Korean Register (KR) and Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering (DSME) will be working closely together to develop new propulsion systems capable of handling green fuels including ammonia and hydrogen.
On 7 September, the two organisations signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to jointly collaborate at Gastech 2022, Milan, Italy. The move follows announcements that KR would be jointly developing a liquefied CO2 carrier with DSME.
Whilst the global maritime industry is introducing operational measures such as limiting engine output and installing energy-saving devices to meet stringent greenhouse gas regulations, in the longer term green fuels will be needed to achieve substantial emission reductions.
There is a high level of market interest in propulsion systems and materials for operating with green fuels such as ammonia, hydrogen and methanol.
Ammonia and hydrogen, widely recognized as green alternatives, but are considered to have more sensitive characteristics than commonly used LNG fuels. To be used as a marine fuel, extra technical requirements need to be addressed. These include the toxicity of ammonia, hydrogen embrittlement, cryogenic conditions equivalent to -253 ° C, diffusion characteristics, as well as ensuring the same level of safety as existing ships.
This joint research agreement between the two parties will build on the unique strengths and accumulated technology of each company.
DSME aims to commercialize ammonia-powered container ships by 2025 based on its advanced technology, and is at an advanced stage in developing eco-friendly fuel technologies, including low-carbon ammonia carriers and liquefied CO2 carriers.
KR has also been actively seeking better options for decarbonization pathways. As well as publishing guidelines for ammonia-fueled ships, the classification society is developing its own hydrogen-powered ship rules and is working on enhanced decarbonization initiatives to ensure ship safety and a greener future.
Dong-kyu Choi, Head of DSME’s R&D Institute, said: “The added value of eco-friendly ship propulsion technologies is expected to increase further in the future amid the strengthening of environmental regulations. Besides this collaboration with KR, we will continue to develop advanced eco-friendly ship propulsion technology and strive to speed up the commercialization of decarbonized ships.”
Dae-heon Kim, Executive Vice President of KR R&D division, said: “Gastech 2022 was a great opportunity to showcase our technical strength and efforts. The joint agreement with DSME is significant in preparing for the future of green fuels in the long term. We will do our best to support the technology needed to deliver a low emissions shipping industry.”
AD Ports Group’s SAFEEN Feeders will collaborate with shipping leader CMA CGM Group, a global player in sea, land, air and logistics solutions, in launching a new Southeast Asia service linking Singapore, Colombo and Chennai.
The company’s ‘SAFEEN Pioneer,’ which has a container capacity of 2,034 TEUs, will join CMA CGM Group’s ‘Songa Tiger’ on the India East Coast Express 2 service, connecting these key ports. SAFEEN Feeders will market the service under the name Singapore Chennai Colombo Service (SCC).
This will be SAFEEN Feeders’ first service to call in Southeast Asia, as the company continues to expand its global reach.
Captain Ammar Mubarak Al Shaiba, Acting CEO – Maritime Cluster and SAFEEN Group, AD Ports Group, said: “We are very proud to be working with our partner, CMA CGM Group, on the India East Coast Express service. This service connects key global markets with some of the busiest ports in the world and will help boost trade and improve delivery times. Our aim is to provide key services across the seas where our customers need them most, and today’s announcement demonstrates the breadth of our international ambitions.”
SAFEEN Group delivers a comprehensive range of port and marine services, transshipment, offshore and subsea logistics and feeders services. It deploys a team of professionals and a fleet of state-of-the-art vessels to ensure a full spectrum of maritime logistics, solutions and services are operated effectively and with maximum efficiency.
Maritime hydrogen fuel cell specialist Zero Emission Industries (ZEI) has announced the first close of its Series A funding round. The round is led by Chevron New Energies with additional investment from Crowley.
ZEI is the designer and developer of the first-of-its-kind maritime hydrogen and fuel cell system used in the Sea Change, the world’s first gaseous hydrogen fuel cell powered passenger ferry, as well as the vessel’s unique fueling system that allows it to be fueled directly from a hydrogen truck
The new funds are expected to enable ZEI to roll out its next generation fully integrated marine power system and scale quickly to meet the demand within the maritime industry for zero emission propulsion solutions.
“We believe hydrogen is the best path to energy security and decarbonization of the maritime industry. Chevron and Crowley bring a wealth of global experience and an ability to scale deployment across the marine market. We’re excited to leverage this partnership with our industry-leading technology to achieve exponential growth of the marine hydrogen market,” said ZEI CEO Dr. Joseph Pratt.
ZEI is led by Pratt, who has built a team of hydrogen and marine experts with deep industry knowledge and expertise in the design, development, and deployment of hydrogen fuel cell power systems and other critical hydrogen technology. ZEI produces marine-specific turn-key fuel cell power and hydrogen storage systems that deliver superior performance.
