Marine Propulsion April/May 2018 by rivieramaritimemedia

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contents

April/May 2018 volume 40 issue 2

Regulars 5 COMMENT 6 ON THE AGENDA 8 BRIEFING 88 POWERTALK 92 BUNKER BULLETIN

Gas carriers 10

10 LNG carrier builders off to a flying start in 2018 13 Containment system breakthroughs 17 Floaters took centre stage in 2017 LNGC deliveries and orders

Yard profile 20 Hudong-Zhonghua looks to future of LNG carriers

LNG Engineering and equipment 23 Was 2017 a turning point for LNG bunkering? 26 Chinese LNG terminals hit record utilisation rates

Gas turbines 33 Gas turbines bide their LNG carrier time

Power and propulsion 36 More LNG owners choose low-pressure two-stroke engines 38 Exmar very large gas carriers herald LPG propulsion system breakthrough

Two-stroke engines 41 Two-stroke engines capture the LNG carrier newbuilding market

Four-stroke engines 45 The four stages of four-stroke

Heat exchangers 49 Heat transfer solutions for fuel gas supply

LUKOIL_Az_190x62_Kompass_auf_Wasser.qxp_Layout 1 24.09.15 13:09 Seite 1

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Marine Propulsion & Auxiliary Machinery | April/May 2018

contents Waterjets 53 Waterjet manufacturers deal with weighty matters

Thrusters 59 Sideways, forwards and backwards – thrusters can do just about anything 63 Azipod brings safety to polar cruising

Emissions control 67 Maritime industry says IMO emissions deal does not go far enough 69 A solution to consistent emissions enforcement

Hybrid systems 73 Providing a helping hand

Switchboards 77 Cat MEO promises significant fuel savings

Marine intelligence 80 Don’t believe the hype 82 Shipping industry “still very conservative in adopting new technologies”

Fuels and lubes 85 Water in fuel? The ‘crazy’ solution to reduce NOx

Energy storage 87 Growing use of hybrid energy storage systems among high-spec supply ships

On the horizon

April/May 2018 volume 40 issue 2 Head of Content: Edwin Lampert t: +44 20 8370 7017 e: edwin.lampert@rivieramm.com Brand Manager – Sales: Tom Kenny t: +44 7432 156 339 e: tom.kenny@rivieramm.com Sales Manager: Rob Gore t: +44 20 8370 7007 e: rob.gore@rivieramm.com Sales: Paul Dowling t: +44 20 8370 7014 e: paul.dowling@rivieramm.com Sales: Jo Lewis t: +44 20 8370 7793 e: jo.lewis@rivieramm.com Head of Sales – Asia: Kym Tan t: +65 6809 1278 e: kym.tan@rivieramm.com Group Production Manager: Mark Lukmanji t: +44 20 8370 7019 e: mark.lukmanji@rivieramm.com Chairman: John Labdon Managing Director: Steve Labdon Finance Director: Cathy Labdon Operations Director: Graham Harman Executive Editor: Paul Gunton Head of Production: Hamish Dickie Published by: Riviera Maritime Media Ltd Mitre House 66 Abbey Road Enfield EN1 2QN UK

91 IMO deal charts course to halve emissions by 2050

Next issue Main features include: Market analysis - ferries; Ferry systems; Auxiliary systems; Ballast water; Marine Propulsion awards showcase

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Marine Propulsion & Auxiliary Machinery | April/May 2018

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COMMENT | 5

FOR WHOM THE CLOCK TICKS I Paul Gunton, Executive Editor

t used to be said that the only thing you can hear in a Rolls-Royce is the clock ticking. I cannot confirm that: I have only ridden in a Rolls-Royce once, and listening to its clock was not a high priority on the way to my wedding reception. I know Rolls-Royce cars and Rolls-Royce Marine are entirely different entities, but I was reminded of that hush-hush reputation when I belatedly followed up last week’s news that Norwegian cruise ferry operator Hurtigruten had signed a letter of intent with Rolls-Royce. Up to nine of its ships will have their existing propulsion plant replaced with “new Rolls-Royce LNG engines as part of a new hybrid system.” I have a sharp eye for redundant words. New engines? They wouldn’t fit old ones, would they? Later in the release it said that “Rolls-Royce is to deliver two of its Bergen B36:45L&PG gas engines as the main engines to each ship.” I also like to think I have a sharp for typos. I had not heard of that engine type before, so I looked on the Rolls-Royce Marine website to confirm it as a member of its engine range. The search function turned up just a single reference to it: back in its press release. So I emailed Rolls-Royce to check that this designation was correct. “Yes,” came the reply. “It’s a new engine [and] we’ll do some launch PR at a later date.” So there it is: ‘new’ wasn’t a redundant word and ‘B36:45L&PG’ wasn’t a typo. Instead, hidden in plain sight, Rolls-Royce had just announced a whole new engine on the quiet by slipping the news into one sentence in the last paragraph of a press release. How long we will have to wait for full details isn’t clear, but the Rolls-Royce clock is ticking.

ENERGY FROM WASTE AVOIDS WASTING ENERGY

I grew up as far from the sea as it is possible to get in the UK but we lived near a canal and that

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is what sparked my interest in boats and then ships. There were still a few working barges around at that time and they were fitted with very low-revving engines that seemed to fire only a couple of times each second. We used to joke that they ran on manure. That day may yet come but, for now, biowaste has to be processed first to make a usable fuel. Fuel from waste is practical. Dubai’s municipal vehicles run on used cooking oil and last Thursday (3 May) we reported trials being conducted with Green D+ fossil-free fuel by the UK ferry operator Red Funnel, which serves the short route between Southampton on the UK’s south coast and the Isle of Wight, just a few kilometres across the Solent, famous for having four high tides each day. Like the fuel being used in Dubai, this is also made using cooking oil and waste fats from the food processing industry along with plant oils such as palm oil and rapeseed oil as raw material to produce hydrotreated vegetable oil. This is being blended with low-sulphur MGO for Red Funnel’s main and auxiliary engines. I hope we will be told how the trials work out. Marine Propulsion gave its support to another biofuel project last month when it awarded its annual Graduate Research Award for work done by Antwerp Maritime Academy graduate Larsen Priem for his work on fast pyrolysis oil made from bamboo. It is a very efficient fuel, he said, that is carbon-neutral and sulphur-free, although there is still a lot of work to be done to make it commercial. It will also need a lot of bamboo but Wikipedia tells me that bamboos include some of the fastest-growing plants in the world, which sounds promising. I don’t have much personal experience with bamboo apart from those youthful trips to the canal. I sometimes took a home-made bamboo fishing rod but I never caught anything with it so, if I still had it, I would donate that rod to Mr Priem to help him continue his research. MP

Marine Propulsion & Auxiliary Machinery | April/May 2018

6 | ON THE AGENDA

(x10**5)

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Stress (kPa)

Understanding barred speed range during simulations and sea trials

.8 .4 0

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-.1.2 (x10**1) 0 .25 .5 .75 1 1.25 .125 .375 .625 .875 1.125 Time (s) Typical BSR time from pre-EEDI engines

-1.6

(x10**2) 0 .25 .5 .75 1 1.25 .125 .375 .625 .875 1.125 Time (s) Eco-engines with longer BSR transient times

BSR comparison: typical versus eco-engine

ollowing the introduction of the IMO Energy Efficiency Design Index (EEDI) in 2013, a number of trends have affected the design of vessel powertrains. These include more efficient, larger diameter propellers, more efficient, de-rated engines with lower RPM, shorter shaftlines and reduced engineroom space. At the same time, vessel operators have reported what they consider to be an unacceptable length of passage time through the barred speed range (BSR) during sea trials. This has led to requests from operators to assess shaftline fatigue and to make predictions on the time required to pass through BSR as early as at the plan approval stage; such requests are proving challenging for class societies, shipyards and engine-makers alike. Traditionally, the International Association of Classification Societies

Spending too long in the barred speed range can have a detrimental effect on shaftline fatigue lifetimes. This issue is increasingly seen on the latest digital two-stroke ecoefficient prime movers. To combat this problem, owners should assess a vessel’s power margin, rather than relying on industry standards, says ABS manager of corporate technology Chris Leontopoulos

Marine Propulsion & Auxiliary Machinery | April/May 2018

(IACS) has approved the torsional vibration characteristics of a vessel’s powertrain, based on IACS UR M68, which defines two limits, both of which stem from a fatigue approach combined with actual experience and are characterised as ‘semi-empirical’. The BSR is a ‘barred’ or a ‘forbidden’ speed range of operation; most classification rules, in addition to applying UR M68, would include a qualitative clause, such as “to be passed through as quickly as possible”. This is done to avoid accumulating fatigue cycles, which stem from operating in the zone of a major torsional resonance of the powertrain. In pre-EEDI days, 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. Post-EEDI, the small power margin (PM) attained by the new Eco-

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ON THE AGENDA | 7

efficient engines around the upper and lower limit of the BSR can result in torque being insufficient to pass quickly enough through the BSR. A prolonged stay inside the BSR would not only trigger engine alarms in the engine control room, but also create cause for concern among operators, from the twin perspectives of fatigue and vessel manoeuvrability, particularly in bad weather.

ABS SIMULATIONS

The substantial increase in the time needed to pass through the BSR has caused operators to question the validity of IACS UR M68, since the rule does not explore the effect of time duration, and is constrained in the determination of the upper and lower limits of the BSR. To assess the effect of the time inside the BSR, certain data and parameters must be considered in a simulation, such as the prediction of shaftline acceleration times throughout the operating range, including the BSR. This simulation requires data from the engine control system, including speed governor functions and fuel index, to establish the actual torque versus speed. Additional data is required to define the dynamic torque capacity, or acceleration performance of the engine under load. This would also involve the torque limiting function of the engine control system and possible effects from turbochargers, or other details of the combustion process. Data regarding the vessel dynamics, including, but not limited to, torque and thrust coefficients and the advance coefficient of the propeller, would also be required for this simulation. An assumption regarding the propeller light running margin (LRM) has to be made, and the initial and final vessel speed in knots, plus the ship resistance, are also required. Clearly, the amount of data needed for such predictive simulations is substantial and complex. It is unlikely that the necessary data would be available to make such calculations during the plan approval process at the design stage of every newbuilding. As such, a substantial number of engineering assumptions need to be made, affecting the accuracy of the review calculation.

A WAY FORWARD

Acceleration problems on existing vessels are typically solved by changing engine parameters to increase the dynamic torque, although propeller modifications may also be applied. Increasing the engine torque in

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the BSR can be achieved by increasing the index limiters, thus allowing more fuel to be injected, while ensuring that the EEDI value is not affected. Experience from actual sea trial measurements shows that by ‘over-boosting’ the torque inside the BSR, the actual shaftline stress level is slightly reduced during acceleration within the BSR. The consequent reduction in stress is mainly explained by the shorter time spent on the resonance – resulting in less time for the vibration amplitude to build to its maximum level – coupled with increased propeller damping, due to the heavier propeller curve during acceleration. In terms of fatigue lifetime, there may exist an optimum level in which to pass through the BSR using torque ‘over-boost’; reducing this level further may ultimately result in shorter lifetimes, due to potentially increased stress/torque amplitude responses. The issue of BSR transit time quantification does not only affect shaftline fatigue life; it also affects a vessel’s manoeuvrability. The PM can vary depending on the selected propeller curve for operation (eg scantling trial, design trial, ballast trial and bollard pull (BP) curve). A small PM and/or a small LRM indicates both reduced acceleration capability and manoeuvrability. According to the engine makers, a minimum value of at least 10% of PM at the upper limit of the BSR, using the BP curve

of the propeller under consideration, should be used to ensure sufficient acceleration capability to pass through the BSR. The engine makers say that a satisfactory BSR transit time should never exceed 30 seconds during sea trials. If the 10% limit cannot be achieved, additional specialised fatigue calculations may be required to demonstrate acceptable levels of powertrain fatigue lifetime and manoeuvrability.

CONCLUSIONS

For cases where the BSR transit time is unacceptably long, engine makers have resorted to applying increased torque, using dynamic limiter functions (DLF) via intervening engine control software systems. Measurements demonstrate that this approach does not increase the actual vibratory stresses, despite the higher gas torque excitations, unless excessive power is applied. As BSR transit time predictions require data that is generally unavailable at the plan approval stage, more assumptions must be made regarding transient analysis calculations; this may have a negative impact on the accuracy and sensitivity of the results in terms of fatigue lifetime estimations. It may be more advantageous to assess BSR transit times via the PM concept, rather than modifying the IACS UR M68 methodology, as the main engine makers are proposing to IACS. MP

The Wärtsilä Shaft Alignment Breakfast Briefing Join a live one-hour seminar where you will be able to learn about the issues and technology affecting and improving propeller shafts. The event discussion will be led by Wärtsilä Alignment and Measurement Products and Services, and hosted by Riviera Maritime Media. The seminar will discuss understanding barred speed range during simulations and sea trials, the link between propeller immersion and the risk of propeller shaft-bearing damage, avoiding stern-tube bearing failure, and new insights into shaft alignment during sea trials. Attendance is for shipowners, operators and managers. Your application to join the seminar will be confirmed within 48 hours of application. Confirmed shipowner attendees will also receive a VIP invitation to the Marine Intelligence conference following the breakfast briefing, where Chief Digital Officer Marco Ryan will be giving the keynote address. Date: Wednesday 23 May 2018 Time: 07:30 – 08:30 CEST Location: Hotel Atlantic Kempinski Hamburg, An der Alster 72-79 20099 Hamburg, Germany eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-wartsila-shaft-alignment-breakfast-briefing-tickets-45381519346

Marine Propulsion & Auxiliary Machinery | April/May 2018

8 | BRIEFING

Integrated control system delivers multiple benefits F

inland’s Wärtsilä has created a new cargo-pump control arrangement designed to optimise operations for shipowners and reduce the initial purchasing price of onboard equipment. The latestgeneration controller includes a frequency converter package within the cargo-pump system that creates an opportunity to integrate its capabilities with other equipment on board. Wärtsilä Marine Solutions sales manager for pumps and valves Morten Brandborg explained: “The frequency converter package is normally only utilised when the cargopumping system is in use, which is mainly during port stays – so for only a very limited time in the vessel’s overall operations. To derive more benefit from this technology we have made it possible to utilise the frequency converter package for other applications on board.” For example, the company’s latest-generation cargo-pump control technology allows the

Drawing on the expertise of different parts of its group, Wärtsilä Marine Solutions has developed an enhanced system that boosts efficiency by integrated cargo pump, bow thruster and shaft generator controls frequency converter to be used in conjunction with the bow thruster. Mr Brandborg said that “Normally the bow thruster would either be of a fixed-pitch type, with its own separate frequency converter, or it would be of a controllable-pitch type, which would represent a more expensive initial investment, with higher maintenance costs. Either way, with our new system, the owner can benefit from improved operational efficiency and a reduction in costs.” Wärtsilä estimates that for a fixed-pitch bow thruster arrangement, the saving would be over €85,000 (US$100,000) per vessel. Moreover, the company points out, the bow thruster would have the same functionalities and no additional operational restrictions.

Another example of the extended use of the cargo-pump control system enabled by Wärtsilä’s latest system relates to shaft-generator control. Mr Brandborg explained: “It is often a classification society requirement that vessels should have an alternative form of propulsion to be used as a ‘takeme-home’ function in case of a main engine breakdown. We have now made it possible to use the control system from the cargo-pump arrangement for this purpose, using the frequency converter to start and run the shaft generator.” Up to now this could only be achieved either by having a separate frequency converter for the shaft generator, which is expensive and requires additional space on board,

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Marine Propulsion & Auxiliary Machinery | April/May 2018

or by adopting a pony motor solution, which presents the risk of damaging the clutch on the main shaft line. Wärtsilä believes its approach is lower cost and more reliable, and that it also creates an opportunity to introduce a booster mode. “This is especially useful when sailing in ice conditions, as we can now offer a solution where the shaft line can be boosted with additional power through the shaft generator,” said Mr Brandborg. The new integrated cargo-pump control option is considered particularly beneficial for smaller and medium-sized chemical and product tankers. A number of vessels of this type were equipped with the newgeneration system in the past year, and several similar projects are now underway. Wärtsilä sees a growing demand for electric cargo-pump solutions and is developing some interesting new solutions focused on using its digital and electric technology. The company recently announced a new shuttle tanker concept, developed in partnership with Teekay, which will feature Wärtsilä cargo and ballast pumps. For offloading operations, Wärtsilä can supply this new shuttle tanker design with either electric-driven pumps for pump-room installation, or with electric-driven deepwell cargo and ballast pumps that eliminate the need for a separate pump room and interconnecting pipelines in the cargo holds. The space gained from eliminating the pump room can be used to increase cargo capacity or shorten the engine room. The latter permits a reduced hull length, cutting building costs and allowing for better DP capability due to a leaner side profile. MP

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10 | GAS CARRIERS

The delivery of Vladimir Rusanov increased the number of Yamal in-service icebreaking LNG carriers to five vessels

LNG carrier builders off to a flying start in 2018 The 10 LNG carrier deliveries in January 2018 was a new monthly record, while February was a busy month for contract signings, with seven newbuilds ordered

t has been a brisk start to 2018 for the builders of LNG carriers (LNGCs), with 13 LNGCs delivered and 10 ordered during the first two months of the year. The 10 ships commissioned in January 2018 made it the busiest-ever month for LNGC completions. An underlying cause of the busy round of ship completions is the delayed delivery dates agreed by

Marine Propulsion & Auxiliary Machinery | April/May 2018

shipowners and yards for vessels last year. Only 37 LNG vessels were completed in 2017, well down on the 57 originally timetabled. The pushback in the completion dates for some vessels means that shipbuilders are due to hand over 62 LNGCs in 2018. If they achieve this, this number will be a new annual output record.

Deliveries galore

With six of the 13 early 2018 deliveries to its name, Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering (DSME) hosted an LNGC handover ceremony on average once every 10 days during January and February. Five of the DSME newbuildings are powered by a pair of MANâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s mechanically operated, electronically controlled, gas-injection (MEGI) engines, which require a fuel gas supply system to introduce cargo boil-off gas at high pressure. The sixth DSME ship is the 172,000 m3 Vladimir Rusanov, one of a series of 15 icebreaking, dual-fuel dieselelectric (DFDE) LNGCs the South Korean yard is building to carry the Yamal LNG export cargoes. Five have now been handed over. One of the early 2018 DSME completions is the 173,400 m3 BW Tulip, the BW Groupâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first ME-GI LNGC

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GAS CARRIERS | 11

and one of a series of three. BW now has 16 LNGCs in operation and five on order, three of which are floating storage and regasification units (FSRUs). Two of the other DSME completions are noteworthy in that they welcome Flex LNG into the select ranks of LNGC owners and operators. The 174,000 m3 Flex Endeavour and Flex Enterprise mark the realisation of an initiative launched in 2007 when the original Flex LNG proprietors ordered a pair of 90,000 m3 M-Flex carriers at Samsung Heavy Industries (SHI). The idea behind these novel ships was that either regasification or liquefaction facilities could be added to the flat deck to give them a multipurpose role. The flush main deck was made possible by the choice of IHI’s selfsupporting, prismatic-shape, IMO Type B (SPB) containment system for the cargo tanks. The M-Flex ships were never built, but the Flex LNG order at SHI went through various ship designs and number incarnations, in line with waxing and waning charterer interest in the offering. Flex LNG was acquired by John Fredriksen in 2014 and he subsequently augmented the SHI order, amended to two conventional 174,000 m³ LNGCs, with orders for four similar ships at DSME. Flex Endeavour and Flex Enterprise are the first of the six; all the vessels will be in service by mid-2019, all will be propelled by ME-GI engines and all will have Gaztransport & Technigaz (GTT) No 96 membrane cargo tanks.

Enter KC-1 tanks

Perhaps the most notable of the 13 ships delivered so far in 2018 is SK Shipping’s 174,000 m3 SK Serenity. The vessel is the first of a pair of SHI-built LNG carriers to be fitted with KC-1 tanks,

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yard prices still on offer. DSME, for example, secured orders for four ships during the period, each costing around US$183M, or 10% less than prices pertaining in 2015. The cost of FSRUs has also come down markedly in recent years, with an FSRU ordered in early 2018 at a cost of around US$225M.

Notable newbuilds Hudong has only built LNGCs to GTT No 96 membrane system to date but its new involvement with LNG bunkering is introducing the yard to the GTT Mark III membrane

a membrane containment system developed by KC LNG Tech, an affiliate of Korea Gas Corp (Kogas), to provide Korean shipbuilders with a domestic alternative to the two established GTT membrane technologies. SHI is due to complete the sister ship, SK Spica, in March 2018 and both vessels have been fixed on 20-year charters to Kogas to carry LNG cargoes from Cheniere Energy’s export terminal at Sabine Pass in Louisiana. Each ship is expected to lift about 500,000 tonnes of LNG per annum. The deliveries of the two KC-1 ships are approximately six months later than originally envisaged. However, considering the challenges involved in introducing a major new technology in the LNG shipping sector, the principals are not overly disappointed with the delay.

