DNV: biofuels are key to meeting marine emissions targets - Biofuels Digest

Well written and makes his case well - but not sure that Biofules is the best current option - with the LNG a possible option available and more engine manufactures looking to offer it as a potential alternative - 

Posted  - January 28, 2013 -Jim Lane - Biofuels Digest

“Biofuels stands out as the best option, considering the overall environmental, safety and security impacts.”

Volatile costs for fossil fuels and rising concerns over emissions. “A doubling of present CO2 emissions by 2050 if we do nothing.” A share of “for at least 10% of global emissions in 2050, as compared to 3% today, if measures are not taken.”
Sounds a lot like aviation, right?
Well, in this case, it is the marine shipping industry. Shipping risk management giant DNV has identified those factors in an update of its landmark (2009) Pathways study, noting that “with rising fuel prices and impending environmental regulations, the pressure is on for more efficient and environmentally friendly ships.”
Back in 2009, the task was daunting enough: reducing CO2 emissions by 15 % on the existing
world shipping fleet and by 30 % on of the predicted global fleet in 2030. Now, DNV has taken its analysis out to 2050, and determined that a 60% reduction in emissions is required by that time.
“If shipping should be required to reach emission levels in 2050 consistent with a global 2oC stabilisation target, we need to do more than stabilizing emissions at present level. To achieve the 2oC target, the shipping sector must reduce CO2 emissions by 60 % from today’s emission level”, says Magnus Strandmyr Eide, Senior Researcher at DNV Research & Innovation and main author of DNVs pathways study.

Here’s the upside

From DNV: “History has shown that the maritime sector can be quick to adopt new fuels, should the right incentives be in place; in the age of the steamships, in the short decade between 1914 and 1922, the percentage of vessels using oil rather than coal in their boilers increased from 3% to 24%.”

Here’s the downside

Again, from DNV. ˇAs in the 1920s the main driver for such a shift today is fuel price and energy efficiency.”
In short, though the driver is carbon concern, the mechanism will be price, and there is continuing questions as to the extent to which the cost carbon will be internalized within the fuel. Right now it is almost fully externalized, and shipping companies do not pay directly for the global weather impact of their carbon emissions.

Here’s demand, for better or worse depending on your outlook

Overall demand is growing. According to Purvin & Gertz, bunker fuel demand has been growing at an average rate of 4% since 1995. It’s expected to reach 275 million tons by 2015 and more than 300 million tons by 2020.

Technology options

The options are limited because of the nature of shipping and the need for stored energy. The technologies are, in general, three in number. Liquefied natural gas, which offers a 20 percent reduction in emissions; biofuels, which offer a 50%+ reduction, and nuclear, which offers a 100% reduction.
The 60 percent target makes clear the promise and limitations of, say, liquefied natural gas — it just doesn’t get the industry anywhere near its mid-range, much less long range targets.
“It is realised that other pathways are possible,” the study says, “e.g. by including technologies currently very costly or immature, or through technological breakthroughs which are not identified, but which should be expected. From the existing alternatives, the introduction and use of biofuels stands out as the best option, considering the overall environmental, safety and security impacts.”
Interesting in this study — the dramatic impact of biofuels, based on current technologies, when carbon prices reach $100 per metric ton.

The limitations

Here are the limitations the study indicates on known technologies:
LNG
One challenge for shipping is that LNG tanks typically require 2 to 3 times more space than a fuel oil tank. Since natural gas must be stored either liquefied or compressed, these storage tanks are also more expensive. Based on recent experience, the new-build cost of LNG-fuelled ships is between 10 and 15 % higher than for equivalent diesel-fuelled ships.
Biofuels
Widespread use of biofuel in shipping will depend on price, other incentives, and availability in sufficient volumes. Breakthroughs in production methods, enabling use of previously untapped feedstock and avoiding competition with food production, are expected.
Nuclear
The main barriers to nuclear shipping are related to uncontrolled proliferation of nuclear material, decommissioning and storage of radioactive waste, the significant investment costs, and societal acceptance. Although several hundred nuclear-powered navy vessels exist, few nuclear-powered merchant ships have been built.

The bottom line for biofuels

One aspect we note – residual heavy fuel oils are less costly to produce – requiring less upgrading than, say, aviation biofuels. But given the price and performance requirements of the shipping industry — and the likely competitive response of traditional fuel suppliers — there are two requirements.
1. Expansion of this market will clearly require a carbon element in pricing (or a low-carbon standard), to eliminate the advantage that fuel suppliers have in producing high-emission fuels.
2. Feedstock costs lower than $50 per ton, at current prices, are likely to be required to stay competitive with fossil fuels on price.
 


http://www.biofuelsdigest.com/bdigest/2013/01/28/dnv-biofuels-are-key-to-meeting-marine-emissions-targets/-

Hong Kong low sulfur marine fuel demand yet to rise despite incentive program - Hellenic Shipping News Worldwide

