When compared to other major river navigation routes around the world, the St. Lawrence River is a favoured waterway.  

It flows from the mouth of Lake Ontario, at an altitude of 250 metres. From its source to the Gulf, the river travels 1,197 kilometres, and is fed by several tributaries including the Ottawa, Richelieu, Saint-Francois and Saguenay rivers.  

But the effects of climate change are being felt. The marine industry is adapting. It is currently embarking on a shift towards smart technologies in view of this energy transition toward decarbonization.  

In this article we will see how the maritime and port industries are integrating climate change into their business models and introducing different adaptive measures.  

A professor emeritus of geography at the Universite de Montreal, I am an academic advisor at the Montreal Port Authority. I have been interested in maritime transportation issues for 30 years.  

Intelligent communication  

Commercial marine navigation on the St. Lawrence is affected by several conditions: variations in water levels related to seasonal cyclical changes, uneven precipitation, ice movement on the river surface, temperature variations and changes in tributary inflow and other anthropogenic factors.  

In this system, the transition zone between salt and fresh water starts east of Ile d’Orleans. Water with a higher salt concentration has a higher density than freshwater, and ships sink deeper.  

This means that the navigation routes must be maintained and equipped with fixed and floating aids (lighthouses, range lights, buoys, etc.) The Canadian Hydrographic Service monitors tides and water levels, produces charts and collects data to develop programs for safe and sustainable use of the waterway.  

Navigation support includes a telecommunications system between ships and the banks of the river. As the St. Lawrence is particularly difficult to navigate, the services of river pilots is necessary to ensure the safety and security of vessels from around the world. Open to winter ocean navigation, the Coast Guard maintains a fleet of icebreakers to keep ships moving.  

The impacts of climate change  

The scientific literature confirms that maritime transport, port systems and supply chains are influenced by the combined action of climate change and various forms of human intervention.  

Climate change is primarily evident in higher air temperatures that affect water levels, precipitation, ice conditions and storms. These can increase the vulnerability of the St. Lawrence river-sea transportation chain as well as the cost of Quebec’s participation in international trade.  

Here’s how the maritime and port industry is responding and adapting to these new circumstances.  

1) Extreme temperatures  

Extreme hot temperatures lead to a slowdown in labour productivity and a reduction in outdoor working hours. This results in longer docked ship hours, consequent delays in operations and more ships on standby.  

In addition, high temperatures have an impact on port facilities. Machinery is more likely to break down and there are higher energy costs for ventilation and air conditioning.  

Rising temperatures can also increase the vulnerability of marine environments to storms and wave levels. Storms have a direct impact on the scheduling of navigation routes on the St. Lawrence.  

Solutions: Some innovations are using intelligent navigation to reduce the vulnerability of commercial shipping to extreme variations in temperature (extreme cold and heat), fluctuating water levels (low water and flooding), and changes in wind strength and direction.  

Intelligent navigation is based on interconnectivity between information systems. Navigation assistance (digitization of the seabed, augmented and mixed reality for piloting and physical repairs at sea) makes it possible to limit the risk of incidents and accidents on the river or in the shipping channel.  

To ensure the safe mooring of ships at berth during high winds or extreme weather, port authorities are strengthening mooring bollards to prevent breakage. In addition, St. Lawrence ports have adopted delay forecasting plans for docking and unloading cargo to limit wait times at the port during severe weather conditions.  

2) Water fluctuation  

Considering that the St. Lawrence system allows access to large ships, water levels pose a greater problem than elsewhere.  

However, climate change is exacerbating access problems in all the river ports. Changes in water depth not only affect their capacity, but also their reliability, a key factor in shipping traffic development.  

Global warming heralds shorter, warmer winters, with more mild weather and rainy spells. Heavy rainfall can increase shifting sediment and may lead to dredging and maintenance of access channels.  

This could cause severe flooding of wharfs and port handling areas due to coastal overflows and surface rainwater drainage problems. Extensive flooding could also damage surveillance equipment and compromise port security.  

Solutions: During episodes of low water levels, port authorities enhance the safety of all vessels operating on the river system by installing both digital and physical signage indicating the location of current phenomena and shoals.  

During intense and extreme rainfall, ports undertake the upgrading of quays and infrastructure. Sediments removed during maintenance dredging can be used to stabilize infrastructure subject to increased erosion or to provide environmental services.  

3) Variable ice formation  

Freezing is a phenomenon that partly protects the coastline in winter. As the ice dwindles, there will be a potential increase in coastal exposure to strong waves and at the same time, increased shoreline erosion.  

Climate change will lead to greater variability in average ice thicknesses and, above all, to a breakdown of ice cover on the St. Lawrence River. In several St. Lawrence ports, this fragmenting could accelerate as ships manoeuver in and out of harbour.  

These multiple ice breakages raise serious maritime safety issues, increasing the risk of collision with ships that are forced to slow down.  

