Global Centre for Maritime Decarbonisation (GCMD)

📣 ICYMI!   GCMD, OGCI (Oil and Gas Climate Initiative) and Stena Bulk, together with our partners, have just released a report assessing the viability of deploying a carbon capture system, retrofitted onboard the Stena Impero, an MR tanker.   𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐚𝐧 𝐎𝐧𝐛𝐨𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐛𝐨𝐧 𝐂𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐒𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐠𝐞 (𝐎𝐂𝐂𝐒) 𝐬𝐲𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐦 𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐚 𝐈𝐦𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐨?   The team considered the following factors, amongst others,   ❓ 𝐀𝐯𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐚𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐨𝐧𝐛𝐨𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐠𝐲: In particular, how can we use waste heat to operate the OCCS system to reduce fuel penalty? ❓ 𝐀𝐯𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐚𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐨𝐧𝐛𝐨𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐬𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐞: How do we accommodate the OCCS system and integrate it in the most space- and cost-efficient manner? ❓ 𝐎𝐩𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐚𝐥 𝐬𝐢𝐳𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐎𝐂𝐂𝐒 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐤 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐂𝐎₂: How do we achieve the targeted net CO₂ avoided for the anticipated voyages between ports of call?   To aid design, the team conducted various vessel visits,   🇸🇬  At the project’s inception, GCMD and the project team visited the Stena Impero in Singapore to assess available onboard space for the OCCS system.   🇬🇧   A subsequent visit was then made to the sister vessel Stena Imperial in Immingham, UK, to gather information on existing free space and the positioning of major components. Based on this visit, a 3D model of the Stena Impero was developed with the main carbon capture components incorporated in the model.   🇦🇪  The second visit to the Stena Impero was at Drydocks World, Dubai, UAE where available onboard space was assessed again. That visit confirmed that it is technically feasible to integrate the carbon capture system onboard the Stena Impero.    These are some key design elements of the OCCS system:   🧩 𝐌𝐞𝐠𝐚-𝐬𝐤𝐢𝐝 𝐦𝐨𝐝𝐮𝐥𝐞: The carbon capture system was designed into a mega-skid module for easy onboard integration.   💰 𝐂𝐨𝐬𝐭-𝐞𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞: This mega-skid design is more cost-effective as it packages all the main OCCS system components together into one vertical module.    📏  𝐑𝐞𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐞𝐝 𝐬𝐢𝐳𝐞: The OCCS system features a unique constant exhaust flow rate design. This design allows for an overall smaller system, targeting engine loads that produce the most emissions.   Interested to find out more about Project REMARCCABLE?   🔗 Click here to read our announcement: https://lnkd.in/g_7j-4QV 📥 To download the key findings and report, click here: https://lnkd.in/g8a445i8

🎉 Announcement alert! 🎉   GCMD is excited to share our latest report, “Project REMARCCABLE: A case study for onboard carbon capture on the MR tanker Stena Impero”.   𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐣𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐑𝐄𝐌𝐀𝐑𝐂𝐂𝐀𝐁𝐋𝐄?   ➡ Project REMARCCABLE, which stands for “Realising Maritime Carbon Capture to Demonstrate the Ability to Lower Emissions” is focused on assessing the viability of deploying carbon capture systems on vessels by considering its operational constraints. ➡ As part of this effort, the team designed a carbon capture system as a retrofit on the Stena Impero, a Medium Range (MR) tanker. ➡ The MR Tanker was selected because it and similar size vessels contribute 17% of maritime emissions and faces challenges in reducing emissions. 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐣𝐞𝐜𝐭’𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐜𝐮𝐬?   ➡ This project aims to understand the operational and economic constraints of installing a carbon capture retrofit onboard the Stena Impero, and, for comparison, those for installing a system on a newbuild MR tanker.    ➡ It specifically seeks to investigate the feasibility of maximising CO₂ capture rates whilst maintaining commercially acceptable CapEx and OpEx.   𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐣𝐞𝐜𝐭’𝐬 𝐤𝐞𝐲 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬?   1️⃣ OCCS technology can reduce Stena Impero’s CO₂ emissions by as much as 20% per year, at a fuel penalty of 10%. 2️⃣ The integrated OCCS system can be packaged into a mega-skid module located on the aft of the ship. 3️⃣ The cost of building and installing the full system on the Stena Impero is estimated at US$13.6 million, with an abatement cost of avoided CO₂ for the first-of-a-kind prototype evaluated at $769/ton CO₂. 4️⃣ The OpEx for the OCCS retrofit was estimated at US$830K per year for additional support personnel, additional fuel consumption, maintenance and periodic amine replacement. 5️⃣ Stena Impero can maintain its CII rating of “C and better” for an additional 9 years with this retrofit, allowing it to operate in compliance until the end of its vessel life, assuming a CII reduction factor of 2% annually from 2027 onwards. 𝐖𝐡𝐨 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐢𝐧𝐯𝐨𝐥𝐯𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐣𝐞𝐜𝐭?   Our consortium partners include OGCI (Oil and Gas Climate Initiative), Stena Bulk, American Bureau of Shipping (ABS), Alfa Laval, Deltamarin, Lloyd's Register, Seatrium, and TNO.   🔗 To read more about Project REMARCCABLE, click here to read our announcement: https://lnkd.in/g_7j-4QV 📥 To download the key findings and report, click here: https://lnkd.in/g8a445i8

