IMO technical cooperation budget. Sadly, it seems this opportunity to provide immediate help to the likes of Small Island Developing States has also now been lost.

“On the positive side, the possibility remains for the IMO to make use of the Fund’s proposed regulatory architecture to underpin a future global carbon levy on shipping’s CO2 emissions, to close the price gap with zero-carbon fuels when they become available and provide significant funds to help expedite the transition to net zero by 2050. “If the contribution system which we have developed can speed up implementation of a global carbon levy for shipping, we may yet be able to look back on this setback at the IMO as a significant moment of success.”

Agreement on short-term measures The committee approved guidelines for the package of short-term measures which are focused on reducing GHG emissions from the existing fleet. DNV reports that MEPC 78 finalized guidelines related to the Energy Efficiency eXisting ship Index (EEXI), Carbon Intensity Indicator (CII) and Ship Energy Efficiency Management Plan (SEEMP) so these measures are now ready for implementation next year.

The EEXI technical file needs to be approved before the first annual, intermediate or renewal IAPP survey or the initial IEE survey on or after 1 January 2023. The SEEMP Part III needs to be approved and on board by 1 January 2023. The first reporting of the CII based on 2023 data is due no later than 31 March 2024.

SEEMP Part III will require affected vessels to submit a three-year implementation plan describing how they will achieve the required Carbon Intensity Indicator (CII). The CII will rate MARPOL ship types above 5,000 GT using a scale from A to E on how efficiently they transport goods or passengers regarding the CO2 they emit. For vessels obtaining an inferior rating, the SEEMP III report must be updated with a corrective action plan which must be verified before a Statement of Compliance can be issued.

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

Changes approved at MEPC78 include: 5 EEXI guidelines: the option for in-service performance measurements was included.

5 CII calculation guidelines (G1): The capacity parameter for ro-ro cargo ships was changed to gross tons.

5 CII reference lines guidelines (G2): Reference lines for ro-ro cargo ships and ro-ro cargo (vehicle) ships were updated.

The reference line for ro-ro passenger ships was split in two, with a separate line for high-speed craft (HSC) and an updated line for ro-ro passenger ships excluding HSC. 5 CII rating guidelines (G4): Updates were made to the rating thresholds for the ship types with updated reference lines.

5 Interim CII correction factor and voyage adjustment guidelines (G5): A new guideline was agreed that includes correction factors and voyage adjustments for various ship types and circumstances. After extensive discussion, corrections for adverse weather and extensive port and waiting time were not included and will need to be raised at the review in 2025.

8 Not a production line: technology developments in the maritime sector are expensive and time-consuming

SEEMP guidelines: 5 The guidelines were updated to include guidance on developing and verifying the SEEMP Part III (ship operational carbon intensity plan).

Port State Control guidelines: 5 MEPC 78 requested the sub-committee on Implementation of IMO Instruments (III 8) (July 2022) consider if failing to implement the implementation plan in SEEMP Part III is a detainable deficiency.

5 ABS reports that the Committee approved MEPC circular MEPC.1/Circ.902 which provides guidance on in-service performance measurements for EEXI calculations. For cases where the speed-power curve is not available or the sea trial report does not contain the Energy Efficiency Design Index (EEDI) or design load draught condition, the ship speed Vref can be obtained from the in-service performance measurement, in accordance with paragraph 2.2.3.5 of the EEXI Calculation Guidelines (MEPC.350(78)).

5 The impact of onboard carbon capture systems on EEXI calculations was discussed, but discussion is expected to continue at MEPC 79.

JUNE 2022 | 11

REGULATION

BILGE WATER SEPARATORS – WHERE ARE WE NOW? Dr Wei Chen of consultancy firm EN Decision outlines some of the perils and pitfalls confronting the industry as the issue of compliant bilge discharges rises up the regulatory agenda

8 Regulators are turning their attention to the issue of compliant bilge discharges and the continuing use of ‘magic pipes’

Bilge water is a mixture of oily water, emulsion, lubricants, grease, detergents, condensate, and spills that accumulate in the lower machinery spaces of a vessel, and it is harmful to the environment [1]. At 0.01 to 13 m3 per day [2], bilge water is low in volume and high in complexity when compared to the so-called produced water of the offshore industry.

The IMO’s MARPOL Annex I Convention requires ships of over 400 gross tons to have an oily water separator (OWS) with an oil content monitor (OCM) and a bilge alarm. Overboard discharge shall be stopped when the OCM reading exceeds 15 ppm. OWSs and OCMs are tested and approved to the MEPC.107(49) guideline, which superseded MEPC.60(33) in 2005. But the progress has been dogged by issues such as weak guidelines, non-conformities, inadequate equipment, illegal dumping, and the unintended publicity of oil slicks found during rescue missions [3]. So, where are we now?

Discharge standard has uncertainties In the offshore industry, the discharge of treated produced water is subject to compliance monitoring. Routine samples are required to be sent to a lab for regulatory reporting, and field instruments are not used for regulatory purposes. The discharge standard of 30 ppm has proven to be practicable and sustainable. In comparison, the bilge water discharge standard of 15-ppm is far more stringent, considering its low volume and highly diversified and fluctuating characteristics.

Motion, tight spaces, and a lack of skills and man-hours pose further challenges to compliant discharges. Yet, some have been pushing for a tougher performance standard of 5 ppm to echo that imposed on the Canadian Great Lakes. However, in the absence of performance verifications, it is uncertain if the bilge water standard is practicable and proven on most ships. In fact, the uncertainties go back further to the laboratory analytical methods.

12 | JUNE 2022

Analytical uncertainties Whilst many lab results indicate largely compliance performance, they are method dependent. The test fluids used to test OCMs are analysed using the ISO 9377-2 method in the labs. The ISO method is more suitable for applications with known oil types. But its minimum detection limit (MDL) remains undefined. USEPA’s Vessel General Permit (VGP, 2013) stipulates a somewhat different EPA 1664A method. It can detect a wider range of compounds and gives higher results than the ISO method. The differences of the results by these analysis methods are startling [5]. Whilst the ISO method produces perfectly compliant results, the EPA 1664A method produces results that exceed the 15-ppm limit (figure right). What is equally startling is the poor correlations between the OCM readings and the lab results, as indicated by the low R2 values.

The EPA’s self-sampling program has revealed the same findings (figures opposite, top) [6].

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REGULATION

8 Data of some 300 ships submitted to EPA VGP selfsampling program (2014-2020)

OCM test fluids and procedures also carry uncertainties.

But side-by-side comparisons of OCMs from different makers do not seem to have existed on land or on ships.

OCM accuracy is an issue too. The typical accuracy is ± 5 ppm, or at best ± 3 ppm using a loose testing standard (TP12301), may not warrant their sensible applications for a typically more robust 5-ppm OWS approved under cleaner class notations.

These analytical uncertainties are no small matters. They readily undermine the existing performance standard and the aspiration of a tougher one. But in the absence of performance verifications, they are a moot point.

Certified uncertainties Approved marine environmental products often contain features that do not conform to the requirements of the guidelines or the objectives of the regulations. For example, MEPC 107(49) requires OCMs be designed and constructed ‘to avoid wilful manipulation’, but multiple OCMs are found with vulnerabilities that make them readily manipulatable [7]. The guideline also demands OCMs receive ‘a truly representative’ sample with ‘adequate pressure and flow’, but OCMs on as many as 30% of ships surveyed by one authority fail to raise an alarm when there is no sample flow [8].

The situation of certified non-conformities is not unique to MARPOL Annex I. Under Annex IV, some approved sewage treatment plants are found to defy science [9,10]; under Annex V, international food waste is made to somehow vanish from the approved piping diagrams [11-13].

These certified non-conformities are often driven by cost saving initiatives. Sadly, once a bad product has gained its unfair competitive advantage, other products are forced to become copycats, whilst other approval authorities orities are forced to approve them. In a race to the bottom, m, certified non-conformities under the IMO’s type approval al regimes spread across the shipping industry like a pandemic. emic. And there is no vaccine for it.

OWSs that are conforming to the rules can n become inadequate too, thanks to the weak guidelines. The he 8-hour test period, the stationary test conditions, and the e constant and stable test fluids all fail to represent real challenges llenges on board [4,14]. Calls to improve the regulation [14-16] 4-16] have been considered unnecessary [17]. Unacknowledged dged and uncorrected, these approved non-conformities ties and inadequacies continue to pollute the oceans and destroy the IMO’s environmental aspirations.

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Operational uncertainties With so many operational problems being experienced on ships, technical guidance notes have been compiled to supplement the vendors’ operation and maintenance instructions [18-20]. But a decade on, operators are still afraid to use inadequate OWSs. They keep such OWSs in a workingbut-unused condition, ready for the inspectors [21,23].

Desperate attempts to by-pass OWSs using ‘magic pipes’ (image) have led to fines and prosecutions [24-28], tipped off by crew members incentivised by life-changing prize money.

Unfortunately, these high-profile cases shed no light on why people risk their careers and reputations to by-pass an OWS. On the other hand, the readiness of operators to resort to ‘practical solutions’ in evading the challenges of not their own making has only served to sustain these challenges.

Two decades on, magic-pipe cases remain persistent [29-32].

Other tricks are more discreet. ‘Simple jumpers, swapped wires, disconnected wires, the addition of internal switches’ have been used within OCM cabinetry [7]. The use of flushing water during operations, additional clean water connections to the discharge sample line, additional powering capabilities to the three-way valves or discharge control valves, mechanical overrides limiting the action of electropneumatic operated control valves, the use of screwdrivers to override interlocks and switches, insufficient battery life for data logging, and the use of OCMs that fail to alarm at no sample flow, have been reported [7,33,34]. OWS duty capacities are found to exceed the certified limits [18]. The line between the certified non-conformities by design, and the ‘deliberate manipulations’ in operation, is often blurred into a tangled mess.

JUNE 2022 | 13

REGULATION Enforcement uncertainties Enforcement exists, probably more so than that of other MARPOL Annexes. But the disparity is evident. The USCG has been the one authority following up on almost all magic pipe cases, as if the violations had never happened elsewhere.

Crucially, certified inadequacies and non-conformities have not been effectively challenged by the enforcement regimes.

The introduction of guidance notes, the recommendation of being ‘alert’ to manipulations [7], and the harmonised surveys under the IMO’s resolution A.1104(29) have not led to tangible improvements [8]. After decades of technological advances, such as tamper-proof monitoring solutions featuring a flow switch to the OCM sample flow, the OWS flow meter and GPS, etc., they remain an ‘optional’ choice trailing behind certified non-conformities that facilitate unchecked OWS discharges.

Illegal dumping and regional aspirations With these uncertainties, it may not be a surprise that legal dumping of bilge water to sea continues [35, 36]. A waste gap of 31,000 m3 [37] has shifted the mood of the EU policy makers from encouraging bilge-to-ports to forcing it [38].

However, such regional aspirations to patch up the holes of the MARPOL rules can further diminish OWS utilisation on board, inflicting negative impacts on OWS familiarisation, operation, and maintenance. They also create increasingly fragmented requirements which move further away from the universal environmental rules craved by international shipping, and by the IMO. Time will tell if they can better serve the goal of MARPOL. But how do we end up where we are, and what can be done next?

What’s next?

Are vendors to blame for cutting every corner afforded by the approval authorities? Are operators to blame for navigating their own ways around the certified yet inadequate OWSs that are beyond help? Are approval authorities to blame when a guideline can never be exhaustive in blocking off all tricks?

Are enforcement bodies to blame for ticking boxes under a regulatory framework that requires no performance verifications? How can the certified inadequacies and nonconformities that carry the weight of sovereign Administrations be challenged? Can certified mistakes ever be acknowledged and corrected under the IMO’s approval regimes, considering the entailing political, legal, and commercial implications?

As thorny and difficult as these issues may be, the IMO’s aspiration on controlling bilge water pollution is not wavering. Some well-equipped, robust, and adequate OWS systems have survived and even thrived, thanks to blue-chip ship owners who go beyond type approval certificates and commit to environmental protection. But to make OWS regulations effective, more careful considerations and competent inputs are needed: 5 Lab analysis methods need to reflect the complexity of the oil contents in bilge water, the phasing-out of heavy fuels, and the advance of biofuels and other greener fuels.

5 Good correlations between lab results and OCM readings are essential during tests and operations.

5 An OWS system should encompass the OCM, bilge alarm, sample points, and the associated control valves. Its typeapproval should focus on the integrity and robustness of the design and construction. A 10-day independent test including the simulation of pitching and rolling on board a ship, is plausible. Test fluids need to reflect the advance of fuels [39] and the changing detergents and other chemicals.

OWS effluent flow should be metered to stop excess dilution. A period of onboard operational experiences should form part of the OWS approval process.