New order momentum

The high level of newbuild contracting in the first two months of 2018 owes much to the LNG industry’s growing awareness that talk of an extended oversupply of ships and cargoes is overblown. Shell, in its second annual LNG outlook published in February 2018, warns the

market could face a shortage of LNG by the mid-2020s due to underinvestment in new projects. Pressure is growing for final investment decisions (FIDs) in 2018 for several of the proposed LNG export schemes currently on the table. Agreement between LNG buyers and sellers on the type of purchase contract that brings optimum mutual benefits will facilitate approvals for new projects. The extent to which the market has absorbed LNG over the past 18 months reinforces the need for new ships and projects. Shell points out that the world trade in LNG grew by 29M tonnes in 2017, 30% more than expected, to reach 293M tonnes. The fastest growing LNG producer over the next three years will be the US, where exports are set to increase fivefold, from 13M tonnes in 2017 to 65M tonnes in 2020. This volume of cargo will require a fleet of approximately 115 LNGCs due to the long distances involved in reaching the main Asian customer base. Most, but by no means all, of the ships needed for these US exports have already been ordered. Newbuilding orders over recent months have been supported by the competitive

One of the early 2018 newbuild orders stands out from the crowd: the contract for an 18,600 m3 LNG bunker vessel (LNGBV) at the Hudong-Zhonghua yard in Shanghai. Total and Mitsui OSK Lines (MOL) ordered the ship to fuel the fleet of nine new 22,000 TEU dualfuel container ships that the French liner operator CMA CGM currently has under construction. On delivery in 2020, the Total/MOL newbuild will be three times the size of any other LNGBV afloat. The owners’ choice of GTT’s Mark III membrane containment system for the bunker vessel’s cargo tanks is an interesting one. All the LNGCs built by Hudong to date incorporate tanks built to the No 96 design, GTT’s other membrane technology. China is yet to build an LNG vessel to the GTT Mark III system and Hudong’s LNGBV order will necessitate the establishment of a new production line, including for the waffled stainless steel plate that forms the Mark III system’s primary barrier. It is no coincidence that the LNG bunker tank on each of the new CMA CGM container ships will also be built to the GTT Mark III design and have a capacity of 18,600 m3. In addition, Hudong will be building five of the big box ships and the neighbouring yard of Shanghai Waigaoqiao the other four. MP

Marine Propulsion & Auxiliary Machinery | April/May 2018

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GAS CARRIERS | 13

Containment system breakthroughs

KC-1 is a new membrane LNG containment system designed, developed and built in Korea

Two cargo containment systems are being applied to conventional-size LNG carriers for the first time

t is not every day that the LNG shipping industry welcomes a ‘new’ cargo containment system. However, in 2018 two systems – KC-1 in Korea and IHI-SPB in Japan – are featuring in conventional-size LNG carriers for the first time. The KC-1 membrane tank system is a truly new technology and has not been utilised in an LNG carrier of any size before. However, IHI’s self-supporting,

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prismatic-shape, IMO Type B (IHISPB) design is not new, as such, having been introduced as a liquefied gas carrier containment system by the Japanese shipbuilder 30 years ago. It has only been incorporated on commercial LNG carriers on one occasion: a pair of 89,900 m3 vessels built in 1993.

Enter KC-1

The first two LNG carriers fitted with KC-1 membrane tanks entered into service early in 2018. They are the 174,000 m3 sister ships SK Serenity and SK Spica, built for SK Shipping by Samsung Heavy Industries. Both vessels have been fixed on 20-year charters to Korea Gas Corp (Kogas) to carry LNG cargoes from Cheniere Energy’s export

terminal at Sabine Pass in Louisiana. Each ship is expected to lift about 500,000 tonnes of LNG per annum. The KC-1 membrane tank containment system has been developed by KC LNG Tech, an engineering firm established in February 2016 by Kogas in tandem with Korea’s three leading shipyards – SHI, Hyundai Heavy Industries and Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering. KC-1 has been introduced by the KC LNG Tech partners to provide Korean shipbuilders with a domestic alternative to the two established membrane technologies offered by Gaztransport & Technigaz (GTT). Like most LNG carrier builders, the Korean yards are licensees of the GTT technologies and pay a handsome royalty fee for each ship

Marine Propulsion & Auxiliary Machinery | April/May 2018

14 | GAS CARRIERS

constructed with GTT tanks. The KC-1 containment system technology received design approval from various leading classification societies over the 2007-2014 period. The latest agency to award a certification is the US Coast Guard, having granted concept approval in December 2017 for KC-1 LNG ships of up to 174,000 m3 in size.

KC-1 in detail

Both the primary and secondary barriers in the KC-1 system are of 1.5 mm thick stainless steel plate, with corrugations spaced about 1 m apart to accommodate thermal expansion and contraction. The barriers are positioned close to each other and are backed by a single layer of polyurethane foam (PUF) insulation, supplied as panel pieces. The inter-barrier space (IBS) is filled with nitrogen and gas detectors are connected to the nitrogen outlet piping to provide alerts should there be any leakages of natural gas. The 180324_MarinePropulsion_210_142_bleed.pdf 1 24.03.2018 13:46:08

main function of the IBS is to ensure that any damage to the primary barrier does not impart a thermal shock to the secondary barrier; this is facilitated by the maintenance of equidistant spacing between the barriers. SK Serenity and SK Spica are fitted with MAN’s mechanically operated, electronically controlled, gas-injection diesel engines and a Samsung partial reliquefaction plant. KC LNG Tech reports that the KC-1 system provides a cargo boil-off gas rate of 0.12% of the cargo volume per day. The SK Shipping pair were delivered approximately six months later than originally envisaged. KC LNG Tech states that most of the delay was is down to insufficient preparations for the mass production of the insulation panels and that, considering the challenges involved in introducing a major new technology in the LNG shipping sector, the principals are satisfied with the progress that has been made. SHI is also constructing a second pair

of LNG carriers to be equipped with KC-1 containment systems. Due for completion in 2019, these are 7,500 m3 coastal ships for the Jeju Aewol project and one of the pair will serve as an LNG bunkering vessel. The second ship will transport cargo to a new LNG terminal being built on the Korean island of Jeju. KC-1 membranes will also be used as the containment system for a pair of 45,000 m3 storage tanks under construction at the new Jeju terminal.

IHI-SPB comeback

The two 89,900 m3 LNG carriers built in 1993 and delivered as Arctic Sun and Polar Eagle are not the only gas vessels with IHI-SPB tanks currently in service. Two offshore LPG vessels – the 1997-built, 54,000 m3 Escravos floating storage and offloading unit and the 135,000 m3 Sanha floating production storage and offloading vessel commissioned in 2005 – also incorporate this containment system. IHI-SPB tanks were also specified for a 25,000 m3 floating storage and

GAS CARRIERS | 15

regasification unit barge built for Exmar by the Wison Offshore Marine shipyard at Nantong in China. Delivered in December 2017, the LNG regas vessel has two 12,500 m3 cargo tanks, built at the Aichi yard in Japan and barged to China. The next IHI-SPB ships about to make the news are a series of four 165,000 m3 LNG carriers that the Japan Marine United Corp ( JMU) shipyard in Japan is constructing for Tokyo Gas. The orders were placed in 2014, a year after JMU was established through the merger of the ship construction activities of IHI Marine United and Universal Shipbuilding. The hulls of the quartet are being built at JMU’s Tsu facility and towed to Aichi for tank installation. Tokyo Gas will employ the ships, due for delivery in 2018 and 2019, in lifting cargoes from the new Cove Point LNG export project on the US East Coast. They will be the first conventional-size LNG carriers to be fitted with IHI-SPB tanks. IHI-SPB tanks are subdivided into four spaces by a centreline, liquid-tight bulkhead and a transverse swash bulkhead. This subdivision, in tandem with the stiffened plate structure of both the shell and the internal supporting elements, provides the IHI-SPB system with a high degree of strength, to the extent that the risk of cargo sloshing damage is obviated at all fill levels. In addition, like all liquefied gas tanks designed to the IMO Type B standard, IHI-SPB units require only a partial secondary barrier. Robust Type B tanks comply with the ‘leak before failure’ principle, which means that if a fatigue crack occurs, it will propagate very slowly, allowing time for remedial measures to be taken. Another advantage is the prismatic shape. IHI-SPB tanks are the most space-efficient of the containment systems currently in use. The units can be constructed to accommodate specific hull lines so that the final shape optimises use of the space available. The main deck is flat across the width of the ship and there is no need for a trunk deck. IHI-SPB tanks can be constructed of either aluminium, stainless steel or 9% nickel steel. Aluminium tanks are the lightest of the three options and have been chosen for all the liquefied gas vessel applications to date. The cargo tank insulation consists of PUF panels, fixed by central studs to the tank. Cushion joints are inserted between

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panels to absorb relative movements between the tank and the insulation and eliminate thermal stresses in the insulation. The first ship in the series was named Energy Liberty at an October 2017 yard ceremony and the vessel is due for a March 2018 delivery. Completion of the

four Tokyo Gas ships is running several months late and IHI has attributed the delays to problems encountered in fitting the insulation system. The shipbuilder is confident that all four ships will be in service by April 2019, as per the latest schedule. MP

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LNG GAS CARRIERS | 17

Floaters took centre stage in 2017 LNGC deliveries and orders

he portfolio of LNG carriers (LNGCs) delivered in 2017 consists of an unprecedented mix of vessel types. The 37 vessels handed over to their owners during the year comprise four LNG/ethane carriers, three bunker tankers, two floating production (FLNG) vessels (floaters), three icebreaking LNGCs, four floating storage and regasification units (FSRUs) and 21 conventional LNGCs. The delivery total is less than originally envisaged. A look at the LNGC orderbook 12 months ago showed that 57 vessels were due to be completed during 2017. However, the fleet was oversupplied during the first quarter of the year, as reflected in the number of idle ships and the desultory freight returns then prevalent in the spot market. The situation prompted some hasty negotiations between shipowners and yards, and delayed commissioning dates for a number of ships were agreed. The postponements also helped the shipbuilders, not least by extending yard workloads beyond the original schedules at a time when very few newbuilding contracts were being signed and future prospects for highly geared production lines looked bleak.

Offshore building blocks in service

The two FLNG vessels delivered in 2017 – Exmar’s 16,100 m³ Caribbean FLNG and Shell’s

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220,000 m³ Prelude – as well as one of the four FSRUs are non-propelled units. FLNG vessels are built to remain on station, permanently, until the exploitation of the gas in the field being served is complete. They are then towed to new fields and new employment. Caribbean FLNG and Prelude are only the industry’s second and third FLNG vessels. The first, the 180,000 m³ Petronas unit PSLNG Satu, is on site off Bintulu in Malaysia working the Kanowit field, having loaded the world’s first FLNG-produced cargo in March 2017. Caribbean FLNG, which was completed by the Wison yard in China in July, has the capacity to produce 0.5 mta of LNG. It was originally built for a location off Colombia’s Caribbean coast, but that project fell through. Exmar is still negotiating employment opportunities for the vessel, including possible deployment on Iran’s Pars field. Prelude was handed over by Samsung Heavy Industries (SHI) to Shell in June. The unit is now positioned on the Prelude gas field, 475 km northwest of Broome in Australia, undergoing an elaborate set of commissioning procedures. Able to produce 3.6 mta of LNG, 0.4 mta of LPG and 1.3 mta of condensate from the field’s natural gas, the vessel displaces 600,000 tonnes and is the world’s largest floating structure. Operations will start later this year. The non-propelled FSRU completed in 2017 is also a Wison-built vessel for Exmar.

DELIVERIES 2017 LNG/ethane carriers

4 Bunker tankers

3 FLNG vessels

2 Icebreaking LNGCs

3 FSRUs

4 Conventional LNGCs

The 26,000 m³ unit is able to regasify up to 4.5 mta of LNG and is the first barge-based FSRU. It is also the first regas vessel to boast tanks built to IHI’s self-supporting, prismatic-shape, IMO Type B (SPB) design. Exmar states that long-term employment for the FSRU has been secured with an established third party and hire will start from mid-2018 onwards. By shipbuilding country, South Korea constructed 25 of the 37 LNG vessels that joined the fleet in 2017, China 10 and Japan and the Netherlands one each. Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering (DSME) was the leading yard in terms of ship completions, with 13 vessels. Among DSME’s output were the three icebreaking LNG carriers and the biggest of the four FSRUs. At 263,000 m³, the latter vessel, MOL FSRU Challenger, is the largest FSRU ever built. Originally earmarked for Uruguay, the FSRU has been taken on charter by Botas of Turkey while the outstanding sticking points in the initial contract are resolved.

New orders in 2017

A total of 23 LNG vessels were ordered in 2017, comprising four coastal distribution/bunker tankers, five FSRUs, one FLNG vessel and 13 conventional LNGCs. By shipbuilder, Korea will construct 17 of the vessels contracted last year and China six. The Korean contingent will be split mong Hyundai Heavy industries (HHI), with eight vessels, SHI

Marine Propulsion & Auxiliary Machinery | April/May 2018

18 | GAS CARRIERS LNG

(five) and DSME (four). DSME’s status as the leading yard in terms of ship completions in 2017 is a reflection of its success three years ago in securing new contracts. At the time DSME’s package of two-stroke, highpressure, gas-injection engines in tandem with in-house designs for a partial reliquefaction plant and fuel gas supply system helped it win the bulk of new LNGC orders. HHI and SHI immediately contested the uniqueness of the reliquefaction technology promoted by their rival yard and took the issue to court. A judicial ruling that followed in January 2017 found in favour of the pair’s claim and nullified DSME’s patent. Over the past year HHI and SHI have won a greater share of new LNG ship orders. Two ships whose contracts were recently confirmed do not appear in the list of 23 LNG vessels ordered in 2017, as the original deal was struck in April 2016 under some secrecy. The ships in question are a pair of 174,000 m³ FSRUs that Hudong-Zhonghua in China will build for Dynagas. The contract marks the Greek LNGC owner’s first foray into the FSRU sector. The first FSRU for another Greek LNGC owner – Maran Gas – is shown in the 2017 list of new orders. Maran Gas originally contracted a 173,400 m³ FSRU at DSME in December 2016 (Hull No 2468) but that vessel has now been cancelled and

replaced by an order for a similar ship (Hull No 2477). Dynagas and Maran Gas will join Höegh LNG, Golar LNG, BW LNG, Excelerate Energy and Exmar as FSRU operators. Other LNGC owners and gas buyers are eyeing up participation in the growing floating regasification sector, and account for some of the 2017 FSRU orders. In response to the increasing competitiveness of the FSRU market, some operators have begun to develop a presence in integrated gas-to-power projects where both barriers to entry and potential profits are higher. For example, Golar, through its Golar Power affiliate, is involved in the FSRU-based joint venture that is developing the Sergipe power project in Brazil. SHI is due to deliver the 170,000 m³ FSRU Golar Nanook to Golar in September 2018. Thereafter, the vessel will commence a 25-year time charter with commissioning activities offshore Sergipe in the first half of 2019.

able to liquefy 3.4 mta of LNG, is due for completion in 2021. The Eni order marks a restoration of faith in the FLNG concept. Earlier in the decade floating production offered an expedient route to realising the value of remote offshore gas fields; this prompted Shell, Petronas and Exmar to place FLNG newbuilding orders and spurred Golar to convert one of its older LNGCs for a floating production role in Cameroon, due to start this year. Unfortunately, the price of hydrocarbons declined dramatically midway through the decade. This resulted in a considerable number of planned FLNG projects failing to see the light of day. It has subsequently been difficult to reach final investment decisions (FIDs) on further FLNG projects in recent years, but the Eni contract could signal a welcome turnaround in fortunes. A number of proposed FLNG projects remain on the table and the currently strengthening LNG prices could spur FIDs on further floating production vessels. Golar’s additional LNGC conversion proposals appear the most likely to proceed in the first instance, but other schemes based on FLNG newbuildings are planned. The 2017 cavalcade of newbuilding deliveries and new ship contracts have grown the in-service fleet to 515 LNG vessels and the orderbook to 124 units. MP

FLNG rebound

WIthout doubt, the most remarkable LNG order of 2017 was that placed by Eni at SHI. This was for an FLNG vessel required to develop the offshore Coral South gas reservoir, Mozambique’s first LNG export project. Financing for the US$4.7Bn project has now been finalised and the FLNG vessel, which will be

“A number of proposed FLNG projects remain on the table and the currently strengthening LNG prices could spur FIDs on further floating production vessels”

LNG CARRIER ORDERBOOK DELIVERY SCHEDULE, BY YEAR AND VESSSEL TYPE Vessel type

2018

2019

2020

2021

2022

FSU/FSRU

LNG FPSO

Conventional LNG carrier

Small-scale LNG carriers Total, by year

1 2

LNG World Shipping, all deliveries from 31 December 2017

Marine Propulsion & Auxiliary Machinery | April/May 2018

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20 | YARD PROFILE

Hudong-Zhonghua looks to future of LNG carriers LNG carriers powered by gas turbines will be the next step in propulsion technology, to help reduce fuel consumption, according to CSSC HudongZhonghua Shipbuilding (Group) Co

udong-Zhonghua deputy chief technical officer Lou Danping observed that the use of gas turbines would be in line with today’s design trend, which focuses on reducing fuel consumption to manage operation cost over the average 40-year lifespan of an LNG carrier. “Today there are multiple propulsion systems to choose from, such as steam turbine, SSD, DFDE and DF-SSD. The dual-fuel, slow-speed engine direct drive will be a popular choice, while gas turbines may be something for the next generation,” Mr Lou told delegates at a SIGTTO forum held in December in Shanghai, China. Mr Lou shared that Hudong-Zhonghua has, over the years, successfully built LNG carriers of larger capacity, that burn less fuel at the same time. In April 2008, Hudong-Zhonghua delivered the first of six 147,210 m³-capacity steam turbine LNG carriers to owner CLNG. These ships consume 191.3 tonnes of fuel a day. Between January 2015 and April 2016, the shipyard delivered four 171,800 m³ LNG carriers for the MOL/ExxonMobil project. The propulsion system for these vessels is the SSD twin skeg two-stroke 6S70ME and their fuel consumption is 141 tonnes a day.

Today, Hudong-Zhonghua is working on completing the remaining two ships out of six ordered for the Australia Pacific LNG project. The propulsion system for the 174,000 m³ ships is the DFDE twin skeg 5x8L51/60DF, with fuel consumption recorded at 132 tonnes a day. The Chinese yard is concurrently working on a four-ship order destined for BG Group’s Queensland Curtis Island LNG project for the BW Gas, Teekay LNG Partners, CNOOC and CLNG consortium. The first 174,000 m³ ship was handed over this year and the remaining three will be delivered in phases up until January 2019. The propulsion system is the DFDE twin skeg 2x8L51/60DF+2x12V51/60DF and the ships are using GTT No 96 membrane-type LNG containment systems. Fuel consumption is measured at 106 tonnes a day. Hudong-Zhonghua’s most recent LNG newbuilding deal was sealed in June this year under an order by MOL for four 174,000 m³ vessels for the Yamal project. The four ships will be delivered between 2019 and 2020. The propulsion system for the newbuildings will be Wartsila 2X6X72DF and the ships will also use GTT’s membrane tank technology. MP

RIGHT: LNG carrier construction underway at Hudong-Zhonghua

Marine Propulsion & Auxiliary Machinery | April/May 2018

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LNG ENGINEERING AND EQUIPMENT | 23

Was 2017 a turning point for LNG bunkering?

MA CGM's decision to install dual-fuel engines on its new stock of container ships gives a huge boost to the technology. Each of the breakthrough ships will be powered by a pair of the largest gas-burning engines ever built and boast an 18,600 m3 LNG membrane bunker tank. This tank is five times larger than any specified for a previously contracted LNG-powered ship and marks the first use of a nonType C containment system in LNG bunkering.

SHELL TO THE FORE

Shell, already the leading global player in LNG production and shipping, is also the top gas company supporting LNG bunkering. In August, it took delivery of the 6,500 m3 Cardissa, an LNG bunker tanker that is being operated from its base in Rotterdam. Cardissa enables ship fuelling by means of ship-to-ship (STS) transfers, a much quicker and more efficient operation than jettyside

There were a blizzard of LNG bunkering developments in 2017, and none more notable than the announcement by CMA CGM, that the French liner operator had specified dual-fuel engines for nine new 22,000 TEU container ships, the largest such vessels ever ordered

truck-to-ship (TTS) bunkerings. Shellâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Rotterdam LNG STS customers confirmed so far include Containerships, cruise shipowner Carnival, dredger owner Van der Kamp, the Aframax newbuildings on order to Russian shipowner Sovcomflot and a new transatlantic car carrier pair that Siem is about to order (for charter to Volkswagen). Carnival has seven 180,000 GT, gas-powered cruise ships on order and Shell has secured contracts to bunker four of them. One will be fuelled in Rotterdam, one at a western Mediterranean port and the remaining two at a US southeastern coast location. Shell will charter a 4,000 mÂł LNG tanker recently ordered at the VT Halter Marine yard in Mississippi for its North American bunkering operations. Designed as an articulated tug barge (ATB), the bunker vessel is set for completion in Q1 2020. Several new LNG production facilities poised to come onstream in Georgia and Florida will enhance fuel availability. Siem is likely to be another customer of the ATB, as at least

Coralius bunkers the LNG-powered multigas carrier Navigator Aurora off Sweden

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Marine Propulsion & Auxiliary Machinery | April/May 2018

24 | LNG ENGINEERING AND EQUIPMENT

one of its new car carrier pair is set to fuel in the US. Each Siem car carrier will be provided with a 3,000 m³ IMO Type C bunker tank, while each Carnival cruise ship will have a 3,600 m³ tank of the same design. Full tanks will enable 14 days of gas-only operation for all the ships. Shell and Anthony Veder have agreed to co-operate on the conversion of the Dutch shipowner’s 7,500 m3 coastal LNG carrier Coral Methane into a bunker vessel. Coral Methane could be utilised in Carnival’s Mediterranean cruise ship bunkering routine as the converted bunker tanker is earmarked for operations in this area as well as the southern part of the North Sea. Shell has also been in the news in recent months in connection with LNG bunkering in Singapore and on Europe’s inland waterways. Singapore’s Maritime and Port Authority (MPA) is implementing measures to ensure that LNG fuelling is one of the services available from what is already the world’s busiest bunker port. FueLNG, a Shell/Keppel joint venture, is one of two companies approved for LNG bunkering operations in Singapore and recently carried out the port’s first internal movements of the cryogenic liquid. Between July and September 2017, FueLNG carried out a series of TTS transfers of LNG to Golar’s Hilli Episeyo as part of a programme to test the converted floating production vessel’s gashandling systems prior to entry into service. FueLNG has also secured contracts from Keppel Smit Towage and Maju Maritime to provide LNG bunkers for two dual-fuel LNG tug newbuildings that will be employed in Singapore harbour. The service will commence in 2018 when the tugs are commissioned. Rotterdam is also the focal point for Shell’s ambitions in the bunkering of European gas-powered inland waterway vessels. In August 2017 the company agreed to long-term charter a 3,000 m3 LNG bunker barge with four Type C tanks that a Victrol/CFT joint venture will build for the purpose and base in the port. A potential customer of the bunker barge is Antwerp-based Plouvier Transport, namely its 15, 110 m inland waterway tankers currently under construction for charter to Shell. The owner also has the option of fuelling the vessels at the breakbulk jetty of Rotterdam’s Gate terminal. Rotterdam has been offering a 10% discount on gross port fees to vessels that bunker on LNG since December 2015.

