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IMO pledges to continue work on GHG emissions

IMO notes that, to date, it is the only organization to have adopted energy-efficiency measures that are legally binding across an entire global industry and apply to all countries. Mandatory energy efficiency standards for new ships, and mandatory operational measures to reduce emissions from existing ships, entered into force under an existing international convention (MARPOL Annex VI) in 2013. By 2025, all new ships will be 30% more energy efficient than those built last year.

“This is more than a target, it is a legal requirement, and demonstrates that IMO is the correct and only forum to identify solutions and an appropriate pathway for international shipping to de-carbonize with the rest of the globe,” says IMO.

Continuing efforts will include:

  • development of a global data collection system for ship’s fuel consumption to be discussed in detail at the next meeting of IMO’s Marine Environment Protection Committee in 2016,
  • further consideration of a total-sector reduction target for GHG emissions from international shipping as proposed by the Marshall Islands in 2015, and
  • continued investigation of additional mechanisms for ships to support the implementation of the Paris Agreement.

During COP21, IMO provided an update of its work to address GHG emissions from bunker fuels used for international shipping.

Specifically, IMO reported on its work on guidelines to support the uniform implementation of the regulations on energy-efficiency for ships; and on its efforts with regard to technical co-operation and capacity-building to ensure effective implementation and enforcement of the new regulations worldwide and, activities to support  technical cooperation and transfer of technology for improving the energy efficiency of ships.

With what is now “a clear imperative for IMO’s Member States to rise to the challenge set by the Paris Agreement,” Secretary-General Sekimizu says, “I now encourage Governments to bring the spirit of the Paris Agreement to IMO and come forward with new, creative proposals and to approach them in a constructive and cooperative manner.”

Mr. Sekimizu says that the challenge set by the Paris Agreement also extends to ship designers and marine engineers to develop the technological solutions, to those who operate and manage ships, to seafarers and those who educate them and, importantly, to the business of shipping, which needs to ensure that investment in innovative low carbon technologies is properly incentivised.

 

Shipping not in COP21 agreement: Now what?

Be that as it may, the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) says it “greatly welcomes” the agreement and that “the shipping industry remains committed to ambitious CO2 emission reduction across the entire world merchant fleet, reducing CO2 per tonne-km by at least 50% before 2050 compared to 2007.”

Despite the absence of an explicit reference to shipping, ICS says that the message from the world’s governments is clear.

“I am sure IMO Member States will now proceed with new momentum to help the industry deliver ever greater CO2 reductions, as the world moves towards total decarbonization by the end of the century” said ICS Secretary General, Peter Hinchliffe.

ICS will engage meaningfully in discussions at IMO, expected to begin in earnest at a critical meeting in April 2016, about the possibility of agreeing a CO2 reduction target for shipping. ICS is also pushing for IMO to finalize a global CO2 data collection system for ships, which ICS would like to see mandatory as soon as possible, prior to IMO deciding on the necessity of additional actions such as a developing a Market Based Measure.

ICS says that dramatic CO2 reductions from shipping will only be guaranteed if further regulation continues to be led by IMO.

ICS notes that, as a result of the Paris Agreement, developing nations such as China and India have accepted responsibility to curb their emissions alongside developed economies, however, the agreement retains the principle of “differentiation” that allows different parties to offer different levels of commitment to reducing CO2.

“CO2 is a global problem and shipping is a global industry” said Peter Hinchliffe. “IMO is the only forum which can take account of the UN principle of ‘differentiation’ while requiring all ships to apply the same CO2 reduction measures, regardless of their flag state. Unilateral or regional regulation would be disastrous for shipping and disastrous for global CO2 reduction, whereas IMO is already helping shipping to deliver substantial CO2 reductions on a global basis.”

ICS says that the complexity and scale of the Paris Agreement means that many of those involved may be disappointed by certain aspects, including the absence of explicit text referring to international shipping. At the start of the negotiation, ICS had hoped there might have been an acknowledgment of the importance of IMO continuing to develop further CO2 reduction measures, applicable to all internationally trading ships, and implemented and enforced in a uniform and global manner.

“Time finally ran out to agree a compromise on international transport acceptable to all nations, but nothing is really lost. No text is probably preferable to some of the well intentioned words being proposed at the very end of the conference which few people understood and which could have actually greatly complicated further progress at IMO” said Mr. Hinchliffe. “The Member States at IMO are the same nations that were present in Paris, but with officials that have a deep level of maritime expertise. Intensive work at IMO will continue with the global shipping industry’s full support.”

The European Community Shipowners Association also welcomed the agreement.

