EcoClipper, a Dutch start-up company working to develop a fleet of zero-emission sail-powered cargo ships, is using 21st-century technology to perfect wind propulsion to provide sustainable transportation for cargo, passengers, and trainees around the world. UK-based engineering consultants Cape Horn Engineering is partnering with EcoClipper to apply its expertise in computational fluid dynamics to advance the design of the modern sailing ships.
Founded in 2018, EcoClipper plans to develop a fleet of ships that will sail on four shipping lines with fixed schedules, thereby creating a new shipping logistics system for sail cargo vessels. The concept calls for three regular routes to be established, starting with the Atlantic sailing from the English Channel to the United States and the Caribbean. The Pacific route would sail from California to China and Japan, and the most ambitious is a traditional route sailing around the world using the westerly wind patterns.
The inspiration and starting point for the design of the modern vessels was based on the design of the Dutch sailing clipper Noach, launched in 1857 and reported to have been the fastest Dutch sailing vessel ever built. The EcoClipper 500 will be built in steel with modern construction techniques. According to the company, each vessel will be able to carry 500 tons of cargo along with a crew of 12, 36 trainees, and up to 12 passengers.
“The historic records of Fop Smit’s Noach are extensive,” says Jorne Langelaan, sail cargo expert and founder and CEO of EcoClipper, nothing that the design of the historic ship was built around cargo carrying capabilities and passenger comfort. He, however, wants to test different hull shapes to ensure the best performance of the modern ship. “With Cape Horn Engineering’s expertise, we are able to fine-tune the ship to make sure it can sail as fast as possible, whilst retaining these necessities.”
CFD simulation for the EcoClipper design (Cape Horn Engineering)
Cape Horn Engineering’s expertise focuses on optimizing the design of many composite vessels using its experience in hydrodynamics and specialization in computational fluid dynamics (CFD). The engineers use high-fidelity RANS-based simulation techniques where accurate forces and moments are obtained for the given shape candidates and operating conditions.
For the EcoShip project, Cape Horn explains that an ambitious R&D program was agreed and extensive CFD simulations for four different candidate hulls were performed and compared at different sailing conditions to aid the design process. Dr. Rodrigo Azcueta, managing director of Cape Horn Engineering explained that CFD technology is a crucial support for naval architects to optimize designs for critical elements such as weight saving, performance predictions, reducing emissions, and ship optimization.
One of the main challenges the engineers faced said Azcueta was to compare fairly dissimilar hull shape candidates without the aid of a Velocity Prediction Program, where all hydro and aero forces are balanced. With the complex sail plan for the EcoClipper 500, which consists of three square-rigged masts, a maximum of 29 sails (including stunsails), and the maximum sail area being around 1580m2, the generation of a full aerodynamic model was out of the scope of the project. Therefore, sail coefficients for similar sailing vessels found in literature had to be used, to give a relationship between the driving force, side force, and heeling moment, to enable accurate calculations to be made for the hydrodynamic performance of the hull candidates.
Another detailed investigation was aimed at finding the best possible position to install the hydro-generators that will provide the electricity requirements of the vessel. Velocity maps around the hull were analyzed to find the locations with the most homogeneous and higher speeds for the best performance of the turbines.
Using these advanced engineering capabilities, EcoClipper reports that it is further advancing the sustainability of the project. The company’s previous research showed that the most sustainable way to transport cargo and passengers is using a traditional design of vessels, the Clipper ship, with square-rig sails. EcoClipper previously reported that it is examining the financial market to build its first ship.
SINTEF researcher Andrea Gruber crunches numbers – with good help from the supercomputer Betzy. With an infinity of calculations that are linked together, the researchers now provide answers to what is needed for the well-known chemical ammonia to become a climate solution for large parts of shipping.
The chemical has the ability to remain liquid at room temperature at moderate pressure levels, such as in ordinary gas cylinders. The climate-friendly alternative hydrogen, by comparison, requires a temperature lower than minus 253 degrees Celsius to stay liquid.