LNG has a bright future (Credit: Tom Parnell)

TANKER TIME

Shell’s LNG bunker customer Sovcomflot highlights the growing attractiveness of gas fuel for operators of larger, deepsea tankers. Until recent months, the biggest tank vessels for which dual-fuel had been specified were intermediate-size ships of up to 25,000 dwt used on local and regional Baltic and North Sea trade routes. In March 2017, Sovcomflot specified low-speed, dual-fuel engines for four Aframax crude/product tankers ordered at Hyundai Samho. AET, part of the MISC group, followed suit a few weeks later, contracting four LNG-powered Aframaxes at Samsung. Two of these will go on charter to Statoil and will be employed in the North and Barents Seas. Statoil will also charter two LNG-fuelled 154,000 dwt Suezmax shuttle tankers that Teekay ordered in August 2017 at Samsung. Gas4Sea has been contracted to fuel the pair using Engie Zeebrugge, its Zeebrugge-based 5,000 m3 LNG bunker vessel that was delivered in April 2017. Rosneft of Russia is the latest owner to specify LNG fuel for its large tankers, ordering five dual-fuel Aframax tankers of 114,000 dwt that the Zvezda yard will build with technical assistance from Hyundai. Each of the gas-powered Aframax and Suezmax tankers will be provided with a pair of deck-mounted Type C bunker tanks. LNG has also come onto the radar as a propulsion fuel for larger bulk carriers. ESL Shipping will soon take delivery of Viikki and Haaga, a pair of 26,000 dwt LNG-powered bulkers that will operate in the Baltic and be bunkered by Skangas. In Korea, Hyundai Mipo is poised to complete a 50,000 dwt LNG-fuelled bulk carrier for Ilshin Shipping to transport limestone domestically. Polaris Shipping is set to move the bar higher. In October 2017 the Greek owner confirmed orders for 10 LNG-ready, very large ore carriers (VLOCs) of 325,000 dwt at Hyundai Ulsan. Although the propulsion arrangement is yet to be specified, the bunker tank capacity for such vessels will need to be on the high side. Skangas, the LNG supplier for the ESL bulkers, took delivery of a purpose-built LNG bunker vessel last summer. Chartered from a Veder/Sirius Shipping joint venture, the 5,800 m3 Coralius is opening up new STS bunkering opportunities for Skangas, including at-sea transfers. Skangas recently signed a memorandum of understanding with Titan LNG covering co-operation in the provision of LNG to customers in the North and Baltic Seas. Titan will introduce its first LNG bunker vessel, the FlexFueler1 pontoon, in mid-2018 to enable the delivery of LNG fuel to vessels throughout the Amsterdam, Rotterdam and Antwerp region.

FUTURE PROOF

While LNG fuel is unlikely to be anywhere near as popular as low-sulphur distillate oils and exhaust scrubbers as a means of meeting IMO’s tightening regime governing ship atmospheric emissions, it still has a bright future. Even if LNG wins only 5% of the marine fuel market, that means that 2,750 vessels out of a global fleet of some 55,000 ships of 500 gt and above will be running on the fuel, six or seven years from now. As indicated by the events of 2017, significant investments in LNG bunkering infrastructure are being made to enable realisation of the environmental and operating cost benefits of using cleanburning natural gas as marine fuel. And, as the industry is set to build on this turning point year, the best is yet to come. MP

Marine Propulsion & Auxiliary Machinery | April/May 2018

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26 | LNG ENGINEERING AND EQUIPMENT

CHINESE LNG TERMINALS HIT RECORD UTILISATION RATES With unprecedented rates of shipments coming in and record numbers of laden road tankers going out, China’s 18 LNG terminals are raising the benchmark

hina achieved a remarkable 48% growth in LNG imports in 2017, with cargo discharges up from 25.5M tonnes in 2016 to 37.9M tonnes. The performance pushed China past South Korea to become the world’s second-largest LNG importer. Several of China’s 17 facilities in service last year were operating well above nameplate capacity as the winter chill set in, while the average utilisation rate for the countrywide complement of terminals was 66%, marking their busiest ever year. This stands in stark contrast to the situation in 2015 when, in the face of the high gas prices, Chinese LNG imports, at 19.6M tonnes, fell by 1% year-on-year. Many of China’s new LNG terminals coming onstream in 2015 remained virtually idle throughout the year. A second terminal in Tianjin commenced operations on behalf of Sinopec in January 2018 – China’s eighteenth terminal. Sinopec’s facility is

a shore-based installation, unlike the first terminal in the northern port, a floating storage and regasification unit (FSRU)based project operated by CNOOC.

NORTHERN POWERHOUSE

The current strong Chinese demand for LNG imports, and natural gas in general, is being driven by the government’s clean environment programme of substituting gas for coal as a heating fuel in homes and commercial premises. So far, 18 provinces have implemented coal-to-gas conversion schemes, including the energy-intensive northern provinces of Beijing, Tianjin, Shanxi and Hebei. The four LNG import terminals serving the northern part of the country – Dalian, Caofeidian Tangshan, Qingdao and the Tianjin FSRU – have been particularly busy over the past year. The Qingdao terminal, operated by Sinopec, received 4.6M tonnes of LNG in 2017, 75% up on 2016 and well above the

RIGHT: The Dapeng terminal team are proud of their LNG receiving facility, the largest in China

Marine Propulsion & Auxiliary Machinery | April/May 2018

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LNG ENGINEERING AND EQUIPMENT | 27

facility’s nameplate regasification capacity of 3 million tonnes per annum (mta). PetroChina has reported that its 3.5 mta Tangshan terminal has received 121 shipments totalling 10.1M tonnes since the facility opened in November 2013, and that the annual throughput in 2017 was by far the greatest. CNOOC’s Tianjin FSRU terminal is a hybrid installation that makes use of either an FSRU or a floating storage unit (FSU) to handle LNG flows. The vessel is backed up by two 30,000 m3 shore storage tanks and eight road tanker loading bays. The FSRU utilised at Tianjin, GDF Suez Cape Ann, has the capacity to regasify up to 2.2 mta of LNG but only small volumes have ever been processed in this way. CNOOC replaced the FSRU with an FSU at Tianjin for most of 2017 and this vessel received 1.8M tonnes during the year, an 88% jump on 2016 levels. The LNG was pumped to the shore tanks as space became available and then loaded into cryogenic road tankers for distribution to final customers. During the 2017/18 winter, CNOOC used both GDF Suez Cape Ann and an FSU to maximise cargo throughputs. Because the Tianjin FSRU terminal was hooked up to the PetroChina pipeline serving the Beijing-TianjinHebei region in December 2017, the FSRU’s cargo regasification capabilities are likely to be heavily utilised during the current charter period.

EASTERN PROMISE

China’s eastern provinces are served by five LNG import terminals – Rudong, Qidong, Shanghai, Wuhaogou and Ningbo. PetroChina’s Rudong installation received 57 shipments and 4.4M tonnes of LNG in 2017. The volume was within nameplate capacity as the commissioning of a new 200,000 m3 storage tank in November 2016 helped boost LNG-handling capability at the terminal from 3.5 to 6.5 mta. CNOOC’s Ningbo terminal received 3.6M tonnes in 2017, up 66% on the previous year and 20% above its nameplate capacity. Commissioned in June 2017, Guanghui Energy’s 0.6 mta Qidong terminal was one of two new Chinese terminals opened last year. Nine cargoes were discharged at the facility during the second half of the year. In recent weeks CNOOC has embarked on an expansion project at its Shanghai terminal which will double capacity, from

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China’s greatest concentration of LNG-receiving facilities is in the southern provinces

3 to 6 mta, by 2020. Two new 200,000 m3 storage tanks and road tanker loading bays are being added.

SOUTHERN PROVINCES

China’s greatest concentration of LNGreceiving facilities is in the southern provinces, including in the Pearl River Delta region. The eight-terminal complement is comprised of Fujian, Yuedong, Dapeng, Dongguan, Zhuhai, Beihai, Hainan and Haikou. Dongguan and Haikou, like Qidong and Wuhaogou, are small-scale facilities. The second new Chinese terminal to commence operations in 2017, CNOOC’s Yuedong installation, has received 550,000 tonnes of cargo since its April commissioning. Yuedong became the seventh of China’s 18 terminals to be inaugurated by a Qatargas cargo when the 210,000 m3 Q-flex vessel Al Kharaitiyat discharged the facility’s first shipment. CNOOC’s Zhuhai terminal also received more LNG than its nameplate capacity in 2017, the 4M tonnes discharged being 14% above its rated throughput. Australia, the leading supplier of LNG to China over the past two years, provided 50% of the installation’s cargoes.

KEEP ON TRUCKING

China has followed the example of Everett in the US port of Boston, the first LNG import terminal with road tanker loading bays, and has set new records in tank truck sendouts. China is making up for its comparative lack of natural gas pipeline and storage infrastructure through a fleet of 10,000 LNG road tankers and 40-foot ISO tank containers. While many of these units distribute shipments from China’s small-scale domestic liquefaction plants, the majority load at the country’s

LNG import terminals. The eight truck loading bays at CNOOC’s Tianjin FSRU terminal are among the country’s busiest. Last winter, more than 4,500 laden road tankers per month were dispatched from the terminal. Ningbo, Fujian and Zhuhai are also members of the top-tier terminals for LNG road tanker loadings. Qingdao, Beihai, Tangshan and Qidong comprise a second tier; Yuedong and Dongguan a third; and Dalia, Rudong and Dapeng a fourth. Even Dapeng has been dispatching road tankers at a rate of 600 per month. While the majority of road tanker deliveries are to customers within 500 km of the liquefaction plant or import terminal, last winter the LNG terminals in the southern part of the country were dispatching tank trucks and ISO tanks on long-distance journeys to consumers in the north. CNOOC has leased 100 road tankers for loading at its southern terminals. One of the more notable operations was a December 2017 Zhuhai consignment to Weifang, 2,000 km away. Early this year, Sinopec dispatched a truckload of LNG from its Beihai terminal to the city of Zibo in Shandong province, a drive of three days. Following the commissioning of Sinopec’s Tianjin facility in January, China is set to bring two further new LNG import terminals into service in 2018, followed by two more in 2019. The newcomers will increase the country’s complement of LNG receiving terminals to 22. As nationwide LNG imports are expected to climb strongly over the next few years, so too are the fleets of LNG road tankers and ISO tanks required for domestic distribution services. Vehicle manufacturers predict that the annual production of such units could hover around the 2,500 mark through to at least 2020. MP

Marine Propulsion & Auxiliary Machinery | April/May 2018

28 | LNG ENGINEERING AND EQUIPMENT

Singapore takes key step in establishing LNG bunkering regime Mitsui & Co and Sinanju Tankers Holdings have ordered what will be Singapore’s first dual-fuel oil bunker tanker at the Keppel Singmarine yard in China. The newbuilding will be Sinanju’s first dual-fuel vessel and the contract comes with an option for a second vessel. The 7,990 dwt bunker tanker will be classed with BV and on delivery in the second half of 2019 will be utilised in the fuelling of vessels within the port of Singapore, the world’s busiest oil bunkering location. The LNG fuel

Dual-fuel oil bunkering vessels are an important initial step in Singapore’s three-year campaign to introduce an LNG bunkering regime

for the tanker will be sourced from the Singapore LNG terminal located on Jurong Island. Sinanju will receive co-funding of up to US$1.5M to build the US$10M vessel as one of the recipients of Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) LNG bunkering pilot programme (LBPP). The dual-fuel oil bunker tanker is seen as an important step in the establishment of an LNG bunkering regime in Singapore. LNG bunker vessels (LNGBVs), built to fuel other LNG-powered ships in the port by means of ship-to-ship (STS) transfers, are expected to feature among future Sinanju bunker tanker orders. To be operated by Sinanju and chartered by Mitsui & Co, the new dual-fuel bunker tanker will be the third vessel to be built by Keppel Singmarine under the MPA LBPP scheme. It will also be the seventh dual-fuel vessel constructed by Singapore-based Keppel Offshore & Marine, Keppel Singmarine’s parent company. In addition to oil bunker tankers, dual-fuel harbour tugs are under construction. The other beneficiaries of the MPA’s LBPP funding are Keppel SMIT Towage, Maju Maritime, Harley Marine Asia and PSA Marine. Half of the

funding is being utilised to support the building of LNG-fuelled vessels, while the other half is earmarked for LNGBV construction. In recent months the MPA has been inviting companies to apply for funding for building LNGBVs, pointing out that up to US$2.25M per ship is available. To be eligible, companies must be incorporated in Singapore, and the funded vessels must be registered under the Singapore flag and licensed for bunkering activity in the Port of Singapore for at least five years. Applicants must also submit their business plan for the proposed LBV, including working with the MPA’s existing LNG bunker supply licensees, where applicable. Truck-to-ship LNG bunkering operations have already been carried out in the port and the MPA is aiming to commence STS fuelling of LNGpowered ships by 2020. As yet, PavilionGas and FueLNG are the only two companies licensed as LNG bunker suppliers in Singapore. The three-year LBPP on which MPA is engaged is being undertaken to allow operational protocols to be tested and experience to be accumulated. The port authority also launched Singapore’s first LNG bunkering standard early in 2017 to provide the necessary technical framework for conducting LNG bunkering operations in the country.

SCF Group agrees funding for six LNG-powered Aframax tankers SCF Group recently announced it has signed a deal to fund the building of a series of LNG-powered Aframax tankers. The group has made no secret of the fact that it wishes to launch an IPO soon, most likely in the later half of 2018 and has rebranded itself from Sovcomflot to the less Russian-sounding SCF Group; with these new LNG-powered vessels, it now has an even better IPO story to tell. Another interesting facet of the announcement was the list of financial institutions supporting the SCF Group: ABN AMRO Bank; BNP Paribas; Citibank; ING Bank; KfW IPEX-Bank; and Société Générale. “We are also pleased to welcome establishing relations with new international lenders to the (SCF) Group,” said Nikolay Kolesnikov, senior executive vice-president, and chief financial officer of SCF Group. This list is a good indicator of the ship finance banks currently active in shipping. In the arrangement, SCF Group has signed a new US$252M

Marine Propulsion & Auxiliary Machinery | April/May 2018

seven-year credit facility, to finance a series of six Aframax tankers, currently under construction and due for delivery from Q3 2018 to Q2 2019. According to SCF Group, each 114,000 dwt tanker will have an ice-class 1A hull, enabling safe year-round export operations from regions with challenging ice conditions, such as the Baltic. Two vessels will work exclusively for Shell under time charters for up to 10 years, while Shell will also provide LNG fuel for all the six tankers in the series across northwest Europe and the Baltic. The credit facility benefits from a favourable long-term tenor and competitive pricing, reflecting the robustness of the deal structure as well as the ability of SCF Group to raise capital internationally under all market conditions. “We are delighted to have concluded a new long-term financing agreement for SCF Group,” said Mr Kolesnikov. MP

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LNG ENGINEERING AND EQUIPMENT | 31

AET AFRAMAX SHUTTLE TANKERS TO RUN ON LNG AND CARGO VAPOUR Wärtsilä has been contracted to supply its volatile organic compound (VOC) recovery technology, LNG fuel gas handling systems and the auxiliary engines for two new shuttle tankers being built for Singapore-based AET Tankers at South Korea’s Samsung Heavy Industries (SHI) yard. The pair are part of an order for four dual-fuel, 113,000 dwt Aframax tankers placed by AET at SHI in April 2017. The two shuttle tankers will operate on LNG as the primary fuel but the VOCs – the gas evaporating from the oil cargo tanks – will also be utilised as fuel by mixing it with the LNG. Wärtsilä stated that by recovering the VOCs and combining them with LNG from dedicated bunker tanks, each ship can save up to 3,000 tonnes of fuel per annum. The LNG/ VOCs mix can be utilised as fuel in both the pair of two-stroke main engines and the pair of four-stroke auxiliary engines on each tanker. Wärtsilä’s scope of supply for each of the shuttle tankers includes the VOC recovery plant, the liquefied VOC fuel tank, the fuel mixing unit, the LNG fuel tanks and fuel gas supply system, the gas valve unit and two Wärtsilä 34DF dual-fuel, four-stroke auxiliary engines. Valued at US$37.15M in total, the equipment is scheduled for delivery to SHI in Q3 this year.

Statoil has secured the Aframax shuttle tankers on long-term charter and will operate the pair loading cargoes from oilfields in the North Sea, the Norwegian Sea and the southern Barents Sea. The ships, which will be delivered in 2019 and 2020, will be provided with a dynamic positioning II capability and will be the world’s first dual-fuel DP shuttle tankers. OSM Maritime will be responsible for the technical management of the two ships. All four AET twin-skeg tankers building at SHI will be powered by a pair of two-stroke, six-cylinder, dual-fuel X62DF engines designed by WinGD. Each vessel will be equipped with a pair of large IMO Type C, deck-mounted, LNG bunker tanks with sufficient capacity to enable a full month’s operations between fuelling operations. SHI will deliver the non-shuttle tanker pair before the vessels for Statoil. The first dual-fuel Aframax for AET is due for completion in Q3 2018. AET is a subsidiary of MISC, the Malaysian energy shipping group and operator of a large fleet of LNG carriers. MISC anticipates that half of its Aframax fleet as well as other oil tankers, including very large crude carriers, will adopt the LNG dual-fuel propulsion option in the years ahead, as its fleet replacement programme progresses.

The two deck-mounted LNG bunker tanks on each ship will enable a month of operations before refuelling is needed

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Solving the cruise LNG infrastructure conundrum To establish LNG as a standard for powering cruise ships, the industry needs to ensure that the infrastructure is there to support it – and part of the answer is cryogenic floating hose technology, argues Trelleborg Oil & Marine director Vincent Lagarrigue. “As cruise ships get bigger and destinations become increasingly remote, the industry will need to think laterally to come up with ways of delivering LNG to a diversifying fleet in multiple locations across the globe,” he said. Mr Lagarrigue added: “Part of the answer to the infrastructure conundrum is cryogenic floating hose technology.” In October 2017, the universal transfer system (UTS), developed with Connect LNG and Gas Natural Fenosa, underwent its sea launch to assess performance in real-life conditions, enabling the transfer of LNG from an LNG carrier to bunker tanks onshore. The UTS demonstrated a system that would bring bunkering infrastructure to a vessel using a floating platform, connected to the shore by Cryoline cryogenic floating hoses. Mr Lagarrigue said it showed how flexible floating hose technology can “underpin new solutions that could easily be used to upgrade existing ports or establish new bunkering facilities with lower start-up costs and much faster installation times than heavier infrastructure would require.” “With no need for heavy infrastructure, the UTS solution brings down capex for bunkering facilities significantly and allows LNG transfer to occur in locations that would otherwise be inaccessible to large vessels,” he commented. He added that it also reduces the impact of the infrastructure on the environment and can be retracted when out of use, which is essential for busy ports. Mr Lagarrigue summed up: “With 2018 expected to be a momentous year in the cruise industry in terms of passengers, newbuilds, and new destinations, innovative solutions like UTS have a significant role to play in meeting the infrastructural challenges facing global LNG bunkering.” MP

Marine Propulsion & Auxiliary Machinery | April/May 2018

GAS TURBINES | 33

The catamaran ferry Francisco, the world’s fastest commercial ship, is as yet the only LNG-fuelled vessel powered by gas turbines

GAS TURBINES BIDE THEIR LNG CARRIER TIME While gas turbines have much to offer as an LNG carrier propulsion system, and the backing for the concept is considerable, the industry still awaits the first such order, reports LNG World Shipping editor Mike Corkhill

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E’s Marine Solutions and Dalian Shipbuilding Industry (DSIC) recently completed a preliminary design study on the potential for converting a steam turbine-powered LNG carrier to a ship propelled by a gas turbine. GE and DSIC say that such a switch could be an option for owners of steam-powered LNG carriers of up to 15 years of age, which offer low fuel efficiency but are not ready to be retired from service. The conversion study is the latest project on

which the two companies have been involved in their drive to commercialise the use of gas turbines as an LNG carrier propulsion system.