“Following the adoption in 2011 of measures to increase the energy efficiency of the industry, the agreed next step is a global data collection system of CO2 emissions”, said Patrick Verhoeven, Secretary General of ECSA, “The governments in IMO will resume discussions on such a system in April next year, with the aim of ascertaining the real contribution of international shipping to global CO2 emissions. We strongly encourage all parties to ensure that these discussions lead to the establishment, as soon as possible, of a mandatory data collection system.”

Once the data collection system is in place, the IMO will be able to decide on steps ahead.

“Together with our partners in the International Chamber of Shipping, we are ready to positively contribute to this process” said Mr. Verhoeven. “We hope that the European Parliament as well as civil society will join us in supporting Member States and the Commission to seek a global partnership in the IMO, as no regional solution could ever guarantee global emission reductions nor a global level playing field for shipping. The EU has adopted regulation that is meant to facilitate and precipitate a global solution for CO2 emissions from ships. It is now time to translate these commitments into a global agreement.”

Marcon brokers sale of 1988-built deck barge

The 5,450 dwt chip barge was built as a flat deck barge by West Gulf Marine Works in Galveston, TX in 1988 and brought around to the West Coast by Zidell Marine of Portland, OR. The barge was constructed with ½” plate deck, hull and bottom plate with two longitudinal and six transverse bulkheads forming 21 watertight compartments. In the late 1990s, Dunlap fitted the DT-250 with a 237′ long x 65′ wide steel chip bin. It installed a new wood wear deck in 2014.

Island Tug & Barge is renaming the barge ITB-253 and plans to shorten the present 22′ high bin walls and remove the existing wood wear deck, replacing it with concrete and rebar which will also increase the barge’s existing 1,500 lb/sq.ft deck load.

The barge is classed ABS +A1 Barge, Unrestricted Service through February 2018 and carries an International Load Line Certificate.

Marcon acted as sole broker in the sale and has represented the buyers in dozens of sales and purchases. It has also worked with Dunlap for many years and sold its 3,000 HP tug Suiattle earlier this year.

Marcon has brokered twenty-nine sales and charters to date this year, including seven ocean deck barges totaling 34,964 dwt. Several additional sales are pending.

European owners want shipping back in COP21 text

European shipowners have joined the European Commission, Members of the European Pariament and various stakeholders in calling for shipping to be put back into the text.

The International Chamber of Shipping says it would be helpful for the new agreement to reiterate the vital role of the UN International Maritime Organization in the development of further measures to reduce shipping’s CO2 emissions. This would give extra encouragement to build on the global regulations IMO has already successfully adopted and which should reduce CO2 per tonne-km 50% by 2050.

However, says ICS, the absence of text is unlikely to inhibit the aspirations of governments – which are shared by the industry – for IMO to take further action.

“While text on shipping could be useful, the negotiators are now having to focus on the really high level things like climate finance to ensure the overall agreement is a success which is what everyone wants” said ICS Secretary General, Peter Hinchliffe.

ECSA Secretary General Patrick Verhoeven called the talks in Paris “a unique opportunity” to signal IMO member states to act decisively in order to further regulate CO2 emissions from ships on a global level.

“It would provide support for their ability to move forward and give new impetus to ongoing discussions, which we hope will very soon reach fruition,” said Mr. Verhoeven.

ECSA says that though the IMO has already made strides when it comes to the shipping industry’s carbon footprint, its work on CO2 emissions reduction is far from completed. It remains firmly on its agenda and will be considered again at the next meeting of the IMO Marine Environment Protection Committee in April 2016.

ECSA says the shipping industry supports the establishment, as soon as possible, of a mandatory system of data collection from individual vessels, understanding that the possibility of further market based measures might be revisited after an IMO analysis of the data submitted by ships.

“We firmly believe that deleting any reference to shipping and the progress needed at IMO level is a missed opportunity. The EU has already placed its faith in the IMO process by adopting legislation that will enable and support IMO in establishing a global data collection scheme,” said Mr Verhoeven.”An irreversible process leading to lower CO2 emissions from ships has started. Efforts at IMO and EU level can only be bolstered by a clear signal from the highest UN instance on climate change. We sincerely hope that negotiating parties will seriously reconsider and heed our call for shipping to be reintroduced in the final climate agreement.”

Tenneco SCR gets two DNV GL AIP certifications

The certificates cover key components of the system, including the complete dosing and control system, injectors, load sensors and the human machine interface (HMI) remote monitor, as well as catalyst and reactor hardware configurations for IMO Tier III applications.

“We’re pleased to receive this important classification. Tenneco’s high horsepower SCR technology is designed to meet IMO Tier III NOx reduction requirements that take effect in 2016 and this classification further demonstrates our readiness to deliver these solutions for ships or vessels anywhere in the world,” said Jay Kedia, Tenneco managing director, large engine.