In addition, we already have both production opportunities and a distribution network ready for ammonia. This makes the solution easy to use for large parts of the world. Ammonia can be produced with completely renewable energy sources, or with carbon capture and storage from natural gas.
Because pure ammonia burns poorly and is difficult to ignite in an engine, the idea of ??the researchers is to use the waste heat from the combustion process to partially decompose the ammonia. Ammonia consists of one nitrogen atom and three hydrogen atoms. After the decomposition, we are left with fuel that consists of ammonia, nitrogen and hydrogen.
The hydrogen content in this fuel helps to kick-start the combustion process well, with good help from large amounts of heated air from the surroundings. It provides movement and propulsion in the engine’s well-known thermal process.
“The fact that the ‘working medium’ in this combustion is air makes it quite simple and cheap to scale up the process, so that it can be adapted to the largest cargo ships. For battery-powered ships or vessels that use power from fuel cells, it is a lot more difficult,” says Gruber. “Unlike the electrochemical process in a fuel cell, which is also an interesting alternative in smaller ships, the internal combustion engine utilizes ‘all’ the air and not just the oxygen content (~ 22 percent),” Gruber adds.
Animation of the flame (red) burning through the turbulent mixture of ammonia, hydrogen and air (green). The calculation is performed in a small (1 cm3) but representative proportion of the entire combustion chamber by solving differential equations of almost 1 billion points. Animation: Andrea Gruber / SINTEF
Billions of calculations and useful waste heat
The supercomputer Betzy is the researchers’ most important tool in the search for the optimal combustion of ammonia. Betzy has five times the existing computing capacity of Norwegian researchers and has a total computing power equivalent to 43,000 “ordinary” laptops. Put another way: With a normal laptop, it would take 1,168 years to perform the simulations in this project.
The researchers have used 80 million computational hours spread over approximately three months from December 2020 to February 2021. The mathematical solution shows in detail how ammonia is burned in a ship’s engine compared to natural gas or pure hydrogen.
There are already natural gas (LNG) engines on the market, and with the simulation job done, the researchers have the exact data needed to redesign existing gas engines to run on climate-friendly ammonia. Thus, these calculations help us on the way to phasing out heavy oil from shipping.
“We have worked a lot with mathematical simulations of internal combustion engines before, but then we have had to collaborate with research environments in the US to be able to use computing power there. Now we have finally got the opportunity here in Norway,” says Gruber.
In practice, the researchers calculate how 19 chemical substances react with each other in 63 different elemental reactions – with different mixing ratios in a turbulent combustion process.
“What we know from before is how a certain mixture of fuel and air is burned without turbulence. But turbulence arises as an inevitable fact in any practical application of the combustion process. Getting more and more accurate information about this is absolutely essential for optimizing engines with regard to the best utilization of fuel and reducing emissions, but it also requires enormous amount of computing power,” says Gruber.
The next step is laboratory experiments
The calculations have given the researchers important details about how the ammonia behaves under different combustion conditions and makes it possible to simulate virtual flames in a small but representative part of a combustion chamber.
Research shows that under normal operating conditions, pure hydrogen has far too high reactivity as a motor fuel and a tendency to ignite prematurely, while pure ammonia ignites and burns poorly.
“Neither of the two fuels is therefore favorable for the internal combustion engines. However, by utilizing waste heat from the ship’s engine, ammonia can be partially decomposed on board. Then we get a fuel mixture of ammonia, hydrogen and nitrogen,” the SINTEF researcher explains.
Such a process will be practical for two reasons: First, the engine’s waste heat is recycled to increase the energy content of the fuel, which improves the overall efficiency of the machine. Secondly, the combustion properties of the new ammonia / hydrogen / nitrogen fuel mixture will be very similar to what can be characterized as standard natural gas.
“This is important, because it means that it will be possible to adapt engines that are already in the current fleet to burn the fuel mixture,” says Gruber.
This article appears courtesy of Gemini News and is reproduced here in an abbreviated form. The original (in Norwegian) may be found here.