Posted - Friday - January 25, 201 - Hellenic Shipping News Worldwide

Low sulfur marine fuel demand in Hong Kong has yet to rise, despite an incentive scheme launched in September last year encouraging use of the more environmentally friendly grade, industry sources said Thursday.
"Demand for low sulfur fuel is the same as before [the incentive scheme started in September]," said a bunker supplier based in Hong Kong.
Demand has not increased because using low sulfur fuel is not mandatory, suggested another supplier.
The Hong Kong government started a three-year incentive scheme on September 26 last year for using low sulfur marine fuel, with the maximum sulfur content below 0.5%.
This is much lower than the ISO 8217:2005 standard of a maximum sulfur content of 1.5% for marine gasoil, and this standard is widely accepted by the industry. The International Maritime Organization, however, allows the use of marine fuel oil with a maximum sulfur content of up to 3.5% except in the Emission Control Areas - Baltic Sea, North Sea and North America.
Under the scheme, ocean going vessels calling at Hong Kong will get a 50% discount on port facilities and light dues of HK$43 ($5.55) for every 100 tons of the vessel, if they consume marine fuel with a sulfur content of less than 0.5% at the berth.
About 12% of ocean going vessels, or 839 vessels, calling in Hong Kong, applied for the incentive scheme over September-December last year, a spokesperson at the Environmental Protection Department said Thursday.
"[Emissions by] ocean going vessels while at berth accounts for about 40% of their total emissions within Hong Kong waters," said the department on its website. "The use of low sulfur fuel can substantially reduce air pollution at locations close to their berthing areas," it added.
Hong Kong sells about 500,000 mt/month of bunker fuel.
Source: Platts

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HK low sulphur law could be in by next year - Thursday, 24 January 2013 | 16:58

Posted - Thursday, 24 January 2013 | 16:58 -Thursday, 24 January 2013 | 16:58

A law mandating that ocean-going vessels use of low sulphur fuel at berth in Hong Kong can be in place next year at the earliest, undersecretary for the environment Christine Loh Kung-wai said.
Hong Kong would be the first city in Asia to have such a law on vessel emissions if it is passed.
Source: Seatrade-Asia

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Pathways toward Low Carbon Shipping - Hellenic Shipping News Worldwide

Posted - Wednesday, 23 January 2013 | 00:00 - Hellenic Shipping News Worldwide

Possible pathways to reduce CO2 emissions from shipping are published in a new DNV Research & Innovation position paper, giving directions for more environmentally friendly seaborne trade. The shipping sector is quickly becoming responsible for an increased part of the world’s carbon dioxide emissions, due to its heavy dependency on fossil fuels combined with growth in international seaborne trade. CO2 emissions from ships could count for at least 10% of global emissions in 2050, as compared to 3% today, if measures are not taken. With rising fuel prices and impending environmental regulations, the pressure is on for more efficient and environmentally friendly ships.
DNVs pathways study shows a doubling of present CO2 emissions by 2050 if we do nothing. It further shows that uptake of operational and technical measures combined with biofuels and LNG give a cost effective CO2 reduction potential of 50% in 2050. However, if CO2 emissions from shipping are halved by 2050, the relative share of global emissions contributed by shipping would still be double of what it is today, since other industries improve. Hence, more must be done to stay at par.
“If shipping should be required to reach emission levels in 2050 consistent with a global 2oC stabilisation target, we need to do more than stabilising emissions at present level. To achieve the 2oC target, the shipping sector must reduce CO2 emissions by 60 % from today’s emission level”, says Magnus Strandmyr Eide, Senior Researcher at DNV Research & Innovation and main author of DNVs pathways study.
The study has identified two plausible pathways for the 2oC target for shipping; either allowing for nuclear power, or by providing financial incentives for biofuel. It is realised that other pathways are possible, e.g. by including technologies currently very costly or immature, or through technological breakthroughs which are not identified, but which should be expected. From the existing alternatives, the introduction and use of biofuels stands out as the best option, considering the overall environmental, safety and security impacts.
Widespread use of biofuel in shipping depends on price, incentives and availability in sufficient volume. To capitalise on the potential, action must be taken by ship-owners, technology developers and regulators. This includes development of full scale on board prototyping and testing, as well as infrastructure development for bunkering.
Source: DNV 

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Christine Loh offers time frame for cleaner fuel law for ocean vessels - South China Morning Post HK