Tenneco’s SCR aftertreatment system features a complete dosing control solution specifically designed for marine engine applications up to 7,500 kW or 10,000 hp. The system is designed to enable propulsion and auxiliary engines to meet U.S. EPA Tier 4 and IMO Tier III regulatory requirements and provide precise and reliable delivery of liquid urea via a proprietary, high-performance injector design, a precision mechatronic fluid delivery pump and customizable remote monitoring and controls.

In the past year, the company has conducted a series of validation tests to demonstrate how the system’s form, fit, function and performance capabilities can be easily integrated into a vessel’s engine and control architecture.

Most recently, through a partnership with the Texas A&M Maritime Academy, Tenneco conducted saltwater sea trials onboard the TS General Rudder in the Gulf of Mexico. Tenneco’s SCR system was installed on a 33-year old 800 horsepower, Tier 0 engine that was operational for the duration of the Academy’s summer cruise training period. Results demonstrated NOx reduction levels that kept the General Rudder compliant with today’s stringent U.S. EPA Tier 4 marine emission requirements under all operational conditions.

Tenneco conducted similar tests on a 224 ft\ training vessel in the Great Lakes in 2014. In a series of validation tests, including the ISO 8178 E2 cycle, when a similar engine was outfitted with Tenneco’s SCR system, the engine met all criteria for IMO Tier III, including NOx.
In addition to DNV GL classification, Tenneco’s high horsepower SCR system has been awarded product design classification from ABS, and is designed to meet the requirements of other major maritime classification societies including CCS, KR and Class NK.

SCR System Features

The SCR system’s modular design enables seamless integration for a broad range of engine sizes and works with electrically or mechanically controlled engines. It has been validated for durability and all components are easy to maintain and service without the need for special tools.

The fluid delivery system with dosing control software is capable of managing multiple injection points and sensors. The system can support urea flows up to 120 meters, which enables a wide array of installation options. Airless urea injection provides high dosing accuracy and consistency without the need for dedicated compressed air.

The system’s Human Machine Interface (HMI) can be accessed on the front of the fluid delivery box or remotely via a touch screen tablet. It features an easy-to-use interface to monitor and control all system parameters including but not limited to NOx reduction performance and urea concentration levels in real time. Onboard diagnostics are capable of monitoring more than 100 parameters including urea leakage, sensor faults and backpressure.

Alfa Laval adds inline PureSOx exhaust gas scrubber

Alfa Laval PureSOx has more reference installations than any other single SOx scrubber technology, and is already a leading choice for SOx compliance in Emission Control Areas (ECAs).

“Through open-loop, closed-loop and hybrid arrangements, PureSOx can be suited to any vessel’s sailing profile,” says René Diks, Manager Marketing & Sales, Exhaust Gas Cleaning at Alfa Laval. “By adding an inline scrubber design to the already flexible PureSOx platform, we’ve made PureSOx even easier to adapt to individual vessel constructions.”

The inline scrubber design, or I-design, builds directly on the proven PureSOx technology. It provides an additional alternative for vessels with more complex structural needs, such as certain cruise ships and RoPax vessels.

“While inline configurations should not be seen as a default,” says Mr. Diks, “they can make it easier to accommodate the specific challenges of certain vessels.” 

An important consideration in creating an inline PureSOx scrubber was the water trap, which is not formed naturally as it is in the existing U-design.

“Because the absorber section is located atop the jet section in the I-design, no water trap is created between the two,” says Mr. Diks. “A key focus was eliminating the potential for water backflow, which is done by means of an internal water trap combined with overboard arrangements.” As with the U-design PureSOx scrubber, the I-design scrubber can be configured with multiple inlets. This reduces space needs and installation costs by allowing one scrubber to handle exhaust gas from multiple sources, including boilers as well as the main and auxiliary engines.

A further alternative for inline PureSOx configurations is reflux. This option is especially attractive for cruise ships, RoPax vessels and other vessels that carry passengers, as it reduces the risk of dirty water droplets discoloring the ship’s deck. 

Reflux involves the creation of two separate loops: one for the jet and a second for the absorber. In the jet loop, clean water is evaporated by means of the waste heat in the exhaust gas. The vapor is then recondensed as clean water in the absorber loop. As a result, the water in the absorber stage is significantly cleaner and the risk of deck discoloration is greatly reduced. Since the soot is concentrated in the initial jet stage, the water cleaning unit has a lighter burden as well.

The water cleaning unit is a vital component of any closed-loop or hybrid PureSOx system. When the scrubber is in closed-loop mode, the unit removes soot from the circulation water, thus protecting the scrubber and enabling compliant discharge of bleed-off. 

The PureSOx water cleaning unit uses centrifugal separation, an Alfa Laval core technology, that is completely unaffected by pitch and roll. This sets it apart from other cleaning systems on the market. Like the reflux principle, it is a patented solution unique to Alfa Laval. 

