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VDL AEC MARITIME

TAKING MARINE’S CARBON CAPTURE TECHNOLOGY TO THE NEXT LEVEL powered by Inside Marine

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VDL AEC MARITIME

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PROFILE

Taking marine’s carbon capture technology to the

next level

Nearly a decade on from installing its first maritime scrubber, VDL AEC Maritime is again taking a leap into the future and seizing the initiative with the development of carbon capture technology. While the industry and the IMO continue to debate a clear path forward on the issue, the Dutch-based company is bravely going where few fear to tread on the transitional journey for greener shipping. By Andy Probert.

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aritime scrubbing system specialist VDL AEC Maritime has never been afraid of pushing back the technological boundaries to protect the environment. As climate change resonates throughout the industry, the company has embarked on new developments to deliver dynamic carbon capture solutions for the marine industry.

Its track record of onshore emission and odour-reduction scrubbing systems evolved in 1994, but when the IMO in 2010 declared its 2020 low sulphur fuel emission resolutions, AEC Maritime was borne.

With its first maritime scrubber system installed by 2013, AEC Maritime then launched a joint venture with VDL Groep, and since 2018, its scrubber technology has continued to flourish. It is now installed on many vessels globally.

Today, the Eindhoven-based company, now branded as VDL AEC Maritime, is part of the VDL Groep and is among the industry’s top 10 scrubber suppliers. This positioning has been complemented by its continual development of sulphur oxide scrubbers, and now, carbon capture solutions.

Sales Director Joost Wijdeveld explained the marine industry currently faces three options in tackling greenhouse gas emissions: use less fuel, switch to non-carbon fuels, or embrace carbon capture.

While the first is potentially impractical with less fuel meaning slower transportation and bringing the industry to a veritable halt, switching to e-fuels, such as ammonia, methanol or hydrogen, is still in its infancy, and renewable energy sources may be insufficient to produce enough e-fuels in the medium to long term.

“The most certain strategy for reducing CO 2 emissions is to capture the carbon released from the exhaust gases during combustion,” said René Veldman, Product Manager, VDL AEC Maritime.

An envisioned carbon capture system requires hardly any modifications to the current engine system and is already compliant with IMO 2030 and IMO 2050. The system can be integrated into new build vessels and retrofitted to existing vessels.

CO 2 could be used to make methanol based on green energy. This methanol

has a low carbon intensity and can be used again on board as ship fuel, creating a carbon-neutral cycle. Eventually, it also contributes to a more gradual transition to synthetic fuels.

Ambitious projects Mr Veldman explained that captured CO2 could be stored on the vessel in a tank.

The CO 2 would be transferred from the vessel to an onshore storage facility in port and then moved to a plant to produce synthetic fuel. Hydrogen from green energy (sun or wind) is combined with the captured CO 2 into new synthetic fuel, which could be used in any application, for example, in the maritime, aviation or transport industries.

“In this way, carbon emitted by the vessel is either re-used for new fuels, or stored long-term which is labelled as carbon neutral. Either way, it has a positive contribution to decarbonisation,” he added.

Mr Wijdeveld said VDL AEC Maritime was advancing carbon capture technologies for marine environments as part of two partnerships – EverLoNG and the LNG-ZERO Projects – to help achieve shipping decarbonisation goals.

“Both are subsidised Dutch consortia working to marinised carbon capture technology – effectively making established land-based technology applicable to the marine sector.”

EverLoNG is a project consortium that features 16 project partners from Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, the UK and the USA. These include exploring different low-carbon technologies, including shipbased carbon capture (SBCC), which could provide a low-cost solution compared to zero-emission fuels.

The project aims to encourage the uptake of SBCC by demonstrating its use onboard LNG-fuelled ships and moving it closer to market readiness. Their research will optimise the technology and consider how best to integrate it into an existing vessel and port infrastructure.

EverLoNG’s interlinking studies would support the development of full-chain carbon capture, utilisation and storage networks – connecting SBCC with CO2 transport links, Inside Marine

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VDL AEC MARITIME

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PROFILE

geological CO2 storage and markets for CO2 use. They include Life Cycle Assessment and Techno-Economic Analysis. It is also contributing to the development of regulatory frameworks for the safe and effective use of SBCC. LNG-ZERO is an ambitious research project that aims to develop the technology and strategy needed to reduce exhaust emissions to contribute to sustainable shipping.