Posted - Monday, 21 January, 2013, 12:00am- Phila Siu phila.siu@scmp.com

It will take several years for the government to introduce onshore electricity power facilities at the Kai Tak cruise terminal but a law requiring ocean-going vessels berthing at the city to use cleaner fuel can be in place next year at the earliest.
Undersecretary for the Environment Christine Loh Kung-wai made these remarks at a forum yesterday when challenged by green activists about emission levels after the Kai Tak cruise terminal opens in June.
According to the think tank Civic Exchange, vessels visiting Ocean Terminal emitted 252 tonnes of sulphur dioxide in 2007 - comparable to the 286 tonnes of vehicle emissions in Hong Kong in 2010.
Loh said the government planned to build onshore electricity facilities for cruises berthing at the Kai Tak terminal as soon as possible, but it could take several years.
She said the government first needed to draft a proposal, which then has to be passed by the Legislative Council's environmental affairs panel and the Finance Committee. The next step would be to invite a tender. The whole process would take several years, she said.
Explaining why the government had not introduced the measure before now, Loh said: "There had been no international standard on how it should be done until around the middle of last year. Now that we know how to do it, it [the standard] will be very useful to us in the future."
Loh also said that the government planned to introduce a law next year at the earliest requiring all ocean-going vessels - not just cruises - to use fuel with a cleaner sulphur content when in the city.
Hong Kong would be the first city in Asia to have this law if it were passed, although some European countries already had it, Loh said.
"We are determined … we need to protect Hongkongers' health," she said.
Other speakers at the forum, including Friends of the Earth's senior environmental affairs officer Melonie Chau Yuet-cheung, agreed these two measures needed to be taken.
But they wanted more to be done as the Kai Tak cruise terminal will open in June, meaning there will be a "time gap" in between.
"Vehicles do not generate the most pollution. They are only the third on the list. Topping the list are the vessels," Chau said.
Labour sector lawmaker Kwok Wai-keung, from the Federation of Trade Unions, said the situation was "worrying", and suggested that the government charge a higher fee for vessels using more polluting fuel than those using cleaner fuel when they berth at the city.
Loh said that the government had introduced a programme in which vessels switching to low-sulphur fuel could get a 50 per cent reduction on port and navigation charges. She also said that there was already a voluntary scheme, the Fair Winds Charter, under which vessel operators agreed to switch to low-sulphur fuel to the maximum extent possible for two years from January 2011.
The public should not underestimate the effectiveness of these programmes, Loh said.

http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/1132521/christine-loh-offers-time-frame-cleaner-fuel-law-ocean-vessels

Post to be found at:
http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/1132521/christine-loh-offers-time-frame-cleaner-fuel-law-ocean-vessels

Exhaust Gas Scrubbers, Not MGO, for 'Pride of America" - Hellenic Shipping News Worldwide

Posted - January 21, 2013 - Hellenic Shipping News Worldwide (Green Tech Marine Press Release dated - January 17, 2013)

Green Tech Marine contracted to deliver four of its scrubber units to the Norwegian Cruise Line ship.
The scrubbers will be installed in March during a dry dock in Pearl Harbor Naval shipyard. They will replace the ships silencers and clean the exhaust of four, 8 MW engines, in total 32 MW,  in what the manufacturers say is the biggest marine scrubber installation in the world at this time.
Thanks to the small size of the scrubbers no valuable space for passengers or crew has to be sacrificed. The system will be a hybrid system, i.e. the vessel will be able to operate both in open loop as well as in closed loop.
“The contract is another important step towards convincing ship owners that exhaust gas cleaning systems is a feasible and less expensive alternative to running on low sulfur fuel,” says Peter Strandberg, President and CEO of Green Tech Marine."
He added that there are also other benefits with scrubber`s compared with Marine Gas Oil (MGO): reduced  particulate matter emission, soot and other particles contributing to global warming.
Source: Green Tech Marine

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GAC Bunker Fuels Ltd awarded ISO 9001:2008 management quality certification - Press Release GAC

Posted - January 21, 2013 - GAC

GAC Bunker Fuels Ltd, part of global shipping, marine and logistics services provider GAC, has become one of an elite group of global bunkering companies to be awarded the internationally recognised ISO 9001:2008 Management System Standard certification.
The ISO 9001:2008 certificate awarded by Det Norske Veritas (DNV) recognises GAC Bunker Fuels’ best management practices in the trading and brokerage of marine fuels and lubricants across its global operational sites. It demonstrates the company’s full compliance with the requirements of this international best practice standard, which considers a range of measures, including management responsibility, resource management, product quality and the improvement of quality management systems across the organisation.
Nicholas Browne, Global Director of GAC Bunker Fuels Limited, says: “Quality assurance has been the guiding principle behind GAC Bunker Fuels’ growth. Our ISO 9001 certification gives customers further reason to rest assured of top service quality standards and the highest grades of marine fuels and lubricants when they deal with us.
"As one of the few bunker companies to achieve this global benchmark, GAC Bunker Fuels underlines its continuing commitment to the pursuit of world-class standards and ongoing service improvement to help our customers to meet their bunker fuel needs and deliver their business strategies."
GAC Bunker Fuels Ltd, headquartered in Dubai, trades and supplies all grades of IFO, MGO, MDO and lubricants worldwide in partnership with selected suppliers who meet internationally approved standards. As part of the GAC Group, GAC Bunker Fuels Ltd has been in operation for more than 30 years, providing worldwide coverage across all markets and time zones.