🌍 At the Asia New Vision Forum 2024 organised by Caixin Global, Singapore’s Deputy Prime Minister Heng Sweet Keat highlighted that Singapore’s emissions as a percentage of the global emission is less than 0.1%.   🚢 How does that compare to shipping’s emissions?    Our CEO, Prof Lynn Loo, shared that shipping contributes 3% of global emissions – more than thirty times what Singapore emits. While 3% might seem small, it’s crucial we work on reducing this emissions now because shipping plays an integral role in the global supply chain. With 90% of global trade transported by shipping, we will not have green solutions or green products if we don’t decarbonise shipping.   In this regard, Prof Loo explains why Singapore and China are key players when it comes to decarbonising shipping:   ➡ 🇸🇬 Singapore bunkers 50 million tons of fuel, compared to the world's total of 300 million tons. Singapore's bunkering volume exceeds that of the next nine largest bunkering hubs combined. ➡ 🇨🇳 China, as the largest shipowning and shipbuilding nation, is a major force that can move the needle in shipping's energy transition.   As a neutral convenor, GCMD can facilitate conversations among shipping stakeholders in Singapore, China, and beyond, to foster collaboration and help ready the ecosystem for decarbonisation solutions, such as ammonia as a marine fuel, onboard carbon capture and storage, biofuels and energy efficiency technologies.   🙏 A big thank you to Caixin for this excellent platform to discuss the integral roles Singapore and China play in shipping's decarbonisation!   Coverage for the session is here (subscription required): https://lnkd.in/gt9BW3r2

🎥 Check out our final #BTS video on our ammonia transfers in Pilbara! 🎢 Watch the moment when the ammonia transfers officially commenced! 🥳 Feel their relief as they successfully completed the operations. And discover what they wanted to do next after 5 days of intense operations. Hint: 🛌 🎉 Plus, see how Team #GCMD in Singapore celebrated their homecoming! Read about our press release here: https://lnkd.in/gkG-kZcE

🎥 What was originally intended as video updates about the ammonia transfers to the #GCMD team in Singapore, we transformed into #BTS videos. These videos share glimpses of the 4-day operations from the perspectives of the ammonia ops team.   🎢 There were plenty of ups and downs, only a fraction of which these videos captured.   🙏  The team is grateful for the unwavering support of our partners – including those who provided resources as well as those on the ground – who helped overcome operational challenges and uncertainties to successfully complete the project.   Follow our page for the next and final #BTS video, and for more updates!   Read about our press release here: https://lnkd.in/gkG-kZcE

Great news! 🎉 We are delighted to learn that the International Maritime Organization has finalised interim guidelines for the use of ammonia as a marine fuel last week. ⚓️ With the IMO’s Maritime Safety Committee (MSC) set to approve this interim list in December, we anticipate these guidelines taking effect as early as next year! As the article notes, our recent successful ammonia transfer operations could not have come at a more opportune time. 🚢 This is because the IMO’s Intersessional Working Group on Reduction of GHG Emissions (ISWG-GHG) is due to commence its 17th session this week. Together with the MEPC82 meeting, set to start on September 30, they will finalise a set of proposed binding mid-term measures for GHG reduction. We eagerly look forward to the outcomes of these meetings. Team GCMD is proud to contribute to enabling ammonia as a marine fuel. We look forward to sharing our experience and knowledge gained from these two transfers to contribute real-world experience in handling this fuel. 💡 Read more about this exciting development here: https://lnkd.in/gUXz87Jd

❓ Curious about the detailed operations of our ammonia transfers between the Green Pioneer and the Navigator Global?   🚢 Over four days of operations at the anchorage of Port Dampier, GCMD, together with our partners, successfully and safely completed ship-to-ship transfers of 4,000 cubic meters (approx. 2,700 tons) of ammonia between MOL’s Green Pioneer and Navigator Gas’ Navigator Global, at a flow rate of 700 - 800 cubic meters per hour. ⏱️ Each transfer process took approximately 6 hours.   ✅ These procedures were reviewed and approved by authorities, including the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA), Department of Transport (DoT), and Department of Fire and Emergency Services (DFES), ensuring a coordinated approach to incident response. Check out the infographics for a visual breakdown of the entire operation! The press release is available here: https://lnkd.in/gkG-kZcE A huge thank you to our partners for their support in making this pioneering operation in Pilbara a success! 🙌