Combined-cycle COGES The proposed propulsion technology is based on GE’s combined gas turbine, electric and steam (COGES) system. The project partners note that such a conversion would boost an LNG carrier’s fuel efficiency by around 30%. It would also allow shipowners to command higher charter rates and win back opportunities in

a market where the majority of newbuildings ordered over the past decade have been specified with more fuel-efficient, dualfuel diesel engines. GE and DSIC also state that a gas turbine’s smaller footprint helps minimise the necessary conversion work required by the shipyard. The joint study is based on a steam turbine LNG carrier of 138,000 m3, but it can be applied to slightly smaller or larger ships. GE and DSIC have been developing their COGES gas turbine-powered LNG carrier

Marine Propulsion & Auxiliary Machinery | April/May 2018

34 | GAS TURBINES

concept for several years. Lloyd’s Register (LR) became involved with the project early on and in September 2014 awarded the technology an approval in principle (AiP). As originally conceived, for LNGC newbuildings, the COGES system features one 30 MW gas turbine generator set and one 10 MW steam turbine generator set for power production. The low weight and compact dimensions of the gas turbine and its ancillary systems allow design freedom in terms of the vessel’s engine room location. This flexibility makes it possible to increase the space available for cargo tanks and thus volumes carried. The aero-derivative GE gas turbines can be equipped with either a GE dry low emissions (DLE) system, or single annular combustion system. Both are capable of meeting Tier III IMO/Tier 4 US Environmental Protection Agency requirements, operating on gas or liquid fuel, with no need for exhaust treatment and no methane slip. The project partners have highlighted additional benefits that stem from using GE Marine gas turbines for LNG carriers, including low emissions, fuel flexibility, reduced maintenance costs, increased availability and reliability.

Korean initiatives

More recently, Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) has followed the example of DSIC. In 2015 the Korean shipbuilder also linked with GE and LR in a project to develop the design of a 174,000 m3 LNGC, powered by a gas turbine and utilising the COGES concept. This design, too, has gained an AiP from LR after a hazard identification (HAZID) study was completed. Aspects such as the design’s power station configuration, hazardous areas, structural integrity, safe separation distances, pipe

The COGES system design team point out that the relevant machinery could be positioned at deck level aft

routing and ventilation are considered in such studies. In 2016, following further development work with its project partners, HHI unveiled its design for a dual-fuel container ship powered by a GE gas turbine, using a vessel with a cargo-carrying capacity of 14,000 TEU as its base case. GE described its gas turbine package as being “fully 80% lighter and 30% smaller than comparable two-stroke diesel engine arrangements.” A decade before DSIC and HHI linked up with GE, another South Korean yard, Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering (DSME), had been working on its own version of a gas turbinepowered LNGC, in tandem with Rolls-Royce. LR was once again the class society member of the team. At the time, Qatargas and RasGas were considering the propulsion system options for the series of 216,000 m3 Q-flex and 266,000 m3 Q-max LNGCs they were preparing to order for service in lifting Qatari export cargoes. DSME and Rolls-Royce marketed the engine manufacturer’s MT30 aero-derivative 36 MW gas turbine as a suitable propulsion system for the ships. In the event, the comparatively low price of oil and high price of gas pertaining at the time prompted the charterers to choose conventional oil-

Marine Propulsion & Auxiliary Machinery | April/May 2018

burning diesel engines for the Q-flex and Q-max ships. They also opted to fit them with powerful reliquefaction plants to ensure that cargo boil-off gas was returned to the tanks as liquid and cargo outturns were maximised. Of course, neither Qatargas and RasGas, nor anyone else, was to know what would subsequently happen with gas prices and the international ship atmospheric emission control regime. Today’s competitive gas prices, the rising cost of oil and the imminent reduction of the global sulphur cap make for a distinctively different set of parameters impacting the choice of propulsion system for LNGCs than was the case in the early 2000s.

COGES set-up

With the COGES system, the free power turbine of the gas turbine drives the generator, which, in turn, feeds into the main switchboard and makes power available to all electric consumers on board. The propeller itself is driven by a frequency-controlled electric motor. The exhaust gases from the gas turbine are used to raise steam in an exhaust gas boiler. This steam, in turn, drives the steam turbine generator, which also feeds into the main switchboard. Although the steam and cooling water systems are much smaller

than those found on a steam turbine-powered LNGC, the overall arrangement provides an adequate level of propulsion and power-system redundancy. However, despite the attractions of low lifecycle costs, high environmental performance and enhanced flexibility in terms of vessel design and layout, gas turbines have yet to catch on as an LNG carrier propulsion system. Although they have found applications on cruise ships, high-speed ferries, military vessels, offshore platforms and onshore plants, gas turbines have so far proved to be a bridge too far for LNGCs. Among the disadvantages of gas turbines are the relatively high capital cost, stemming from the fact that the overall drive system is more complex and expensive than mechanical drives, and the relatively low thermal efficiency compared to dual-fuel diesel engines. The thermal efficiency of gas turbines in the 20-30 MW class falls within the 36.5%-40% range. This makes the single-cycle fuel consumption of a gas turbine about 20% higher than that of a diesel engine of comparable output. As gas turbine thermal efficiency decreases with the turbine’s output, smaller units are even less fuel-efficient. Following on, the capital cost of a gas turbine of the 20-30 MW class is approximately 15%-20% higher than for diesel engines of comparable output. Again, for smaller gas turbines the price difference is even higher. While the fuel efficiency discrepancies that existed between gas turbines and their diesel-engine counterparts have been reduced - thanks to the combined-cycle COGES systems, developed by the Asian yards in tandem with the gas turbine manufacturers - the industry is still awaiting the first order for a gas turbinepowered LNGC. MP

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36 | POWER AND PROPULSION

More LNG owners choose low-pressure two-stroke engines Of the 13 conventional LNG carriers contracted in 2017, four were specified with low-pressure, dualfuel, two-stroke engines developed by Winterthur Gas & Diesel (WinGD)

he current LNGC orderbook features 16 vessels powered by low-pressure, dual-fuel, two-stroke engines, which WinGD terms its Generation X dual-fuel (X-DF) engines. The newbuildings will join the two LNG carriers with low-pressure, two-stroke propulsion systems currently in service. These are the 14,000 m³ Hua Xiang 8, powered by a Wärtsilä 5RT-flex50DF unit, a precursor of the WinGD dual-fuel X-DF technology, and the 180,000 m3 SK Audace, propelled by a pair of WinGD 6X62DF engines. Both ships were completed in 2017.

Two-stroke breakthrough

The propulsion system of choice for the majority of LNGC newbuildings was the dual-fuel diesel-electric (DFDE) option,

with a set of four-stroke, medium-speed diesel generators, from around 2002 until December 2012. The order that month, for the first vessel with MAN’s high-pressure diesel engines, marked the start of the two-stroke, dual-fuel powertrain era. Two-stroke, low-speed engines of the MAN high-pressure and WinGD low-pressure types offer significant propulsive efficiency advantages over both the DFDE technology and steam turbines, which were the most popular propulsion systems during the early days of LNG transport. Initial LNG shipowner interest in twostroke, dual-fuel propulsion was focused primarily on the MAN high-pressure unit, otherwise known as its mechanically operated, electronically controlled, gasinjection (ME-GI) diesel engine. Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering (DSME) was particularly successful in gaining newbuilding orders by marketing an ME-GI propulsion package, which also included its inhouse designs for a highpressure fuel gas supply system (FGSS) and a partial reliquefaction plant. While MAN’s ME-GI option remains a popular LNGC propulsion system choice, the WinGD X-DF technology has been gaining ground recently, as highlighted by the current 16-ship orderbook. Both propulsion systems are now also being specified to power larger LNG-powered vessels that are not LNG carriers, including container ships and tankers.

Low-pressure advantages

Wärtsilä remains closely involved with WinGD’s X-DF technology through a 10-year service partnership agreement

Marine Propulsion & Auxiliary Machinery | April/May 2018

WinGD was established as a 70/30 joint venture company established by China State Shipbuilding Corp (CSSC) and Wärtsilä in January 2015 to take over Wärtsilä’s low-speed, two-stroke engine business. It is now fully owned by CSSC. The origins of the two-stroke

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POWER AND PROPULSION | 37

technology can be traced back to Sulzer, the Switzerland-based engine manufacturer acquired by Wärtsilä in 1997. WinGD’s new Generation X engines employ lower-rated speeds to reduce fuel consumption and wear while maintaining power outputs comparable to their predecessors. The X-DF dual-fuel version uses LNG delivered to the engine as lowpressure gas. The X-DF technology is based on the lean-burn Otto cycle, in which a compressed lean air-gas mixture is ignited through the injection of a small amount of liquid pilot fuel. Under the micropilot ignition concept, which is the global standard for the four-stroke engines that drive DFDE propulsion systems, the pilot fuel accounts for only 1% of the overall volume of fuel used. WinGD states that the concept results in significant reductions in nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions compared with alternative engine types and enables compliance with IMO Tier III NOx limits in emission control areas (ECAs) without the need for the vessel to be fitted with exhaust after-treatment equipment. The first demonstration run of a large-bore X-DF engine, in April 2015 in co-operation with Diesel United of Japan, verified the performance capabilities. ME-GI engines, which run on the diesel cycle, offer important advantages, including: the ability to deliver the same output as conventional diesel engines; to burn gas from any source, irrespective of the methane number; and to provide high levels of efficiency at partial loads. However, as WinGD points out, some of the X-DF technology’s shortcomings in those areas where ME-GI offers advantages need to be offset by considering the overall propulsion system performance, rather than just that of the main engine as a stand-alone unit. For example, ME-GI engines require a sophisticated FGSS to inject gas into the cylinders at 300 bar. The piston compressor set needed for a high-pressure FGSS can result in a compressor skid that weighs six times that of the unit utilised in the WinGD’s 16-bar system. The piston pumps that feature in the high-pressure FGSS are also more sophisticated and require more maintenance than the simple centrifugal LNG pumps used in the WinGD FGSS. WinGD estimates the capital cost of a propulsion system for an ME-GI LNG carrier could be up to 40% greater than that for a similar-sized vessel

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with a low-pressure, two-stroke power train, due to the need for exhaust gas treatment facilities, a more elaborate, energy-intensive FGSS and more robust engineroom feed-gas pipework. For LNGfuelled merchant ships the price disparity would fall to 15%, but the advantage still lies with the X-DF option.

X-DF rollout

Eight of the 16 LNGC newbuildings specified with WinGD engines will be completed in 2018. One of the first to be delivered will be SK Resolute, a sister ship of SK Audace. Both were built by Samsung Heavy Industries for an SK Shipping/Marubeni joint venture and chartered to Total. In August 2016, South Korea’s SK Shipping ordered a second pair of 180,000 m3 LNGCs with WinGD propulsion systems, this time at Hyundai Heavy industries (HHI). In contrast to SK Audace and SK Resolute, each equipped with a pair of 6X62DF engines, the HHI duo will each be fitted with two five-cylinder, 72 cm-bore (5X72DF) units. Other shipowners besides SK Shipping that have opted for WinGD engines for several of their recent LNGC newbuilding orders are GasLog, Mitsui OSK Lines and TMS Cardiff Gas. These companies believe that their engine choice will not only ensure compliance with all existing and likely future emissions regulations, but also bring long-term savings through reduced fuel and maintenance costs. The French liner service operator CMA CGM achieved a major breakthrough in the use of LNG as marine fuel in November 2017 when it specified WinGD

dual-fuel engines for nine new 22,000 TEU container ships. They are not only the largest vessels of this type ever ordered, but also the largest ships that are not LNG carriers to be powered by LNG. Each ship in the series will be propelled by a 12X92DF unit. Their rating – 63,840 kW at 80 rpm – makes them the largest gasburning engines ever contracted. Terntank placed the first ever order for a low-pressure, two-stroke, gas-burning engine to propel a ship in December 2013. The tanker operator specified an RT-flex50DF engine for each of a pair of 15,000 dwt coastal product/chemical tankers it had contracted at the Avic Dingheng yard in China. The deal was subsequently boosted to four ships, all of which are destined for operations in North and Baltic Sea ECAs. X-DF engines were also chosen for the first-ever gas-fuelled Aframax crude oil tankers to be contracted. Each of the four 114,000 dwt ice-class 1A tankers that Sovcomflot odered at HHI in March 2017 will be powered by 7X62DF engines. Since the Sovcomflot order, nine more Aframax tankers and two twin-screw Suezmax shuttle tankers have been specified with similar propulsion systems. WinGD reports that 83 X-DF engines have been ordered to date, eight of which are in operation. The orderbook is just about evenly split between the LNG carrier and LNG-powered ship sectors. As more owners become aware of the benefits of the low-pressure, two-stroke technology, we can expect to see significant growth in both the number of engine orders and the X-DF share of the gaspowered vessel market. MP

Terntank’s 15,000 dwt chemical/product tanker Ternsund is the first LNG-powered vessel with a low-pressure, two-stroke engine

Marine Propulsion & Auxiliary Machinery | April/May 2018

38 | POWER AND PROPULSION

Exmar very large gas carriers herald LPG propulsion system breakthrough

MAN Diesel & Turbo and Hyundai’s Engine & Machinery Division agree to develop and build dual-fuel, two-stroke engines that burn LPG

Exmar has chosen LPG-burning, dual-fuel engines to propel a pair of very large gas carriers (VLGCs) it has ordered at the Subic Bay yard of Hanjin Heavy Industries & Construction in the Philippines

n delivery in 2020, Exmar's new VLGCs, powered by LPG-burning, dual-fuel engines and totalling 79,500 m3, will go on long-term charter to Statoil. The Belgian ship operator’s VLGCs will be the world’s first LPG-fuelled vessels. The ship and propulsion system design has been developed in tandem with Lloyd’s Register, as the vessels’ class society, and MAN Diesel & Turbo, the engine manufacturer. MAN has achieved considerable success with its mechanically operated, electronically controlled, gas-injection (ME-GI) diesel engine, first in the LNG carrier sector and, more recently, with ethane carriers. The Exmar VLGC orders are another step forward in the development of MAN’s dual-fuel, two-stroke engine technology and liquefied gas cargo as propulsion system fuel.

Marine Propulsion & Auxiliary Machinery | April/May 2018

In January 2018, MAN Diesel & Turbo signed a memorandum of understanding with Hyundai Heavy Industries Engine & Machinery Division (HHI-EMD) on the development and production of MAN B&W ME-LGIP dual-fuel engines. On finalisation of the agreement, HHI-EMD will be able to deliver LPG-fuelled, two-stroke engines. As is the case with LNG and ethane gas carriers, the relatively small amount of cargo boil-off gas required to propel the vessel is injected into the engine at high pressure. Propane, butane or propane/butane mixes can be burned in ME-LGIP engines. MAN points out that, as is the case with its ME-GI engines, ME-LGIP units can also be used on vessels that are not gas carriers, provided they are fitted with LPG bunker tanks and fuel gas supply systems. LPG has similar clean-burning characteristics to LNG and the use of LPG fuel will enable ships to comply with the 0.5% global sulphur cap coming into force on 1 January 2020. The lowest temperature at which LPG needs to be carried by sea is -45˚C, the boiling point of propane at atmospheric pressure. Because cryogenic carriage temperatures are not involved, the provision of LPG bunkering infrastructure, including shipboard equipment, should not be as technically challenging or as costly as that for LNG. MP

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TWO-STROKE ENGINES | 41

TWO-STROKE ENGINES CAPTURE THE LNG CARRIER NEWBUILDING MARKET TWO-STROKE ENGINES ARE NOW THE PROPULSION SYSTEM OF CHOICE FOR CONVENTIONAL LNG CARRIERS, AND THE HIGHAND LOW-PRESSURE VARIANTS ARE EQUALLY POPULAR, REPORTS LNG WORLD SHIPPING EDITOR MIKE CORKHILL

MAN’s new pump vaporiser unit is enabling significant space and weight savings in the fuel gas supply systems (FGSSs) required for ME-GI engines

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he current LNG carrier orderbook features 53 ships that will be propelled by dual-fuel, twostroke engines. According to statistics compiled by sister publication LNG World Shipping on 28 February 2018, that total is just one more than the number of LNGCs in the orderbook that will be powered by dualfuel diesel-electric (DFDE) propulsion systems. These simple totals hide the fact that over the past two years dual-fuel, twostroke engines have been by far the most popular propulsion system for owners ordering new conventionalsize LNG carriers. The relatively healthy number of DFDE newbuildings in the orderbook is due in part to the holdover effect, harking back to newbuildings contracted earlier in the decade when the DFDE option was still the most popular propulsion system choice. Completions of DFDE-powered LNG ships currently far outweigh new orders for such vessels. In addition, because of the variable loads placed on such vessels during the course of normal operations, DFDE systems are still favoured to power floating storage and regasification units (FSRUs) and were also chosen for the 15-ship fleet of icebreaking LNG carriers now building to

lift Yamal LNG cargoes in the Russian Arctic.

ME-GI and X-DF engines

In the dual-fuel, two-stroke engines segment, shipowners have a choice between two different propulsion units. MAN Diesel & Turbo’s M-type, electronically controlled, gasinjection (ME-GI) diesel engines require the injection of the fuel gas into the combustion chamber at high pressure, whereas low-pressure injection suffices for the Generation X dual-fuel (X-DF) engines developed by Winterthur Gas & Diesel (WinGD). Of the two types, the ME-GI engines were the first off the starting line and this type of unit was by far the most popular during the first few years of the new dual-fuel, two-stroke era. Over the past 12 months, however, the X-DF engines have been gaining favour and current LNGC orders are fairly evenly split between the two. Of the 53 dual-fuel, twostroke LNG carriers on order as of 28 February, 37 have been specified with ME-GI engines and 16 with X-DF units. When that orderbook is delivered, there will be a total of 71 LNG carriers in service powered by dual-fuel, two-stroke engines.

Taking ME-GI to the next phase

Developments with the dual-fuel ME-GI technology continue apace. MAN Diesel & Turbo (MDT) is building a new test-engine facility in

Marine Propulsion & Auxiliary Machinery | April/May 2018

42 | TWO-STROKE ENGINES

collaboration with its Korean two-stroke licensee, the Engine & Machinery Division of Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI-EMD). The new venture aims to expand MDT’s R&D test capacity, especially with respect to the partnership’s development of ME-GI engines. The new test and gas facility will be located at HHIEMD’s works in the Korean port of Ulsan and is scheduled to begin operation in early 2019. It will be the first test engine with online remote control, supporting MAN’s digitisation strategy. As part of this strategy, the test engine will also be connected to MDT’s research and control centre in Copenhagen, enabling the company’s research engineers to closely follow and enhance the testing of future engine technologies.

Pump vaporiser unit

One notable new technology that will be put through its paces at the enhanced HHI-EMD test engine setup is MAN’s ME-GI pump vaporiser unit (ME-GI PVU). This innovative, high-pressure LNG supply unit enables a significantly more compact configuration for ME-GI fuel gas supply system (FGSS) installations, reducing both their cost and weight. Each unit comprises a pump, vaporiser, filters and a control system with safety functions. The ME-GI PVU is designed to pressurise and vaporise the LNG fuel to the exact pressure and temperature required by ME-GI engines. Gas pressure is controlled via the regulation of the hydraulic oil flow to the pump, ensuring quick and precise control of the LNG supply to the engine. Separate control of each pump head provides full redundancy and obviates the need for the twin units that would be required if

traditional, crankshaft-driven pumps were utilised. The control system governing operation of the ME-GI PVU, including supervision and safety functions, features a high degree of integration with the ME-GI engine control system. The ME-GI PVU was recently launched by MAN PrimeServ in Copenhagen. The unit is available in five different sizes, covering the full range of the MDT two-stroke ME-GI engine programme.