Post to be found at:
http://www.gac.com/gac/NewsShow.aspx?id=59396

HKLSA and HKSOA welcome support for marine emission reductions - Hellenic Shipping News Worldwide

Posted - Monday, 21 January 2013 | 16:05 - Hellenic Shipping News Worldwide

Chief executive’s support will 'help reduce emissions of sulphur and particulate matter'.The Hong Kong Liner Shipping Association (HKLSA) and the Hong Kong Shipowners Association (HKSOA) welcome the statements made in the Chief Executive's Policy Address for 2013 in support of reducing emissions in the maritime sector. The announcement that the government will seek to introduce legislation to make switching to lower sulphur fuel compulsory in Hong Kong port and to step up its efforts with the Guangdong Provincial Government to extend fuel switching to Pearl River Delta ports will build on the voluntary action already taken by the shipping industry to reduce emissions in Hong Kong under the Fair Winds Charter ('FWC').
"The pioneering work to switch to low sulphur fuel in Hong Kong under the 'Fair Winds Charter' shows the shipping industry's commitment to work with government to tackle the challenges of marine emissions. We are pleased to see the Chief Executive's support in the Policy Address for action to address this issue, and believe that by working together, government and the shipping industry can achieve significant improvements in air quality in HK," says Tim Smith, Chairman of HKLSA.
According to the joint statement by the associations, the voluntary fuel switch by 14 members of the liner shipping industry and four other shipping companies under the FWC has "contributed to substantially reduced pollution in Hong Kong since the end of 2010."
"The shipping industry is calling for mandatory regulation of maritime emissions to provide a level playing field for all operators that is consistent with international regulation, whilst setting progressively tighter emissions standards," the statement concluded.
Source: HKLSA 

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Maersk Wants Hong Kong to Ban Dirty Fuel to Fight Smog - bloomberg.com

Posted January 6, 2013 - By Jasmine Wang, Kyunghee Park & Natasha Khan - Bloomberg.com

Maersk Line (MAERSKB), the world’s biggest container-shipping company, threatened to stop using cleaner fuel at Hong Kong port from next year if the government doesn’t mandate higher quality oil for carriers berthing in the city.
Without rules, shipping lines that burn polluting fuel benefit from cheaper costs compared with Maersk, which uses a cleaner fuel that is also expensive, said Tim Smith, its North Asia head. The company and 17 other operators have voluntarily used low-sulfur oil for the past two years to help curb Hong Kong’s pollution, the worst among global financial centers.

Maersk Line, the carrier of Copenhagen-based A.P. Moeller- Maersk A/S, steams its ships that visit Hong Kong with fuel that contains 0.5 percent sulfur or less, Tim Smith, the company's North Asia head, said in an interview Jan. 2. Photographer: Lam Yik Fei/Bloomberg

Government incentives for switching to cleaner fuels for shipping lines calling on the world’s third-busiest container port, a key contributor to the island’s pollution, don’t cover additional costs and the payments are often delayed because of processes, Smith said. Reverting to dirtier oil will be a blow to Hong Kong Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying’s plans to clean up the city even as residents choke on smog that causes more than 3,000 deaths a year.
“The longer the regulations wait, the longer we will continue to see these premature deaths,” said Veronica Booth, a senior project manager at Hong Kong-based Civic Exchange, a group that has lobbied for more than a decade for cleaning up the city’s air. “Certain shipping lines are reluctant to spend money on these sorts of initiatives, particularly when there’s no end in sight to a voluntary scheme.”

Sulfur Content

Maersk Line, the carrier of Copenhagen-based A.P. Moeller- Maersk A/S, steams its ships that visit Hong Kong with fuel that contains 0.5 percent sulfur or less, Smith said in an interview Jan. 2. Hong Kong permits ships calling on its ports to use fuel that contains up to 3.5 percent sulfur.
In comparison, vessels calling at North Sea and Baltic ports must use fuel containing no more than 1 percent sulfur. Maersk will continue to use the cleaner fuel until the end of the year while it awaits legislation, Smith said.
“Some carriers turn up here, they don’t switch to low- sulfur fuel, and they get a cost advantage,” Smith said. “We don’t think that’s right. What we want is the government to regulate.”
In September, the Hong Kong government introduced a three- year incentive to promote the use of cleaner fuel. According to the plan, ocean-going vessels that switch to fuel containing no more than 0.5 percent sulfur get a 50 percent cut in port fees.
The use of cleaner fuel costs Maersk as much as $2 million a year, Smith said. The discount in port charges covers only as much as 40 percent of the cost of burning the costlier oil, he said. Maersk made 850 calls to Hong Kong port annually, the company said in 2010 when it began to switch fuels.