What went on behind the scenes (and in the minds) of our colleagues when they ✈️ travelled to Pilbara for our ship-to-ship ammonia transfers?    🤔 How did they feel every step of the way?    🎢 What were the snags that they encounter?    🥒 Who was cool as a cucumber even in the face of challenges?    Follow our page as we share #BTS videos on our team’s journey to help execute the ammonia transfers pilot at the anchorage of Port Dampier! 🎥  

🚨 MAJOR ANNOUNCEMENT ALERT! 🚨   GCMD is pleased to announce the successful completion of its ammonia transfer pilot on September 14th to enable bunkering within the Pilbara region! Two ammonia transfers took place between the Green Pioneer, a 35,000 cubic metres (cbm) ammonia carrier, and the Navigator Global, a 22,500 cbm ammonia carrier, at the outer anchorage of Port Dampier under conditions that mimic bunkering operations. 🚢🚢   This pilot marks a crucial step towards readying the ecosystem for using ammonia as a marine fuel, paving the way for eventual bunkering when ammonia-fuelled vessels become available.   𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗸𝗲𝘆 𝗵𝗶𝗴𝗵𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗶𝗹𝗼𝘁: 💡 • Transfers reinforce Pilbara’s potential to be a green ammonia bunkering hub. • Ammonia transfers were conducted under strict safety protocols, with requisite approvals, and overseen by Pilbara Ports and Australian Government agencies. • The Pilbara is a highly prospective region for green shipping. • Port Dampier has extensive experience with ammonia export given Yara’s nearby operations that account for 5% of the world’s tradable ammonia and its record of shipping 11.8 million tonnes incident-free to date. • The transfers demonstrate the potential of breakbulk and bunkering operations in Port Dampier and nearby ports • HAZID and HAZOP studies indicate no high-risk items across the identified risk nodes and transfers nodes after recommended mitigation measures were put in place • CFD, Metocean analysis, and ERP were developed to enhance operational safety measures 𝗘𝗰𝗼𝘀𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗺 𝘀𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁: 🤝   A tripartite collaboration between GCMD, Pilbara Ports and Yara Clean Ammonia (YCA) was formed to realise Pilbara’s potential as a low-emission ammonia bunkering hub. Together, the tripartite worked with multiple partners to conduct risks and safety studies and develop emergency response procedures for the transfers.   GCMD is thankful to our consortium partners for their unwavering support in materialising these transfers: bp, BHP, DNV, Eastern Pacific Shipping Pte. Ltd., Gard AS, James Fisher Fendercare, Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd., Navigator Gas, Oil Spill Response Ltd and their partners, BlueTack. and Stream Marine Training, Rio Tinto, and TCOMS - Technology Centre for Offshore and Marine, Singapore. 🙏   Photo #4 features representatives from the tripartite collaboration: Laurent Trost, Chief Operations Officer, Yara Pilbara, (left) Prof Lynn Loo, CEO of GCMD, and Mike Minogue, Harbour Master, Marine West, Pilbara Ports (right) For the full details, please read the press release here: https://lnkd.in/gkG-kZcE Follow us as we share more details of the ship-to-ship transfers of ammonia in our upcoming posts! 📢

In the recent Singapore Shipping Association (SSA) seminar organised by its Marine Fuels Committee, our Chief Strategy Officer, Dr Sanjay C Kuttan, presented GCMD's case study on our biofuels trials. 🌱 Dr Sanjay emphasised the importance of sourcing biofuels regionally and using larger tankers for fuel transport to minimise GHG emissions. While this might seem obvious, Dr Sanjay substantiated this point by discussing what constitutes transport emissions. Transport emissions measures the carbon footprint of the biofuels transportation. This includes emissions generated during the movement of biofuels through the various stages in the supply chain from feedstock transportation to fuel transportation and fuel distribution. Factors like biofuels cargo load and the transport vessel’s fuel efficiency can influence transport emissions. The Renewable Energy Directive (RED II), an EU regulatory body that sets out sustainability goals and GHG emissions criteria for EU member countries, has provided a default GHG emissions value of 71 kgCO2e/MT for transporting maritime biofuels. Dr Sanjay highlighted that applying this same value might be efficient from a reporting standpoint but doesn't consider the distances covered or tanker sizes, which can influence fuel consumption and therefore absolute emissions. 💨 As such, using the default value risks: 🔴 Overestimating GHG emissions for short-distance transport 🔴 Underestimating GHG emissions for longer-distance transport or transport using smaller tankers The table below demonstrates how transport emissions can vary significantly by distance and tanker size, further emphasising the importance of regional sourcing and transporting in larger volumes. As GCMD recently concluded our biofuels supply chain trials, we will soon release a series of reports containing insights such as these. Stay tuned for more information! Many thanks to SSA for the invitation!