The Coast Guard Captain of the Port for Key West and Miami has declared port condition Whiskey for the Port of Key West and PortMiami. Tropical Storm Elsa has been upgraded to Hurricane Elsa, making it the first hurricane of the 2021 season, and it is expected to bring gale-force winds to the region within 72 hours’ time.
For now, Key West and PortMiami remain open to all commercial traffic and cargo operations, but sustained winds between 39-54 mph are possible within 72 hours. There are no safe havens from storm conditions in either port, and the Coast Guard reminded shipping interests that ports are safest when they have less vessels.
At Key West, all ocean-going commercial vessels and ocean-going barges of 300 gross tons and above are expected to make plans for departing the port so that they can weather the storm at sea. At Miami, the limit is 500 gross tons and over.
Vessels that wish to remain in port must receive advance permission from the COTP, and inbound vessels headed for South Florida are advised to divert if they will not be able to leave again 24 hours before the storm’s arrival.
Shoreside port facilities are advised to get ready; when the storm gets closer, all regulated facilities are required to submit readiness surveys to the captain of the port.
Small craft are advised to seek safe harbor at inland marinas, and trailerable boats should be pulled out of the water. EPIRBs and lifejackets – which can get blown off unoccupied boats in a hurricane – should be removed in order to avoid false alarms and unneeded rescue operations.
Elsa is not presently expected to strengthen to major hurricane status, according to the National Weather Service, and it is not yet certain whether it will pass near or over Florida.. At present it is generating wind speeds of 65 knots and has not yet formed a persistent eye. It is expected to pass by the south coast of Hispaniola on Sunday, but after that its course is unclear: It could head west-northwest between Cuba and Mexico, or pass over western Cuba and curve north towards to Florida, or head north through the Bahamas, the National Hurricane Center suggested. “The latter portion of the track forecast remains low confidence,” NHC said in its forecast discussion.
Elsa is the first hurricane and fifth named tropical storm of the 2021 season. Its formation marked the earliest date on record for the fifth storm of the season, beating last year’s record-setting Tropical Storm Edouard to the starting line by four days.
The cruise ship Explorer of the Seas is the latest member of the team assisting in the efforts underway in Florida after a residential high-rise tower collapse. Owners of the cruise ship, Royal Caribbean International, announced that the ship which is currently idled due to the pandemic would provide temporary housing for some of the hundreds of the search and rescue team members working in the town of Surfside, in northern Miami-Dade Country at the site of the collapsed condominium building.
Hundreds of American rescue personnel joined by teams from countries including Mexico and Israel have been working around the clock since a 12-story high-rise condominium building collapsed on June 24. The teams, which are conducting 12-hour shifts and assisted by search and rescue dogs and sophisticated equipment, are picking through the rubble and searching for the more than 150 persons unaccounted for after this disaster.
In collaboration with the Florida Division of Emergency Management (FDEM), Royal Caribbean Group docked its 137,308 gross ton cruise ship the Explorer of the Seas at PortMiami on July 1. According to the cruise line, the Explorer of the Seas will host approximately 600 emergency workers from around the world, providing a respite from their shifts. Search and rescue teams, including their dogs, will arrive in groups of 80 at a time to the ship. Onboard, they will receive individual staterooms, hot meals, laundry service, and WIFI. The cruise ship has a normal passenger capacity of 3,286 people (double occupancy) and operates with a normal complement of 1,185 crew.
Search team members arriving at the PortMiami cruise terminal (Michael Bayley/Royal Caribbean)
“This incredible act of kindness and generosity from our friends at Royal Caribbean is deeply appreciated by our entire community,” said Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava. “Over the past nine days, our first responders have been working under dangerous, stressful conditions to move our search and rescue mission forward through so many unprecedented challenges. These accommodations will provide them with a much-needed respite and opportunity to rest and recharge for their next shift and are yet another example of how our local and global community has come together in the aftermath of tragedy.”
To accomplish this effort, Royal Caribbean said that its team and the ship’s leadership worked with the Florida governor’s office, Miami-Dade County, FDEM, the U.S. Coast Guard, the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and U.S. Customs and Border Protection. The company acknowledged the support of the various agencies, noting it had received the necessary approvals within 24 hours.