LPG propulsion breakthrough

MDT is also pressing ahead with another two-stroke engine innovation in tandem with HHI-EMD. In January 2018, the two companies signed a memorandum of understanding on the development and production of MAN B&W ME-LGIP gas engines. These dual-fuel engines burn LPG instead of LNG, and on formal finalisation of the agreement with MAN, HHI-EMD will be able to build and deliver LPG-fuelled, two-stroke engines. The principal target market for ME-LGIP engines is the very large gas carrier

“The carriage temperature of propane transported by fully refrigerated VLGCs is -45°C, the boiling point of the gas at atmospheric pressure”

(VLGC) segment. Significant numbers of such 75-85,000 m3 fully refrigerated LPG ships are currently being built, not least to handle the growing volume of propane exports from the US Gulf, made possible by the shale gas revolution in that country. In March 2018 Exmar became the first gas carrier operator to specify ME-LGIP engines. The Belgian company chose these LPG-burning, dual-fuel engines to propel a pair of VLGCs it has ordered at the Subic Bay yard of Hanjin Heavy Industries & Construction in the Philippines. On delivery in 2020, the 79,500 m3 newbuilding pair, the world’s first LPG-fuelled vessels, will go on long-term charter to Statoil. The Belgian ship operator’s VLGCs will also be the first ships with LPG-burning engines constructed by HHI-EMD. The ship and

Hyundai will run the MAN B&W 2S5ME-C-GI dual-fuel test engine in tandem with the innovative pump vaporiser unit technology

Marine Propulsion & Auxiliary Machinery | April/May 2018

propulsion system design has been developed in tandem with Lloyd’s Register, as the vessels’ class society. The breakthrough ME-LGIP engine order follows MAN’s successes with its ME-GI diesel engines in the LNGC and, more recently, ethane carrier sectors. The first-ever ME-gas injection ethane (ME-GIE) engine was installed on board the 36,000 m3 Gaschem Beluga, completed in November 2016 and one of a pair of liquefied ethane gas carriers bareboat chartered to Hartmann of Germany. As is the case with LNG and ethane gas carriers, on the Exmar VLGCs the relatively small amount of cargo boiloff gas required to propel the vessel is injected into the engine at high pressure. Propane, butane or propane/ butane mixes can be burned in ME-LGIP engines. MAN points out that ME-LGIP units can also be utilised on vessels that are not gas carriers, provided they are fitted with LPG bunker tanks and fuel gas supply systems. LPG has similar clean-burning characteristics to LNG and the use of LPG fuel will also enable ships to comply with the 0.5% global sulphur cap coming into force on 1 January 2020. The carriage temperature of propane transported by fully refrigerated VLGCs is -45°C, the boiling point of the gas at atmospheric pressure. Because cryogenic carriage temperatures are not involved, the provision of LPG bunkering infrastructure, including shipboard equipment, should not be as technically challenging or as costly as that for LNG. MP

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FOUR-STROKE ENGINES | 45

The four stages of four-strokes MAN’s new flagship, the 45/60CR, shows where four-stroke marine engines are heading; it is leaner, greener, meaner… and smaller

he successor to the time-honoured 48/60CR, MAN’s latest engine is the 45/60CR. The unit adds a host of new technology, including two-stage turbocharging which extracts maximum performance from the engine. It is more powerful than its predecessor and the extra grunt comes with lower fuel consumption. Similarly, Cummins recently launched the QSK95, the 95 standing for litres. It is a high-speed, four-stroke diesel capable of pumping out 4,200 hp in marine applications. “It is one of the most powerful engines in its displacement class,” said Cummins Global Marine marketing

communications manager, Andy Kelly. “Power density – the amount of horsepower per litre of displacement – is a great example of how high-speed, four-stroke diesel technology continues to improve across the industry. The QSK95 is producing power levels previously only available with a much larger, medium-speed diesel engine.” And sheer grunt is always useful; harbour tugs, for instance, need instant power – a ‘fast, transient response’ in trade terms – when guiding ships into port. As such, Cummins’ latest engine features a quadruple turbo arrangement that feeds air into the engine. Engine-makers continue

to make giant strides as they respond to demands for more durable, flexible, powerful and economical engines. The name of the game here is to achieve all of the above, but with minimum damage to the bottom line. Which is what MAN has targeted with its 45/60CR. According to MAN Diesel and Turbo’s chief sales officer, Wayne Jones, the extra power and lower consumption “are particularly aimed at key lifecycle costoriented applications, such as cruise liners, ropax ferries, roro vessels and dredgers.”

Flexibility

In terms of flexibility, the Ecomap 2.0 software – in effect, intelligent optimisation

RIGHT: MAN’s new 4560CR

www.mpropulsion.com

Marine Propulsion & Auxiliary Machinery | April/May 2018

46 | FOUR-STROKE ENGINES

– means the electronically controlled engine can be run according to different specific fuel oil consumption targets, which means the vessel can be fine-tuned to operate at maximum efficiency according to loading, sea conditions and other factors. In another example of flexibility, MAN’s selective catalytic reduction is now integrated into Ecomap, enabling the operator to tweak the propulsion system even further, for example by factoring in the prices of fuel and urea. That is obviously a useful contribution for economical running, but it also means NOx emissions can be cut by up to 97%. Bearing in mind that the engine may run for 25-30 years, the 45/60CR has been designed from the outset under a family concept that can be married with future derivatives such as duel-fuel options, according to the operator’s needs. It is small relative size also means it is more easily packaged. Mr Kelly said: “The QSK95 can take the place of a medium-speed engine, but it is between 25% and 75% lighter than its medium-speed competitors. That means the overall dimensions are reduced.” Clearly, this reduces weight and makes more space available for cargo or some other productive purpose.

Numbers

Putting numbers on the merits of the 45/60CR, MAN calculates that, based on a representative load profile of a cruise vessel, the cost benefit in terms of fuel/oil consumption ranges between 5% and 12% compared with power plants from rival manufacturers. In terms of hard cash, for a cruise vessel of around 120,000 150,000 gt, with 60-65mw of installed power, annual savings would be in the order of €0.9M - €2.0M (US$1.1M - US$2.4M). This calculation

The Kilimanjaro VII, the first passenger ferry to be powered by the QSK95

assumes a price for fuel of €500 (US$610) a tonne. The first set of V-type engines – the 12V and 14V – will be rolled out from end-2020, with the L-type engines due out from 2022. A MAN spokesman explained there was considerable interest in in the 45/60CR, more than two years before it is coming off the production line. All operators want fuelsipping engines. As Mr Kelly said: “Brake-specific fuel consumption (BSFC) is very important to vessel operators, as fuel consumption is the largest contributor to the cost of ownership.” The QSK95 uses an electronically controlled modular commonrail fuel system that delivers the precise amount of fuel at the right time, reducing BSFC as well as emissions, which are created by unused fuel in the power cylinder. With emissions standards getting tougher and more pervasive, that is a critical advantage.

Digital insights

Meanwhile, engine-makers are combining with the IT industry to provide realtime digital insights into the functioning of their creations, whether four-stroke or twostroke, or indeed any other

Marine Propulsion & Auxiliary Machinery | April/May 2018

kind of propulsion. Sensors can deliver multi-dimensional data and installed in the correct places, these sensors can provide running read-outs of what the entire vessel is doing, not just the engine. This information can be shared in a mutually beneficial, collaborative way, as BAE Maritime discovered with the Sea-Cores package it developed with OSIsoft, a pioneer in digital transformation. Sea-Cores helps the propulsion system and the vessel meet their full, combined potential. First installed on one of James Fisher & Sons’ special petrochemical tankers, SeaCores gives the crew nine tools that deliver a real-time, digital view of the vessel’s progress at sea. The sensors measure fuel flow, monitor vibration, digital torsion and power use. For good measure, there is also a voyage data record, a pitch/roll trim monitoring system, and a GPS positioning system. With all this information at their disposal, the Sea-Cores package allows crews to juggle a host of parameters, such as weather and sea conditions, navigation and routing, hull condition, hull and plant vibration, torque and fuel flow;

in short, everything that might lead to the perfect voyage. The constant flow of information from multiple points means the crew, including onshore staff who have access to the same data, can see exactly the effect of any adjustments, for instance in engine speed. BAE Marine has found that Sea-Cores pays for itself in 12 months, especially in fuel savings. For example, a company with a 25-ship fleet spending £700M a year on fuel could save £35M, thus trimming costs on fuel alone by 5%. In some cases, the package achieved savings of up to 20%. This is also a mission of national importance; the British Ministry of Defence has stipulated that the Royal Navy reduce its fleet’s fuel consumption by 18% by 2020/2021.

Engine health

Sensors are also playing a huge role in the interests of durability. As well as injecting the correct amount of fuel, the engine control module on Cummins’ QSK95 monitors a range of specific parameters that notify the operator about the health of the engine at critical times, forestalling the risk of any engine damage. MP

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HEAT EXCHANGERS | 49

Heat transfer solutions for fuel gas supply Alfa Laval recently celebrated its 100th anniversary in the marine industry. As the company enters its second century of marine service, it is focused on the challenges ahead, including its heat exchanger offering, which is rapidly developing to meet the challenges of fuel gas supply, explains global bbusiness manager, heat transfer equipment Johan Lennartsson

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lfa Laval continues to assert its leadership in marine heat transfer. Even in gasketed plate heat exchangers, an industry staple, the company is pushing boundaries. Recent years have seen the introduction of maintenance-friendly ClipGrip gaskets and more robust frame designs, but also process advances, such as a significant increase in heat transfer area through Alfa Laval’s CurveFlow plates. Some of its most important innovations are occurring in a new range of duties, driven by the switch to low-sulphur fuels. As vessels move towards LNG, LPG, methanol or even other gas alternatives, they still need to condition the fuel before it reaches the engine. The variety of different fuel gas systems creates an extremely challenging range of heating and cooling needs – all of which Alfa Laval is committed to meet.

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Alfa Laval has more than 20 years of experience in heating and cooling LNG/ LPG at sea. Building on this expertise, the company has developed a wide portfolio of efficient, small-footprint heat exchangers for key heating and cooling applications in marine fuel gas systems. The solutions include versatile semiwelded and copper-brazed plate heat exchangers, but also unique products like the fusion-bonded and gasket-free Alfa Laval AlfaNovaM, produced in 100% stainless steel, or the specially engineered Alfa Laval Duroshell, a robust plate-andshell model that can perform low-pressure LNG vaporisation duties. We continue to explore both new designs and new manufacturing techniques. By closely matching the

Dealing with extreme temperatures and pressures

At the far end of the performance scale is the Alfa Laval printed circuit heat exchanger (PCHE), a diffusion-bonded unit for temperatures from cryogenic up to 800°C. Tailor-made with fully customisable fluid channels, it handles pressures up to 650 bar, such as those found in highpressure gas injection. The PCHE is a unique technology on its own, up to 80% smaller and lighter than the shell-and-tubes otherwise required for these duties. But it is also a critical part of complete conditioning systems for fuel gas supply, where LNG is pressurised at more than 300 bar and vaporised at cryogenic temperatures.

The extreme temperatures and pressures involved in fuel gas applications are not to be taken lightly. For this reason, Alfa Laval is focused not only on the development of its technology, but also on how it is used. The company is conducting fuel gas application testing – the most comprehensive of its kind in the marine industry – that is due to be completed during 2018. Safety and reliability are crucial for heat exchangers in fuel gas systems, as they are part of the vessel’s main propulsion. These are new applications where the number of reference systems is limited, so it is important to establish the operating parameters with certainty. Customers need to know not only the design limitations, but also the practical considerations to avoid freezing and other potential safety issues. MP

Marine Propulsion & Auxiliary Machinery | April/May 2018

50 | HEAT EXCHANGERS

Kelvion announce new heat exchanger plates with viscous and particle-containing media

Kelion NW150L heat exchanger plate

Kelvion has added new NW150L stainless steel heat exchanger plates to its range. The NW models have a wider plate gap than the NT series; this allows efficient heat treatment, with only slight pressure drop for viscous media and liquids with particle diameters up to 5 mm. In addition, the extremely wide herringbone plate corrugation, with a gap width of 10 mm, assures highly turbulent flow at all points of the plate, which counters fouling. Application areas include the production of bioethanol, treatment of industrial wastewater, and petrochemical processes. The PosLoc assembly simplifies assembling the heat exchangers after cleaning or inspection work. PosLoc assures optimal centering of the plate pack, which improves the service life of the gaskets, said the company. The new NW150L is compatible with the frames of the extensively used NT150L series. As a result, users with NT150L plates of the same size – which require cleaning more frequently owing to particle fouling – can change to the new plate without incurring significant expense.

Hi-line adds ultra-high flow heat exchanger to Tundra Air Dryer range Hi-line Industries has unveiled its latest-generation Tundra range of refrigeration air dryers. The Tundra 2017 air dryers feature a range of enhancements, including an ultra-high flow heat exchanger with larger ports and an ‘ice blue’ digital LED dewpoint display. New capacity models are also introduced to the range. Energy efficiency was among the principal priorities when developing Hi-line’s 2017 Tundra series. Tundra dryers can reduce energy costs by minimising pressure drop and reducing absorbed power, said the company. Furthermore, integrated direct expansion technology delivers a constant +3°C PDP (pressure dewpoint), unlike a chilled mass dryer, which can be as high as +10°C during its thermal cycle. As a result, Hi-line claims its new single-cell aluminium heat exchanger module (with larger ports) provides the most efficient transfer of heat at the lowest energy cost. The 2017 Tundra series comprises 16 models spanning compressed air flows from 21 to 1605 cfm (36 to 2720 m3/hr) and operating pressure from 4 to 16 barg. Maximum inlet air temperature is +60°C, with ambient air temperature from 0 to +50°C. Three new capacities (110, 179 and 1400) are introduced for the first time, replacing the former 120, 159 and 1330 models. High pressure (up to 50 barg) and thermal mass versions are also available to order. MP RIGHT: Hi-line‘s new Tundra range boost efficiency while reducing costs

Marine Propulsion & Auxiliary Machinery | April/May 2018

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WATERJETS | 53

Waterjet manufacturers deal with weighty matters Lighter, more powerful waterjets are enabling passenger ferry operators to combine high speeds with economic, environmentally friendly performance, reports Clive Woodbridge

or fast ferry applications, weight is a key factor when selecting waterjet technology, alongside power, environmental performance and durability. Consequently, introducing lighter waterjet technology has been a key area of focus for those companies active in this sector. Wärtsilä, for example, has been investigating the benefits of designing its modular waterjets using duplex stainless steel. Those components that come under the highest stress, the shaft and impeller, have already been delivered to some customers in duplex stainless steel; more recently, Wärtsilä has made outboard parts available in this material, instead of 316 grade stainless steel. Wärtsilä believes that by constructing the outboard, as well as internal components, in duplex stainless it will save around 1250 kg on a LJX1500SRI waterjet of the type now being applied on most fast ferries, with an engine power of 9100 kW per jet installed on board. The technical challenge for Wärtsilä’s design teams has been to create waterjets that are strong enough to withstand the propulsive stresses, but are as lightweight as possible to improve the performance and fuel efficiency of the vessel. The company

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believes that this challenge has been successfully met.

Balancing reliability and performance

Reliability and ease of maintenance are key customer prerequisites, which Wärtsilä has been responding to with the LJX1500SRI model, which features an inboard hydraulics arrangement. Over the past year, the company has secured four contracts to supply waterjets on newbuild fast ferries, two each at Incat Tasmania and Austral Australia, and all of these will feature inboard hydraulics. Wärtsilä Marine Solutions sales manager for waterjets Jeroen Vedder, explained: “The major advantage of inboard hydraulics is that all of the cylinders and hoses are mounted inside the vessel, so they are not exposed to hostile conditions outside the vessel, including seawater. Another advantage is the fact that maintenance on these components can be undertaken inside, and so any potential oil leaks into sea water are avoided.” The two new fast ferries that were ordered from Incat are being prepared for Maltabased Virtu Ferries and the Spanish company, Naviera Armas. Wärtsilä will supply four LJX1500SRI waterjets

and a Protouch control system to Incat’s Tasmanian shipyard for the 110 m-long Virtu Ferry craft, which will operate between Malta and Sicily. The fast ferry is scheduled for delivery towards the end of 2018 when it will be the largest high-speed catamaran in the Mediterranean, carrying 900 passengers and 167 cars at a service speed of up to 38 knots. The main requirements for fast ferries are reliability and performance. Mr Vedder said: “Fast ferries operate on tight schedules and owners expect that the equipment on board will operate without problems to meet their promises to their passengers. Our technology is well-proven, with an extensive reference base backed up by an

excellent service network.” Another long-term partner, Austal Ships, has contracted Wärtsilä to supply four of its waterjets, as well as the hydraulics and control systems for a new 109 m-long highspeed ropax ferry building for Molslinjen of Denmark. Wärtsilä’s compact axial flow jet solution was considered the most appropriate choice for this vessel, since it fully met the customer’s weight and performance criteria. The allaluminium catamaran will have a top speed of 40 knots, carrying up to 425 cars and over 1,000 passengers on a route between Aarhus and Odden. Wärtsilä is due to deliver its waterjet systems to the yard in May this year, with final delivery of the

MJP waterjets make the difference in direct re-fit comparison

Marine Jet Power (MJP) recently conducted two waterjet refits, allowing it to run a direct performance comparison of the systems in an otherwise unchanged environment. In the first case, the operator of a 10-year-old vessel decided to change to MJP DRB jets due to significant service and corrosion issues on the existing waterjets. Following the re-fit, MJP says that sea trials showed significantly increased ship speed, from 38 to 43 knots. Overall efficiency increased from 57% to 67%, meaning that the vessel can obtain an 18% lower fuel consumption and engines can operate at lower load, resulting in less wear and longer service life. In the second re-fit, three new vessel deliveries where in doubt due to performance issues. Changing the existing mixed-flow jets to MJP DRB mixed-flow jets, saw MJP jets consume 8.5% less power at the same operating speed. Furthermore, the noise level in the aft part of the passenger compartment fell by 50% following the installation of the MJP DRB jets.

Marine Propulsion & Auxiliary Machinery | April/May 2018

54 | WATERJETS

vessel taking place during Q4 of 2018. Environmental factors are a further key influence on Wärtsilä’s waterjet design development programme. “We are working a lot on environmentally friendly solutions at the moment,” said Mr Vedder. “For example, we are currently developing a system with dual-fuel engines, using diesel or LNG, in combination with waterjets.” Rolls-Royce is another leading waterjet supplier for the high-speed ferry market. The ongoing customer requirement for compact, low-weight systems is also reflected in some of its recent projects, including the SeaStar II, delivered by Austal from its Philippines shipyard last year. The 50 m catamaran was designed by Incat Crowther for the South Korean operator Seaspovill and can carry up to 450 passengers at 40 knots. SeaStar II features S56-3 waterjets mounted in pairs on two common base plates, providing a lightweight and compact propulsion arrangement. Rolls-Royce designers were able to trim away the edges of the reversing buckets without causing a significant loss of sideways thrust, making the jet system as narrow as possible. All four waterjets have steering and reverse capabilities to ensure the ferry is agile, with a high degree of manoeuvrability and propulsion redundancy.

Rolls-Royce sales manager for Australia Richard Dreverman, said: “This order was rather special for us as the catamaran is designed for low resistance and low wash, and consequently has very fine-lined hulls and limited space at the stern. Putting two type S56-3 waterjets together on a single baseplate allows us to save a significant amount of space.” Rolls-Royce waterjets have also been specified for a 56 m-long, 35 knot passenger catamaran, also under construction at Austal’s Philippines yard, for operation in German coastal waters. Förde Reederei Seetouristik will use the vessel on a service between Hamburg and the island of Heligoland. Because the route is partly in open sea and partly along the River Elbe, reduced wash was a key requirement. In this case, four S71-4 waterjets will propel the catamaran, each powered by a 16-cylinder MTU 4000 series engine. Rolls-Royce has recently been selected to supply a combination of its Kamewa waterjets and MTU engines for three, 42 m high-speed ferries being built at Brodrene Aa in Norway, which will operate between Hong Kong and Guangzhou, China. The waterjets for these ferries will be manufactured from duplex stainless steel, to achieve lower weight and high levels of durability. Brodrene Aa chief executive Tor Oyvin

commented: “The lightweight and high-power capabilities of the Kamewa steel series waterjets, along with the proven power output and reliability of MTU engines in fast ferries, makes Rolls-Royce a logical choice for this type of vessel.” Zhongshan-Hong Kong Passenger Shipping Co-op Company will be operating three fast ferries; two are sister vessels with a service speed of up to 40 knots. The third has been built to a different design and has a maximum service speed of up to 37 knots. One of the leading providers of waterjets for smaller passenger ferries is New Zealand’s HamiltonJet. The company’s latest addition to its portfolio is the HT range, which currently covers the three largest sizes of waterjet offered by HamiltonJet: the HT810, HT900 and HT1000. Global business development manager, Antony Tomkins, said: “These [waterjets] represent a significant step forward in the overall operational spectrum of our waterjets, bringing a substantial increase in high-speed efficiency, while maintaining the traditional HamiltonJet advantages of good mid-speed thrust and excellent control and manoeuvrability. These jets have already proved very successful in the oil and gas and military markets, and as we Lighter waterjet technology is proving a game changer

Marine Propulsion & Auxiliary Machinery | April/May 2018

see a resurgence of the highspeed ferry market, they are now proving popular in this sector too.” Meanwhile, there have been some evolutionary improvements to the company’s existing range over the past few years. This includes the introduction of the JT Steering system, which has replaced the traditional deflector steering mechanism with a steerable nozzle assembly. Mr Tomkins said: “This has had a significant impact on the passenger vessel sector, as the improvement to steering efficiency allows the operator to either run a faster service, or reduce speed and save fuel while still running the same timetable. In addition, the superior steering efficiency combined with the higher midrange thrust of the HamiltonJet system means that higher levels of overall performance can be maintained when rough weather is experienced, allowing operators to keep to their timetables more reliably.” The company has also improved its Blue Arrow control system for smaller jet ranges, typically up to 1,000 kW. The JetAnchor add-on gives operators the ability to have a station-keeping system with two modes: one which allows high precision station keeping, and another that allows good positional accuracy with a lower fuel burn and better crew comfort, but enables the vessel to swing around a ‘virtual anchor‘ set by the GPS. Last year, HamiltonJet introduced another control innovation called the XCI module, which gives operators the ability to add an autonomous operational capability to waterjets. “Traditionally this has been something that was only of interest to our military customers, but we are now seeing this as an increasingly interesting proposition for our commercial clients as well,” said Mr Tomkins. MP

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Clean Marine signs multi-vessel exhaust gas cleaning deal Stormy The Norwegian company has celebrated the launchWaters of a new compact We tanker cannot rule the waves, but we do control our foundry and machining facilities. scrubber design with a significant chemical upgrade contract For 90 years and 3 generations our company has provided the marine

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slo-based Clean Marine has secured a multi-vessel contract from Inventor Chemical Tankers (ICT). The agreement, which will involve the installation of its technology onboard a series of seven existing 19,900dwt chemical tankers, also marks the launch of the firm’s new CleanSOx Compact Hybrid Allstream scrubber to the marketplace. According to Clean Marine chief executive, Nils Høy-Petersen: “Our latest product has been designed to ensure shipowners can achieve simple, cost-and space-efficient compliance with the IMO’s SOx regulations, coming into force in 2020. The new compact scrubber has all the advantages of our existing, patented exhaust gas cleaning technology, with added benefits for shipowners looking for

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WATERJETS | 57

Castaldi has designed its latest unit in cooperation with an Italian university

Castoldi launches new Turbodrive 224 DD

Doen WaterJets announces new products

Italian waterjet manufacturer Castoldi has launched its Turbodrive 224 DD, the smallest model in its range and the only one directly driven, as opposed to featuring an integrated gearbox. According to the company, Turbodrive 224 DD achieves its light weight thanks to the duct being incorporated directly into the boat hull, while the liner and impeller are made of aluminium and stainless steel. The company is also set to launch its Turbodrive 284 HCT, a substitute for the Turbodrive 284 HC. The new unit has been designed in cooperation with an Italian university that specialises in fluid dynamics. Castoldi said: “Using very sophisticated software, we have managed to design a new family of waterjets capable of incredible performance.”