“Our intelligent, connected, reliable power systems are the only ones on the market built from the ground-up specifically to meet the rigorous demands of the marine community. Designed to be as easy to install and operate as a marine diesel engine, we are working to build solutions that truly enable the maritime industry to decarbonize without negatively impacting their operations,” said ZEI Executive VP John Motlow.
ZEI says that the investments from Chevron and Crowley create an integrated value chain from hydrogen production to power systems to vessels. It adds that the collaboration will drive value for end users and partners alike through simplified and cost effective fueling and power solutions made specifically for maritime.
“As the maritime industry focuses on lower carbon opportunities, hydrogen is well-suited to address these, and we are excited to collaborate with ZEI to advance this potential,” said Austin Knight, vice president of hydrogen for Chevron New Energies. “Chevron believes in the value of partnering to develop hydrogen solutions that have the potential to scale and support a lower carbon world, and this is a step in that direction.”
Chevron New Energies launched in 2021 to focus on establishing lower carbon businesses in CCUS, hydrogen, renewable fuels and products, offsets, and other emerging areas.
“Investing in and developing innovative, clean energy solutions such as hydrogen is critical to reaching the maritime industry’s decarbonization goals. Crowley can only reach net-zero emissions with collaboration that produces new ideas by partners and stakeholders,” said Tom Crowley, the company’s chairman and CEO. “Working with Chevron and ZEI is an opportunity to help lead the shipping and logistics industry – and the communities we serve – to reach a more sustainable future.”
According to Alphaliner, Chinese container supplier China International Marine Containers Group Co (CIMC) has withdrawn from its purchase of Maersk’s reefer container manufacturing unit, Maersk Container Industry (MCI), following objections from USA antitrust authorities, hence the block of the foreseen merger.
The deal was first announced in September last year, with CIMC offering $987m cash and debt-free, Alphaliner says.
The US Justice Department said the transaction would have combined 2 of the 4 global providers of insulated container cases and refrigerated shipping containers. It would also have consolidated control of more than 90% of the world’s production of insulated container boxes and refrigerated shipping containers in Chinese state-owned or state-controlled entities.
The Department collaborated with its German equivalent of the competition, the Bundeskartellamt, in the investigation.
MCI was created by Maersk in 1991 and today exclusively manufactures cold containers.
The Justice Department said the deal would have cemented CIMC’s dominant position and eliminated MCI as an innovative and independent competitor. The deal would also have “substantially increased the risk of coordination between the remaining providers in the market,” he told Alphaliner.
The Nigerian Navy have commenced the training of its personnel on cyber-security
to face contemporary and emerging security threats in the maritime environment.
He explained that other new study areas introduced in the 16 weeks training of the 44 graduands made up of eight Officers and 36 Ratings, included Health, Safety and Environment as well as Maritime Domain Awareness.
Commodore Yahaya who pointed out the importance of the School in administering criminal justice, discipline and law enforcement in the Nigerian Navy said “this is why every effort is being made to continuously improve and expand the scope of the course contents in line with Mission and Vision of the Chief of the Naval Staff.
“Plans are ongoing also, for the School to commence Young Officers’ Advocacy Course and Police Administration and Security Management Course as captured in the Chief of the Naval Staff Strategic Directives 5 of 2021. The commencement of these courses will improve the outcomes of the School.
While stressing the urgent need to move the school to a more befitting site for reason of space and conducive environment, the Commandant disclosed that since its relocation from Lagos in 2010, “the school has been operating from this temporary site. The space has become too small and inadequate. However, I am delighted to say that concrete efforts are ongoing to resolve this issue by planned allocation of a land to the School in no distant future.”
The Special Guest and Commandant of the Air Force War College, Air Vice Marshall Sayo Olatunde charged the graduands to always exhibit courage, discipline and the professionalism in the discharge of their duties.
According to him, “this is also a period of transformation and for you; it cannot be business as usual. The Nigerian Navy looks up to you to apply what you have learnt to improve your performance at your respective duty posts in the Service.
The highpoint of the event which was witnessed by representatives of sister military and paramilitary organizations as well as friends and families of the graduands was the presentation of awards to deserving graduating officers and ratings.
Crowley and Chevron have both taken Series A investment stakes in Zero Emission Industries, a hydrogen-propulsion startup formerly known as Golden Gate Zero Emission Marine.
ZEI is best known for the development, construction and sale of the H2-powered ferry Sea Change, which was acquired by operator Switch Maritime in 2019. The vessel was launched at All American Marine in Bellingham in August 2021, and it completed its first hydrogen fueling – the first ever for an American vessel – in November 2021. It is in trials, and is expected to carry 75 passengers at speeds of up to 20 knots when ready to enter service.