“It’s been truly incredible. Our people have worked very hard to get everything organized and coordinated, in just a matter of hours, to be able to house so many workers,” said Richard Fain, Royal Caribbean Group’s chairman and CEO.
The cruise ship has recently been shuttling between the Bahamas and Florida while it remained out of service since the March 2020 global suspension of cruising. No date had been set for the vessel’s return to commercial service. Under the current plan, the company says the Explorer of the Seas likely will continue to provide housing for the next month. The ship will be docked at Terminal F at PortMiami.
Standardising and harmonising electronic ship to shore communication for reporting purposes was high on the agenda at the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) virtual Facilitation Committee (FAL) meeting held from 1-7 June 2021 (FAL 45).
One of the outcomes from the IMO meeting in the Facilitation Committee (FAL 45) was that a new updated version of the IMO Compendium will soon be issued, based on the most recent adoptions.
The Compendium promotes and supports electronic data exchange conducted using standardized data models and their implementation guidelines.
The IMO Compendium serves as a reference manual for creating and harmonising the systems needed to support transmission, receipt and response of information required for the arrival, stay and departure of the ship, persons and cargo via electronic data exchange.
The current version of the compendium already addresses a number of declarations required according to the Convention on Facilitation of International Maritime Traffic (FAL Convention):
• General Declaration
• Cargo Declaration
• Ship’s Stores Declaration
• Crew’s Effects Declaration
• Crew List
• Passenger List
• Dangerous Goods Manifest
• Security-related information as required under SOLAS regulation XI-2/9.2.2
• Advance Notification for Waste Delivery to Port Reception Facilities; and
• Maritime Declaration of Health.
In addition, the Compendium has been extended to include additional e-business solutions beyond those related to the FAL Convention, such as on port logistic operational data and real time date, to ensure the easy implementation of the IMO Just-In-Time (JIT) concept and maritime certificates.
More data sets are waiting to be included in the model.
“The IMO Compendium changes the way the maritime industry and ports will be communicating. Shipping is entering the digital world, and this change will reduce the administrative burden and increase the efficiency of maritime trade and transport,” says Jeppe Skovbakke Juhl, Manager, Maritime Safety & Security at BIMCO.
The positive news is that the FAL Committee made significant progress in the harmonisation and standardisation of electronic messaging by approving updates to the IMO Reference Data Model, as set out in the IMO Compendium.
“Although the software platforms may differ, the IMO Compendium can ensure that ships and shore will use the same data structure when communicating,” Juhl adds.
“This is a huge step forward for harmonising the machine-to-machine data exchange communication with the shoreside,” Juhl says.
Given the current size of the IMO Reference Data Model, the IMO Compendium will no longer be produced in a Word format, but instead be issued as an Excel file format.
IMO to assess the implementation of electronic data exchange
FAL 45 also agreed on another important measure addressing maritime digitalisation by developing guidelines to measure domestic implementation of the FAL convention. The aim of the guidelines is to create a tool to assess the opinion of maritime users about the FAL Convention, checking compliance with the administrative processes established by each national maritime authority and observing how well the maritime single window system is working, among other systems.
Back in 2016, IMO adopted mandatory regulations for electronic data exchange requiring public authorities to establish systems to assist ship clearance processes by April 2019. The aim of the requirements was to encourage the use of the “single window” concept, and to enable all the information required by public authorities in connection with the arrival, stay and departure of ships, persons and cargo, to be submitted via a single portal without duplication.
Although the IMO assessment is voluntary, it may give a much better picture to which degree the national public authorities have implemented the IMO Compendium and the associated IMO Reference Data Model.
Source: BIMCO, By Peter Sand, Chief Shipping Analyst
DNV has launched the EEXI Calculator – a digital tool to support customers in ensuring their compliance with the upcoming Energy Efficiency Existing Ship Index (EEXI). The regulation is expected to be adopted at this week’s 76th meeting of the Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC 76). If so, it would take effect in January 2023.