14 | JUNE 2022

5 A ship-specific management plan is needed to illustrate a conforming and robust OWS system installation against manipulations. It should also facilitate optimum configurations and best practices to improve interface conditions, to minimise interferences, and to reduce OWS loadings where possible. Common interferences to OWS performance should be managed, such as to eliminate sewage overflow into bilge (PPR 9/14).

5 A guideline can never be exhaustive enough to prevent all mistakes from being certified. The IMO needs to create an effective channel for reporting non-conformities and inadequacies without fear or repercussions. The IMO also needs to create a mechanism to acknowledge, investigate and correct certified mistakes with good accountability and transparency.

5 A credible type-approval regime is important for the maritime industry. But it is not enough. A discharge should be permitted only when its compliant performance is maintained under on-going compliance sampling, assessment, and enforcement, by undertaking, for example, one independent sample every year. Such transparency will allow regulators to establish the best available technologies and to arrive at evidence-based and practicable performance standards.

With such ‘regulatory cycle’ (figure above) that has been proven by the environmental endeavours of other industry sectors for decades, we can hope that the maritime industry can join the rest of our society to arrive at a level playing field which encourages the best but not the worst technologies, and an effective regulatory framework which aims for the real goal of protecting our environment with compliant discharge performances.

References References are available at request, please contact Wei Chen of EN Decision Ltd, weichen818@gmail.com Dr Wei Chen, Consultant, EN Decision, UK Markus Joswig, Head of Marine Department, PIA GmbH, Germany Benny Carlson, Chairman and owner, Marinfloc, Sweden Gillian Lovering, Business Development Manager, Rivertrace Limited, UK Göran Fransson, Global Business Manager, Alfa Laval, Sweden Gavin Gao Yuan, Technical Manager, Maritec PTE. LTD., a member of CTI Group, China Merlin Gehrt, Technical & Sales Development Manager, Deckma Hamburg GmbH, Germany

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LEADER BRIEFING

SOLUTIONS, EXPERIENCE AND STRATEGY UNDERPIN OFFERING Customers’ future flexibility needs informs Wärtsilä’s product and technology solutions strategy, Roger Holm, Executive Vice President and President of Marine Power, explains in an interview in Vaasa, Finland Roger Holm was in an ebullient mood when he was interviewed by The Motorship in Vaasa in May. The recent visit to the Finnish technology company’s headquarters on Finland’s west coast to attend its Smart Technology Hub (STH) unveiling.

Strategic conversations As shipping stands on the cusp of the largest maritime transformation that we have seen in our lives, Holm outlined how he expects this to affect the nature of Wärtsilä’s services.

For technical managers and ship owners managing the competing demands of commercial operations, regulatory compliance, and the increasing focus on energy efficiency, it will be challenging to factor in the likely entry of different fuels into the fuel mix, as well as ports.

Here, Holm sees an opportunity for Wärtsilä to become a strategic partner for customers looking at managing the decarbonisation of their fleets, as the decarbonisation agenda “positions us at the centre of our customers’ strategy discussions”.

The upcoming tightening of the CII curve introduces an additional variable for shipowners. “This makes [CII] business critical from an emissions point of view as well. You need to combine these to see what’s beneficial for your fleet to do.”

“We are now having discussions with customers about developing fleet-wide plans to ensure they maintain a certain position on a CII curve over time”. Such discussions also introduced considerations about the phasing of investments, balancing financial and decarbonisation considerations.

Engine conversions One of the bases of Wärtsilä’s credibility is its ability to offer a range of digital, future fuel upgrade and battery-hybrid solutions, alongside other efficiency and emissions reductions technologies. This means that it can discuss solutions credibly without being accused of simply promoting its own services or “talking its book”.

Another support was Wärtsilä’s own expertise in engine conversions. This is an area that Wärtsilä is keen to promote, to establish itself as a leading as a provider of retrofit and conversion solutions. “[Looking forward], our services will also change form in the sense that we will look at much more upgrading during the lifetime of the vessel.” Wärtsilä expects to benefit, both because of its familiarity with converting its own engines, as well as for its global service capacity.

Holm also noted that integrating digitalisation or batteryhybrid solutions with Wärtsilä’s marine engines was opening up new possibilities for solutions for customers.

“If you combine a hybrid system with our fourstroke engines, you will get more flexibility over the power cycle.

[Looking forward] … you'll get more flexibility also for future changes in the power system for different technologies.”

Holm expects to see greater possibilities for battery-

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8 Roger Holm, EVP and president of Wärtsilä Marine Power

hybrid configurations in the future, which are likely to become “more and more interesting the further we go along the decarbonisation path”.

“And we will [also] see a lot of interesting changes coming both from a digitalisation connectivity point of view, with all that that entails, but also from a future fuel point of view.”

Holm accepted that dual-fuel conversions or hybrid retrofits would add to the complexity of existing vessels, but noted that vessels were becoming more complex. The Motorship notes that advances in Wärtsilä’s engine control management system were designed to manage technology developments efficiently.

This additional complexity might not increase the workload for customers. Wärtsilä was able to offer long-term service agreements for customers who wanted to ensure peace of mind.

“We will see a lot of technology development, and it's given that with more integrations, more data driven, more technology development, [demand will grow for us to] take care of that for you.”

Holm noted that one of the leading players in the LNG carrier segment, Maran Gas, had extended a service agreement covering 21 LNG carriers for an additional five years. “A first-time agreement is nice, an extension of an agreement is the proof point of the value.”

Technological developments Holm confirmed that Wärtsilä was continuing to develop alternative fuel solutions in order to meet demand from customers. “We will deliver the first methanol new build next year. We will have our ammonia concept ready in the second half of next year… [and] we will have the first deliveries [some time] after that. There is a demand in the market for ammonia and so I'm not worried about that.”

While Holm did not distinguish between prime movers and auxiliary engines, he noted that the company was likely to benefit from a flight to quality effect as demand emerged for methanol-fuelled auxiliary engines and subsequently ammonia-fuelled auxiliary engines.

JUNE 2022 | 15

TWO-STROKE ENGINES

MAN ES TO LAUNCH SECOND AMMONIA ENGINE BORE SIZE MAN Energy Solutions has announced that it plans to introduce a second ammonia-fuelled engine size shortly after its 60-bore version which will be made available for customer order by late 2024

8 The four-cylinder 50-bore Test Engine 1 (pictured) at MAN ES’ research centre in Copenhagen will be rebuilt to support the testing of MAN ES’ new ammonia-fuelled engine. This conversion was expected to be completed by Q3 2022

The introduction of a 60-bore variant mean that MAN ES would be able to cover the entire layout points for ship designers to include an ammonia engine in very large gas carriers (VLGC), pure car and truck carriers (PCTC), container feeders, Panamax and Newcastlemax bulkers and LR1 and LR2 tankers.

“It will allow a wide range of ship segments to start pioneering ammonia as a fuel for shipping,” Thomas Hansen, Head of Promotion of 2-stroke engines at MAN Energy Solutions.

The announcement that the company was planning to launch a second engine size was made by Peter Kirkeby, Business Development and Promotion Manager for Dualfuel engines at MAN ES 2-stroke.

The decision about which engine bore will be developed will be announced in 2023. It was likely to be taken in response to customer demand, Kirkeby said, adding that MAN had seen customer interest in using ammonia as a fuel across a range of vessel types.

Once the full engine tests have been finalised, MAN expects to conclude the first commercial sales of its dualfuel ammonia engine.

Mitsui E&S parallel testing Kirkeby revealed that the company had signed a cooperation agreement with MAN ES licensee Mitsui E&S, which will

16 | JUNE 2022

make its test engine available for parallel testing. The full engine tests of the dual-fuel ammonia-burning engine are scheduled to take place in 2024.

As a result, MAN ES expects to carry simultaneous full scale engine testing conducted at MAN ES’ four cylinder 50bore Test Engine 1 at Research Centre Copenhagen (RCC) and on Mitsui’s 7S60ME-C test engine in Japan from 2024.

To support the conversion of Test Engine 1 into an ammonia-fuelled engine configuration, Kirkeby noted that Test Engine 2 at RCC would be rebuilt to support the testing of MAN ES’ ME-GA engine, its new low-pressure, low-speed Otto Cycle dual-fuel engine. This conversion was expected to be completed by Q3 2022.

1st engine confirmation test Before full-scale engine testing can begin, MAN plans to conduct a first single-cylinder engine test in Copenhagen.

The test is expected to be carried out “in the next few months.” The Motorship understands the single-cylinder engine test may be concluded before the end of summer.

While MAN has not yet fully completed the ammonia fuel supply and auxiliary system development work, as well as safety concept definitions and specifications, it expects the first confirmation test to answer a lot of questions.

Kirkeby noted that the engine test in itself would be a

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TWO-STROKE ENGINES milestone achievement, as it represents “the first ammonia burning test on a large-bore two stroke engine”. The combustion of ammonia in a diesel cycle two-stroke lowspeed engine is likely to be different from previous test results, which were conducted on four-stroke engines.

The test would confirm the engine concept, and permit improvement of the safety concepts, verify the pilot fuel ignition concept and also offer guidance about the engine efficiency.

Environmental emissions While the engine’s expected output and efficiency is likely to be refined during the engine tests, MAN ES has previously told The Motorship that new engine products would only be launched if they were commercially viable. Kirkeby confirmed that the new engine was expected to exceed 50% efficiency after initial tests.

A similar process of product refinement was likely with regard to the pilot fuel percentage. The engine was expected to require around 5% pilot fuel. Substituting fuel oil with biodiesel was likely to improve the emissions footprint.

The pilot fuel proportion represents key parameter in the design of the engine’s injection system, as the engine designers seek to ensure compliance with Marpol Annex 6, while ensuring Tier II and III NOx standards are met.

Peter Kirkeby did share details about MAN ES’ emissions reduction strategy with regard to nitrous oxide, which The Motorship has previously identified as a potential obstacle to the introduction of the technology (see box).

Kirkeby noted that MAN ES was focusing on combustion tuning to prevent the formation of nitrous oxide in the first place.

“This means that you either prevent the formation of nitrous oxide in the engine tuning by avoiding certain temperature pressure windows, or we make sure we get into temperature pressure windows where the N2O is decomposed before the exhaust valve opens.”

MAN ES is also investigating the development of an aftertreatment solution, although Kirkeby notes that “adding more systems and more complexity to the engine installation is never really favourable in a commercial environment”.

The Motorship has previously noted that one of the challenges for two-stroke engine designers is that existing commercial ammonia N2O abatement solutions require higher temperatures in the treatment of offgases than exist after two-stroke temperatures.

Ammonia has a higher auto-ignition temperature and slower laminar burning velocity than conventional marine fuels. This delays the timing of combustion in the cylinders of 2-stroke engines and can result in ammonia slip and the production of NOx and nitrous oxide (N2O).

The N2O emissions issue is an area of particular focus for engine designers, as the gas has a significantly greater global warming potential than CO2. According to some analyses, N2O has a 265 times greater impact than CO2, far exceeding the impact of methane slip.

8 The shop test of MAN ES’ first MAN B&W G70ME-C10.5GA took place on 21 and 22 June at MAN licensee HHI-EMD in Korea. HHI-EMD was also the licensee that produced the first G-Type engine in 2013 (pictured)

FAT Tests for first ME-GA engine MAN Energy Solutions expects to conduct Factory Acceptance Tests (FAT) tests for its first ME-GA engine on 21 and 22 June at HHI-EMD’s facility in Ulsan, South Korea.

Shop tests on a second ME-GA engine at MAN ES licensee HSD Engine will begin shortly afterwards in early July, Peter Kirkeby said.

At the time of going to press, the results of the shop tests could not be verified. The engines are MAN B&W G70ME-C10.5-GA units destined for installation aboard LNG carriers.

The first G70ME-C10.5-GA engine is expected to enter service aboard an LNG carrier in Q3 2023. Thomas Hansen, Head of Promotion of 2-stroke engines at MAN Energy Solutions, noted that MAN ES had already received 152 orders for MAN ES’ two-stroke Otto Cycle engine for LNG carriers in mid-June 2022.

The FAT tests follow encouraging results from engine tests conducted at licensees HHI-EMD and HSD, who have been operating test engines in Korea at Ulsan and Changwon since February 2022.

Cumulatively, over 100 days of testing have been conducted on the engine.

Testing milestones The engine at HHI-EMD began gas operation on 12 March 2022, having begun liquid fuel operations on 19 February.

Kirkeby noted that the R&D tests had progressed, adding that the testing had confirmed the safety and basic Engine Control System functions, as well as the EGR function.

The gas admission geometry and the basic parameters had been determined. Kirkeby added that the pre-chamber, pressure curves

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and ignition had worked as expected.