A threefold strategy will achieve this: capture the carbon dioxide, significant reduction of methane slip (CH4) / N-emissions, bring the captured carbon to shore for new applications (such as a base material for the production of synthetic fuel) or directly offshore for permanent geological storage, and achieve a massive reduction of GHG in the complete chain. Any residual emissions are offset by the use of bio-LNG. The project, which TNO initially introduced, includes the efforts of energy and infrastructure developers (Shell, Carbon Collectors, end-users (Heerema, Anthony Veder) and important suppliers and system integrators, including VDL AEC Maritime.

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TNO and the technical universities of Twente and Delft are the research partners working on the eco-topics. Safety and performance standards are being developed in conjunction with Lloyd’s Register.

The companies working on this project have created a €6.1 million budget, of which the Dutch government has granted a subsidy of €4.4 million.

Mr Veldman asserted: “LNG-ZERO is to aim for a high impact and be ahead of future IMO regulation. In this project, we’re developing technology to ensure the maritime industry’s total decarbonisation – and fight the global climate crisis challenge.”

In-house research In parallel to these projects, VDL AEC Maritime is developing an in-house project, with its carbon capture partners, for Heavy Fuel Oil (HFO) vessels, which face an even bigger challenge in the decarbonising arena.

“We are actively looking to launch for clients or projects. Next to developing carbon capture technology, with our back-

ground in SOX scrubbing we prove that we can do such big projects on vessels in a safe way,” said Mr Veldman.

He explained: “We are heading for an increase in maritime greenhouse gas emissions of 20% by 2050 despite current industry-wide efforts. Growing trade volumes, technological developments and existing CO 2 reduction initiatives across the sector will not give shipping enough traction to deliver what is needed to meet the current IMO targets. Shipping needs to step up.”

While the IMO has taken measures to tackle climate change and reduce carbon emissions, it is expected national and local legislation will seek stricter targets. It may only be a matter of time before carbon taxes begin to bear down on global shipping.

“It is important for ship owners to prepare themselves thoroughly and sustainably for the future, in which everstricter requirements will be imposed on the emission of greenhouse gases,” said Mr Veldman.

Both gentlemen re-iterated the company offers complete and tailor-made design,

engineering and in-house manufacturing of clean air technology systems for industrial and marine organisations.

Continued focus A VDL AEC Maritime scrubber is always tailor-made, assured Mr Wijdeveld.

“The size depends on the maximum capacity of the engine, keeping the lowest energy consumption in mind. If space is limited, we can adjust the scrubber size.

We can outfit the ship with closed-loop, open-loop or hybrid scrubber solutions.”

Apart from continuing to use HFO while complying with IMO regulations as all scrubbers do, it offers specific cost-saving advantages.

“The biggest is that, through patented design, our scrubber uses a relatively low amount of water, which minimises the size of pumps and piping,” outlined Mr Wijdeveld. “This results in a low amount of energy consumption for the water flow.”

He added: “‘Strength through cooperation’ is the VDL Groep motto. We work globally and build relationships with clients and suppliers looking for longterm partnerships, and quality for the current business case with scrubber systems, and potential future projects.”

Mr Wijdeveld asserted that VDL AEC Maritime, whose slogan is ‘Scrubbing made simple’, always strives to supply systems that are easy to install and simple to maintain without compromising quality.

With all these attributes, the company recently secured orders to retrofit two SOx scrubber systems for Seatrade Groningen BV. These will be delivered before the end of 2022.

Mr Wijdeveld said: “This deal is very important for us. We are very excited and looking forward to great cooperation with Seatrade Groningen.”

Both agreed the biggest industry challenge was the carbon capture conundrum, with Mr Wijdeveld adding: “The maritime world is not yet ready for carbon capture, and the IMO does not have real incentives to introduce such technology, and the class rules are not even ready yet.”

Meantime, VDL AEC Maritime enjoys the backing of its Dutch family owned parent, VDL Groep, which focuses on long-term relations and goals with suppliers and clients.

VDL Groep employs over 16,000 people and consists of 105 different companies, spread across 20 countries, each having their own strengths and capabilities and

all working closely together, which can be utilised across different sectors.

“One main focus for the VDL Groep is the global energy transition in all forms and sectors,” said Mr Wijdeveld. “This enables VDL AEC Maritime to focus on the hard-to-abate shipping industry with SBCC and other aspects for the future, which may include the VDL Groep’s electrification technology with batteries and fuel cells.”

He concluded: “We at VDL AEC Maritime believe SBCC will be a major game-changer. SBCC development is aimed at sustainability, and we require sustainability from our supply chain to minimise the carbon footprint. The whole world is screaming for action on decarbonising the maritime industry. We agree, we all need to act now.” n

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