Solutions: To combat erratic ice formation, the creation of a monitoring service for ice conditions in the river’s waters is a priority measure that is being systematized or strengthened. It provides ships with an accurate navigation tool. The acquisition of tugs equipped with icebreakers operating 24/7 will prevent the accumulation of ice near ports and waterways, thereby increasing the safety of commercial vessels.  

Energy transition  

Reducing the carbon footprint of the maritime port economy is at the heart of the fight against climate change. Maritime carriers and ports deal with different strategies for managing the energy transition.  

Canadian marine carriers such as Fednav, CSL, Groupe Desgagnes Inc, NEAS, Ocean Group, as well as the Societe des traversiers du Quebec and the Canadian Coast Guard, have made investments in: 1) improving their fleets through emission reduction technologies; 2) reducing the speed of ships or 3) using alternative fuels including liquefied natural gas (LNG) and biofuels.  

The St. Lawrence ports have also undertaken several initiatives: installing electrical terminals to power ships (Montreal); introducing natural gas as a new ship refuelling service (Montreal, Quebec); lowering port fees for eco-responsible shipowners (Quebec); installing new loading equipment to reduce waiting times for ships (Sept-Iles); funding ecological projects and innovations (Trois-Rivieres); developing circular economy projects (Becancour); installing electric conveyors (Saguenay).  

This ongoing energy transition requires the development of renewable energy production tools, a search for efficiency gains, a reduction in consumption and an increase in interconnections to facilitate trade.  

This structural transformation of energy production and consumption methods requires major investments, introduction of innovations and a strong political will. In this context, the Quebec maritime and port industry’s actions are part of international best practices in energy transition.  

Claude Comtois has received funding from several federal and provincial departments (Transport Canada, Ministere des Transports du Quebec, Ministere de l’Economie, de l’Innovation et des Exportations), the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC), the Fonds de recherche du Quebec – Nature et technologie (FRQNT) and the Reseau Quebec Maritime (RQM).  

Source:  https://theconversation.com/navigating-climate-change-how-shipping-is-adapting-in-the-st-lawrence-189523

Innovation is nothing new to the shipping sector. But the scope of the transformation process that has been initiated to decarbonise nearly all shipping traffic opens up entirely new dimensions. Green hydrogen, its derivatives converted to e-fuels and PtX fuels, and the fuel cell systems operating on these fuels on board ships are in focus at the international trade fair for the shipping industry, SMM, where the maritime industrial and innovation cluster ‘e4ships’ highlights application concepts, scientific findings and practical experiences. Facing the escalating climate and energy crisis, the global shipping industry must meet the massive challenge of positioning itself for the evolving technology transformation process.

The focus is on developing green technologies and application concepts for various energy sources to achieve market maturity while creating safety regulations for approval and and operation of ships using innovative energy conversion systems and alternative fuels. International technical standards allowing fast, consistent certification without requiring individual prototype approvals are a prerequisite for broad, industry-wide implementation.

Through its multifaceted project e4ships – Fuel cells in maritime applications, Germany has made substantial progress in its efforts to make shipping sustainable. Leading German shipyards and ship-owners began cooperating with fuel cell manufacturers at an early time, developing fuel cell systems for the specific needs of ocean-going and inland ships in the demonstration projects Pa-X-ell2, ELEKTRA, MultiSchIBZ and RiverCell2.

The resulting technical findings were incorporated into the safety regulations for the approval of ships with on-board fuel cell systems developed recently by the international shipping organisations IMO and CESNI. In april 2022 the IMO Maritime Safety Committee approved the Interim guidelines for the safety of ships using fuel cell power installations, defining requirements for installation of these systems in commercial vessels. These guidelines establish a regulatory framework for emission-free operation of ships using efficient energy conversion systems and carbonneutral fuels while paving the way for a successful market ramp-up of fuel cell systems for the maritime sector.

The insights gained by the partners of the e4ships initiative, with funding provided by the National Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technology Innovation Programme (NIP), were major contributions to this achievement. The NIP is coordinated by NOW GmbH and implemented by Project Management Jülich (PtJ). For more information on the demonstration projects and the e4ships innovation cluster please refer to the new brochure which may be accessed using the link or QR code below

Source: e4Ships

Sails might be more associated with ships of the 1800s, but in pursuit of ever-lower emissions, wind power is making a comeback and there are now more large oceangoing vessels with wind propulsion systems fitted than ships burning alternative fuels.

According to the International Windship Association, there are 21 large vessels under some type of wind-assisted technology today, including tankers, bulk carriers and vehicle carriers. By the end of 2023, this number could jump as high as 50. By 2025, the forecast surges to 100 wind-assisted ships. The potential is encapsulated in IWSA’s claim that the 2020s is the “decade of wind propulsion”. In support of these predictions, a 2019 UK government-funded study estimated that 37,000-40,000 ships, or 40%-45% of the global fleet, could harness the power of the wind by 2050, while EU research has forecast that up to 10,700 wind propulsion installations could be in place by 2030 covering 50% of the bulk carrier market and up to 65% of tankers, removing 7.5 million tonnes of CO2.