While the tests had confirmed basic concepts, some design updates were being undertaken. In particular, testing of the impact of ambient conditions upon performance was continuing.

The FAT tests would not end research and development work into MAN ES’ new low-pressure low-speed gas-fuelled engine.

Kirkeby added that MAN ES would begin to conduct R&D and confirmation tests on the 4S50MX Test Engine 2 at RCC in Copenhagen from Q3 2022.

Kirkeby noted that MAN research engineers had conducted more than 1870 tests since 2019 during previous tests conducted at MAN ES’s Copenhagen research centre. MAN’s Test Engine 1 has accumulated more than 1500 hours operating in gas mode.

JUNE 2022 | 17

TWO-STROKE ENGINES

TAKING THE LONG VIEW OF OPTIMISATION: SCHNEITER Dominik Schneiter, WinGD’s Vice President R&D discusses improvements in operational performance for the engine maker’s customers in an interview with The Motorship Dominik Schneiter noted that the engine maker was continuing research into improving the performance of its current engine programme during an interview at Posidonia 2022 in Greece. He added that the engine designer was planning to launch a new 24/7 monitoring service for subscribing customers from July 2022 (see box).

A common thread connecting several of the advances is the engine designer’s new engine control system (WiCE), which is covered in a separate article in this month’s issue.

The new engine control system will offer certain advantages in terms of combustion management, and in optimising the engine’s operation.

Schneiter proudly referred to the optimisation of recirculated oxygen content entering WinGD’s X-DF 2.0 lowpressure dual-fuel engine via the low-pressure EGR system, as one of the significant advantages coordinated within the control system.

In the meantime, the new engine control system will create the option of introducing fully integrated control logics which are to a large extent model based, Schneiter added. This will allow the engine to optimise itself at whatever operation point.

“While the technology may not result in a significant increase in engine efficiency at the optimum point… such intelligent control can help you to always operate at the highest possible efficiency within the given limit of emissions and so on.”

The Motorship notes that this was likely to attract attention as shipowners were considering a range of different strategies to respond to upcoming emissions reduction regulations, including speed reductions.

Schneiter added that WinGD had already applied some of the insights gleaned from research into model-based control (where combustion and CFD simulation models to train the control systems of new engines) to improve engine control algorithms for existing customers.

“We don’t make a big fuss about it, as the benefits are hard to quantify, but its an area where there has been steady improvement in recent years.”

However, Schneiter expanded on the benefits that ship owners can expect to see.

“Another potential benefit of the introduction of intelligent controls is that we expect to see an improvement in the performance of ship systems towards the end of their five year overhaul period.”

Traditionally, there has been a difference in the performance of engines over the five years between dry docks “reflecting carbon build up and fouling on tools and injection equipment and things like that.” One of the possibilities of WinGD’s intelligent control system is that we can recognise the fouling and change the parameters to mitigate the accumulation, Schneiter noted.

In other words, the fouling induced fuel penalty will be effectively reduced over time, which will improve the vessel’s fuel efficiency over a five-year timespan. It will also effectively eliminate the risk of fuel penalties from worn engine

18 | JUNE 2022

8 Dominik Schneiter, Vice President Research & Development, WinGD

components that some vessels used to suffer in the past, as accurate performance monitoring would permit instantaneous identification of faults.

In the future, Schneiter notes that the improvement in engine performance, along with improved insight into the condition of machinery offered by sensor technology, would feed into wider discussions about pushing out the dry dock period beyond five years.

In conclusion, Schneiter anticipates that the new WiCE engine control system will be supplemented by increasingly accurate engine control models. “Integrating a hybrid propulsion system, you will have a propulsion system that learns to optimise itself over time. That's exactly where we want to go. Because at the beginning, when everything is new, everything performs, but after three to five years, it might diverge. But this intelligent system can start to correct itself.”

8 Schneiter noted that WinGD was launching a 24/7 remote monitoring tool at the beginning of July 2022. The service will extend the scope of WinGD’s integrated Digital Expert service (WiDE), allowing the service to proactively offer insights based on a remote condition-based monitoring service, from an office based in South Korea. The service would not just identify parts that needed replacement, but also provide support on more efficient operation of machinery for WinGD customers.

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MARINE TECHNOLOGY

TWO-STROKE ENGINES

ENGINE CONTROL SYSTEMS READY FOR FLEXIBLE FUTURE Engine designers are prepared for the future with a new generation of engine control systems that promise greater data capabilities, speed and flexibility WinGD introduced its new WiCE engine control system in 2019 to meet the rising demands for enhanced control and diagnostic capabilities. Key features include a modular design of the hardware components that, for the 2-stroke engine, include the MCU (main control unit), CCU (cylinder control module) and GTU (gateway unit). A much more powerful Ethernet bus structure was applied to provide a data collection platform suitable for more powerful monitoring and diagnostic systems.

Luca Sala, Senior Manager Product Digital & Portfolio Strategy at WinGD, says the platform will be used on all future technology, including X-DF2.0 dual-fuel engines and any future upgrades for all WinGD engines, and it can also be retrofitted to existing engines. “It’s very important that we look to the new future, both from a newbuilding and a retrofit point of view, because when you introduce a new fuel, you automatically have a different combustion mechanism and potentially different after treatment. With dual-fuel ammonia or methanol engines, for example, you need a more powerful control system that is able to switch between fuels in case of an emergency.”

WiCE also anticipates greater use of hybrid power sources and energy storage in conjunction with the main engine.

To maximise efficiency potential from an array of power sources, the vessel’s energy management system will need to be able to connect to engine control systems, placing even higher demands on monitoring, diagnostic and connectivity capabilities.

Sala explains that WiCE already collects many thousands of data points every second. By using WinGD Digital Integrated Expert (WiDE) with WiCE, operators can collect and analyse even more engine data, including in-cylinder pressure, without any additional cabling. This enables very accurate performance monitoring of the engine and means that any potential anomaly can be acted on immediately, ensuring engine performance is always optimal.

“If you combine WiCE and WiDE with a voyage optimisation functionality, the ship manager will have much more accurate performance forecasts for the voyage and direct insights into the status of the main engine. We have created a very flexible and powerful platform that can be used to build functionality and to integrate with other systems around the main engine.”

WinGD is constantly working on integrating expert analytics based on the company’s unique design knowledge to synthesise and evaluate the data collected, so that it will be simpler and faster for crews to interpret and act on. “We do that with a robust control system platform combined with a very strong data sharing process.”

Wärtsilä’s Unified Controls Wärtsilä’s Unified Controls (UNIC) system is now in its second generation, and this may be its last. Markus Mesimäki, General Manager, Automation System Lifecycle Automation, says the engine maker is moving away from the concept of discrete generations and moving to a continuous lifecycle concept.

20 | JUNE 2022

“Earlier, our updates have primarily been hardware-based - we have introduced a new hardware platform, but in the future, we would like to move forward from that to more software-based, continuous automation system updates which would be far more convenient for our customers. The timing of these software roll outs would be heavily dependent on the value we can provide with them. We want to give our customers new functionality rather than just an update that replaces obsolete hardware.”

8 Ship operators can analyse even more engine data, including in-cylinder pressure, without any additional cabling, by combining WinGD’s WiDE and WiCE solutions, Luca Sala told The Motorship

We want to give our customers new functionality rather than just an update that replaces obsolete hardware

‘‘

The modular system architecture would continue to serve as the software platform as long as the new approach is adopted. The platform’s model-based design principles and application functionality have proven their robustness and will continue as part of the system’s foundation. This proven and robust infrastructure functions as the stepping stone for any new functionality introduced, says Mesimäki.

Meanwhile, with its modular architecture, for upgrades such as fuel type changes, the existing automation system is easily rebuilt with additional control modules and functionalities. The capacity of the second generation of UNIC, introduced in 2016, enables the introduction of new functionalities for full flexibility in real-time operation, such as enabling smooth changes between fuel types.

Like the new lifecycle approach, the current second generation of UNIC takes care of all control and monitoring functions for both newly built engines and as a retrofit for older Wärtsilä engines as well as catalysts and other auxiliary systems.

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TWO-STROKE ENGINES

JAPAN ENGINE TARGETS 2027 FOR H2-FUELLED ENGINE Japanese engine designer Japan Engine Corporation (J-ENG) discussed plans to add hydrogen and ammonia-fuelled 2-stroke engines to their portfolio in 2027 and 2026 at Posidonia 2022 The two engine development programmes are being conducted in parallel, in what is a major undertaking by the engine designer and manufacturer.

The ammonia-fuelled engine development project will be based on J-ENG’s existing mono-fuel UEC-LSJ engine platform, modifying the model’s stratified water injection technology for use with ammonia. The new model will be termed the UEC-LSJA (LASJ + Ammonia) model.

The Motorship has previously reported on J-ENG’s participation in a state-funded ammonia gas carrier development project, in which J-ENG will be responsible for delivering an ammonia-fuelled engine. The company is expecting to deliver the first ammonia-fuelled engine by the end of 2025, which will permit the vessel to be delivered in 2026.

Testing is understood to be conducted upon Mitsubishi Heavy Industries' 4UE-X3 full-scale test facility, located at Kobe Shipyard.

The company has developed a pilot fuel injection concept (see Stratified Fuel Injection, below), which will require the injection of up to 5% of fuel oil.

Interestingly, the J-ENG representative confirmed that the company had successfully achieved the complete elimination of nitrous oxide emissions by optimising combustion. The company is now conducting research into improving the emissions profile of the engine.

The identification of ammonia lubrication requirements is complicated by the fact that previous test data was supplied from smaller four-stroke engines, and is as such of limited use for a 60-bore two-stroke dual-fuel engine.

As such, the company is continuing research into identifying the lubrication requirements of the ammoniafuelled engine design. “We are still capturing requirements on a small engine,” The Motorship was told.

J-ENG’s Diesel Cycle hydrogen engine concept The new hydrogen-fuelled model will be based upon J-ENG’s unfinished dual-fuel methane-burning UEC-LSGi engine platform. The design builds upon the engine designer’s precommercial research into a high-pressure Diesel cycle engine platform. J-ENG completed fundamental research, gaining valuable insights into fuel injection technology and combustion, but a decision was taken to halt the project before moving to commercial product development.

One advantage of the research into the UEC-LSGi model is that J-ENG has acquired significant experience of working with gaseous fuels. The new dual-fuel hydrogen-burning engine model, the UEC-LSGH (LSGi+Hydrogen) will be modified to support hydrogen combustion at concentrations of up to 95% hydrogen, a J-ENG representative informed The Motorship. The new engine will be named the UEC-LSGH (LSGi+Hydrogen) engine.

The Motorship notes that J-ENG has extensive experience participating in research projects to develop hydrogen combustion solutions. The Motorship reported on J-ENG’s participation in pre-commercial research into hydrogen and

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8 J-ENG plans to base its UEC-LSJA (LASJ + Ammonia) model upon its existing UEC-LSJ engine platform, modifying the model’s stratified water injection technology for use with ammonia

ammonia as fuel on NMRI's 3-cylinder 230mm bore test engine in 2019.

The initial target market for J-ENG’s hydrogen engine is the general cargo market operating around the coast of Japan, and on routes in the East Asian region. As such the initial development focus is likely to be on smaller-bore engines.

However, The Motorship notes that Japan is also investigating the development of its own seaborne hydrogen supply network. Australia signed a USD108 million Australian Clean Hydrogen Trade Program (ACHTP) focused on the export of clean hydrogen to Japan under the Japan-Australia Partnership on Decarbonisation through Technology in January 2022. Japan is also negotiating with its traditional energy suppliers in the Middle East.

Such initiatives are expected to result in the emergence of a seaborne hydrogen import network by the end of the decade.

Japan previously estimated its national hydrogen market would rise to 20 million tonnes per year by 2050 in its national hydrogen strategy. This is likely to eventually create demand for dual-fuel engines capable of operating on hydrogen for the nascent class of liquefied hydrogen carriers (LH2C).

Stratified Fuel Injection J-ENG researchers have developed the concept of a three-layer stratified fuel injection process that sandwiches the liquid ammonia between two layers of an easily-ignitable supporting fuel such as marine gas oil or biodiesel.

The technology draws on an existing stratified fuel injection technology concept, which was originally developed as an emissions reduction solution in the early 2000s.

The ignition concept also results in improved combustion of the ammonia and ensured N2O production was suppressed. No less importantly, the concept enables stable combustion throughout the combustion process.

JUNE 2022 | 21

TWO-STROKE ENGINES

ABS DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION IN 2023 TO ENHANCE CHOICES Patrick Ryan, Senior Vice President of Global Engineering and Technology discusses the upcoming migration of ABS customers to the Freedom platform and the rollout of the Class Digital Twin in an exclusive interview with The Motorship at Posidonia 2022 The rapid pace of digitalisation in oil and gas sector, and to a lesser extent in manufacturing, has tended to mean that the first wave of digitalisation experts entering the industry have sought to apply terrestrial models to the very different conditions of the marine market, or simply to marinise existing products and services.