“Our intelligent, connected, reliable power systems are the only ones on the market built from the ground-up specifically to meet the rigorous demands of the marine community,” said ZEI Executive VP John Motlow in a statement. “Designed to be as easy to install and operate as a marine diesel engine, we are working to build solutions that truly enable the maritime industry to decarbonize without negatively impacting their operations.”
ZEI closed its Series A funding round on September 8, with participation led by Chevron’s New Energies division and additional participation from Crowley. The undisclosed funding amount will help ZEI roll out its new integrated H2 power system and scale up to meet industry demand. The company noted that with backing from Chevron and Crowley, its partners span the full value chain from fuel production to propulsion tech to vessel operations.
“Investing in and developing innovative, clean energy solutions such as hydrogen is critical to reaching the maritime industry’s decarbonization goals. Crowley can only reach net-zero emissions with collaboration that produces new ideas by partners and stakeholders,” said Tom Crowley, the company’s chairman and CEO. “Working with Chevron and ZEI is an opportunity to help lead the shipping and logistics industry – and the communities we serve – to reach a more sustainable future.”
Crowley has a strong history in investing in zero-emissions solutions. It is building the first purpose-built electric tug in the United States, the e-Wolf, and it has announced an ambitious commitment to reducing its carbon footprint – including the tracking, reduction and offsetting of related-party (Scope 2 and 3) emissions.
These are all words either meaning or related to the term “demystifying”..
Demystifying actually means “to make plain or understandable” and this was the prime objective and reason why Shipping and Freight Resource was started in 2008 – to make shipping and freight “plain, understandable and simple” to Joe Public..
It is recommended you read this article first to know the difference between Maritime, Shipping, Freight, Logistics and Supply Chain itself..
This installment of “Demystifying Shipping and Freight Jargon” is about The Flag of the Ship..
Like people, a ship also has a nationality assigned to it.. This is represented by a flag that the ship flies at all times.. A ship is assigned a flag through registration with a Ship Register or Ship Registry and the ship is expected to follow the rules and regulations enforced by this register at all times..
The nationality or port of registration is shown on the stern of a ship.. In the above example, the marking on the stern tells the world that the ship called CAPE ORCHID has been registered in Port Elizabeth in South Africa (you can see the South African flag)..
Any ship over 100 GT (Gross Ton) irrespective of whether it is a cargo vessel, fishing vessel, passenger vessel etc, has to be registered.. This registration grants the ship physical and legal protection of that flag/flag state which may be applied to vital areas such as safety of cargo and life of those on board the ship..
Ships need not necessarily be registered under a country’s own flag.. For example a ship owned by British nationals need not be registered mandatorily under the British Flag or UK Ships register.. It may be registered with registries other than the British Registry..
Types of ship registers
Some ships fly the flag of their own country, meaning it is owned, operated, and manned by nationals of that country..
This form of registration is called “Traditional Register” wherein the owner of the ship should necessarily be from the country of registration and the place of business should be in the country of registration..
Some ships fly the flags of other countries, like a ship owned by a Japanese firm flying a Maltese flag.. This form of registration is called an “Open Register“..
Many ship owners also opt for what is known as a “Flag of Convenience” (FOC).. An FOC is a type of open registry that offers (among other things) an attractive fiscal regime, substantially lower administrative fees, flexible to loose maritime safety policies, and lower costs for the ship owners..
FOC is a pejorative term used for an open registry and a FOC usually has no genuine link between the state and the ships that are flagged under that state..
For example, the ship is not owned by anyone from that country of registration, the ship is not operated by anyone from that country and the country of registration has no crew members or any other kind of administrative, technical, or social connection with that ship..
Because of this, organizations like the ITF (International Transport Workers Federation) find it difficult for unions, industry stakeholders and the public to hold ship owners to account as they may not follow the various regulations set..
The list of countries that have been declared as FOCs by the ITF’s fair practices committee can be viewed here..
Why is a flag important in shipping..??
A flag provides an identity to a ship which means the ship’s national state has exclusive dominion over the ship and no other nation can exercise dominion over that ship although a ship of any nation can navigate the oceans freely under the “guiding principle of the sea” which is freedom..
Of course, there are caveats here in the form of sanctions against certain countries which are enforced in shipping based on the flag/nationality of the ship..
As an example, the International Association of Classification Societies has withdrawn the Russian ship register’s membership after Russia’s attack on Ukraine..
This means ships flying the Russian flag are under sanction and any country doing trade with Russian flagged ships do so under risk of such sanctions.. There are political caveats to this as well which you can read about here..
The registration of a ship plays an important role in ensuring safety and security of the ship and significantly contributes to the protection and preservation of the marine environment..