Voluntary Use

Some major shipping lines have committed to voluntarily using cleaner fuel this year, Roberto Giannetta, secretary of the Hong Kong Liner Shipping Association, said in an e-mail without naming companies. Carriers will also push the government for a legislation that makes it mandatory for all ships to use the same standard of fuel, Giannetta said.
Orient Overseas International Ltd. (316), the biggest container line based in the city, will support the initiative and work with the government toward creating an emission policy, Stanley Shen, its spokesman, said in an e-mailed statement.
The Hong Kong government, along with mainland authorities, is exploring options that will make it mandatory for ocean-going ships to switch to cleaner fuel while at berth in the Pearl River Delta waters, YF Chau, a spokesman for the city’s environmental protection department, said in an e-mailed response to questions. He didn’t give a timeframe for the plan.
About 200,000 vessels called at Hong Kong port in 2011, of which about 30,000 are ocean-going vessels, marine department statistics show. Sulfur dioxide emissions from ships would drop by 80 percent if all shipping lines calling at the port switch to the cleanest fuel available, according to Civic Exchange.

Air Quality

Hong Kong has never met its air quality targets since they were adopted in 1987, according to a November government audit report. In 2011, there were 175 days of very high pollution, more than twice the figure in 2007, the report said.
Singapore, home to the world’s second-busiest container port, is also working to reduce ship emissions. In April 2011, the island-nation announced a program that called for the use of fuel-efficient ships. The Maritime Authority of Singapore would spend about S$100 million ($81 million) over the next five years for the program, it said then.
Maersk and Neptune Orient Lines Ltd. (NOL) were among the 12 companies to initially pledge their commitment to promote clean and green shipping in Singapore. That number rose to 40 in October.
Legislation will “ensure a level playing field, that’s what we want,” Maersk’s Smith said. “We wanted to take some action pro-actively as we want to be seen as part of the solution, not part of the problem.”
 
Post to be found at:
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IEA CCS is a necessity for a world hooked on fossil fuels - Bunker Ports News Worldwide

Posted - January 7, 2013 -   Bunker Ports News Worldwide

Despite all the attention given to renewable energy, fossil fuels still produce about four-fifths of the energy consumed worldwide. And there is only one way to burn fossil fuels without adding more CO2 to the atmosphere: carbon capture and storage (CCS). But high cost and simultaneous lack of incentive policies are delaying deployment of CCS, leading the International Energy Agency to renew its calls for action in 2013 and beyond on this critical element to limiting climate change.
Fossil fuels met 81% of total energy demand as of 2009, as well as 85% of the increase in global energy demand in the past ten years. Such use of oil, coal and gas is irreconcilable with limiting CO2 emissions enough to keep average global temperature rise to only 2 degrees. In the ambitious IEA 2-degree scenario, or 2DS, fossil fuel use is reduced by 20% in 2050 from current levels but would still provide 45% of the world's primary energy demand. But much of the emissions from that remaining use of fossil fuels must be captured and stored. The recently launched World Energy Outlook 2012also shows that without significant deployment of CCS, more than two-thirds of current proven fossil-fuel reserves cannot be commercialised in a 2-degree world before 2050.
"For the IEA, carbon capture and storage is not a substitute, but a necessary addition to other low-carbon energy technologies and energy efficiency improvements," Juho Lipponen, head of the IEA Carbon Capture and Storage Technology Unit, recently told the 11th International Conference on Greenhouse Gas Control Technologies in Kyoto, Japan. He added, "Fossil-fuel CCS is particularly important in a world that currently shows absolutely no sign of scaling down its fossil fuel consumption."
CCS involves capturing the CO2 from burning fossil fuels and storing it in deep geological formations so it will not increase the greenhouse effect. Technology exists to capture the emissions of factories such as steel mills and other industrial processes such as natural gas processing as well as power plants that burn fossil fuels or even biomass like wood. But CCS does not come for free: besides the cost of locating and developing a storage site and preparing the infrastructure to pipe the CO2 there, equipment and energy are required to capture and compress CO2 from various flue gas streams, significantly increasing the cost at the capture site.
An immediate priority, Mr. Lipponen said, is implementation of IEA-recommended policy and action on storage site screening and development, so that the approval process for storage sites does not impede new CCS installations. Governments must also assess what role CCS will play in their energy futures and increase their efforts in large-scale demonstration.
But perhaps the most critically important short-term issue is to develop practical incentive policies, with successful policies for renewable energy potentially serving as models for CCS deployment. The IEA provides detailed plans about development, investment and deployment in its Roadmap series as well as its technology flagship publications, Energy Technology Perspectives 2012. The IEA is revising its CCS technology roadmap, with the new version expected in spring 2013.
Though adoption of CCS by many countries has been slow, the good news is that the needed technologies have been proven by many industries over several decades. The Global CCS Institute lists more than 70 large-scale integrated CCS facilities across the world in various stages of development. It is critical that as many of these projects as possible reach fruition this decade to perfect the technology and show CCS's value and safety to the public.
Source: IEA

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Regulations to improve the energy efficiency of international shipping enter into force - IMO.org

Posted - January 1, 2013 - IMO

New regulations aimed at improving the energy efficiency of international shipping entered into force on 1 January 2013. 

 

The amendments to the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL) were adopted in July 2011.They add a new chapter 4 Regulations on energy efficiency for ships to MARPOL Annex VI, to make mandatory the Energy Efficiency Design Index (EEDI), for new ships, and the Ship Energy Efficiency Management Plan (SEEMP) for all ships. Other amendments to Annex VI add new definitions and the requirements for survey and certification, including the format for the International Energy Efficiency Certificate.