Patrick Ryan, Senior Vice President of Global Engineering and Technology at ABS, is not one of those people. He spent 21 years working in shipbuilding in positions of progressively greater responsibility before playing a key leadership role in the “digital transformation of the largest yard in the US”.

The experience of integrating digital processes into the design and construction of naval vessels in the US means that Ryan speaks with considerable authority about the possibilities that digitalisation offers both for the design, construction and operation of commercial vessels.

However, Ryan’s remit is much wider at ABS. As senior vice-president of engineering, his responsibilities involve everything from plan reviews to approvals in principle, with a footprint at 17 different engineering sites around the globe.

Ryan notes that the technology aspect of the role includes engineering developments as well as ABS’s Digital Class developments. Before discussing the Digital Class side aspects of his role, Ryan touched on the wider environment within the shipping industry, noting that digitalisation would act as an enabling technology to help the industry achieve its decarbonisation objectives.

A Paradigm Shift?

Ryan notes in passing that the pace of digital transformation is going to lead to greater changes in the industry over the next decade than in the preceding century.

Ryan believes that the initial innovations offered by digitalisation had focused on streamlining existing processes, such as inventory management systems, but subsequent innovations would help to create additional value for shipowners.

Ryan offered the example of predictive maintenance as an example of how customers can use streaming data to understand the health of a piece of rotating machinery.

“Investment in predictive maintenance is a sophisticated approach to reducing operational expense through digitalisation.”

Ryan noted that the introduction of such solutions had also created new opportunities for classification societies to deliver services.

“Imagine I can take the same streaming data [being used for maintenance]… I could say [the equipment is] safe for the vessel, because I know this machine is operating within limits.” By using such streaming data, ABS could change the way it inspects machinery, making sure the machinery functions in different ways that coincidentally reduces its footprint for the vessels.

“But we’re still convincing ourselves as a class society, and flag states and all the downstream stakeholders that that

22 | JUNE 2022

machine is just as safe or maybe even safer than had we expected it because of the [availability of the] streaming data.”

However, Ryan was clear that such solutions were merely a secondary benefit of a digital transformation that shipowners were undertaking. “I'm not trying to convince shipowners to digitally transform themselves.” The benefits of digital transformation include operational efficiencies and changes to job requirements and responsibilities. It will also improve the industry’s attractiveness to young people entering the job market.

8 Patrick Ryan, Senior Vice President of Global Engineering and Technology

Freedom for All Ryan noted that the classification society was also investing in its own processes and systems in order offer new solutions to its customers.

In 2019, ABS introduced its own operating system, Freedom, a sophisticated enterprise resource planning (ERP) system to supports its service staff. Since the beginning of 2021, ABS has been connecting a product lifecycle management (PLM) system to its ERP system. The integration

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TWO-STROKE ENGINES

8 ABS will complete a project to connect a product lifecycle management (PLM) system to its ERP system by the middle of 2023

project will be completed by the middle of 2023, at which Freedom will be upgraded.

Ryan described the benefits of integrating a PLM into its ERP system by noting that PLM is optimised to manage change. “It will bring us the flexibility we need to create our virtual vessels and manage streaming data and simulation models and CAD models and all the [engineering technologies] that are new.”

As part of the upgrade, the classification society planned to migrate all of its customer data on to a new enhanced management system in 2023, when the new solution will be launched.

Ryan defended the Big Bang approach, noting that “We want a single workflow for our surveyors and our engineers…

We want all owners to have the same look across their own fleet”.

The new system will drive ABS’ work management, ranging from the engineering plan, review and survey, but critically will also accommodate the owners’ own position. The new system will act like a portal through which shipowners can access highly detailed databases on their vessels. “We're calling this the Class Digital Twin,” Ryan said.

The amount of insight that a shipowner will be able to access will depend upon the degree of digitalisation supported by his or her fleet.

For owners who do not provide any streaming data, and also do not have a Digital Twin, they will still see the same existing survey checklist that they have seen for the last 25 years. “The means by which the checklist is compiled will be completely different,” Ryan noted.

But for owners supplying streaming data, or with health monitoring, predictive maintenance and eventually the digital twin transformation itself, “then we'll start to score your survey work plan differently, which could potentially reduce your survey footprint time.”

Ryan added that it “could potentially get you crediting where flag states agree, on equipment that will traditionally had to be attended in a different way”.

Looking further ahead, Ryan added that the ultimate objective of integrating vessel data would be to predict the performance of the vessel itself. The Motorship notes such a predictive compliance matrix (PCM) would have particular applicability to ABS’ environmental compliance solutions for shipowners. At present, the system is focused on providing an overview of a vessel and shipowners current fuel consumption, and consequently emissions profile.

The Motorship has covered ABS’ involvement in a number of vessel performance and voyage optimisation joint development projects, with European and Asian partners. A particular area of interest is the impact of ageing on machinery and overall vessel performance, which ABS is expected to include in its machinery module, which will be added to the Freedom system in 2023.

The Motorship notes Patrick Ryan’s team is also involved in a Hybrid LNG carrier project involving Wartsila and HZS in China which has integrated digital twin solutions into the optimisation process during the design phase. The project may be one of the first to leverage digitalisation models throughout the operational life of the vessel.

Third Party Collaboration Ryan noted that ABS was taking a collaborative approach to incorporating third party data into the Freedom system.

ABS has produced a Smart Guide that allows for any outside party doing data analytics, or machine learning on streaming data, to participate in the Class process.

This approach was consistent with ABS’s approach, which is to help customers manage change and offer the greatest flexibility for its

clients throughout the digital transformation, rather than trying to produce the best machine learning algorithm or compete with OEMs to analyse machinery data.

“We don't [necessarily] want the streaming data. And we don't want to write our own algorithm on that piece of OEM equipment, we want the report from the OEM that says it's good and we certify that process as outlined in the Smart Guide.”

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Ryan cited the example of ABS decision to make public the API it used when integrating data from a consultancy subsidiary into its Freedom system. “We told lots of the competitors of Nautical Systems about it, and even supported a couple of them during development projects… so they could take their maintenance system information through our API into our system for class credit. We understand those dynamics very well.”

JUNE 2022 | 23

HYBRID PROPULSION

SHORING UP BATTERY DEVELOPMENTS Hybrid power has taken off in the maritime industry as the next step towards helping shipping cut its emissions but can the current infrastructure in place support the growing need in the maritime industry if this continues to develop, writes Samantha Fisk

8 Havila Kystruten’s latest vessel, Havila Castor, is thought to be the first zero emission vessel to operate in Norway’s heritage fjords

Battery technology is starting to see further uplift as the industry looks to cut its emissions to meet with future environmental regulations. Along with the development of the battery technology, the infrastructure at the ports is under scrutiny as whether the current facilities in place will be able to develop in time to meet the market’s needs.

There is a lot happen in the area of shore charging as Corvus energy highlights that it is seeing new and better solutions are being developed, along with inductive charging.

Sonja Vernøy Hansen, Marketing Communications Manager, Corvus Energy comments about the developments that they are seeing that there is: “Increasing demand for large capacity charging. New and stricter rules and regulations lead to increased demand for shore charging solutions. More and more types of vessels get batteries installed which also leads to increased demand and new solutions. More and more areas – especially ports demand for zero emission solutions.”

Whilst the maritime industry may be adopting battery technology there still needs to be more if it will meet with the demands of the future industry. Hansen notes that: “Still a lot of small suppliers that have their own solutions – lack of standardisation. We notice an increasing focus on how you can use batteries in ports and as part of the grid to enable charging where power cables have limited capacity.”

However, with the increased demand comes the challenges of supply. Corvus notes that one of the main

24 | JUNE 2022

challenges facing the industry around shore power is the capacity in the grid to supply power. Other challenges faced by the market is the speed of acceleration is too slow.

Funding for the technology does not meet the need for solutions and strict regulation. As for shore connections, there are some standardisations taking place around autonomy which is good for fast ferries. Also, wireless/ inductive charging has not been standardised.

Hansen comments that: “Key learnings are that we need to have standardized solutions to accelerate green shipping.

Shore power is also needed in Container ports, but that is more difficult as vessels are moving along the quayside.”

In recent news, Corvus Energy has been working with Havila Kystruten, with the launch of it latest ship Havila Castor. This latest ship has been heralded as the first zero emission vessel to operate through the heritage fjord.

Havila Castor is one out of four identical ships built for Havila Kystruten to operate on the coastal route between Bergen and Kirkenes in the North of Norway. The full roundtrip takes 11 days and is an epic journey through some of the most scenic and unspoiled nature. Corvus has delivered a complete 6.1 MWh Orca battery system for each of the vessels. In combination with liquefied natural gas (LNG), CO2 emissions are reduced by 30 % and NOX emissions by 90 % compared to similar vessels that use fossil fuel.

Bent Martini, CEO Havila Kystruten commented that: “We

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HYBRID PROPULSION want to utilise our battery power even further, but to do that we rely on having in place the infrastructure for shore power to charge the ship on clean hydropower. We hope this will be operational in selected ports of call soon. In addition, we plan for a gradual blending of liquefied biogas to replace the natural gas over time. This requires biogas to made available to a large enough extent to meet our needs”, says Martini.

The four new ships are loaded with the world's largest battery pack, and can sail for four hours without noise or emissions through vulnerable fjords. The batteries are charged with clean hydropower at shore, and when the batteries are low, we switch to natural gas which cuts CO2 by around 25%.

Energy efficiency has been key through the entire design phase. Ship design, equipment and smart control systems are mainly delivered by the HAV Group and its subsidiaries.

HAV Design have carried out the ship design, Norwegian Greentech has delivered the low energy, low footprint ballast water cleaning system, Norwegian Electric Systems has been system integrator and supplied the hybrid gas-electric propulsion system inclusive battery system, generators with complete switchboards, trafos, frequency converters and control systems in addition to the new Raven INS. The Raven INS is a fully integrated bridge system included smart features such as data hoarding and analysis to continuously develop better and more efficient operations.

The propulsion system onboard all four sister vessels are also prepared for the installation of next-generation technology using hydrogen and fuel cells by HAV Hydrogen.

In other news, Dutch maritime energy storage solutions provider EST-Floattech has been contracted by system integrator Hoogendijk Electric to design and deliver the complete Battery System for a Norwegian newbuild. The third Hybrid Coaster for Hagland, currently being built at Royal Bodewes shipyard and due for delivery halfway 2023.

EST-Floattech’s battery system will enable the 5,000DWT self-discharging bulk carrier to make zero-emission port calls. The vessel, one of a series of three, will also sail in fullelectric mode, for example in environmentally sensitive environments, such as in fjords or near-coastal communities.

When there is no shore connection available the battery system also allows for zero-emission discharging of the transported bulk cargo.

During long distance transits, the system allows for peak shaving via the electric motor and generator (aka the PTI/ PTO). The batteries can be charged during transit or in harbour via the shore connection.

For this project, EST-Floattech deployed its proven and DNV-certified Green Orca battery system. The system, including battery management software and control units for enhanced safety was optimised for the ship’s operational profile in close cooperation with system integrator Hoogendijk Electric, responsible for the complete onboard electrical installation. Note that to prevent any delivery hick-ups, EST-Floattech has all delivery-sensitive components in stock, enabling fast assembly and production for on-time delivery.

The newbuild will not only sail in zero-emission mode in port, but it will also reduce noise and emissions during sailing. According to Hagland their new coasters will reduce CO2 emissions by 40% and NOx emissions by about 90%, compared to older vessels in their fleet, which will be replaced. With EST-Floattech’s battery-hybrid system the ship complies with IMO TIER III requirements.

Hagland’s new vessel programme is supported by ENOVA SF (the Norwegian Ministry of Climate and Environment’s organisation aiming to reduce emissions and develop energy and climate technology) and the Green Shipping Programme for fleet renewal. According to Hagland, the new vessels will make their fleet the most environmentally friendly in this segment.

With more vessel adopting hybrid solutions the need for port infrastructure is pressing if this is going to be a sustainable option of the industry. Hansen note about future developments that: “Increasing market for shore charging is increasing fast and infrastructure development will not be able to keep up. The only solution is to put power banks/ batteries in the grid. Then they can charge the batteries with lower capacity cables and still deliver full capacity to the vessel when they need to charge.”

As batteries get bigger and charging times reduce this will also aid the technology in becoming more appealing to the market. But, for now it still seems that land-based infrastructure is holding up the potential of this technology for the market.