“The water cleaning unit is one of many aspects that make PureSOx such a reliable choice for SOx compliance,” says Mr. Diks. “The PureSOx platform is built on a solid foundation of Alfa Laval core technology and scrubber experience, and the new possibility of inline configurations will give even more shipowners reason to choose it.”

World’s largest wind farm installer delivered

Built for Great Yarmouth, U.K., based Seajacks International, the jack-up vessel is based on the Gusto MSC NG14000X design and has more than 8,000 metric tons of available variable deck load. Equipped with a 1,540-metric-ton Huisman leg-encircling crane and a usable deck space in excess of 5,000 sq m the unit is outfitted with 105-m legs with the ability to install components in water depths to 65 m in North Sea conditions.

The rig is capable of meeting the installation needs of jumbo-monopiles, jackets, and turbines of future wind farms in deeper waters farther from shore.

“Industry growth depends on innovation and new designs,” says ABS Chairman, President and CEO Christopher J. Wiernicki. “As a technology leader, ABS is pleased to work with Seajacks as it develops and launches vessels with increasingly greater capabilities.”

Seajacks CEO Blair Ainslie credits the strong working relationship among the project participants for the successful delivery of this unit.

“The cooperation among Seajacks, ABS and SHI was vital to the success of this newbuild effort,” he says. “As we bring new designs to the market, we rely on partners who are willing to take on projects like this one that break new ground in the industry.”

Since 2009, Seajacks has invested in five self-propelled jackup units, all of which have been classed by ABS. The Seajacks Scylla is a milestone for the company as it is considered to be the most technically advanced installation vessel in the market.

The Seajacks Scylla complies with ABS classification requirements for self-propelled jack-up units, including DPS-2 for dynamic positioning capability; ACCU, which applies to automatic centralized control unmanned units; and CRC for crane register certificate.

In early December, Seajacks Scylla will begin her journey from South Korea to Europe on-board the heavy load carrier vessel, HLV Osprey, and is expected to arrive in Rotterdam around the end of January. Seajacks operations teams will then prepare the vessel for her first project next spring.

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Swedish owners order LNG fueled tanker series

NOVEMBER 25, 2015 —Three partners in the Gothenburg, Sweden, headquartered Gothia Tanker alliance have ordered a series of 16,300 dwt next generation LNG fueled intermediate product/chemical tankers with LNG propulsion. Furetank Rederi

IMO ballast water convention set to enter force?

 

The International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) says that the fixing of a definite implementation dategives shipowners some of the certainty needed to make important decisions about whether to refit the new mandatory treatment equipment or otherwise to start sending ships for early recycling.   

However, IMO has to finalize the much needed revision of its type approval guidelines for Ballast Water Treatment Systems (BWTS).

The International Chamber of Shipping says that this revision is needed “as soon as possible, in order to ensure that shipowners can have absolute confidence that the expensive equipment they will soon have to install will be effective in treating ballast water conditions normally encountered during worldwide operations and be regarded as fully compliant during Port State Control inspections.”

In other words, the IMO Type Approval process currently in place doesn’t give absolute confidence that an IMO approved system will actually work. That, of course, is why the IMO approvals of BWTS have never been taken at their face value by the U.S., which has its own, tougher, approval system in place.

The International Chamber of Shipping has never been very happy about that and says that entry into force of the new IMO regime “does not resolve the extreme difficulties that still exist in the United States. There is still great uncertainty with respect to the more stringent United States approval regime for treatment equipment, which started to be enforced in January 2014 (the U.S. not being a Party to the IMO Convention). 

“The U.S. regulations require all ships that discharge ballast water in U.S. waters to use a treatment system approved by the Coast Guard. However, because no systems have yet been approved, ships already required to comply with the U.S. regulations have either been granted extensions to the dates for fitting the required treatment systems or else permitted to install a USCG accepted Alternate Management System (AMS), in practice a system type-approved in accordance with the current IMO Guidelines.  

“However, an AMS will only be accepted for operation for five years, after which time a fully USCG approved system must be installed.  But the USCG does not guarantee that an AMS will be subsequently granted full approval.  Hence shipowners that may have installed an AMS in good faith, at a cost of between  $1 million -5 million per ship, might then have to replace the system completely after only five years. This is a particular concern for operators that have installed ultra-violet (UV) systems.

“There are over 50 treatment systems approved under the current IMO regime, but worryingly fewer than 20 manufacturers have so far indicated their intent to submit their systems for U.S. approval.   The conflicting IMO and U.S. requirements, when combined with the complete lack of systems fully approved by the USCG, could produce an impossible situation in which some ships might not be able to operate in U.S. waters when the IMO Convention enters in force.”