The regulations apply to all ships of 400 gross tonnage and above. However, under regulation 19, the Administration may waive the requirements for new ships up to a maximum of 4 years.

The EEDI is a non-prescriptive, performance-based mechanism that leaves the choice of technologies to use in a specific ship design to the industry. As long as the required energy-efficiency level is attained, ship designers and builders would be free to use the most cost-efficient solutions for the ship to comply with the regulations.

The SEEMP establishes a mechanism for operators to improve the energy efficiency of ships. Ships are required to keep on board a ship specific Ship Energy Efficiency Management Plan (SEEMP).

Other MARPOL amendments which entered into force on 1 January 2013

Other MARPOL amendments which entered into force on 1 January include the following.

 

Annex VI Emissions
Amendments to MARPOL Annex VI designate certain waters adjacent to the coasts of Puerto Rico (United States) and the U.S. Virgin Islands (United States) as the US Caribbean Sea Emission Control Area for the control of emissions of nitrogen oxides (NOX), sulphur oxides (SOX) and particulate matter under regulations 13 and 14 of MARPOL Annex VI. Another amendment makes old steamships exempt from the requirements on sulphur content of fuel oil used on board ships in both the North American and United States Caribbean Sea ECAs. The new US Caribbean Sea ECA takes effect 12 months after entry into force, that is, 1 January 2014.

 

Annex IV Sewage
Amendments to MARPOL Annex IV Prevention of pollution by sewage from ships include the possibility of establishing Special Areas, the actual designation of the Baltic Sea as a Special Area under Annex IV, and the introduction of stricter discharge requirements for passenger ships while in a Special Area.

 

Annex V Garbage
The revised MARPOL Annex V Regulations for the prevention of pollution by garbage from ships has entered into force, following a comprehensive review to bring the Annex up to date.

The main feature of the revision is the prohibition of the discharge of all garbage into the sea except as expressly provided otherwise in the Annex. The discharges permitted in certain circumstances include food wastes, animal carcasses, cargo residues, and water containing cleaning agents or additives used for washing deck and external surfaces or cargo holds.

Cargo residues and cleaning agents and additives must only be considered for discharge if they are not harmful to the marine environment. The changes also include the updating of definitions; the introduction of an “en route” requirement for the discharge of garbage at sea; and the regrouping of the garbage categories for the purpose of the garbage record book.

Post found at:
http://www.imo.org/MediaCentre/PressBriefings/Pages/01-MARPOL-EEDI.aspx

Samsung Heavy Industries and Hanjin Shipping to Build Smart Green Ships - Samsung News & Issues

Posted - January 2, 2013 - Samsung News & Issues

IMO is tightening environmental regulations, including the application of guidelines for building high-efficiency ships and efficient ship operations to regulate CO2 emissions of ships, while the long-term economic slowdown and fuel price hikes are affecting the shipping industry. In this business environment, it has become critical for shippers to ensure efficient operations and reduce operating costs.
With the aim of addressing these concerns, Samsung Heavy Industries and Hanjin Shipping are gearing up to pursue the joint R&D of an integrated energy management system that will systematically manage and analyze the energy consumption of ships, to reduce fuel consumption by up to 15%.
By combining the technological excellence of Samsung Heavy Industries and the ship and fleet management expertise of Hanjin Shipping, the companies hope that the project can be a win-win partnership that enables both to overcome the economic slowdown.
Executive Vice President Seung-Myeon Hwangbo of the Marine Research Institute of Samsung Heavy Industries and Vice President Jae-Sun Jeong of the Marine Affairs Group of Hanjin Shipping signed an agreement to perform joint research on ship energy efficiency management and fleet management on December 17 (Thu), 2012. Over 20 representatives from both companies were in attendance at the signing ceremony, which was held at the Geoje Shipyard of Samsung Heavy Industries.
VPS is a state-of-the-art technology that is designed to minimize fuel consumption through the comprehensive monitoring, analysis and management of factors affecting the fuel efficiency of ships, including the navigation route, trim, engines, motor power and emissions. It combines the functions of a navigation route optimization system, a trim optimization system and an EEOI monitoring and analysis system.
Route optimization is a technology that identifies the optimal route to a destination based on the ship performance data and weather data. If applied to a ship, route optimization can reduce fuel consumption by about 6%. Trim optimization also reduces fuel costs, by about 5%. The software calculates the optimal trim, based on the speed of the ship and the weight of cargo loaded, and then adjusts the trim by moving the location of the ballast water, maximizing efficiency regardless of conditions.
What is Trim
Trim is the relationship of a ship's hull to the waterline, and is one factor determining the efficiency of a ship. Before signing this agreement, Samsung Heavy Industries and Hanjin Shipping tested their trim optimization technology through joint R&D programs using 8,000 TEU-class and 10,000 TEU-class container ships.
In addition, the VPS includes an energy efficiency management program with real-time monitoring of EEOI (Energy Efficiency Operation Indicator), a ship performance evaluation and analysis program to optimize the speed and RPM of a ship.
By incorporating the EEOI into the VPS (Vessel Portal Service), which enables the monitoring of a ship's navigation status onshore, Samsung Heavy Industries has enabled the onshore integrated management of the energy efficiency of a multiple-vessel fleet by a shipper.
This joint research will further improve the performance of VPS by reflecting Hanjin Shipping's expertise in the area of vessel and fleet management.
What is VPS (Vessel Portal Service)
VPS is an advanced ship navigation management system developed by Samsung Heavy Industries. It enables the real-time monitoring of various automation devices installed at ships from locations onshore, using a satellite data communications system. It also enables the detection of faults and necessary responses.
The VPS will be applied to a 4,600 TEU-class container ship of Hanjin Shipping, which will be built by Samsung Heavy Industries, in May 2013, and the full-scale test will be conducted by the end of 2016.
Executive Vice President Seung-Myeon Hwangbo of Samsung Heavy Industries said, "As we have our own solution for system configuration, we have a high level of technology independence. We are now able to improve the completeness of the system through joint research with Hanjin Shipping, and verify the long-term effects of actually applying the system to vessels. This cooperation will set a great example of how a domestic shipbuilder and a shipper can work together to overcome the economic recession."
IMO has announced that the MBM (Market Base Measurement) will be completed by 2015 and introduced starting in 2016 to reduce the carbon emissions produced by ships, raising the profile of energy management and green ships in the shipbuilding industry and the shipping industry.