8 Royal Bodewes has experience in delivering hybrid short-sea bulk carriers, having delivered the 9,430dwt Aasfjell for Aasen Shipping in December 2021

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JUNE 2022 | 25

HYBRID PROPULSION

FOUR-STROKE HYBRID ELECTRIC LNGC PROPULSION CONCEPT Wärtsilä presented a hybrid electric propulsion solution for LNG carriers at Posidonia 2022

8 The BatteryHybrid LNG carrier design includes large diameter low speed fixed pitch propellers

Grant Gassner, Director, Integrated Systems & Solutions at Wärtsilä introduced Wärtsilä’s new Hybrid Electric design concept for LNG carriers, which received an Approval in Principle (AiP) from ABS earlier in 2022.

The design is the result of a joint development project between technology group Wärtsilä, ABS and HudongZhonghua Shipbuilding (HZS), which was initiated in September 2021.

Gassner noted that the LNG carrier design project was continuing following the award of the AiP, and that multiple silent European shipowners were now also collaborating in the project.

The Motorship notes that the design will be among the first to enable the introduction of Propulsion-as-a-Service (PaaS) type contracts for customers in the LNG transportation market, as both Wärtsilä and Accelleron (formerly ABB Turbocharging) will be able to provide at port or at sea maintenance contracts.

The highly significant design is also likely to be among the first to be developed with the intention of supplying a total full lifecycle Digital Twin. Project partner ABS has participated in the project, and the partners plan to offer the Digital Twin developed during the design phase for use during the construction of the ship and then during its operation.

Hybrid-electric system The design integrates Wärtsilä’s most efficient modern engines with a highly advanced hybrid electrical system, including Wärtsilä’s Low Loss Concept electrical distribution system. The latter eliminates the transformers between the generators and the drive, which reduces conversion losses.

The vessel features “highly efficient” very high torque permanent magnet motors, which allows the vessel to

26 | JUNE 2022

eliminate the gearbox, which also contributes to higher system efficiency than earlier electric propulsion concepts.

One feature of the design is that energy storage and energy management software provide the power system with spinning reserve, enabling the gensets to continuously operate at very high and stable load (typically 85-95%), where the efficiency is very high and emissions are very low.

Fluctuations in engine power requirements are handled by the vessels energy storage system, which is able to provide instant energy and provide peak shaving functionality. While the benefits of ESS hybrid systems combined with 4-stroke electric propulsion is very well known in many segments, the system has not been widely used in the gas carrier market until now.

Integrated Propulsion System Another noteworthy feature of the vessel’s innovative design is the close integration between the propulsion system and the energy storage system. The propulsion system will act as an adjunct to the energy storage system.

“The propeller RPM can be set for constant in rough weather by the EMS, and the battery will give instant energy to respond to dynamic loading. When you're hitting the waves, the propeller keeps constant RPM you don't have dynamic losses from dynamic loading events created by waves.” The same functionality also applies for sudden and high load fluctuation on the auxiliary power system.

“The design features a very large FPP, which can run at low rpm, because with electric propulsion there is no engine power limitation curve that one needs to follow and the PM motor provides sufficient torque at all speeds to enable a complete optimization of the FPP.” Even greater efficiency savings may be possible, as the partners are conducting

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HYBRID PROPULSION

8 Customers can realize an additional 7,000cbm of LNG cargo space versus a traditional 174,000cbm LNG carrier, Gassner told the audience at Posidonia 2022

research to improve the operation of propellers at low speeds in combination with the overall hull optimization and alternative design speeds which is also expected to improve the hydrodynamic efficiency of the design.

Design Performance Gassner compared the configuration with Wartsila’s DualFuel Diesel Electric (DFDE) concept, which was the industry standard in the gas carrier market for a decade in the first years of the century The new Hybrid Electric LNGC design represents a step change in efficiency and emissions performance compared with the previous DFDE design. The new design delivers a 16%+ improvement Specific Fuel Oil Consumption (SFOC) and a 21% improvement in GHG emissions.

Part of the improvement in GHG emissions reflects the step change in engine performance since 2010, including the improvement in reducing methane slip. However, the addition of energy storage and EMS also ensures that the gensets operate at close to optimal loads – greatly improving efficiency, lowering emissions and also lowering engine running hours.

Gassner noted that an additional benefit of the HybridElectric LNGC design was that engine maintenance during operation was simplified.

“As the vessel typically has two or three engines in operation during steaming, there will always be at least one engine available for service. Consequently, you can always carry out service while the vessel is operating, which will ensure the availability of the ship is very high.”

By introducing the ability to service the engines during the voyage, customers will be able to carry out maintenance up to and including major overhauls while the ship is operating.

Gassner suggested that the additional uptime could equate to up to 30 days over a five-year period (or one additional cargo during a five-year period).

However, the design was also expected to offer benefits beyond improved availability, and low operating costs “because the small engines are cheap to operate”.

Gassner noted that while existing two-stroke solutions have excellent performance at high vessel speed, the Hybrid-Electric solution maintained a high level of propulsion system efficiency across a far wider range of speeds and particularly in moderate to low speed and power conditions.

In fact, Gassner noted that the propulsion efficiency of Hybrid-Electric design would exceed existing low-pressure

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two-stroke Otto Cycle solutions at speeds below 18 knots, based on a comparison of main mover and auxiliary engine power demand.

This was particularly relevant as the average operating speed of LNG carriers is currently around 14-15 knots, which is well below optimal MCR for low-pressure two-stroke Otto Cycle solutions.

CII Improvements One of the other advantages of the Hybrid-Electric LNG carrier design is that the vessel design can be optimised following the replacement of the two-stroke main mover with multiple compact 4-stroke engines.

This has allowed the shipyard to increase the LNG carrier’s cargo capacity by 4% compared with existing LNGCs within the existing hull envelope. “This allows us to extend the cargo tank by several metres, which gives us a capacity of 181,000 cubic metres, instead of 174,000cbm.”

This cargo capacity increase, coupled with the reduction in the design’s installed engine power, is likely to improve the EEDI rating of the design.

Gassner noted that the Wartsila had collaborated closely with ABS and HZS on the modelling for the project. “We’ve developed a total digital twin, which has allowed us to extract the energy efficiency, fuel consumption, CO2 etc, by combining our hydrodynamics CFD optimisation with the ship resistance curve, and the operating profiles.”

The key insight from the modelling was that design would offer “very, very good CII performance” until the 2040s without any need to convert the vessel to operate on alternative fuels.

The Motorship notes that the project is also likely to be among the first that will be developed from the beginning with the intention of subsequently using the Digital Twin during the vessel construction and vessel operation phases.

Future Proof Subsequently, the design’s modular and hybrid smart propulsion system will support the introduction of propulsion energy saving devices such as wind assisted propulsion and new energy sources such as fuel cells both in the newbuild phase and also later as potential retrofit solutions.

Furthermore, the design supports further operational adaptations, such as speed reduction and route optimisations as the system efficiency remains high and stable at all power and speed conditions.

JUNE 2022 | 27

LNG & ALTERNATIVE FUELS

HYDROGEN BLENDS OFFER CII CERTAINTY Tests with gas mixtures suggest a simple route to EEXI and CII compliance, Bergen Engines tells Paul Gunton Hydrogen-fuelled lean-burn gas engines could satisfy IMO’s upcoming requirements for both EEXI and for the gradual reduction of CII, believes Dr Rune Nordrik, Senior Principal R&D Engineer at Bergen Engines.

He was speaking to The Motorship in mid June, as the first phase of tests using hydrogen/natural gas blends in one of the enginebuilder’s B35:40 gas engines (see box) and pointed out that a lean-burn gas engine has 18% lower CO2 emissions than a diesel reference engine while blending hydrogen with the LNG fuel “will further decrease the CO2 footprint”.

With a mixture including 60% hydrogen by volume, CO2 emissions would be 30% lower than a diesel engine, rising to 50-100% improvement once the hydrogen ratio rises above 80%, Bergen Engine’s analysis suggests.

Enquiries have been received from the marine sector but the first application for the technology will be in land-based power generation plants, which have access to green hydrogen produced using wind and solar energy when there is a surplus from those generators.

Tests began in January, prompted by a specific enquiry from a land-based user, with immediate positive results. A statement issued on 1 February reported that initial tests using a blend of 15% hydrogen and 85% natural gas, by volume, were completed without any hardware adjustments and said that the engine’s output was “maintained according to specification at all load levels”. Emissions of CO2 and CO were also reduced, as too were unburned hydrocarbon levels and methane slip, the statement said.

Bergen Engines confirmed that it had signed a contract with Italian energy supplier Edison Next to delivery two 11.7 MWe hydrogen-ready gensets to a power plant in Italy. The engines will be built specifically to use a hydrogen/natural gas blend, with shipment from Bergen scheduled for December 2022. These will be 20 cylinder variants of its B36:45V specification.

Although its tests were run with 15% hydrogen, Bergen Engines has committed to just 10% hydrogen for this first order, although it is confident that the performance it reported can be sustained for higher proportions of hydrogen.

Its February comments described the fuel blend as “a first

step towards zero carbon emissions” and said that “Bergen Engines is aiming to have a commercial solution in the market that will accept hydrogen content of up to 60%, and solutions that can be further developed to accept 100% for new engines to come”.

It is too early to say when those milestones will be reached, Dr Nordrik said, but its test engine has already been run with an 80% hydrogen blend, although that was at part-load. At full load, a hydrogen ratio of 40% has been tested, which is at the physical limit of the test assembly’s hydrogen-dosing equipment.

However, because of hydrogen’s lower energy density, even when it constitutes 80% of the gas volume delivered to the engine, it represents only 50% of the energy delivered, so if the engine’s rated output from LNG were to be met using 100% hydrogen, the volume flow would require the fuel

8 Dr Rune Nordrik, Senior Principal R&D Engineer at Bergen Engines

Engine upgrades planned Bergen Engines has ambitious plans for its hydrogen research. While its immediate aim is to confirm that its current gas engine designs can operate with low levels of hydrogen without any hardware changes, its intention is eventually to offer upgrades to enable other engines to operate on hydrogen, according to a statement issued on 1 February after initial testing with a 15%

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blend of hydrogen, by volume.

These upgrades will initially be available for Bergen Engines B-Series engines. Bergen Engines Senior Principal R&D Engineer, Rune Nordrik explained that this series has long been available as a diesel engine and the engine block is the same for both that version and for the gas-fuelled alternative.

As a result, “a rebuild will not be that

comprehensive”, he believes. Components such as turbochargers, pistons, cylinder head, fuel injectors and possibly the camshaft would need replacing, but that work could be done during a main engine revision, he said.

Initially, Bergen Engines is launching the B36:45V engine for hydrogen use but if there is market demand, this could be extended to its C engines and older B35 models, he said.

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LNG & ALTERNATIVE FUELS supply’s dimensioning to be reviewed to deliver both sufficient hydrogen and the excess air that would be needed, Dr Nordrik said.

Efficiency and stability Adding hydrogen into the fuel mix speeds up its combustion, which delivers “a significant improvement in engine efficiency” that “becomes increasingly prominent for leaner mixtures”, Dr Nordrik added. This would also increase its NOx emissions, so the engine has different ignition timing settings from the standard gas engine.

Engine stability is more challenging with hydrogen blends.

Stability is measured by assessing its coefficient of variance (CoV), which takes account of variations in parameters such as firing pressure and indicated mean effective pressure. A conventional diesel engine has a very low CoV, while a normal Otto-cycle gas engine has a larger value. But in its tests, Bergen Engines has found that the CoV increases as more hydrogen is added to the fuel.

This can be controlled, D Nordrik said, for example by reducing the compression ratio and advancing the timing; tests have been run with different engine set-ups to find the best way of controlling CoV and Dr Nordrik reported that stability had been achieved at full load with 25% hydrogen and at part load with up to 75% of the gas.

Alongside the benefits of better efficiency and lower emissions, other factors are relevant considering hydrogen’s potential as a fuel.

Storage and handling are two such considerations, not only because of the volume required to hold the fuel, but also because of its diffusivity, which causes its molecules to enter the metallic lattice of its containment and cause embrittlement.

Based on its inspections during its tests, this is not an issue at the ratios currently being proposed, Dr Nordrik said, but it would be more significant at higher proportions, especially if 100% hydrogen fuel is used. Bergen Engines is exploring solutions to this, which could include new materials or coatings to prevent hydrogen from entering the metal.

Marine market potential While land-based applications are set to provide Bergen Engine’s initial market for hydrogen engines, there is the

potential for marine applications, although its extent is difficult to predict. As mentioned above, hydrogen fuel blends provide an effective route to complying with EEXI and CII requirements, which is likely to underpin the engine’s marine market.

On the other hand, other fuels – such as ammonia and methanol – can serve as lower-volume hydrogen carriers, Dr Nordrik said, and class rules do not yet reflect hydrogen use, he said.