The EEXI regulation is a medium-term component of the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) roadmap towards reducing global shipping’s carbon intensity by 40 per cent over the next decade, using 2008 as a baseline. The aim of the EEXI is to assess the energy efficiency of existing ships, focusing solely on their design. It determines the standardized CO2 emissions related to a vessel’s installed engine power, transport capacity, speed, and degree of energy efficiency. The regulation will be applicable for all cargo, ro-pax and cruise vessels above 400 GT, depending on their propulsion type and whether they trade internationally. DNV estimates that currently up to 30,000 vessels need to take action to comply with the upcoming EEXI regulation.
“The EEXI is putting a great deal of pressure on ship owners to take immediate action in order to analyse the energy efficiency of their fleet and make any necessary adjustments to ensure compliance,“ said Knut Ørbeck-Nilssen, CEO of DNV Maritime. “At DNV, we understand the difficulties the industry faces in meeting this regulatory deadline. This is why we have tailored our new EEXI Calculator to meet this need.”
Energy Efficiency Existing Ship Index (EEXI) is expected to take effect in 2023. DNV has launched the EEXI Calculator to support customers in ensuring their compliance.
To help customers ensure they are prepared for EEXI compliance, DNV has developed two pathways.
The EEXI Calculator is purpose made for high volume ship segments such as tankers, bulkers and containers. Customers can access this newly launched tool via the Veracity portal under ‘Fleet Status’. The calculator can produce an EEXI calculation and the technical file based on the data uploaded by the customer.
For more complex cases, and when the customer wants to save time and effort, DNV’s advisory experts can work with customers to map out a pathway to compliance, identify the correct parameters for the calculation, and assist in preparing the required documentation.
“These two pathways are designed to help everyone tackle their EEXI challenges in time to reach compliance,” said Fabian Kock, Head of Section Environmental Certification, DNV Maritime. “For companies with a younger fleet, this may not require major adjustments, they can easily access and prepare the required documentation through our EEXI calculator. And for those who need more support, there is the opportunity to tap into DNV’s extensive expertise as they prepare to make more involved decisions around how their vessels can meet the regulatory requirements and secure EEXI compliance when the regulation comes into force.”
X-Press Feeders, operators of the container ship ‘X-Press Pearl’, confirmed that the wreck is now wholly sitting on the seabed at a depth of 21 meters.
Specifically, taretakers salvors are onsite on a 24-hour watch to deal with any possible debris and report any form of a spill.
A grey sheen continues to be observed emanating from the vessel, and discolouration of the sea in and around the wreck remains. This has been apparent since the vessel’s stern became submerged, and the remnants of the cargo in the 1486 containers that were onboard were exposed to seawater.
Representatives of ITOPF and Oil Spill Response are monitoring updates from the scene and are ready to deploy in case of any reported spill.
Due to the exposed nature of the anchorage to the prevailing South Westerly Monsoon, it is likely that the wreck removal can only start after the SW monsoon subsides; caretaker services will remain on site until then. They will continue to minimise pollution and monitor the wreck’s condition and report daily to experts ashore and Government agencies.
Additionally, the caretakers will install navigational warning lights and markers on the wreck for the safety of other vessels. When conditions allow, side-scan sonar will be used to locate any sunken containers or debris in the anchorage for removal.
Above image is used for illustration purposes only
A fire has reprotedly broken out onboard the container ship MSC Teresa, in its engine room, on June 16, in the English Channel.
The fire was reported as the ship was en route from Sines Portugal to Le Havre France.
After the fire, the crew of the ship took action and managed to take it under control and eventually extinguishing it.
Moreover, French Navy helicopter carried out two surveillance flights over the container ship, and in the last one it found no smoke and a normal temperature.
The product tanker market has a long way to go, as global gasoline demand is expected to lag in terms of demand recovery, with crude oil expected to recover first. In its latest weekly report, shipbroker Intermodal said that “while approaching the second half of the year and summer season is just around the corner, COVID vaccination programs are steadily moving forward with N. America and Europe leading the race. In this context, demand for oil products is expected to recover during the next quarters. While more people get vaccinated and travel restrictions are eased by governments, global oil products inventories are estimated to have dropped close to the 5 year average range for this time of year, with the Atlantic driving most of the destocking, thus refineries production will have to gradually increase looking forward”.