There are three main concepts for wind-assisted propulsion: the wing sail, the kite sail and the Flettner rotor. Of those, the Flettner rotor system has emerged as a front runner. Invented by Anton Flettner in the 1920s, Flettner rotors comprise tall cylinders mounted on a ship’s deck that rapidly rotate with the wind and propel the vessel forward.

“With pressure from end users, large charterers are looking for myriad solutions to lower shipping emissions; wind propulsion is one fix”.

Charterers’ choice

Cargill, for example, is preparing to test BAR Technologies’ WindWings wind sail technology on Mitsubishi’s 80,962-dwt 2017-built Pyxis Ocean. The WindWings are expected to generate average fuel savings of 30%. Jan Dieleman, president of Cargill’s Ocean Transportation business, has reportedly said that the company plans to charter at least 20 new wind-assisted ships in the coming years.

Japanese shipping company Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, meanwhile, has installed a hard sail system on board a bulk carrier developed under the Wind Challenger project at Oshima Shipbuilding. The vessel is scheduled for delivery in October this year.

Then, Singapore-based bulk carrier owner Berge Bulk, which has 85 vessels in its fleet, has signed agreements with Anemoi Marine Technologies to equip two of its vessels with four folding rotor sails each. The first vessel, the 388,000 dwt, 2012-built Berge Neblina, was made ‘wind-ready’ earlier this year with the structural integration required for the installation carried out during a scheduled dry dock. Four of Anemoi’s large folding deployment rotor sails will be installed to improve vessel performance. Folding rotor sails can be lowered from the vertical to mitigate the impact on air draught and cargo handling operations. A second vessel, the 210,000 dwt, 2017-built Berge Mulhacen, will also receive four folding rotor sails. Anemoi predicts that the four-rotor system will save Berge Bulk 1,200-1,500 metric tons of fuel per vessel each year.

“Class rules are having to keep pace with wind propulsion supply, while research and development is ongoing to hone and perfect the technology”.

Rules and regs 

Lloyd’s Register has granted Approval in Principle (AIP) for a Shanghai Merchant Ship Design and Research Institute (SDARI) designed 210,000 dwt Newcastlemax bulk carrier installed with Anemoi Rotor Sails. The Newcastlemax AIP is part of a joint development project signed in 2020 between Anemoi Marine Technologies, Lloyd’s Register, and SDARI.

Bureau Veritas has also developed two new notations for wind-assisted propulsion, which provide load cases and coefficients for freestanding rigs, wing sails, kite sails and wind turbines. The WPS-1 notation is for wind-powered ships with standing rigging, and the WPS-2 notation concerns vessels with both standing and running rigging.

Meanwhile, an EU project aims to take wind propulsion to the next level. The EU-Interreg North Sea Region project ‘WASP: Wind Assisted Ship Propulsion’ – co-funded by the European Regional Development Fund – brings together universities, wind-assist technology providers with ship owners to research, trial and validate the operational performance of a selection of wind propulsion solutions. The overall aim of the project is the realisation of a greener North Sea transport system through the harvesting the region’s wind potential.

The project describes wind assisted ship propulsion as “one of the most promising contributions towards sustainable shipping. It enables ships to exploit an emission-free energy source that is delivered directly to the ship while it is at sea.”

As part of the WASP Project, rotor sails, suction wings and wing sails have been installed on five commercial ships and third-party validations have been conducted to verify actual fuel savings achieved. Over the course of the project, WASP expects to save 5,594 tonnes of heavy fuel oil, 17,637 tonnes of CO2 and generate 27.6 million KWH of electricity.

Hurdles still to overcome

But there are still constraints that need to be overcome for wind-assisted propulsion to be a viable choice for all operators.

‘Availability’ refers to wind as a “variable, changeable element”, meaning that wind propulsion alone might not be enough to meet a ship’s power needs. ‘Space’ notes that the masts that support the rigid and rotating sails installed onboard ships can measure up to 80 metres high, which take up significant space on deck.

‘Design’ sees both newbuilds and retrofitted in-service vessels face design and technical obstacles when integrating wind-assisted propulsion systems onboard. For example, these include structural modifications for reinforcement and stabilising elements for retrofitted vessels. ‘Cost’ relates to the current high capital investment needed for wind propulsion systems. Although this is expected to drop as demand increases, for the time being it is difficult to achieve economies of scale, notes BV.

Finally, ‘regulations’ refers to a lack of official rules or guidelines for wind-assisted propulsion systems from the IMO. Regulatory frameworks will need to be adapted for wider acceptance to be achievable.

Source: https://www.maritimeeconomy.com/post-details.php?post_id=aGtmZw==&post_name=Gusts%20to%20gales%20for%20wind%20propulsion%20takeup&segment_name=18