Ship size and operating areas are likely to affect an owner’s fuel choice, he suggested, with hydrogen being attractive on shorter routes where fuel storage volume is less of a consideration. “The energy and the technology is there and is affordable”, he said.

It would be especially relevant for ships that already use lean-burn gas engines or for owners considering using hydrogen fuel cells as energy sources. For them, “an alternative would be to mix the hydrogen into the existing [supply] to the natural gas engine and you won't need an expensive fuel cell installation”, he said.

8 Bergen Engines began tests on its test engine (pictured) in January, with immediate positive results

How the tests were done When Bergen Engines set out to test how its B-series gas engine would operate on a blend of natural gas and hydrogen, it already had a three-cylinder version of its B35:40 gas engine installed in its test cell.

With only a little modification, the machine was ready to serve as the platform for its studies into its performance with hydrogen.

Hydrogen storage and a mixing unit were installed outside the test cell, with the hydrogen simply being introduced to the fuel supply pipe; the two gasses mix easily, Bergen Engines Senior Principal R&D Engineer, Rune Nordrik, told The Motorship.

For the proportions of hydrogen used in the research so far – up to 40% by volume at full load – no modifications were needed to the gas admission arrangements. The engine

is a lean-burn gas engine that operates on the Otto cycle, with a spark plug located in a scavenge pre-chamber; Bergen Engines gas engines do not use any pilot diesel fuel, Dr Nordrik said.

Because of hydrogen’s low density, the volumes required needed to deliver sufficient energy at higher ratios would require modifications to the injection system, he said.

Safety features were also incorporated.

The hydrogen supply system has ‘double block and bleed’ valves, which are vented when the test engine is shut down. Both the engine and its fuel supply have been fitted with alarms and safety systems, which include several hydrogen sensors and good ventilation for the hydrogen storage area, which was fitted with explosion relief panels.

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The engine test cell is also well ventilated to avoid any accumulation of hydrogen from potential leakages.

Double-walled piping is not used in the test engine, since this is not required for land-based installations.

The engine’s exhaust system incorporates explosion relief valves and, in the event of a power outage, the system defaults to a safe position, with all valves closed. That was confirmed when there was a local power cut during one of the tests. The engine was at full power with maximum hydrogen flow at the time, and the emergency shutdown measures worked as intended. “There were no consequences other than that the engine stopped, and then we ran the purging routines”, Dr Nordrik recalled.

JUNE 2022 | 29

LNG & ALTERNATIVE FUELS

MARINISED SOFC TECHNOLOGY READY FOR CRUISE SHIP DEBUT Bloom Energy Corporation, Chantiers de l’Atlantique (CdA), and the cruise division of MSC Group will commission a solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) auxiliary power system on the MSC World Europa later this year, paving the way for Bloom’s expansion into the maritime sector The new LNG-fuelled vessel, currently under construction at the CdA shipyard, has been fitted with 150 kilowatts of Bloom fuel cells which will run in parallel to the main auxiliary power systems onboard. The company’s proprietary solid oxide Energy Server technology uses natural gas, biogas, hydrogen or a mix of these feedstocks. In the case of the World Europa, the plug-and-play system will be installed in a 40-foot container and will be fuelled by LNG. The fuel-flexible platform is designed to generate electricity 20-30% more efficiently than traditional marine combustionbased propulsion and auxiliary engines. When running on LNG, Bloom Energy’s technology reduces carbon equivalent emissions up to 60% compared to incumbent propulsion sources, such as dual fuel diesel electric, and emits virtually zero SOx, NOx, or particulate matter. Noise pollution and mechanical vibrations are also substantially reduced.

With more than 100 cruise ships requiring over 4GW due to be ordered by 2027, Bloom says its Energy Server technology is a viable pathway to decarbonisation. The company has seen a lot of enthusiasm from the cruise sector, but expects SOFC technology’s transition from auxiliary power system to main power system to be gradual to allow for confidence in the new technology to develop. Larger fuel cell installations are anticipated on additional ships in collaboration with the marine industry.

The name Energy Server originates from Bloom’s already strong position in the data centre market, and Singh says the modularity and redundancy required for that application makes the system well suited to shipping. “Our systems are supporting some large-scale, critical applications in data centres, hospitals and utility scale power generation systems, at megawatt scale,” says Singh.

Multiple solid oxide fuel cells combine to form fuel cell stacks, which are placed into independent modules. “We start with 75kW modules, and they can be combined into multiMW applications. There’s no single point of failure which means even if one module goes down, there’s enough redundancy to ensure continued operations. Even our inverters and rectifiers operate in redundant mode, so there’s no electronic failure that could bring down the whole system.”

SOFC powered LNGC project Bloom Energy has also partnered with Samsung Heavy Industries (SHI) on the design of an LNG carrier powered solely by fuel cells. This design has received Approval in Principle from DNV says Suminder Singh, senior director, engineering, marine applications. The market for Bloom Energy Servers on SHI ships could grow to 300MW annually. An SHI representative confirmed to The Motorship that the design was now expected to be made ready for order after 2025.

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The electrolyte in SOFCs is a solid, ceramic material. The anode and cathode electrodes in Bloom’s fuel cells are proprietary inks that coat the electrolyte. Unlike other types of fuel cells, no precious metals, corrosive acids, or molten materials are required.

Operating at high temperatures inside the Energy Server, ambient air enters the cathode side of the fuel cell.

Meanwhile, steam mixes with the LNG entering from the anode side to produce reformed fuel, which is hydrogen rich.

As the reformed fuel crosses the anode, it attracts oxygen ions from the cathode. The oxygen ions combine with the reformed fuel to produce electricity, steam, and carbon dioxide. The steam that is produced in the reaction is recycled to reform the fuel, so no water is required during normal operation.

The system has been verified as an alternative power source for vessels as part of ABS’s New Technology Qualification process. It has also passed Factory Acceptance Test with Bureau Veritas and the customer to validate the safety of the entire system’s functionality and performance.

As global infrastructure for hydrogen and other emissionfree fuels continue to develop, Singh says Bloom’s modular, fuel-flexible, and upgradeable platform can help to avoid the issue of stranded assets, granting the sector long-term flexibility and scalability for improved, future-proof, ship design.

The technology is ready for future fuel choices such as ammonia and methanol, although Singh says the reformation step for these fuels may initially be done externally to the system. Currently the reformation of LNG to produce hydrogen is done internally in the system’s “hot box” – this contrasts with PEM fuel cells where the reformation is handled externally.

Singh believes that fuel cells will change the future of ship design. No longer needing a centralised engine room, the modularity, customisation, and low-profile footprint of Bloom Energy’s system offers more flexibility in design, leading to a more efficient hull design and expanded cargo space.

8 Bloom Energy is supplying Chantiers de l’Atlantique a SOFC auxiliary power system.

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PROPULSION

REFERENCE LIST FOR HULL VANE® GROWS A Hull Vane® has been delivered to a Royal Netherlands Navy patrol vessel, as interest in the technology grows in naval, offshore and passenger markets A Dutch invention, Hull Vane, sometimes called an underwater spoiler, consists of a submerged transom wing which renders ships quieter and more efficient, while improving their seakeeping.

Bruno Bouckaert, sales director of Hull Vane BV, explains that Hull Vane works differently to conventional hydrofoils.

The purpose of the Hull Vane is not to lift the ship out of the water, but to generate a propulsive force and to reduce the wake. When a ship makes less waves, it is more efficient. The effects are easy to see and hear, he says.

The latest reference for the technology will be installed in early 2023 on HNLMS Groningen, a 108-metre Holland Class ocean-going patrol vessel. It is the largest and heaviest installation to date, and with a span of 12 meters and a chord length of two, it is probably the largest hydrofoil ever built. It is expected to reduce annual fuel costs by 13%.

Besides energy saving, which automatically leads to a reduction of CO2 emissions, the Hull Vane also offers tactical advantages for the ship. Due to the suppressed stern wave, the vessel leaves much less visible wake, making it less visible to satellites, drones and even certain types of torpedoes. Helicopter landings will be safer in rough weather, and it is expected that the slipway in the stern can be used more frequently to launch and recover fast daughter craft.

The ship will also have a higher top speed.

Hull Vane is also suitable for offshore support vessels, says Bouckaert. Hull Vanes have been installed on a 55-metre fast supply and intervention vessel named Karina and on a 57-metre seismic research support vessel named Linde-G. The company is currently building Hull Vanes for a 60-metre fast supply vessel and a 42-metre dive support vessel.

Additionally, Hull Vanes have been installed on around 20 motor yachts ranging from nine to 45 metres in length, with larger projects now underway. The company’s references also include patrol vessels, coast guard vessels and fisheries inspection vessels.

8 The 12m hydrofoil is likely to be the largest hydrofoil ever built. It is expected to reduce annual fuel costs by 10%

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“Passenger vessels are also an important market,” says Bouckaert. “We have installations on a 30-metre commuter ferry in Switzerland and on a 30-metre representation vessel in the Netherlands. We are currently working on a project for much larger (over 100-metre) expedition cruise vessels, where the potential is enormous. Due to the current high fuel prices, we receive a lot of inquiries nowadays, in particular from the passenger ship market.

“On all the vessels where we have installed Hull Vane, the savings are over 10% at their operating speed, and in some cases up to around 25%.”

Hull Vane has undertaken CFD studies and model tests on cargo vessels (container, roro, ropax and heavy-lift vessels), and Bouckaert says that there is good potential there as well if the vessels operate at a good speed in relation to their length. “We look first and foremost at the Froude number, which is a ratio between the speed and the square root of the length of the ship.”

(V = ship speed in m/s, L = length on waterline in m, g = 9.81 m/s^2) “The Froude number defines whether a ship is a full displacement, semi-displacement, fast-displacement or planing vessel. It was invented to find out the right towing speed when doing model tests for large ships (the speed at model scale should be much lower than at full scale). Hull Vane is mainly effective at Froude numbers 0.2 to 0.8. The Froude number can be calculated easily with our configurator.

The ships on which Hull Vane is effective are those which have a significant part (30% or more) wave making resistance.

Apart from the Froude number, we also look at the hull shape of the ships.”

He sees Hull Vane as an important step towards decarbonisation of ships. “If we can reduce the (diesel) fuel consumption of ships today, it will be much easier and affordable to switch to a different energy carrier (e.g. batteries) tomorrow. In addition, the payback period is very short on ships which sail a lot of hours. We can quantify the performance gain very well at an early stage with CFD. We do both newbuild projects and retrofits.”

8 The largest reference of a Hull Vane will be completed in early 2023, when it will be installed on HNLMS Groningen, a 108-metre Holland Class ocean-going patrol vessel

JUNE 2022 | 31

IT & AUTOMATION

SHIPPING STEPS CLOSER TO A DIGITAL FUTURE Although shipping is deemed as an industry that is slow on the uptake with new technologies, the industry is now starting to see the evolution of digital technologies take more of a centre stage as outside pressures push it adopt new technologies, writes Samantha Fisk

8 Wärtsilä Voyage’s Sarah Barrett foresees voyage and vessel optimisation being overtaken by more exciting shifts over the medium term

The conversations around digitalisation in the maritime industry are starting to take a new dynamic as more system providers are now developing and producing digital solutions that will meet the future demands of the industry.

Sarah Barrett, Product Insights, Wärtsilä Voyage, explains that: “Shipping is at a digitalisation tipping point; a tipping point that will be decisive in terms of the industry’s future trajectory. Compared to even just a few years ago, shipping’s growing digital ecosystem has become increasingly complex and hard to navigate. A multi-speed market has emerged in the past few years, driven by a proliferation of competing solutions that all seek to solve challenges inherent within the maritime supply chain.”

WinGD also notes that it is seeing the trend in the market for uplift in digital solutions to cater for the future needs of vessels as more solutions switch to digital and further optimisation gains can be achieved through these solutions.

One of the driving forces that is pushing the development of technology in the market is the need to meet future environmental regulations, which will see shipping need to cut its carbon emissions drastically over the coming years, if it is to meet with these regulations.

Barrett notes that: “Digitalisation and decarbonisation go hand in hand – incoming regulation, including CII, EEXI and also now the EU’s proposed Emissions Trading Scheme are all driving the demand for augmented decision making that

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can ensure compliance and realise efficiencies. Data has a huge role to play here.”

To help ships meet with these latest indexing standards WinGD has launched a software-based Engine Power Limitation (EPL) system to enable rapid and cost-effective compliance with the IMO’s EEXI regulations.

The solution uses the engine control system to limit engine power to meet EEXI design efficiency baselines and includes a required emergency override capability. It is applicable to all WinGD, Wärtsilä and Sulzer X, X-DF, and RT-flex two-stroke engines operating with UNIC or WECS-9520 engine control systems. Amid concerns over yard space as operators rush to install EEXI compliance solutions, WinGD’s EPL can be installed in a single port stay with no engine downtime.