Doen WaterJets has announced a range of new products, following a restructure last year which saw ownership pass to the original founders. All models in its product range are available in a direct thrust variant, where the main shaft is arranged to thrust directly to the gearbox, like a conventional propeller arrangement. The waterjet shaft line uses a conventional propeller shaft seal and connects directly to the gearbox output coupling, allowing for very compact installation without need for any intermediate shafting, explained the company. Visit https://bit.ly/2HJjbNq to read more

Spanish ferry operator seeks competitive edge with Wärtsilä waterjets Wärtsilä is to supply waterjets for a new high-speed ferry being built for Spanish company, Naviera Armas. This 109 metre-long, wave-piercing vessel will be the third Incat-built high-speed catamaran to join the Naviera Armas fleet. All three ships incorporate Wärtsilä waterjets. “The proven design of the Wärtsilä LJX 1500SRI waterjet encompasses high efficiency, excellent hydrodynamic performance, minimised noise and vibration, and less maintenance,” said Wärtsilä Marine Solutions vice president for propulsion, Arto Lehtinen. The new ferry will commence operations in 2019 and the four Wärtsilä waterjets with a control system will be delivered to the yard in October 2018. MP

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Marine Propulsion & Auxiliary Machinery | April/May 2018

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THRUSTERS | 59

Sideways, forwards and backwards – thrusters can do just about anything Thruster technology has come a long way in the last few years, bringing with it significant benefits in term propulsion, versatility and manoeuvrability, as Selwyn Parker explains

t’s hard to believe that a propulsion system designed for a ferry capable of carrying 1,300 passengers and 460 cars could have much in common with a patrol vessel that can do anything from firefighting to ice-breaking. But Rolls-Royce, working with Scandlines and HSVA - the test-tank facility in Hamburg – has devised a highly flexible, thruster-based solution equally at home in either vessel type – and a lot of others in between. The clever system is based on a controllable pitch propeller (CPP) mounted on a vessel's centreline, coupled with Azipull thrusters on both sides. As Rolls-Royce explained: “[This configuration] is ideal where a vessel has an operational profile demanding a variety of speeds and hence power inputs to the propulsion system. The propulsion efficiency you get is high across the various operating modes and manoeuvrability is particularly good.”

Versatility is all

The versatility of the configuration demonstrates how far thrusters have been developed in the last few years. It was not that long ago – in fact 2009 – when Royal Caribbean International’s Oasis of the Seas, then the world’s biggest cruise ship, put to sea with no less than four 5.5 mw Wärtsilä transverse thrusters that set new standards in the manoeuvrability of these giant vessels.

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Wärtsilä‘s tilting steerable thruster, the WST-24R

Since then, manufacturers such as Rolls-Royce, Wärtsilä, Kongsberg Maritime and others have devised increasingly clever, almost bespoke, thrusters that deliver power and manoeuvrability for everything from giant floating production storage units and offshore supply tugs to ferries, borderguard vessels and superyachts. Late last year, for example, Wärtsilä unveiled the world’s first tilting, steerable thruster, of which more later.

Currents and shallow waters

Meantime, back to the vessels. The 169.5 m-long sister ferries, Copenhagen and Berlin, which started service in 2017, were specifically designed for the route between Gedser in Denmark and Rostock in Germany. They feature a centreline controllable pitch propeller and rudder, complemented by two wing Azipull thrusters. The design brief presented the kind of challenge that engineers relish. The water is shallow along the entire 26-nautical mile

Marine Propulsion & Auxiliary Machinery | April/May 2018

60 | THRUSTERS

run, and as low as 7.5 m in Gedser harbour; hence, manoeuvrability was a paramount consideration from the very start of the project. There are also strong cross-currents between the piers at Gedser, and at Rostock the ferries enter the berth stern first. As Rolls-Royce reports, the operating strategy is to accelerate rapidly to eight knots astern when leaving Gedser, then turn the vessel once outside the port, proceed to Rostock, and turn again before entering the berth stern first. Transit speeds that give optimum fuel economy were selected for the frequency of 20 departures a day in a fixed two-hour cycle, requiring a speed of 20 knots for a 105-minute passage time. The azimuth thrusters are in operation at all stages of the voyage, each driven by a 3,500 kW electric motor, powerful enough to turn the vessel whether in motion or not. When reversing out of Gedser, the Azipulls are rotated for full astern thrust to keep the ferries accurately on course. They have enough grunt to accelerate the ferry from standstill to eight knots in less than three ship lengths. Once at sea, the thrusters help drive the vessel, while the centre-mounted prop brings it up to full transit speed. Two generator sets, two main engines and a battery pack provide a total of 18 mw to the propellers and the hotel load. The Helicon X3 control system adjusts propeller pitch and revolution speed, as well as determining the power fed to the azimuth thrusters. The prop received a lot of design input. New propeller curves were made that worked with one or two gensets and, to reduce cavitation, the system has a fivebladed propeller. The five-bladed props on the Azipull units can push the ferries up to 17.5 knots.

Ship that does everything

At first glance, the requirements for Finland’s border-guard vessel, the dual-fuel Turva, look very different to those outlined above. With a 17 m-wide beam, it is an allpurpose ship that does search and rescue, pollution response and emergency towing

The Copenhagan ferry in action with Rolls-Royce Azipull thrusters (Picture courtesy of Scandlines)

among other duties. Because it is in duty year-round, the Turva must also break ice up to 0.8m thick at a speed of three knots. The propulsion solution for this patrol boat is nothing if not inventive. A centreline propeller is flanked by two Azipull 120 steerable thrusters with pulling propellers, similar in principle to the ferries. The rudder effect comes from the foilshaped Azipull legs. For most lower-speed work and manoeuvring, only the electrically driven Azipull units are in action, each transmitting up to 2,400 kW to their 2.85 m diameter CPPs. The main prop, a CP unit 3.4 m in diameter rated for 5,400 kW, is mechanically coupled through a reduction gearbox that also drives a shaft generator. The prop is fully feathered for minimum drag and activated when full speed and/ or ice-breaking is required. A tunnel and a retractable thruster at the bow work with the main propulsion system in dynamic positioning. To keep things simple in the bridge, the control system regulates power to both the propeller and Azipull thrusters. The underlying principle is versatility and simplicity. With their pulling propellers, Azipull thrusters provide vectored thrust, which is good for manoeuvring, but also present streamlined underwater hydrodynamics that enable a large rudder effect under normal straightahead sailing. Hence, no separate rudders are generally needed, depending on the size of the vessel and the seaway. In terms of simplicity, in ropax vessels for example, the centreline prop can be idle until the ship gets up to cruising speed.

It tilts and steers

In the endless pursuit of efficiencies in the offshore oil and gas industry, technology group Wärtsilä has come up with the first tilting, steerable thruster; not only that, it retracts electrically. Known as the WST24R, the technology was unveiled late last year and is a clear step forward in dynamic positioning, one of the most demanding functions in offshore vessels. In developing the unit, Wärtsilä had in mind the rugged

Marine Propulsion & Auxiliary Machinery | April/May 2018

responsibilities of hard-working ships such as shuttle tankers, offshore support, and construction vessels. One of the breakthroughs in the WST-24R is the gearbox. It boasts a propeller shaft that is tilted eight degrees, significantly improving the hydrodynamics between thruster and hull. Wärtsilä's tests suggest this boosts effective thrust by up to 20% compared with conventional non-tilted thrusters, making it easier to maintain the vessel on station. The effectiveness of a thruster is the sum of many parts, and one of the features of the WST-24R, replacing the existing LMT 1510, is a thruster nozzle design that reduces the environmental impact of the propulsion system. As the number of sensitive areas in the world’s oceans increases, environmental responsibility is becoming de rigueur for the maritime industry. Thus, the WST-24R is optionally compatible with the US Environmental Protection Agency’s VGP2013 regulations. Similarly, the combined steering-retraction seals are designed so that oil does not leak into the sea. And in the quest for weight reduction, another preoccupation in thruster design, the new retraction system is lightweight and safe. In the interests of easy maintenance and reliability, the fewer components in a thruster the better and the WST-24R rises to the challenge. All systems are easily accessible for maintenance – for instance, the steering-retraction seals can be replaced from inboard, a significant advantage when a vessel is far offshore – and the steering is electric, rather than hydraulic. Wärtsilä also had ease of construction in mind with the WST-24R. It is designed to be incorporated pretty much invisibly into the hull, with a minimum of fuss. “The pre-aligned plug-and-play installation eases shipyard time and costs,” explained director of thrusters and propulsion controls in Wärtsilä’s marine solutions division Michel van Veluw. Indeed, that is one of the contradictions of thrusters – they do so much, but you do not really see them. MP

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THRUSTERS | 63

Azipod brings safety to polar cruising The unique features of ABB’s Azipod thruster technology are allowing it to dominate the new polar cruising sector

ABOVE: ABB’s gearless Azipod propulsion system is already the preferred choice of cruise vessels

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he growing popularity of the Arctic and Antarctic as destinations for tourists has brought a spike in orders for passenger ships capable of operating in icy waters. Ensuring the safety of passengers and crew in such inhospitable regions is no mean feat. Additional risks must be considered right from the start, when the vessel and its propulsion system are at the design stage. ABB’s Azipod propulsion offers major safety benefits for ice-going vessels and has built a strong trackrecord across the sector, as demonstrated by the fact that it already satisfies IMO’s

Polar Code requirements and is available with Polar Class notations suitable for a range of ice conditions. This level of confidence stems from past performance, with more than 60 vessels now in operation or ordered working in icy waters, including Arctic areas such as Pechora Sea, Kara Sea, Ob Bay, and Yenisei River. Given the strength demonstrated by Azipod propulsion in these distinct markets, it came as little surprise that PC6-classed Azipod propulsion was selected for polar discovery yacht Scenic Eclipse – the world’s first passenger vessel to be constructed explicitly to Polar Code standards – and for

three Endeavor class ships that will be the world’s largest expedition yachts with ice class. The first cruise ship to be equipped with an Azipod was launched in 1998. Today Azipod units are the most common form of propulsion found on cruise ships, in use on 60 such vessels, including the Oasis-class ship series owned by Royal Caribbean International and currently the world’s largest passenger ships. The world’s first Polar Class passenger vessel will be the above-mentioned Azipodequipped Scenic Eclipse, with PC6 ice class notation granted by Bureau Veritas. Scheduled to launch in August 2018, Scenic Eclipse is a discovery yacht able

Marine Propulsion & Auxiliary Machinery | April/May 2018

64 | THRUSTERS

to navigate in both Arctic and Antarctic waters. Another Azipod-equipped Polar Class passenger ship series will be three Endeavor class mega-yachts for Crystal Cruises with PC6 notation. They are designed for operation in the Arctic, Antarctic and also in the Tropics. These 20,000 gt GT newbuildings will be the world’s largest expedition yachts with ice class and the first passenger ships to be classified according to the new DNV GL rules. ABB claims there are certain fundamental benefits in Azipod propulsion, which explains why it has almost completely superseded conventional shaftlinerudder propulsion in cruise and independently ice-going vessels over the past decade. These benefits mainly relate to crew and passenger safety, but also have a bearing on environmental protection, performance in ice and openwater operation and total cost of ownership. With Azipod propulsion the full propeller thrust can be directed freely in any direction, whereas in fixed shaftlinerudder arrangements thrust decreases rapidly as helm angle increases. Generally, a conventional rudder can produce only about 40% side thrust compared with maximum ahead bollard pull thrust. The figure for flap rudders is up to 60%. With a 360-degree freely turning Azipod though, full thrust can be precisely applied in any direction, giving 150% more side thrust than a conventional rudder. Furthermore, Azipod propulsion makes it possible to navigate astern and sideways simultaneously, which is difficult to achieve with a rudder since negative propeller speeds reduce the effectiveness of a rudder considerably. Full thrust in any direction is a great

PC6 classed Azipod propulsion was selected for polar discovery yacht Scenic Eclipse

benefit when maneuvering ships amid icebergs and in ice fields, as well as when approaching either ice-covered or open-water ports. In the case of collision avoidance manoeuvres, whether the risk is another vessel in the Bahamas or a floating iceberg in the North Atlantic, an Azipod-equipped vessel is more likely to avoid collision than a vessel with conventional shaftline-rudder arrangement. This is because conventional rudders typically require tunnel thrusters at stern to assist weak manoeuvring. However, tunnel thrusters do not work effectively at higher ship speeds, whereas the superior steering capability of Azipod units is effective throughout the ship’s speed range. Furthermore, Azipod units eliminate the need for stern tunnel thrusters, thus providing greater flexibility and simplicity in ship design and general arrangement. The more effective and safer turning capability of Azipod propulsion has been verified, for example, by fullscale and full-speed turning circle tests between sister-ships MS Fantasy, with conventional propulsion, and MS Elation with Azipod propulsion, which recorded 38% reduction in tactical diameter. Similar results

Marine Propulsion & Auxiliary Machinery | April/May 2018

have been obtained from model experiments with a wider set of ships. According to Captain William Wright, master of Oasis of the Seas: “The Azipod units allow me to direct the power exactly where I want it, giving me the confidence to manoeuvre within a decimeter of where I want.” With traditional rudder steering, an emergency crashstop is accomplished by reversing the propeller rpm from positive to negative. This is time-consuming as the ship power-generating machinery must go from full power to zero power and then ramp up again to full power in the opposite direction. In practice the vessel operating with a rudder will also lose its heading control during the crash-stop as the rudder will not work efficiently unless the propeller is producing thrust for it – and at negative propeller rpm there is a little thrust available for the rudder at all. This means ship heading and direction during the crash-stop are effectively at the mercy of the elements – determined by prevailing environmental conditions, such as current, wind and waves, which especially becomes a factor in heavy seas.

In Azipod vessels the crash-stop can be accomplished in the 'podway', by steering the Azipod units outwards 180 degrees and keeping positive propeller rpm during the whole crash-stop. This shortens the crash-stop distance considerably – typically by at least 50%. Moreover, during the crash-stop, Azipod units can generate enormous side force to any desired direction, irrespective of ship speed. This gives the captain full control to decide the heading and direction of the vessel during the whole crash-stop even in heavy weather conditions. The combination of 50% shorter crash-stop distance and full heading control is a huge advantage in onboard safety when considering worst-case scenarios – especially in iceinfested waters. Captain Grant Thompson said: “On sea trials [Azipodequipped] MY Kogo went from full ahead to a crash-stop in 2.5 times her length. Not only is this a remarkable feat, but it was totally controllable and resulted in us changing the way we performed man-overboard drills, as we could literally just stop and back up to the victim while the rescue boat was being launched.” MP

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EMISSIONS CONTROL | 67

Maritime industry says IMO emissions deal does not go far enough

n industry poll taken days after IMO delegates cut a landmark emissions deal has revealed a prevailing industry attitude that the agreed 50% reduction in shipping industry emissions is not enough. More than half the respondents to a poll taken at the Sulphur Cap 2020 Conference in Amsterdam said the IMO’s milestone framework should set emissions reduction targets higher for the industry, while only 10% said it goes too far. At the Marine Environment Protection Committee′s (MEPC) 72nd session in London on 13 April, 171 of 173 IMO member states voiced support for the adoption of an initial strategy on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reductions from shipping, the terms of which aim to reduce total annual global shipping emissions by 2050 to half of 2008 levels. Presenters at the conference also acknowledged the reality that CO2 regulations would be the next regulatory hurdle, following IMO’s expected formalisation of a long-term GHG reduction strategy in 2023. In his presentation on technologies being developed to meet emissions regulations, Caterpillar’s cruise and ferry sector manager, John Shock, said the deal meant a regulatory focus on CO2 was inevitable. “We know it's going to happen,” he said, noting “the reality is, as we begin to look at CO2 emissions and other things, [meeting regulations] comes down to fuel consumption and efficiency.” Chelsea Technologies Group maritime manager Stephanie Lavelle gave the group a first-hand account of MEPC 72 and called on the maritime industry to do more to reduce its emissions. “It has been highlighted that it is because of industry-based constituency and lobbying tactics over the years that so little action has

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been taken,” she said. “But such tactics are generally a result of member states trying to protect the trade on which so many of their citizens solely depend.” Ms Lavelle acknowledged that charterers and ship operators are faced with sizeable financial investments to comply with regulations and used the cost, along with lack of clarity from regulating bodies, as reasons for stalling on compliance. “These are the unfortunate facts,” she said, “but even more unfortunate were the emotive speeches for the survival of entire countries that were heard continually at MEPC from small island member states. Homes are being lost, and countries are on a path to disappearing in just a few decades, as sea-level rise and ocean acidification accelerates with the loss of the polar ice caps.” Ms Lavelle said some member states were directly opposing the submissions from small island member states to take strong action immediately. Among those opposed to the deal, the United States,

While any progress in terms of emissions reductions should be applauded, it is a sign of the times that the recent 50% cut proposed by IMO delegates is considered by some as too conservative

Brazil, Russia, India and Iran took the position that IMO should wait for the group to gather more data. Although she welcomed the IMO agreement, Ms Lavelle said there was no reason to wait when shipping industry emissions were only rising. “Despite efficiency improvements, [emissions] are going to be two to five times higher in 2050 than 1990,” she said. “In comparison [to IMO’s deal], the EU road map sets out a cost-efficient pathway to reach an 80% reduction target by 2050.” While some in the industry question whether the “goalposts" of the IMO deal will move (pushing back compliance dates or lowering emissions reduction goals, for example), she said that would not be the case. “The IMO’s integrity towards decarbonisation has come under scrutiny, and the political pressure the IMO has faced has certainly showed no signs of slowing down. They [IMO] have stated there will be no delays or exemptions.” MP

Does the proposed 50% cut go far enough? Some think not

Marine Propulsion & Auxiliary Machinery | April/May 2018

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EMISSIONS CONTROL | 69

A solution to consistent emissions enforcement The Sulphur Cap 2020 Conference in Amsterdam saw delegates grapple with numerous solutions to a problem that will have enormous ramifications for the shipping industry over the coming years

alling for the standardising of the enforcement of emissions regulations, European Maritime Independent Suppliers Association (EMISA) board member James Hogg gave a crowd of industry representatives at the Sulphur Cap 2020 Conference in Amsterdam a strong argument for a combination of testing and onboard monitors. “Testing is problematic,” Mr Hogg said, noting the number of variables at work, including timing, locale, frequency and even the fuel tank chosen. “I would’ve thought that it would be better to look at testing fuel when you bunker. Testing at the bunkering stage, you will get an average, and it will give you a pretty good figure,” he said. Mr Hogg said that, while compliance may cause difficulty in the short term, the industry had a responsibility to society to abide by [the rules] and that enforcing the rules fairly had benefits. “This is also partly in your own interests. A strong enforcement system will discourage cheating,” he said. He called for the industry and enforcement bodies to work together to ensure enforcement of regulations is “legally robust, practical, effective, consistent and fair, across ports.” “We need to look at the cost structure of enforcement,” he said. “The whole cost structure, not just the costs that fall on shipowners.” Effectively integrating SOx regulations with existing and future international emissions regulations, as University of Rostock’s Professor Ralf Zimmermann said is inevitable, is reliant on operating within international law, Mr Hogg said. The fragmentary landscape that currently defines emissions regulations enforcement makes it difficult to achieve consistency, he said.