Post found at:
http://www.shi.samsung.co.kr/Eng/Pr/news_view.aspx?Page=1&Seq=935&mac=0b0e4aecfb6617baa177971ffd3593f3

Shipping lines cut clean fuel deal with government - South China Morning Post Hong Kong

Posted - Tuesday, 01 January, 2013, 12:00am- Keith Wallis keith.wallis@scmp.com

Shipping lines will continue to voluntarily use low sulphur diesel in Hong Kong, but only if the government sets a timetable for tough regulatory controls mandating the use of the cleaner fuel, experts said as the Fair Winds Charter, a voluntary two-year programme, ended yesterday.
About 18 shipping and cruise lines had signed the charter under which they agreed to use low sulphur diesel to the "maximum extent possible" from January 2011.
In return, they urged the implementation of a six-point action plan to help reduce marine pollution. Chief among the proposals was for the government "to take a lead and work with the Guangdong government to regulate the use of low sulphur fuel in the Pearl River delta region by December 31, 2012".
While no legal controls outlawing heavily polluting marine diesel have yet been put in place, the Environmental Protection Department in September inaugurated an incentive scheme, giving a 50 per cent cut in port fees to ship owners who use cleaner fuel.
But the rebate covers only 30 to 45 per cent of the cost of using the cleaner but more expensive low sulphur diesel.
Public policy think tank Civic Exchange estimated that if all container lines calling at Hong Kong switched to the cleanest fuel available - with a sulphur content of 0.1 per cent or less - sulphur dioxide emissions from shipping would drop by about 80 per cent.
But without laws laid out to mandate the use of such fuel, environmentally conscious shipping lines are concerned they are paying for the cleaner, more expensive diesel while those that continue burning cheaper, dirtier fuel have an economic advantage over them.
Arthur Bowring, managing director of the Hong Kong Shipowners Association, said the government would like shipping lines to extend the Fair Winds Charter. But he added: "If shipping lines were to consider an extension, then it would have to be accompanied by commitments from the government to move towards regulation in order to introduce a level playing field.
"Any extension would not be open-ended."
Roberto Giannetta, secretary of the Hong Kong Liner Shipping Association, said representatives from shipping lines, Hong Kong and Shenzhen container terminals operators, think tank Civic Exchange and the city's environment officials had met in November to discuss the issue.
"The concept is that the Fair Winds Charter will be revised and upgraded to include a new set of targets to be achieved within 2013," he said yesterday.
Giannetta said the targets would include draft legislation and signing of the charter by the Environmental Protection Department, adding that a revised draft of the 2013 charter had already been circulated to members of the liner shipping association which represents most container shipping lines operating in Hong Kong.
"Several of them are coming in with confirmation of support and participation," he said.

Post to be found at:
http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/1116857/shipping-lines-cut-clean-fuel-deal-government

New Technology Could Help Overcome Obstacles to Hydrogen Production - Wyss Institute

Posted: Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard University

New technology from researchers at the Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard University greatly improves the efficiency with which hydrogen can be produced in one type of microbe -- potentially bringing biological production of this clean fuel source one step closer to economic feasibility. Their discovery, the findings for which appear in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, resulted in a 500-fold increase in the amount of hydrogen produced in the bacterium used in this research.
For more than a decade, hydrogen has been touted as a clean alternative to fossil fuels because it releases a significant amount of energy relative to its weight and also produces nothing but water when it burns. It can also be produced cleanly, using biological methods, such as photosynthesis. However, the high costs incurred in production have proved too big an obstacle to allow for its wide-spread use.
"Hydrogen is now the Holy Grail," said Wyss Institute core faculty member, Pamela Silver, who led the project. "But we are in no way close to producing it in a sustainable manner. To do that, substantial gains would need to be made in the production technologies."