As per IMO regulations, all ships must be surveyed in order to ensure that the ships under their register/flag are structurally sound and subscribes to design and safety standards and issue certificates that establish a ship’s seaworthiness..
The registration and linking to a national registry in a traditional register means that these ships may be requisitioned at time of war for the transportation of goods and people in the service of the nation..
The ship’s flag is also of importance in identifying specific registries or flag states that do not take action or turn a blind eye against shipowners who violate the rights of seafarers and in 2022 we are seeing a shameful record of seafarer abandonment..
Top ship flags by ships, DWT and value
Below are the current top-ranked ship flags by DWT (Dead Weight Tonnage), number of ships and value of ships..
As you can see, many ships are flying Flags of Convenience than their own national or traditional flags.. This is because a Flag of Convenience offers shipowners many benefits mentioned above, compared to traditional registers..
New Zealand’s maritime regulatory, compliance and response agency said it is seeking feedback from the sector and other interested parties on three key pieces of work.
Dialogue has been opened on Part 53, which relates to pilot transfers, and Part 23, which considers amendments to requirements for lifeboat drills, Maritime NZ said. Consultation is also set to begin on New Zealand’s work toward acceding to the Cape Town Agreement (CTA), an IMO convention dealing with design, construction and equipment standards for large fishing vessels.
Maritime NZ is reviewing Rule 53.4(2)(a), which requires pilots boarding or leaving a ship to not use a pilot-ladder if it’s deemed non-compliant. An exemption was issued by Maritime NZ from the rule following concerns from some ports and some maritime pilots. The options are to revoke the rule and not remake the exemption, or to remake the exemption as an amendment to the rule. Maritime NZ said it prefers the option to revoke the rule, with some other amendments added to improve safety and consistency, and it is keen to get industry feedback on this.
The organization said it is looking at changing Part 23 to make it more consistent with international rules. Current rules allow for crew to be aboard when lifeboats are launched during drills. That has caused injuries and even deaths, so Maritime NZ would like to change that so crew are not required.
New Zealand is working toward acceding to the CTA later this year. When it enters into force, the CTA will be an internationally binding instrument that will include compulsory requirements for stability and associated seaworthiness, machinery and electrical installations, life-saving appliances, communication equipment and fire safety, as well as fishing vessel construction.
New Zealand’s fishing safety standards and its commercial fleet are already largely aligned with the CTA requirements, but “acceding to the CTA will contribute to maritime safety in our region through the exercise of port state control”, said Andrew Bell, manager of Maritime NZ’s International team.
PEO Ships reports that the the future USNS Apalachicola (EPF 13) Spearhead-class expeditionary fast transport has successfully completed acceptance trials and unmanned logistics prototype trials.
Acceptance trials consist of a series of in-port and at-sea demonstrations that allow the Navy and the shipbuilder, Austal USA, to assess the ship’s systems and readiness prior to delivery to the Navy.
“The completion of this milestone is another win for our Navy and industry partners and a testament to the hard work of our shipbuilding team,” said Tim Roberts, program manager, Strategic & Theater Sealift, Program Executive Office (PEO) Ships. “USNS Apalachicola will enhance the operational flexibility needed by our sailors.”
In transit from Mobile, Alabama, to Miami, Florida, Apalachicola’s autonomous system completed a stress test in high-traffic coastal areas by taking appropriate ship handling actions while operating around other ships, boats, sailboats, and craft. Overall, the ship was in autonomous mode for approximately 85 percent of the multiple day at-sea period.
The unprecedented development of autonomous capability on Apalachicola is the culmination of collaborative efforts with the Navy’s shipbuilding and industry partners, Austal USA, L3 Harris and General Dynamics.
“The ability to expand unmanned concepts into the existing fleet was validated by these trials,” said Roberts. “The capabilities integrated onto EPF 13 set the groundwork for future autonomous operations.”
EPFs are shallow draft, commercial-based, catamarans designed for rapid, intra-theater transport of personnel and equipment. The EPF’s high speed, shallow draft, and ability to load/unload in austere ports enables maneuver force agility in achieving positional advantage over intermediate distances without reliance on shore-based infrastructure.
USNS Apalachicola is scheduled to be delivered to the Navy later this year.
The vessels will be constructed at CSSC Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding and are due for delivery by 2028.
Upon delivery, the vessels will be engaged mainly in transport of LNG procured by ENN under long-term purchases contract to China.
ENN is a leading privately owned energy company, which has an extensive customer base in more than 20 provinces in China. It supplies 10% of natural gas consumption in China and operates a large LNG terminal in Zhoushan, Zhejiang Province.
“The contract was concluded based on ENN’s high evaluation of MOL’s track record in the LNG carrier business for China, its extensive experience in building LNG carriers in China, and its performance in safe cargo transport and safe operation of vessels,” said MOL.
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