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EMISA board member James Hogg

“Each nation can establish their own regulations about what is permitted in ports. “Historically speaking, there has been a lot of inconsistency between flag states, and over time more pressure has been placed on port states and coastal states.” According to Mr Hogg, the “real problem” facing port states is getting clear evidence to determine compliance. He cited the inaccuracies that plagued onboard paper records. And again, he said testing was problematic. In terms of alternative forms of assessment, he cited a number of examples he said were cost prohibitive, limited in scope or ineffective in certain circumstances. Drones – the €5M (US$6.2M) kind that can sample emissions for compliance – are too expensive for many port states and have a limited range. “And there also might be all sorts of clever ways to confuse the drone,” he said, in an attempt to compromise the data so it cannot stand up to a legal challenge. “Sniffers have a role to play, perhaps,” he said, “but I don’t believe

Marine Propulsion & Auxiliary Machinery | April/May 2018

70 | EMISSIONS CONTROL

sniffers bear discussing any further. Enforcement authorities simply won’t be able to afford them.” And satellites remain too inaccurate to reliably cut through disturbances in the atmosphere. So what solution, if any, remains? Monitors. “One thing they can do is provide the clear evidence that is required,” Mr Hogg said. “Data in digital format that can be transmitted.” The data would then sit within the MRV reporting system and would cover the transition from SECAs to global enforcement. “The data goes into a computer and an algorithm will tell you whether a vessel has complied.” And they are relatively inexpensive. “An effective system of enforcement is a cheap system of enforcement,” according to Mr Hogg. He acknowledged owners may not entirely agree. Installation of onboard monitors costs €60,000-€90,000, he said. Other downsides include the time needed for installation, the fact the systems are not tamper-proof and reliability issues. These could be offset by savings for owners, including: • A single method of compliance for all emissions regulations. • One annual inspection to verify compliance. • Frequent fuel testing not required. • Current and future data collection obligations automated. “If it’s already digitised, the problem is solved,” he said. Add to that the fact the system could meet current and future EEOI requirements, and that the NOx parameter system becomes redundant. “I believe the NOx parameter system is something of the past. We shouldn’t be using this kind of guesswork. It’s yesterday’s technology, as we all know, from [the] Volkswagen example,” he said. Then there is the potential for engine optimisation and the savings for the enforcement authorities. “Is there any other solution available than mixing the testing of fuel with exhaust gas monitors? I leave that as the question.”

Professor Ralph Zimmermann of the University of Rostock

Marine Propulsion & Auxiliary Machinery | April/May 2018

Emissions expert: ‘further measures to come’ after sulphur cap

University of Rostock Professor Ralf Zimmermann told industry representatives gathered at the Sulphur Cap 2020 Conference in Amsterdam that future emissions measures are an inevitability. Beyond IMO’s 2020 sulphur cap and other emissions measures under discussion on national and regional levels, Professor Zimmermann, professor of analytical chemistry at the university’s Institute of Chemistry, said regulations contained in IMO Annex VI were not enough to protect human populations against the health effects of particulate matter from shipping. “I will say to you now, it is not enough. We can expect further measures to come,” he said. High levels of particulate matter have, as the professor explained, been regularly proven to be the most harmful element of emissions in terms of causing disease in humans. Professor Zimmermann said scrubbers and filtration were the best means he knew of for addressing problems with particulate matter in shipping emissions, but that scrubbers could extend the use of fossil fuels on board ships when viewed in context against the uptake of alternative fuels. He prefaced those statements by saying that he felt fossil fuels would make up a significant part of the fuel landscape in shipping for some time to come and that shipping did not need to be regulated to the same levels as automobiles. “I don’t think there is any other propulsion option for such a large number of ships. I don’t think we need the same standards for ships as for cars because ships aren’t as close to our homes,” he said.

CR Ocean Engineering president: ‘US$600 fuels differential by 2020’

The president of a long-time scrubber manufacturing business has predicted the differential between the cost per tonne of low-sulphur fuel and high-sulphur fuel in 2020 would be more than many have estimated. Citing a Wall Street Journal forecast in his presentation to the Sulphur Cap 2020 Conference in Amsterdam, CR Ocean Engineering president Nicholas Confuorto said the current price differential of US$250 would pale in comparison to that of 2020, when IMO regulations limiting sulphur in fuels come into force. “The differential now is about US$250. However, that’s not even close to what it’s going to be in 2020,” he said. Mr Confuorto also claimed a Wall Street Journal report’s estimated price differential of US$420 was “conservative”. “I think we’re going to be in a US$600 differential by 2020,” he said, noting the gap in prices “may only be for a few years, but if you invest [in scrubbers] early enough, you can take advantage … and still have something very valuable going forward.” Mr Confuorto said his family business had been installing scrubbers since the 1950s and that the timeframe for installing scrubbers was less critical than his concerns around fuel cost. “There will be fuel,” he said. “It’s not an issue of whether there will be, it’s an issue of how much it will cost.” Mr Confuorto also took aim at what he said was a lack of standards for blended fuels. “Expecting the refineries to change everything they do just to feed us the correct fuel is unrealistic. So what they are going to do is, they are going to blend it. “And the blends that I see right now, there is no standard for it. So, if anything needs to be pushed, it’s the standards of the blending.” MP

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Don’t just comply – be a step ahead

Alfa Laval PureSOx continues to lead the way You won’t be alone in choosing a SOx scrubber. But you will be a step ahead, if you select the scrubber at the forefront: Alfa Laval PureSOx. At sea since 2009, PureSOx has the record others aspire to, with every system ever sold in operation and in compliance. Built on 100 years of marine experience, PureSOx has been chosen for 100+ vessels to date. But what matters more are the returning customers, convinced by smooth installations, proven results and first-rate global service. They know PureSOx will keep them ahead – today, in 2020 and beyond. Start getting ahead at www.alfalaval.com/puresox Come join us at Posidonia, Stand no. 3.111, 4–8 June 2018

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HYBRID SYSTEMS | 73

Providing a helping hand Hybrid power is providing a sustainable solution to auxiliary propulsion on tankers

ost of us are now familiar with the concept of hybrid cars, where an auxiliary electric motor provides low-speed propulsion, with the main petrol or diesel switched off. With the internal combustion engine running, the auxiliary electric motor can provide turbo-like additional power at higher speeds, or increased traction in slippery conditions. Now WE Tech Solutions Oy of Finland has applied the same recipe to tankers. The result is a hybrid propulsion system providing an efficient power distribution for marine vessels and tankers. WE Tech claims to be lead provider of hybrid solutions in this sector. According to WE Tech, the variable frequency WE Drive provides ships with unmatched options in electrical power generation. “Our main five solutions focus on shaft generator applications for four-stroke and two-stroke main engines that use a permanent magnet shaft generator,” explained managing director Mr Mårten Storbacka. “Our solutions provide ship owners with the option to use flexible hybrid propulsion systems that

The WE Tech hybrid system is installed on the Ternsund

74 | HYBRID SYSTEMS

include power take out (PTO), power take in (PTI), boost modes, as well as efficient power distribution.”

Auxiliary generator 1

Multi-mode solutions

The multi-mode approach provides a range of solutions. The PTI system ensures a safe return to port (aka take-me-home mode) using auxiliary propulsion drive when the main engine is out of commission. Similar to the use of electric motors in hybrid SUVs, the hybrid system can provide auxiliary power to the main engine when sailing in demanding conditions, such as ice navigation, or provide an additional power boost for the main engine optimised for lowload conditions. A key feature is the common DC-link, which eliminates traditional design limitations that hinder high levels of efficiency in the distribution of electrical power. Further, the option of a shore-to-ship power connection, or alternative maritime power (also known as ‘cold ironing’ in the cruise industry) from on-shore generated power, can typically save 50% of power costs, compared to power which is generated on board the vessel, according to WE Tech.

Solution applied to LNGfuelled product tankers It is not just conventional internal combustion engined vessels that can benefit from the addition of a hybrid propulsion system. WE Tech’s solutions have been fitted to a series of four LNG-fuelled product tankers owned by

2-stroke main engine

WE drive DC-link switch board

Battery package

Propeller shaft clutch Direct drive permanent magnet shaft generator

Heavy consumers

No power AC power DC power

Permanent magnet on the shaft is a key component

Terntank Rederi AS. These vessels have the option of PTO, as well as PTI in take-mehome mode. “WE Tech’s shaft generator solution is working well,” said Tryggve Möller, chairman of the board of Terntank Rederi AS and managing director of Terntank Ship Management AB, He added: “Terntank has set huge expectations on this technology and believes this will be the future for the shipping industry.” According to WE Tech, the system increases the vessel's energy efficiency by 20%-30% compared to those without such a system. Fuel consumption and

“It is not just conventional internal combustion engined vessels that can benefit from the addition of a hybrid propulsion system”

Marine Propulsion & Auxiliary Machinery | April/May 2018

operational costs are reduced, by the order of hundreds, if not thousands of dollars per vessel per day. “In each case, we look for ways to improve energy efficiencies and increase the vessel’s competitiveness,” said Mr. Storbacka. “This is becoming more critical, as maritime vessels strive for innovative ways to be more efficient with their fuel consumption.” With WE Tech’s energy storage solution, the batterybased solution provides an energy reserve, used for electrical load peak shaving and providing energy for black-out prevention. “We have seen increasing demand for energy storage solution in the marine industry,” said WE Tech Solutions sales manager Martin Andtfolk. “Our Lithiumion battery-based solution can easily be added to our other solutions. This makes vessel-based electric power

generation even more efficient and cost-effective.”

Chemical tanker fitment

In January 2017, WE Tech delivered a hybrid solution to two 17,500 dwt chemical tankers belonging to the Norwegian Shipowner, Rederiet Stenersen AS. Commenting on the implementation, Rederiet Stenersen director of ship management John Stenersen said: “At Stenersen, we take pride in being at the forefront of achieving the best energy efficiency in our segment. As far as we are aware, Stenersen is the first company to have installed such equipment on this type of vessel. We believe that energy storage solutions will contribute to a stronger market position for Stenersen, through sustainable competitive advantage. This is a catalyst for other companies to commit to ‘greener technology’ for the future.” MP

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SWITCHBOARDS | 77

Cat MEO promises significant fuel savings Crew do not always operate vessels with fuel efficiency as a priority. But as T.E. “Dra” Wiersema Caterpillar Marine, USA, explains, a solution exists in the shape of Cat MEO

sing proprietary fuel maps and patented control algorithms, Cat MEO enables vessels with multiple power sources and multiple load factors to operate at maximum fuel, emissions, or response efficiency. It achieves this by map-based engine prioritisation and the capability to select differentiated engine-specific load points. The MEO cabinet is principally composed of a PLC, power management device controller, touchscreen display and a remote communication device. A BOX OF TRICKS… THAT LEARNS For this reason, the MEO system is a learning system that actively updates maps to reflect the current condition of the engines. As engines or hybrid power sources accumulate hours they change, effecting fuel consumption, emissions outputs and even transient response rates. Using MEO, optimisation decisions are not based on outdated test-cell performance data. Rather, this learning system ensures

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that as an engine ages, the optimisation system will still make the best choices. DATA INTEGRATION WITH VESSEL Bridge and control room instrumentation panels have limited screen space and vessel companies have limited toleration for cutting new control panel holes. MEO works with the vessel system integrator to bring MEO screens into the existing vessel data system. This can be done through the development of MIMIC screens, or the vessel data system can load html screens from a MEO cabinetbased web server. REMOTE DATA RECEPTION Every MEO cabinet comes as standard with Caterpillar telematics that have satellite, cellular or ethernet connectivity through the vessel’s communication system. If granted rights to transmit data, the Caterpillar telematics will populate a website that provides customer access to detailed

Cat MEO cabinets are typically bolted to the engine control room floor or wall

operational data and vessel reports on the generators, engines and systems. MAINTENANCE AND OPTIMISATION Caterpillar works with its customer to ensure MEO matches engine usage to their designed maintenance practices. For some customers, engine hour balancing is the primary driver and MEO will be programmed to keep every engine within a fixed number of operating hours. Other customers may want to have a sacrificial engine that they can overhaul or switch

out quickly to minimise vessel downtime. The maintenance criteria can be hours, kw/hours or total fuel burnt. HYBRID POWER SOURCES AND MEO Most battery suppliers and the power management devices that manage batteries focus on optimisation within the battery package and not on the costoptimised use of the batteries. Because of MEO’s access to fuel maps, the use of customer operating mode indicators, our optimisation algorithms, and MEO’s ability to anticipate daily load profiles based on

Marine Propulsion & Auxiliary Machinery | April/May 2018

78 | SWITCHBOARDS

customer and operational input, MEO can precisely choose the times and depths of battery cycles that bring the most benefit to a customer. By inputting battery replacement and fuel cost into the MEO unit, a customer can select the parameters by which the battery cycles will be utilised, even preventing battery usage when a low price of fuel negates the value of batteries. Because there is a linear relationship between the depth of each battery charge/discharge cycle and the effect on battery life, the deep analytics of MEO are critical to help maximise the viability of batteries.

response can become important. Often in these situations, a captain’s caution can take the form of running all engines, even if the loads are very low. Yet it may be more important to provide at least one engine with enough boost pressure to supply power as fast as possible, to counter an unexpected gust of wind or the heave of a large swell. By minimising the number of running engines, maintaining sufficient running reserve, or by having a minimum boost requirement, MEO enables the design of engine configurations to ensure sufficient transient response capability.

MIXING ENGINE TYPES MEO’s capability to provide fuel savings increases significantly when the combination of different engine types is customised to the vessel load characteristics. By leveraging different sized engines, customers can limit engine wear due to lowload operation, reduce fuel consumption and improve emissions. This can be achieved by having engine combinations that allow engines to operate in their peak efficiency zones at multiple vessel load points. Depending on the degree of difference between engines, many power management systems are not able to maintain a stable bus in an environment of load variability. The different ability of each engine to respond to a load can cause a breaker to trip due to voltage fluctuations. MEO fuel maps and control algorithms prevent excessive voltage fluctuations, enabling the customisation of vessel engineroom configurations.

WHAT ABOUT NOX EMISSIONS? There are two ways that MEO can reduce NOx emissions. The first is through the fuel optimisation mode and primarily occurs when MEO drives a reduction in the number of operating engines. A reduction from three engines operating at 33% load to two engines operating at 50% can create a NOx reduction in the range of 50%. Within the fuel optimisation mode,

TRANSIENT RESPONSE IMPROVEMENTS During rough seas or when vessels are tight-harbor manoeuvring, transient

Savings are visible in real time

Marine Propulsion & Auxiliary Machinery | April/May 2018

“OPERATING IN A NORTH SEA ENVIRONMENT, ONE OSV ACHIEVED 7% [FUEL SAVINGS] OVER A 23-WEEK PERIOD, WITH WEEKLY SAVINGS RANGING FROM 2%-14% DEPENDING ON THE VESSEL LOADS”

there is sometimes a single digit percent NOx reduction, stemming from the MEOdriven load allocation. The second way MEO can reduce NOx emissions is still in development, but is expected to be available in 2018. This is through the use of Cat proprietary NOx emission maps to drive engine use, instead of using fuel consumption performance maps. The use of these NOx emission maps will have a substantial effect on NOx reduction, often in the double digits and at times reaching above 30%. It should be noted that the use of these NOx emission maps will increase fuel use substantially above that which would have been consumed using the fuel optimisation maps. Caterpillar has run simulations based on data from

Cat data loggers installed on a research vessel that showed NOx reductions from the use of fuel maps in the 8.5% range and savings from the use of NOx maps in the 25% range. WHO BENEFITS AND HOW? MEO has a different value proposition depending on a company's or person’s role relative to a vessel and on the vessel application. Owners have the broadest set of potential benefits depending on the nature of their application. Clearly fuel savings can benefit the owners and there is a strong and clear correlation of value that exists, no matter the effect of contractor supplied fuel, operating company internal expenses, or regulatory environment. Designers too, have a unique value relationship to MEO. Designers will not directly participate in the fuel, emission or maintenance cost savings, but MEO does offer them the ability to design better vessels, not only through more efficient designs, but also through greater vessel design flexibility, reducing weight, dispersing engine installation locations and better matching vessel design to operational characteristics. The list of benefits will also likely extend to maintenance personnel (by increasing the time between overhauls), shipyards, via the engine match-up flexibility enabled by MEO, and system integrators, who will be able to supply a system integration product with best-in-class fuel, emission, maintenance and transient capability at a relatively low incremental cost. MP

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80 | MARINE INTELLIGENCE

Don't believe the hype Wärtsilä’s chief digital officer is not seduced by the digital hype

Wärtsilä’s chief digital officer Marco Ryan calls the maritime industry “incredibly progressive“

n his keynote presentation at the European Marine Intelligence Conference in Hamburg near the end of May, Wärtsilä chief digital officer Marco Ryan will present five things every maritime business must start doing now to stake a claim in the new digital world. In advance of these edicts, we present five other things you can expect from Wärtsilä’s selfdescribed ‘digital head chef’. 1. He questions assumptions (very literally, he often speaks in question form). 2. He believes in the power of data, not digital hype. 3. His recipe for creating digital solutions is pragmatism, combining technologies, testing, learning and trying again. 4. He characterises the marine industry as “incredibly progressive” and “one of the most open industries to

Marine Propulsion & Auxiliary Machinery | April/May 2018

change” he has worked in. 5. For him, the future holds growth not in number of vessels, but in use of technology on board and in intelligent, efficient operations. Marine Propulsion: Let’s start with the theme of the conference. In your mind, what are the most impactful transformations that digital technologies are currently creating within the shipping industry? Marco Ryan: I think it is very easy to be seduced by the hype of digital. There is a lot of talk of new partnerships and focus on autonomous vessels. And these are really important topics, and of course we all have a view on them. But they are somewhat difficult to define, and they are somewhat intangible ... When we look at digital transformation … for (Wärtsilä) it is very much about, ‘How do you create value differently?' We are very much focused on helping [our customers] look at operational efficiency and using data analytics and insights and new tools to really optimise the voyagemanagement component. We are really looking at ‘What happens when you are a company like Wärtsilä where you have got such a massive product portfolio?’ If you connect that portfolio differently, and if you share insights, what ways can you transform how the industry operates?’ We see the transformation (to digital) not as a destination, but as a shared journey. And I think that shared journey requires us to use technology – use data, use analytics, use insight

… and use those in a way that drives real value, rather than just following the hype curve and trying to suggest a world that is still quite some distance off. Because [the transition to digital] needs to be tangible, it needs to give real benefit quickly. MP: Where do you see the most uptake and growth in emerging digital technologies in shipping? MR: That is not an easy one to answer, because I think there is an element of, ‘Where can we see stuff that has an impact that we all understand now?’ … If you look at the industry and the way Wärtsilä approaches our own transformation – as well as the transformation of the industry – [we believe] you have got to transform the core. It might involve new technology, but it requires that technology being used and commercialised differently. So, we look at it in two ways: transform the core and grow the new. If you look at it in terms of use of technology … immediate things that we can see having an impact right now are particularly things around data analytics, deep learning (algorithms that enable machine learning) – all of that sort of AI technology, which is really about helping you get insight from existing data. Now, the focus of the moment is very much on operational data, on driving efficiency, on optimising the sea leg, on safety, on using tools to help us do what we currently do better, more efficiently. And then there are – if you look at ‘growing the

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MARINE INTELLIGENCE | 81

new’ – there are things like, ‘What is the impact of additive manufacturing?’ ‘What is the impact of blockchain?’ … But I’m really interested, for example, in a combination [of technologies] … Where one thing happens on its own, we’ll get some cost efficiencies. And I guess the bit that many are struggling to work out is ‘What is the net? What is the combination of a blockchain with AI, with hybrid … that creates new opportunities?’ But Wärtsilä is being very pragmatic. We look at technologies, we are constantly evaluating, testing, learning, trying. Trying to see where the hype is, what the combination of the opportunities are, where the value can be, how quickly you can prove something. And trying to run very pragmatic tests to help the industry understand that this is about applying technology to find value, not just technology for the sake of technology. … So, we are in a unique position compared to some of our competitors that we have the largest product portfolio, and we have an energy business that gives us a very different insight into energy management and storage and things like that, so there are all the components. A lot of this has happened in the last 18 months, acquisitions

A Wärtsilä vision of a potential ‘smart shipping‘ future

that we have done, so we are aggressively trying to build that … new confluence to deliver that perfect … solution. But it takes time, and because of IMO regulations and all sorts of other things, these are not things that you would necessarily just do immediately. There is a heartbeat to the maritime industry which is different from, perhaps, other industries. MP: What can be done to break free from these conservative constraints in the shipping industry?