In this cross-section illustration of a cyanobacteria, incoming sunlight is captured and used to generate a cellular electron pool that researchers were able to tap to produce hydrogen.

Silver's team, which included Wyss Institute postdoctoral fellow, Daniel Ducat, and Gairik Sachdeva of Harvard's School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, has made headway toward one such gain. They focused their attention on one possible -- yet problematic -- biological production method involving an enzyme known as hydrogenase.
Certain types of hydrogenase can produce a constant flow of hydrogen using only sunlight and water, but most cannot. The difference lies in the particular enzyme's ability to tolerate oxygen. Most variations are so intolerant of oxygen that its presence will shut down hydrogen production process within a matter of minutes. Yet, creating a way to keep oxygen from entering the production environment would be both costly and impractical -- issues that have effectively kept this method off the table.
"Hydrogenase is very efficient in production, but the oxygen issue is a big problem," said Silver. "You could actually end up expending as much energy in trying to keep oxygen out of production as you would be liable to generate in the first place. It's an interesting research question."
The researchers developed a technology that could serve as a platform from which to engineer oxygen-tolerant enzymes. Their approach could help lead the way to a cost-effective process for producing significant amounts of hydrogen.

Post to be found at:
http://wyss.harvard.edu/viewpage/238/

Progress in Fuel Creation from Carbon Dioxide - TheBioenergySite

Posted - Friday, December 28, 2012 - TheBioenergySite

US - A working collaboration has revealed the progress in developing an advanced microbiological pathway to convert CO2 to fuels and chemicals.

Synthetic biology researchers Ginkgo BioWorks has validated that its genetically modified microbes can utilise a feedstock of formate produced from CO2 by risk management business DNV.

DNV’s input to the process has also met metrics required for commercialisation of the electrolytic production of formic acid and formate salt from CO2.

"The development of the electrofuels technology is an important advance in the utilisation and recycling of CO2 providing a pathway for sustainability and self-sufficiency," says Narasi Sridhar, programme director in DNV Research and Innovation.


Post to be found at:
http://www.thebioenergysite.com/news/12132/progress-in-fuel-creation-from-carbon-dioxide

Can we reduce harmful emissions? - Hellenic Shipping News Worldwide

Posted - January 2, 2013 -  Hellenic Shipping News Worldwide

Other than CO2 ships also produce a number of atmospheric emissions which are considered harmful. They are products of combustion, and the most significant are sulphur oxides (SOx and nitrous oxides (NOx), along with tiny waste particles known as particulates. All are now being limited by international, regional and national laws and will be subject to increasing severity of regulations over the next few years. Emission Control Areas, where these limits apply, might be expected to spread around the world in the future.
What practical means can be undertaken to reduce, or even prevent any of these emissions entering the atmosphere? In the case of sulphur, the quality of the fuel that is used can be changed to low sulphur oil or distillates, which will make a marked difference. Alternatively, the emissions can be scrubbed to clean them before they pass into the atmosphere. Or it might be feasible to use liquefied natural gas which burns cleanly, or even biofuels, although there are issues about the use of products which would otherwise have been available for food, and objections to the felling of tropical rainforests for the planting of oil palms.
Engine manufacturers have been working hard to address these problems, coincidentally producing very much more efficient marine engines which, by burning less fuel in the first place, go some way to solving emission problems. The problem of NOx can be reduced substantially by means of exhaust gas recirculation, a system which, rather than pumping the exhausts straight into the atmosphere cleans, cools and recirculates the gases back into the engine. This reduces the amount of NOx that is generated in the combustion chamber. Tests have confirmed that if just 20% of the exhaust gas is recirculated, there is a 50% reduction in the amount of NOx produced. Waste heat recovery, (which in Seascapes No. 104 we saw reduced CO2) also reduces other emissions, and increases engine efficiency.
The big challenge is less to do with the design of new ships and new engines, but with the existing fleet, ships which were built according to all the regulations that obtained at the time, and with the expectation of a 20-25 year life. In the past, such as when fuel prices quadrupled in the 70s making steam turbine ships uneconomic, it was possible to re-engine, but this is obviously vastly expensive. It is however possible to “retrofit” exhaust gas cleaning systems to existing machinery, that will enable tighter emission controls to be complied with. And while ships built before certain dates may be allowed to operate to the term of their natural lives without modification, it is possible that pressure from the users of ships who might wish to be seen using “cleaner” and greener ships might encourage changes.
Source: BIMCO

Post to be found at:
http://www.hellenicshippingnews.com/News.aspx?ElementId=3bc1534c-60db-469b-b68d-f2678d652fd6&utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=daily