Dr. Rudolf Holtbecker, WinGD Operations Director explains that: “Some EEXI solutions could involve high retrofitting costs or have a knock-on impact on operations or engine performance. A software based EPL from the engine designer is the most economical way to meet the new requirements while safeguarding reliability and minimizing disruption to the fleet.”

To meet with the looming retrofit challenge Newport Maritime Services also launched its online booking portal on to the market last year and has seen further developments of the booking portal over the past 12 months. The platform enables shipowners to access the services and products that

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IT & AUTOMATION they need at the click of button and allows them to access yards and slots when they need them. The company notes that this portal is step change for the ship repair, conversion and retrofit market.

However, with more solutions coming onto the market all to cater for individual needs there is a concern about how and if these solutions will be able to work together within an ecosystem of a ship. If these digital solutions are to be able to provide real value to the market, it will not just be about the technology itself but also how they can connect and work with other solutions.

Due to this influx of digital solutions that are both coming and expected to come on the market Barrett opines that: “This means that the market is in real need of a holistic platform that can empower ship managers to take decisions based on the very best data analysis that goes beyond the scope of navigational tools and instead covers a range of areas related to ship operations.”

Further will be need the need of what we do with the data and how this will be used by both the technology providers and also the shipowners. “From a data and software perspective, this requires there to be one language across the scope of a ship’s operations, both at sea and on shore, creating a world in which systems and solutions can work in total harmony for all users. By doing this, the sector’s considerable wealth of data will be used effectively, maximising efficiency, underpinning safety, ensuring compliance, enabling decarbonisation – and ultimately underpinning decarbonisation”, Barrett also notes.

Kongsberg has also recently announced that it has signed a partnership with METIS Cyberspace Technology. By adding the METIS data analysis platform to the Kognifai Marketplace, fleet operators can monitor operations in real time and optimize vessel performance reducing emissions and costs the company highlights.

METIS is a cloud-based, data analysis platform which offers real-time monitoring, performance analysis and evaluation as well as predictive insights for the whole fleet.

The METIS platform will also be available through Kongsberg Digital´s vessel-to-cloud data infrastructure Vessel Insight, and the Kognifai Marketplace where customers have access to a wide range of powerful applications to meet their specific needs of data analysis, reporting and monitoring to optimise operations.

The architecture of the METIS platform will allow clients to integrate data from all available sources and select from the extensive METIS portfolio of digital ship performance solutions the ones that fit best to their needs. There is no need to install additional hardware on board.

All applications on the Kognifai Marketplace are supported

by Kongsberg Digital’s Vessel Insight secure data infrastructure. Vessel Insight is delivered as a subscriptionbased service, which means there is no need for large upfront investments and costly updates and is a one-stop shop for digitalization of the maritime sector.

Using real time analytics based on artificial intelligence, METIS continuously analyses fuel consumption, hull fouling, emissions and route costs, and offers voyage analyses to match performance against the requirements of regulators, charter parties or even investors while at the same time reducing operational costs.

“This is an exciting new partnership which brings together two innovators committed to reaping the full rewards which digitalization and artificial intelligence offer shipping. Working with the data gathered by KDI, METIS offers clients the actionable solutions they need to achieve higher performance and lower carbon emissions, in a hassle-free, safe and certified way”, says Andreas Symeonidis, Marketing and

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Partner Relations Manager at METIS Cyberspace Technology.

With the digitalisation of the industry now gaining pace, the future of autonomous vessels is getting closer. Barrett comments that: “In the short term, we will see the continued evolution of the trends already discussed here: voyage and vessel optimisation that will make shipping more intelligent and more connected. But the medium and long-term is also exciting. For example, we will begin to see a shift in how vessels are designed with technology in mind, including a pathway being set towards autonomy soon.

“Full vessel autonomy is one end goal, but technologycentric vessel design will also include developments such as digital twins which will support maintenance and vessel performance monitoring, retrofits of new technologies, and foster a greater understanding of how a vessel operates.”

Norwegian Class society DNV have also been undertaking developments in this area as well. Last year they announced a new competence standard and recommended practice for the operation of autonomous vessels, its SeaSkill standard ST-0324.

The standard is supported by latest recommended practice that offers a certification scheme for Remote Control Centre Operators (RCCOs). Together, they provide a framework for training, assessing, and certifying personnel working in remote-control centres that support or manage operations at sea.

Developed in collaboration with Kongsberg Maritime, Wilhelmsen, as well as the University of South-Eastern Norway, and the Norwegian Maritime Authority. The DNV competence standard for remote control centre operators (DNV-ST-0324) and the supporting recommended practice (DNV-RP-0323) gives the industry some clear guidelines to work by.

The recommended practice, DNV-RP-0323, gives guidance to centres conducting examinations of remotecontrol centre operators and issuing personnel certificates as a certification body. It also covers the competence building process for candidates before undertaking an RCCO examination, for example learning programmes and practice sessions in the centres themselves.

The DNV SeaSkill standard ST-0324 provides a foundation for the entire process. It lists the required competencies for the operation of autonomous or remotely controlled and/or supported ships. It also covers competency in: 5 Emergency handling and resource management within a remote-control centre (RCC) 5 Communication with 3rd parties on behalf of the ship under remote-control 5 Man-machine interaction The shipping industry is slowing but surely taking steps towards a more digitalised future with more systems on the market. How these systems and the providers will collaborate within an ecosystem of a vessel will be the next step to overcome for the industry.

8 Kongsberg Digital’s vessel-tocloud Vessel Insight offers a secure data infrastructure

JUNE 2022 | 33

DESIGN FOR PERFORMANCE

TORSIONAL DAMPER ELIMINATES BSR IN SDARI FEEDER DESIGN Dr. Chris Leontopoulos, Director of Global Ship Systems Center, ABS Athens discussed the benefits of a new sterntube design for a 3,200 TEU container feeder vessel design at Posidonia 2022

8 A sterntube-less ship features a shorter shaft with the prime mover further aft the vessel

The innovative design features an open seawater lubricated propeller shaft system, supplied by Thordon Bearings, and the application of a new approach to the vessel’s aft layout.

The design was developed by Shanghai Merchant Ship Design and Research Institute (SDARI) and was developed in cooperation with ABS, Thordon Bearings Inc. and the National Technical University of Athens (NTUA). It introduces a new approach to the vessel’s aft layout, including the removal of the stern tube casting, employing seawater for lubrication and the creation of a chamber to permit in-water maintenance for the first time.

The design features a number of design amendments compared with a SDARI 3,800 TEU container feeder design, equipped with a conventional oil-lubricated sterntube.

Design modifications Dr. Leontopoulos identified five design amendments: 5 The shaftline for the vessel was shortened

5 The forward sterntube bearing was removed 5 The aft sterntube bearing was replaced with a seawater lubricated bearing 5 The sterntube casting was removed 5 A torsional vibration damper was added The shorter shaftline also opened up opportunities to minimise engine room space, with consequent increases to the vessel’s potential cargo capacity.

However, the design modifications also lead to the creation of a new space, which has been dubbed the Irregularly Shaped Chamber (ISC), following the removal of the stern tube casting.

Potential Maintenance Benefits The new ISC space is large enough for an engineer to enter and work within the new space. As a result, the ISC would allow engineers the possibility to access the stern tube while the vessel is afloat, which would permit in-water inspections and maintenance of the shaft line components for the first time.

Barred Speed Range (BSR) The BSR is a ‘barred’ or a ‘forbidden’ speed range of operation. Spending too long in the barred speed range (BSR) can have a detrimental effect on shaftline fatigue lifetimes.

Vessels traditionally passed through the BSR as quickly as possible in order to minimise the accumulation of fatigue, which stems from operating in the zone of a major torsional resonance of the powertrain.

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Extended operations within the BSR would set off engine alarms in the engine control room. However, the need to restrict time within the BSR is an operational constraint for operators from a fatigue point of view.

The BSR is also a factor impacting vessel manoeuvrability, particularly in bad weather.

Historically, BSR passage was limited to a few seconds; therefore, potential accumulation of torsional cycles, leading to

fatigue and failure, was insignificant and created little cause for concern.

Most classification rules include a qualitative clause, such as “to be passed through as quickly as possible”.

Dr. Chris Leontopoulos also identified fuel efficiency (and consequently GHG emissions) impacts from the rapid acceleration and deceleration on vessels’ performance leaving and arriving at ports as a new concern.

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DESIGN FOR PERFORMANCE The new COMPAC Bearing can also be replaced from the inside of the vessel, which eliminates the requirement to withdraw the tailshaft and propeller and disassemble the shaftline to access the bearing. Dr. Leontopoulos added that this also reduced the potential for human error (Maintenance Induced Damage) during the replacement process.

The process can be completed in a day, eliminating the need for a dry docking, which would offer direct operating expenditure savings of up to USD100,000. This does not take into account the indirect benefits offered by making the vessel available for several weeks.

ABS notes that vessels equipped with water lubricated sterntubes are eligible for ABS’ Tailshaft Condition Monitoring (TCM-W) notation, which can extend the tailshaft survey interval up to 15 years, without requiring shaft withdrawal.

This was subject to the vessels being equipped with appropriate monitoring solutions.

Classification compliance Dr. Leontopoulos noted that ABS had conducted extensive modelling to ensure that the new design complied with ABS’ shaft alignment rules and with vibration rules.

He specifically addressed potential concerns that a shorter shaftline with one fewer bearing might have a lower shaft alignment strength, by noting that the seawater lubricated polymer bearings have a slightly greater tolerance compared with traditional white metal oil-lubricated bearings.

Dr. Leontopoulos also shared results that the bearings were all positively loaded and within the manufacturer’s limits.

He also demonstrated that the design was within engine flange shear moment and shear force bending moment envelope limits. These criteria were fulfilled under fully laden, ballast and dry dock conditions.

Torsional Vibrational Stress From an engine designer perspective, perhaps the most interesting aspect of Dr. Leontopoulos’ presentation concerned the impact of the installation of a vibration damper upon the vessel design’s torsional vibration stress.

By adding a torsional damper aft of the engine, ABS’ modelling indicated that the shear stress remained below the continuous shear stress limits.

“This means that there is no need for a barred speed range… which means that you have full manoeuvrability of the vessel. And if you want to operate close to the barred speed range, you're not breaking any RPM… and you don't have to have any fatigue concerns.”

Dr. Leontopoulos noted that the elimination of the BSR would offer a number of advantages (see Barred Speed Range box above).

Among the opportunities would be the elimination of operational constraints around vessel speed limits, which

currently impact vessels operating in the Great Lakes region of North America.

The elimination of potential shaftline fatigue concerns is also expected to offer benefits for engine power limitation solutions.

Environmental Benefits The replacement of an oil-lubricated sterntube with Thordon’s COMPAC open seawater lubricated propeller shaft bearing system is likely to lead to a marginal improvement in operational performance, owing to the reduction the weight of the shaft line and reduced friction. Research is continuing into the potential impact on engine specifications presented by shortening the shaftline.

The elimination of the requirement for oil-based lubricants would also lower consumables expenditure, and would greatly lead to a reduction in pollution from oil leakages. As an industry, oil leakage from sterntube seals has been estimated at up to 80 million litres per year.

However, the main attraction of the system is likely to be the improvements in the EEXI and CII ratings for vessels operating with such systems.

Tony Hamilton, Technical Director of Thordon Bearings, noted that while modern water lubrication systems had been successfully specified in both naval and commercial vessels for decades, uptake in the tanker and gas carrier markets had been slower until now.

“Thordon has more than 500 merchant fleet vessel references, and along with other bearing suppliers, there are well over 700 vessels operating an open seawater lubricated propeller shaft bearing system. Our COMPAC bearing is specially formulated to reduce start up friction and eliminate stick-slip, offering considerable advantages to ship owners, not only in bearing wear life predictability and reliability, but they are also more economical to maintain and easier to install.”

8 Dr. Chris Leontopoulos, Director of Global Ship Systems Center, ABS Athens gave a presentation on the sterntubeless container feeder design at Posidonia 2022

Potential applications for larger vessels While the potential efficiency savings from the design were focused on operational cost reduction, the design offers other potential improvements.

The additional space at the stern of the vessel could be used to shorten the shaftline and increase the cargo capacity of the vessel.

“Increasing the cargo capacity of the design within the existing envelope would help to improve CII and EEXI ratings,” Dr. Chris Leontopoulos noted, adding that the additional space might permit other hydrodynamic optimisation. SDARI had not modified the lines of the container feeder design.

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The incremental gains offered for the single skeg 3,800 TEU container feeder could also be achieved for larger twin skeg vessels. In fact, proportionally greater efficiency savings were likely to be seen in the dry bulk and oil tanker and carrier segments, given the space saving offered for longer shaftlines.