Source: Intermodal
Intermodal’s Tanker Broker, Mr. Dimitris Kourtesis said that “as per the latest IEA report, in 2020 we saw a record decline in oil demand by 8.5 MB/D, which is now expected to rebound by + 5.4 MB/D in 2021 and to fully recover to pre-pandemic levels by end of 2022 with an additional +3.1 MB/D. Global gasoline demand is most likely to lag other oil products in returning to pre-covid numbers, as the combination of teleworking and the increase of electric cars will play a major role in the next two years. However, last to see a full demand recovery will be jet fuel, as international aviation has a long way to go until most of the population is vaccinated and consumers’ preferences normalize to pre-COVID levels, likely to take place after 2022”.
Mr. Kourtesis added that “for the time being, with bunker prices hovering at low to mid USD 500 PMT for VLSFO and close to USD 600 PMT for MGO, TCEs for tankers have been suppressed further on top of weak fundamentals. Nevertheless, tanker Owners are hopeful that the market will start recovering, as the market trough we are experiencing will soon be exhausted. Charterers now working most of the cargoes privately to prevent owners from being bullish and from time to time we are seeing long tonnage lists that further weaken the market”.
“VLCC rates are still moving close to zero tce’s or even at some cases “moving” at negative numbers, there was some additional movement on the WAF/EAST route but was not enough to push rates, same story with Aframaxes and Suezmaxes east of Suez, rates remained flat with Aframaxes around ws90 @ 80kmt (usd 1,750 p/d) and Suezmaxes at ws54-55 @ 130kmt. In the Mediterranean, Aframaxes tried to work their way and push rates slightly higher but was quite unfortunate, owners still working cross-med cargoes at low ws90 levels @ 80kmt (usd 2,665 p/d), Suezmaxes are being left spot as the scarce availability of cargoes limits the option of picking a cargo without a negative return”, Intermodal’s broker noted.
Source: Intermodal
Meanwhile, “CPP MR east of Suez they are pretty much bottomed out with a lot of Singapore ballasters joining the Fujairah list as they have aggressively been capped by LR1’s that had long tonnage lists trying to kill some time with short voyages, cross AG still stands at below USD 200k levels, (usd170k-180k) and AG/EAFR standing at WS154 @ 35KMT, (tce circa usd 6,500 pdpr) LR’1 & LR2’S freight market continues to soften this week, with TC1(AG/JAPAN) at WS75 and LR1’S dropping below WS90 to Japan. In Med, not much happening on the MRs as mentioned earlier many of the ships are being swept from the market on a private basis without showing the cargoes to the market, cross med cargoes are being fixed at sub ws125 levels and BSEA/MED at WS134-135. Continent still drives the market as the most active in West of Suez, TC stands 37@WS110 (abt 2300 usd/day) with the ARA/WAF at some cases loosing full of its premium points, despite owner’s preference to pick voyages with WAF options as the demurrage improves their returns”, Mr. Kourtesis concluded.
Nikos Roussanoglou, Hellenic Shipping News Worldwide
Million of dollars of cargo is still stuck in limbo onboard the MV Ever Given amid an ongoing legal battle almost three months after the giant container ship grounded and blocked the Suez Canal.
The grounding of the 400-meter-long ship Ever Given in the southern section of the Suez Canal on March 23 blocked the waterway for nearly a week, causing a major disruption in global trade flows as it prevented hundreds of ships from passing the world’s major shipping trade route, before it was finally freed six days later.
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To remind, in mid-April, an Egyptian court ordered the seizure of the vessel, along with its 18,300 cargo containers, after the Suez Canal Authority filed an initial $916 million compensation claim against Japanese ship owner Shoei Kisen Kaisha for damages and losses incurred when the ship ran aground in a narrow part of the canal.
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