The engine room of passenger ferry Viking Grace

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MR: I would challenge slightly the words you used. They are your words, not mine. I would never characterise the marine industry as conservative. I think it is incredibly progressive. I think there are so many companies looking at innovation, new ways of working [and] trying to do things. It is perhaps one of the most open industries to change that I have worked in. I think there are some brakes on how fast that change can happen for perfectly good reasons: safety, regulatory compliance, environmental emissions and so on, that means change simply cannot happen overnight. And I think we all understand that. It does not mean we do not get frustrated that it does not happen faster, but I think we all understand the reason that those constraints are there. And I think the other thing is that, historically, this has been a very capital-intensive industry. Therefore – because of the sheer numbers and size in building a vessel – typically, the payback is over multiple years, tens of years, which means that the pace of change is

partly governed by that capital expenditure model, historically. Now, I think what is really interesting is just how much of the industry is looking at every part of that value chain – from the financiers, to the builders, to the operators, to the charterers, to the owners … and saying ‘How sustainable is this, given the pace of technology change?’ So I think there are really good questions being asked, but I do not think we have all the answers yet. So that is why we keep seeing dramatic change. There is a common parlance that this is a conservative, regulated industry. It is certainly regulated, it certainly has long timeframes. I do not know if that makes it conservative, it is just the dynamic of the industry. But I think there are very clear signs of change. We are one of the companies – there are plenty of others – who are very progressive in their thinking, who are really just trying to find a way to really drive value. MP This is a truncated version of the full interview. For a full read, visit mpropulsion.com

Marine Propulsion & Auxiliary Machinery | April/May 2018

82 | MARINE INTELLIGENCE

Shipping industry “still very conservative in adopting new technologies”

arine Propulsion caught up with Caterpillar business development manager Bert Ritscher for a Q&A ahead of his appearance at the European Marine Intelligence Conference in Hamburg near the end of May. Mr Ritscher said, in his experience, the shipping industry remained cautious about the uptake of new technologies, but that the tide is turning. Marine Propulsion: How big is the marine intelligence market in terms of vessels or dollars, and how does it segment, in your opinion? BR: Whether you look at vessels or revenue, it is impossible to put a number on the analytics or intelligence market. The reason is a solid analytics platform covers such a broad scope of content, or systems, on different vessel classes that you cannot say it is a one-to-one ratio. One vessel does not equal one analytics package. We have vessels with over 250 analytics models and others with only four. The revenue question is probably as hard to answer as the size of the market. Gainsharing is a fair way to take a solid analytics program showing real savings and pay for performance. But this can be risky if the gainsharing amount is dramatically large or both parties cannot determine a baseline. A more conservative business model is the service subscription, which seems to be the most comfortable place for now, with some exceptions. MP: In some of your case studies, you cite total vessel monitoring technology as having the potential to save millions in operating costs and repairs. Does monitoring and prediction have the highest potential for cost savings among digital technologies in the near term, or do others offer greater savings? BR: It does have a very high potential. One area is the savings that can be made to optimise operational procedures by providing insight on how equipment is truly operating

in comparison with other equipment, vessels, and even fleets of vessels. Another area of savings is to avoid catastrophic breakdowns of major systems. No one wants to speak about them, but we all know that they happen from time to time and the repair or replacement of equipment and unexpected downtime costs are extremely high. Technology is helping reduce and sometimes even eliminate risk, while increasing efficiency in operations, equipment, and safety – which can bring significant cost savings to the end user. MP: How is Caterpillar leveraging the potential for savings and profit in the shipping industry in its own business plans? BR: We want to start building more gainsharing models with customers. This way, our demonstrated performance directly relates – in profit through savings for our customers and revenue to Caterpillar. We always see value because both agreements, service or gainsharing, bring the customer closer to the Caterpillar dealer network and enable us to play to our strengths. MP: Where is shipping with respect

Bert Ritscher: We want to start building more gainsharing models with customers

Marine Propulsion & Auxiliary Machinery | April/May 2018

to other industries in incorporating these innovative and disruptive technologies? BR: A lot of times, shipping is compared with the aerospace industry in terms of using smart technologies to enable CBM (condition-based maintenance). Aerospace is way ahead of marine – by more than just a few years – and there are many roadblocks deterring the marine industry [from catching up]. The high cost of offboarding the data and shipbuilding designs are a few of the struggles. Also, standardisation is not a common practice, either at the point of selection of assets or in data interfaces. MP: What can be done to break free from the shackles of conservatism in the shipping industry, in order to rapidly increase innovation and adoption of new technology? Good question. As mentioned earlier, the shipping industry is still very conservative in adopting new technologies, we still see customers being afraid of too many electronics on their critical assets like engines and propulsion. This can only be solved through quality of innovation, robust engineering, more standardisation of data interfaces and competitive pressure from the early adoptors of new technology, when they are using and are actually seeing an advantage in operation. MP: When are we likely to see widespread uptake of these transformational digital technologies in shipping? BR: It will come, for sure, but I do not have a crystal ball that can answer when. In the last two years, the messages and feedback we have been hearing from our customers has changed from: “Why do we need such technology? Why is it good for my organisation? And, what is the value?” to “What is the right solution for my business? How can we make the transition as easy as possible? Who has the best concept and what kind of supplier is best for us?” MP This is a truncated version of the full interview. For a full read, visit mpropulsion.com

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FUELS AND LUBES | 85

Water in fuel? The ‘crazy’ solution to reduce NOx APL’s solution to reducing NOx emissions from the shipping industry targets efficiencies to significantly reduce costs

look of incredulity when explaining the technology behind her company’s nitrous oxide (NOx) reduction solution is nothing new to Blue Ocean Solutions’ Kaisa Honkanen “As crazy as it sounds, yes, we add water into the fuel, and we create this homogeneous mix. This is not something new. This has been used for decades, and the main reason has been to reduce NOx,” she told the Sulphur Cap 2020 Conference in Amsterdam. “It’s pretty straightforward. You add water, you cool the combustion temperature, and therefore the NOx goes down.” Ms Honkanen said Blue Ocean Solutions’ focus since the group began developing its technology in 2011 has been on increasing the fuel atomisation to improve the fuel spray, which ultimately reduces costs. “When it comes to the 2020 0.5% sulphur cap, one thing I can say for sure is an increase in cost will be inevitable – whether it’s capex or opex,” she said. “There is a lot of uncertainty and it seems that the industry is not prepared at all for the sulphur cap. It’s

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like everyone is looking at each other. Refineries – shipowners, shipowners – refineries. A lot of uncertainty.” “There are options, but they all come with different challenges. You can switch to compliant fuel, but that comes with expected operational costs, such as installing a scrubber,” she said. “There’s LNG, methanol, onboard desulphurisation - but they all come with a cost, and I am sure the 2019 ballast water system [mandate] will not help the cash-flow situation either.” Ms Honkanen estimated that the shipping sector will face US$24Bn to US$60Bn in annual spending to meet new regulations. Owners can find the best solution for their businesses, she said, but they cannot escape the increase in cost. Outlining how her company's technology can help mitigate this expected cost increase, she noted that having the optimal emulsion of water to fuel is key. “It is 10%. That is the optimum amount,” she said, adding, “the characteristics of the water [molecules] are important as well. They have to be between two and eight microns.” Ms Honkanen said her

Kaisa Honkanen: We can reduce NOx down to 20%

company does not use any chemical additives to keep costs down. So why add the water? “We can [reduce NOx] down to 20%,” she said. The water also has a cleaning effect, she explained, offering cleaner exhaust, less particulate matter and less soot, also complementing scrubbers very well. There are also cost savings, due to increased fuel efficiency: “We have consistent [fuel] savings of between 2% and 5%,” she said. “The way we improve the efficiency is we have the water in fuel. When it is injected into the combustion chamber it explodes and that explosive effect breaks the fuel into smaller droplets and we get a more complete combustion.” APL has installed the

system on 11 ships to date and a case study on an American President Line ship showed the potential for savings. “From four months of consecutive data, at 36% utilisation per year, the average cost saving was 3.8%, meaning a US$108,150 saving,” she said. That equates to a potential US$2.1M in savings with 80% usage on nine ships, explained Ms Honkanen. On the 2020 sulphur cap, Ms Honkanen said that it is important that her group can emulsify water into HFO and also MGO. “We expect that, especially with MGO, low-sulphur fuel, the cap will be even higher, so the savings will also be higher,” she said. “Every drop matters, both in terms of the bottom line and the environment.” MP

Marine Propulsion & Auxiliary Machinery | April/May 2018

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ENERGY STORAGE | 87

Growing use of hybrid energy storage systems among high-spec supply ships US-based owner Seacor has decided to fit battery-based hybrid energy storage systems on several of its vessels

espite the difficult nature of the offshore support vessel market, a growing number of owners are fitting ships with environmentally friendly, fuel-efficient hybrid energy storage systems. The latest company to do so is Seacor Marine Holdings, which has formed a joint company with COSCO Shipping Group that plans to acquire and operate eight platform supply vessels (PSVs). The company, SEACOSCO Offshore LLC, will be a jointly owned Marshall Islands company and has entered into contracts for the acquisition of eight Rolls-Royce designed PSVs from COSCO Heavy Industry in China. Six of the PSVs are of UT 771WP design, and two are of UT 771CD design. SEACOSCO will take title to seven of the PSVs in 2018 and one in 2019. Thereafter, the shipyard, at their cost, will store the PSVs for six to 18 months. The storage period can be shortened by mutual agreement. SEACOSCO has contracted with Rolls-Royce Marine to outfit six of the PSVs with a battery energy storage system designed to reduce fuel consumption and enhance the safety and redundancy of the vessels. This follows Seacor Marine’s recent order for battery energy storage systems on four large PSVs in Mexico. The delivery includes energy storage container systems for the vessel, an upgrade of the existing Rolls-Royce ship design engineering package to match the new features, an upgrade of

the dynamic positioning system and ACON control system on the vessels and a new Rolls-Royce energy monitoring system, which will provide a complete overview of energy usage on board. Seacor Marine’s chief executive John Gellert said: “We are excited to partner with COSCO Shipping Group. We are confident that we have structured a transaction that meets the needs of the shipyard while also managing the cash outlay from the equity owners. “The vessels will modernise our fleet and expand our offerings to our customers. Combining a proven and advanced design, bestin-category accommodation and the innovative Rolls-Royce battery system, these vessels will be highly marketable across all major offshore energy regions worldwide.” SEACOSCO will be funded 30% with equity and 70% with debt financing secured by the PSVs on a non-recourse basis to the equity owners. Aggregate total consideration for the eight PSVs, including the battery system, is approximately US$161.1M. Seacor Marine’s total cash outlay is approximately US$22.4M, with approximately US$20.0M payable in Q1 2018 and the balance due over the next 14 months as vessels and the Rolls-Royce battery equipment are delivered. Seacor Marine will be responsible for commercial, operational and technical management of the vessels on a worldwide basis under a separate management agreement with SEACOSCO. In a related deal, Kongsberg has secured a contract to upgrade a further three PSVs owned by Mantenimiento Express Marítimo SAPI de CV (Mexmar), Seacor Marine’s joint venture in Mexico. The contract follows a September 2017 deal for the same upgrade package on Seacor Maya. Under the new contract, Kongsberg will deliver and install a hybrid power and dynamic positioning upgrade designed to significantly enhance energy efficiency on board the three PSVs Seacor Azteca, Seacor Warrior and Seacor Viking. With Seacor Maya’s conversion starting this month and the follow-up vessel conversions expected to be completed by July 2018, Mexmar will soon be the only PSV owner in the Americas able to help its clients meet strict environmental regulations for decreasing CO2, NOx and SOx emissions.

SAFETY CONCERNS – IS THE INDUSTRY DOING ENOUGH?

Six PSVs operated by Seacor are to be fitted with battery energy storage systems

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As more vessels enter service with battery-based energy systems, so questions have sometimes been asked about safety concerns surrounding the use of lithium energy storage systems. PBES director of marketing Grant Brown, said: “The technology has proven itself reliable and powerful. However, safety concerns still linger and should be kept at the utmost of considerations for this new technology. Not all battery systems are equipped with the same safety systems. Testing and certification for battery systems has increased, but there is room to raise the bar,” he said, citing concerns about thermal runaway. MP

Marine Propulsion & Auxiliary Machinery | April/May 2018

88 | POWERTALK

Remembering Captain Bob Maxwell C

Robert Maxwell, 1961-2018

aptain Bob Maxwell, who sadly passed away last month aged 56, was an astute reader of future technical trends and an engaging and knowledgeable technical expert in the tanker industry. As the industry comes to grips with his loss, we would like to revisit an insightful interview with Captain Maxwell conducted by Tanker Shipping & Trade for the 2018 Industry Leaders publication, featuring the 50 most influential people in the trade. In the interview, the clarity with which Captain Maxwell discussed the momentous changes facing the industry left no doubt as to why he held the position of managing director at one of the world’s largest ship management companies, Bernhard Schulte Shipmanagement. Recognising the reality of increased automation in shipping, Captain Maxwell said the trend towards smarter ships was being driven by a need for improved energy efficiency and impending regulations. “Increased automation is certainly coming our way,” he said. “If it means totally unmanned ships or a step in that direction, we would be foolish to pretend that it will not happen.” Captain Maxwell, however, said that a significant impact from big data would take longer than many in the industry currently expect. “The number of sensors and measuring devices required to accurately monitor machine and vessel performance is underestimated, and there is also a misperception that this information will be reviewed by humans ashore instead of on board. Proper digitisation means that computers will do the analysis and produce alerts and reports based on trends, but it does not remove the crew from the process,” he explained. The realm of engine management would remain on board, at least for the time being, he said, until predictive technology becomes more reliable. “Too often we have seen examples of bearings flagged for change by vibration-analysis surveys only for engineers to test them manually and declare they are still OK,” he said. Captain Maxwell also predicted technological advances would make the working lives of seafarers easier by reducing administrative burdens. Digital ship certificates will replace paper, and compliance

Marine Propulsion & Auxiliary Machinery | April/May 2018

checks will become more efficient. Ultimately, Captain Maxwell felt that the conservative nature of the shipping industry will keep the pace of change slower than many other observers foresee. “We need to ensure that we give our employees the right tools for the job in the 21st century and that we set realistic expectations, rather than sticking to the old ‘this is how we used to do it’ mantra.” Announcing his passing, BSM cited among his many laudable attributes Captain Maxwell’s mentorship and steadfast commitment to promoting professional development among both shore-based and ship-based personnel. “Known by his many friends and industry colleagues as a forward thinker and a great mentor, [Bob] continuously encouraged his people to take opportunities for self-development,” the company’s statement read. “Bob was not only supportive with his shore personnel, but also with cadets. Until recently he was involved in a global programme aiming at enhancing the professional development and career of the cadets. “Those who have been fortunate enough to know and work with Bob have lost an outstanding colleague and a dear friend. No words can express our sadness at Bob’s passing or our gratitude for the opportunity to work with him.” Riviera Maritime Media head of content Edwin Lampert commented: “Together with the wider Riviera team I was very saddened to learn of Bob’s passing. My first contact with Bob was by phone when he was managing director at Donnelly Tanker Management. I cold-called him in connection with a Cyprus piece for Tanker Shipping & Trade. Not only did he take the call, but Bob was generous with his time and knowledge and these characteristics never wavered. We would go on to meet many times over the years. And Bob was of course a sought after – and eminently quotable – keynote speaker at Riviera events. He was always warm and engaging and extremely well-informed. His legacy lives on in the wisdom he shared and the fine example he set.” Captain Bob Maxwell served as managing director of BSM Singapore from 2014 to 2018. MP

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ON THE HORIZON | 91

IMO deal charts course to halve emissions by 2050

he IMO has agreed a milestone framework to reduce total annual global shipping emissions by 50% over 2008 levels by the middle of the 21st century. The majority of IMO’s 173 member states voiced support for the initial strategy on greenhouse gas (GHG) reductions from shipping during the 72nd session of the Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) in London on 13 April. With much public attention focused on IMO and the potential for an emissions cap agreement at the MEPC 72 meeting, more than 70 delegations took the chance to convey their official views on the agreement. Several states took the opportunity to say the document could and should do more to cut shipping emissions. Voices calling for higher levels of reduction included those from within the European Union as well as Pacific Island nations, whose low-lying shores are some of the most vulnerable to the effects (including sea-level rise and severe weather events) that arise from greenhouse gas emissions. Dissenting voices came from the United States and Saudi Arabia, who reserved their positions to the terms of the framework. Brazil, Russia, India and Iran were among the countries strongly expressing concerns or reserving their positions on various sections of the document, with many opposed to its “levels of ambition”. Under its “Levels of Ambition” section, the initial strategy says GHG emissions from shipping should peak as soon as possible, be at 50% of 2008 levels by 2050 and that the industry should pursue efforts towards phasing out emissions entirely. The stated goal from the document is to completely decarbonise the shipping industry by the end of the 21st century. Well into the afternoon session, MEPC chair Hideaki Saito announced the adoption, and, after a round of applause, the Chinese delegation followed up with a statement referencing US astronaut Neil Armstrong’s well-known first words broadcast from the

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1969 Apollo 11 moon landing. International shipping bodies with consultative status at IMO, including BIMCO and International Chamber of Shipping, also reacted positively to the decision. BIMCO deputy secretary general and delegate at the IMO meeting Lars Robert Pedersen said: “IMO has done something no one has done before: set an absolute target for emissions reductions for an entire industry. It is a landmark achievement in the effort to reduce emissions, and something that every other industry should look to for inspiration.” In his prepared remarks, ICS secretary general Peter Hinchliffe referenced the landmark 2015 Paris Agreement to which the IMO GHG framework is tied through, among other things,a specific reference to “a pathway of CO2 emissions reduction consistent with the Paris Agreement temperature goals.” “This is a ground-breaking agreement – a Paris Agreement for shipping – that sets a very high level of ambition for the future reduction of CO2 emissions,” he said. “We are confident this will give the shipping industry the clear signal it needs to get on with the job of developing zero CO2 fuels, so that the entire sector will be in a position to decarbonise completely, consistent with the 1.5°C climate change goal.”

The strategy, as adopted, includes the guiding principle of “common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities” (CBDR—RC), a UN principle contained within the Paris Agreement that mitigates the responsibilities on developing countries of fighting climate change, placing more responsibility on developed countries. Several states expressed concern over the inclusion of the CBDR—RC principle, notably Canada. Others lauded the inclusion of CBDR—RC and related instruments to promote increased financial flows, technology transfer and capacity building between developed countries and the UN-termed Least Developed Countries (LDC) and Small Island Developing States (SIDS), notably the Philippines and Indonesia. The agreement also includes IMO’s “no more favourable treatment” principle to ensure regulation is applied equally to all vessels. The MEPC will continue to convene and review the terms of the agreement over the next five years, before a long-term strategy is developed in 2023 to replace the initial strategy. IMO will undertake a data collection project on greenhouse gas emissions from vessels between 2019 and 2021 to provide a statistical foundation for reaching consensus on decarbonisation goals. MP

IMO‘s MEPC adopted a draft agreement on the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions from ships

Marine Propulsion & Auxiliary Machinery | April/May 2018

92 | BUNKER BULLETIN

IBIA chairman: post-2020 a ‘varied, multi-fuel future’ A

s the newly-appointed chair of the International Bunker Industry Association (IBIA), Michael Green has quite a lot on his plate. His biggest focus is an industry fuels landscape perched on the edge of a historic regulatory change, in the form of the IMO’s 2020 cap on sulphur. Marine Propulsion caught up with Mr Green to get his thoughts on the subject.

IBIA chairman Michael Green: focus is on the 2020 sulphur cap

MARINE PROPULSION: CONGRATULATIONS ON THE RECENT APPOINTMENT AS IBIA CHAIRMAN. WHERE WILL YOUR PRIMARY AREAS OF FOCUS BE DURING YOUR TERM IN OFFICE? The obvious area of focus has to be 2020. There is so much being discussed in relation to fuel options, fuel availability, issues surrounding compliance and non-compliance as well as the short-term and long-term implications for the whole of the bunkering industry. As the voice of the global bunker industry, IBIA cannot possibly ignore the impact that 2020 will have on all stakeholders. But we also have to take a wider viewpoint, and this is mirrored by the initiatives being examined currently within the IBIA working groups. However, beyond that, the work being undertaken with regard to the Supplier’s Guide to Best Practice and the IBIA Guide to Best Ethical Practice aims to offer support to members in areas outside of the continued 2020 debate. It is perfectly clear that life will continue after 1 January 2020, and IBIA members have shown a significant appetite to explore wider concerns, such as unethical behaviour in the industry. AROUND THESE ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS AND THE IMPENDING 2020 SULPHUR CAP, WHERE DO YOU SEE THE INDUSTRY MOVING IN TERMS OF MEETING THE REGULATIONS? This is a very interesting question and was a key topic for discussion at the recent IBIA Africa Bunkering Conference hosted by the Port of Tenerife. The overriding message was there is not a one-size-fits-all solution – something which is not a new idea but was brought home particularly when looking at the projected numbers in relation

Marine Propulsion & Auxiliary Machinery | April/May 2018

to expected uptake of alternative compliance solutions such as exhaust gas cleaning systems, LNG, LPG, methanol and others. In the short term, it is likely that the industry will choose a fuel solution – either in the form of a distillate product or a 0.5% sulphur fuel. However, given where we sit currently as far as time is concerned, the key objective now is simply ensuring vessels are compliant by midnight on 31 December 2019. Beyond that point, the real work will begin when looking at long-term compliance options. All members of the bunkering chain will have to look carefully at their current position, see where they want to be in the next five to 10 years and assess which options are best suited to allowing them to achieve this. The only thing that we can be sure of is it will most certainly be a varied, multi-fuel future. HOW ABOUT EUROPE – WHAT MAJOR ISSUES DO YOU SEE IN PLAY THERE? HOW DO YOU FORESEE REFINERS PLANNING TO DEAL WITH THE UPCOMING SOX CAP, FOR INSTANCE? In looking at what we have seen so far – inasmuch as Europe has experienced a number of legislative step changes over the years – I would think that Europe should be reasonably well equipped to deal with the 0.5% sulphur cap. Europe has been at the head of legislative reform in that it has experienced significant changes on a global and a regional level. If we look at the timeline, we have seen step changes at a global level of 5% to 4.5% and 3.5% sulphur, while the ECAs and EU regulations have seen changes in requirements from 1.5% to 1% and 0.1% fuels. In experiencing these changes, there have been bumps in the road in relation to availability of compliant products as well as quality, but you cannot possibly go through such a wide range of changes without having garnered a significant degree of knowledge in relation to what happens in the build-up to, and immediate aftermath of, a major legislative shift. It is extremely difficult to judge exactly what we will see in relation to the split in demand for ULSFOs, VLSFOs and distillate, but given the familiarity with the type of product available in Europe currently, the transition is likely to be smoother here than in other parts of the world. MP

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