JUNE 2022 | 35

SHIP DESCRIPTION

CON-RO BOOST FOR NORTHERN BALTIC TRADE

Credit: Wallenius SOL

A new generation of unitised cargo carriers is key to smooth, year-round logistics in an environmentally challenging region, writes David Tinsley

Designed and engineered to ensure self-reliant access to northernmost Baltic ports in harsh winter conditions, the 242m Botnia Enabler is a boon to Finnish and Swedish yearround foreign trade continuity and capability.

Of hybrid, con-ro cargo carrying type, combining shipments of containers and ro-ro freight ,the new addition to the Wallenius SOL fleet achieves a major advance in route capacity and productivity along with an equally impressive reduction in environmental impact per unit transported. The much lower carbon footprint compared to the forerunner tonnage is attributable not simply to upscaling, but to a matrix of factors that include multi-fuel, two-stroke propulsive power, permanent magnet PTO/PTI shaft generators, plus hydrodynamic and structural optimisation.

Botnia Enabler is the first of an initial batch of two booked by the Gothenburg-domiciled coalition of Wallenius Lines and Swedish Orient Line (SOL) from Yantai CIMC Raffles Offshore. Options on third and fourth vessels were appended to the original deal with the Chinese yard. Stockholmheadquartered Wallenius Marine was assigned responsibility for superintending the project on behalf of the owner.

Based on a concept design prepared by Danish consultancy Knud E Hansen, and developed in conjunction with the owner and Wallenius Marine, the ships have put down a new marker for the industry, as the largest ro-ro equipped cargo carriers specified to the highest Finnish/ Swedish (1A Super) ice class and incorporating LNG/multifuel main engines.

The lead vessel picked up cargo at two Chinese ports, sailing from Qingdao on May 24 for Europe via Singapore, and was expected in Antwerp towards the end of June. Thereafter, she will enter regular service on an itinerary encompassing the recently-unified Belgian ports of Zeebrugge and Antwerp, Kokkola (Finland), Skelleftea (Sweden), Oulu (Finland), Kemi

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8 Botnia Enabler denotes a vigorous approach to capacity development with reduced environmental impact

(Finland), and Travemunde (Germany). Sistership Baltic Enabler is due to follow shortly out of the contractor’s yard on the shores of the Bohai Strait, in northern China.

The deadweight of nearly 27,000t is exceptionally high for a Baltic short-sea ro-ro trader, and reflects the application of scale to industrial traffic flows characterised by particularly dense types of cargo, notably paper, pulp and other forestry goods. Wallenius SOL’s baseload business was augmented at the beginning of last year by a shipping agreement with Finnish paperboard company Metsa Board.

The stern-ramped design is arranged with four cargo decks, conferring a ro-ro intake of 5,800 lane-metres complemented by the capability for nearly 1,000TEU containers. Compared to the current mainstays of the service, the ship will effectively double route capacity in terms of the classic ro-ro function, while almost trebling availability for containerised goods.

Botnia Enabler, as with Baltic Enabler, is powered by WinGD low-speed, LNG-capable main machinery originating in the legacy Wartsila two-stroke line-up. Two RT-flex50DF units were nominated for each ship in eight-cylinder configuration.

WinGD detailed per-engine output as 10,500kW at 117rpm as per the contractual maximum continuous rating(CMCR), and 6,300kW at 98.7rpm in continuous service rating(CSR), equivalent to 60% of CMCR. The nominal MCR of the model is 11,520kW at a crankshaft rotation of 124rpm. Direct drive is made to twin controllable pitch propellers.

In gas mode, the low-pressure DF engines meet Tier III emission requirements without the need for exhaust gas aftertreatment. Besides marine gas oil(MGO), the machinery also allows for future use of CO2-free liquefied biogas or synthetic diesel.

Each of the two auxiliaries is based on an MAN dual-fuel, four-stroke, L28/32DF engine, in nine-cylinder format. The two

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SHIP DESCRIPTION

685m3 Type C vacuum fuel tanks are arranged underdeck, incorporating air locks as protection against very cold air intake. The tanks were supplied by MAN Cryo as part of the complete LNG fuel gas supply package, including tank connection spaces with LNG fuel pumps, bunker stations, and automation, gas detection and emergency shutdown systems.

“We see LNG as the best realistic fuel option right now,” Wallenius SOL had stated during construction of Botnia Enabler, adding that “LNG will have to be a step on the road toward the biofuels for which our ships are ready, but the production of such alternatives is currently too low at present. The ships are also prepared for peak shaving, where surplus power from the engines is used to charge a battery.

We’ve prepared space, wiring and ventilation and the only thing missing is the battery itself. The idea here is to use power from the battery, e.g. for manoeuvring the ship in port.”

Calculations performed by the Swedish Environmental Research Institute (IVL) compared Botnia Enabler to the 2006-built, 191m T-class Thuleland, deployed in the Baltic/ Continent/UK traffic, and regarded hitherto as best-in-class from an environmental standpoint. Besides a 57% reduction in fuel consumption and 63% lower greenhouse gas(GHG) emissions per transported unit, the newbuild installation was found to reduce NOx by up to 96%, and to virtually eliminate SOx and PM when running in gas mode.

The Spanish company Ingeteam was entrusted with the development, manufacture and commissioning of the hybrid electric element of the power system, featuring direct-driven PTO/PTI generators on the two propulsion shaft lines.

Ingeteam’s scope of supply embraced two Ingedrive LV400 multi-drive frequency converters with active front end(AFE) shaft generator inverter and DC inverter cabinet, and the two Indar PM shaft generators. The latter yield 2,200kW at 85122rpm in PTO mode, and 1,000kW at 122rpm in PTI mode.

The system has been readied to facilitate future adoption of a battery pack. During port calls, ‘clean’ energy can be obtained by way of a connection to the landside grid.

The fact that the ships will be heavily laden on the outbound(southbound) run from the Baltic, but will carry relatively light cargo for the remainder of the time, results in a prospective, typical 2.5m draught difference between outbound and return trips. As a consequence, the design has been optimised to the intended, actual operating profile rather than to the deepest draught. This approach is expressed in the adoption of a teardrop-like bulbous bow, rather than a more conventional, rounded form, and in a W-shape stern with its twin screws. Besides devoting close attention to hydrodynamics and engineering, the newbuild project team also set out to keep construction weight down

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Credit: CIMC Raffles

PRINCIPAL PARTICULARS - Botnia Enabler Length overall 241.80m Length bp 234.28m Breadth, moulded 35.20m Depth, moulded 11.10m Draught, maximum 8.99m Gross tonnage 59,821t Deadweight 27,000t Freight capacity 5,800 lane-m Container capacity c. 1,000TEU Propulsion system Multi-fuel two-stroke Main engine power 2 x 10,500kW Fuel LNG, LBG, MGO, synthetic diesel Speed, service 20kts Class LR Ice class 1A Super Flag Swedish as far as possible in the interests of ship efficiency relative to cargo capacity.

To promote seakeeping in tough conditions, giving the transportation sensitivity of cargoes such as paper and cardboard, design initiatives have included high aspect ratio bilge keels, deeper but shorter than regular bilge keels.

According to calculations and measurements conducted at SSPA’s premises in Gothenburg, the keels confer improved roll damping properties with only a marginal increase in hydrodynamic drag.

Notwithstanding four freight levels, the naval architects have succeeded in lowering the centre of gravity somewhat, thereby reducing the amount of water ballast needed.

The newbuilds each employ ballast water treatment featuring ultraviolet (UV) technology, in the shape of Alfa Laval’s PureBallast 3 solution. Unlike electrochlorination systems, which become less efficient as the temperature drops, UV-based equipment such as PureBallast 3 remains unaffected by cold and salinity.

For a few months of the year, ice conditions in the far north of the Gulf of Bothnia are categorised as extreme, when ice cover can increase to more than one metre in thickness. To ensure the ships’ ability to withstand such conditions and maintain schedules as far as possible without icebreaker assistance, the design team from Wallenius SOL and Wallenius Marine made recourse to Aker Arctic Technology’s ice test facility and laboratory near Helsinki.

A seven metre-long model of the vessel was constructed for ice tank testing, wherein particular focus was given to performance in negotiating ice ridges. The campaign confirmed the effectiveness of the particular design of bulbous bow, which cracks the ice from below, and of the aftship form, which pushes down ice flows when the vessel turns.

The ice reinforcement on Wallenius SOL’s con-ros consists of a belt around the hull extending for approximately 5m above and below the waterline. This runs higher and deeper in the prow, where ice pressure is greatest.

The sea chest is positioned in such a way as to reduce the risk of ice closing off the inlet. Should ice blockage occur, provision has been made to enable ballast water to be used for engine cooling. Furthermore, heating coils and a bubbling system guard against ballast freezing in the tanks. Fire hydrants and deck gear are fitted with electric cabling and insulation to prevent non-operability and damage in freezing temperatures.

Heating is also applied to free- flow of hydraulic oil.

Leading Finnish and Swedish forestry players have laid down corporate environmental agendas over-and-above regulatory requirements, such that the specific nature of Wallenius SOL’s newbuild strategy, and its accent on sustainability in conjunction with service dependability, chimes well with industry.

8 Despite slippage in delivery dates, the new Swedish con-ros are another example of Chinese shipbuilding ascendancy

JUNE 2022 | 37

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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 SALES & MARKETING

In the June 1972 issue of The Motorship, editorial attention turned once again to the future pattern of engine demand.

Our predecessors noted that their quarterly market survey of ship machinery was based on ships delivered, which related to orders placed typically three years previously, when ‘super large bore’ engines were a novelty and before medium speed diesels of 1000 bhp/cylinder had appeared. Turning to an analysis of the ‘Ships on Order’ data, they could see a sharp decline in total horsepower ordered, putting this down to more ships in the smaller size ranges. A total of 57 large-bore two-strokes had been contracted, against over twice the horsepower in medium speed engines.

However, the expected take-up of medium speed propulsion for larger vessels (20,000hp-plus) had not happened, only just over 3% opting for medium speed power, and all of those being in the passenger and ro-ro sectors. They remained optimistic for the future, expecting a surge in demand for higher medium speed power, as well as super-large direct-coupled twostrokes. Steam turbine propulsion was seen as a declining market, and there was considerable optimism for gas turbine power for future ships.

Regarding super large bore engines, the first 1060mm bore engine – the largest bore size so far – had been completed at the new GMT works in Trieste. This was the second of a batch of three 10-cylinder engines, the first being built at the Fiat works in Turin. The three engines, rated 38,600 bhp at 106 rpm, were destined for three 253,000t tankers being built at the Monfalcone yard.

Several pages were given over to the first ‘large’ triple-screw container ship, Elbe Maru, built in Japan for Mitsui OSK Lines for service between the Far East and Europe. Demands for large high speed (25 knot) container ships had stretched the engine industry somewhat, calling for powers of 60,000 bhp-plus, that could not be met by a single engine. Previous vessels had been twin-screw, mostly diesel, though a few had opted for gas turbines. Elbe Maru, with a total 84,600bhp from one 12-cylinder and two 9-cylinder Mitsui-B&W K84EF engines, had recorded a maximum speed of almost 31 knots, and travelled at 26.25 knots in normal service. The 269m long ship with 1842 TEU seems small in capacity today, but in 1972 was top of the range.

40 | JUNE 2022

8 The 1942 TEU triple-screw Elbe Maru

The other main ship descriptions both came from the ro-ro market, first a Dutch-built car carrier described as ‘sophisticated’. The 5426 dwt 1400-vehicle capacity Grieg was powered by a single 18-cylinder 9,900 bhp Stork-Werkspoor TM410 main engine, the largest Werkspoor medium speed unit to be built, though a 20-cylinder version was offered.

This drove a single propeller via a reduction gearbox with air-operated clutch coupling. The MacGregorsupplied cargo access equipment included a hydraulically-operated stern ramp, with three hoistable seven-section car decks, and a further five fixed decks. For ports without stern loading berths, the vessel carried a portable side ramp and platform for loading cars direct to the aft shelter deck.

Bore of Finland had inaugurated a ro-ro service between Turku/Abo and the UK port of Harwich, with two newly-built 5250dwt vessels that could carry 700 cars from UK to Finland, while being capable of loading containers and general wood product cargo on the return leg. Loading was via a stern ramp, wide enough to permit simultaneous loading and unloading, the five decks connected by a two-tier lift described as ‘remarkable’. The 113m long ships were powered by twin MaK 6M551 medium speed engines, each of 3000bhp output. They drove a single Escher-Wyss CP propeller, via a L&S reduction gearbox.

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8 GMT Trieste had completed its first 1060mm-bore engine

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