Energy System News

With your first steps as a cadet onto the Maritime Academy campus, your first union dues payment or first line thrown ashore from the tug, you are lectured on the importance of the “Jones Act”. A constant reminder throughout a US Seafarer’s career of commitment, loyalty and support for the legislation. All in the name of National Security, US Job protection and the advancement of the US Flag Merchant Marine. It is a massive and expensive lobbying effort witnessed throughout generations at sea. The effort has been historically successful.

For the first time, DNV has applied its independent Energy Transition Outlook model— incorporating the latest technology trends and policy developments— to Germany.The inaugural German Energy Transition Outlook (ETO) report finds that Germany is on track to electrify nearly half of its electricity demand by midcentury. Yet, it will fall short of its 2045 climate neutrality target.One of the main advantages for Germany is that its energy mix by supply will shift dramatically. Imports comprise 70% of Germany’s primary energy and will fall to 27% by 2050…

German shipyard Meyer Werft has launched the zero4cruise project with project partners including Freudenberg e-Power Systems and the German Aerospace Center (DLR).The project aims to develop climate-friendly and low emission energy systems for cruise ships, focusing on fuel cell technology powered by green methanol.The hybrid energy system will combine PEM fuel cells with a methanol reformer and battery systems to optimize efficiency and ensure ships can operate carbon-neutral…

The ocean sector finds itself in a critical moment, especially as the demand to decarbonize grows. Though long-haul is still the biggest emitter in the maritime industry, the need to decarbonize smaller commercial and coastal vessels, including cruise ships, passenger ferries, platform supply vessels (PSVs), offshore service vessels (OSVs), and research ships, is on the rise. Particularly, passenger ferries are pushing into uncharted waters, increasingly being scrutinized by municipal, state, and federal regulators for their environmental impact.

A rapid transition could lead to premature scrapping of over a third of the global fleet, valued at over $400 billion, unless the vessels undergo costly retrofits to remain competitive, according to a new report from UCL's Energy Institute Shipping and Oceans Research Group.The report assesses the financial risks to the shipping industry from stranded assets due to stricter GHG regulations, due for adoption at IMO this year, in combination with the ongoing global transition to a low-carbon energy system.

The Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) has cited survey failings in the results of its investigation into the loss of propulsion control and subsequent contact with a moored barge by Oceandiva London.On June 22, 2023, the inland waterways passenger vessel lost propulsion control and contacted a moored hopper barge at Halfway Reach on the River Thames, London. Oceandiva London was undergoing propulsion trials as part of its Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) survey required…

An offshore support vessel (OSV) has successfully operated on green hydrogen in the German Wadden Sea.Aiming to minimize its environmental impact, operator Acta Marine, based in the Netherlands, decided to install eCap Marine’s containerized hydrogen-electric energy system on board its vessel Coastal Liberty.At the end of February 2024 the refitted OSV received class certification by DNV for its newly installed hydrogen system on board. eCap Marine, contracted by Offshore Service Gesellschaft mbH…

The German government has granted Hydrogenious LOHC Infra Bavaria 72,5 million Euro towards the Green Hydrogen @ Blue Danube project. The federal government is providing 70% of the funding, while the state of Bavaria is contributing 30%.The project has already been designated an “Important Project of Common European Interest” (IPCEI) in the hydrogen “Hy2Infra” wave by the European Commission in February 2024, as it contributes to a sustainable and stable hydrogen supply for industry…

The Panama Canal Authority ordered 10 hybrid tractor tugboats from European shipbuilder, Astilleros Armón, with options for another 10 similar vessels, and Corvus Energy will supply the battery systems for the hybrid-electric vessels.The Panama Canal Authority / Astilleros Armón contract signed in October 2023 was valued at $150 million total for the first 10 vessels, each 30-meter tugboats with 70-tonnes bollard pull.The tugboats will be equipped with hybrid-electric propulsion systems to reduce emissions during ship towage through the Panama Canal and while docking in Panamanian ports.

The U.S. departments of Energy (DOE), Interior, Commerce, and Transportation has released a report summarizing their progress toward the goals of the Floating Offshore Wind Shot™, an interagency initiative to drive U.S. leadership in design, deployment, and manufacturing. The report shows that, since the initiative's launch in September 2022, the Biden-Harris administration has dedicated over $950 million in planning, leasing actions, research, development, demonstration, deployment…

Maris Fiducia Norway has entered into cooperation agreements with maritime technology company HAV Hydrogen and the hydrogen producer and distributor Norwegian Hydrogen with the objective of developing, building and operating hydrogen-powered dry-bulk vessels in Europe.The vessels are being designed by the Dutch ship designer Ankerbeer. Upon successful completion of the project, the vessels will go on hire through a zero-emission time charter agreement with Schulte & Bruns, establishing a commercial operation for vessels operating on hydrogen fuel…

Corvus Energy has been selected by HAF Power Solutions (HPS) to supply Energy Storage Systems (ESS) for the Energy Subsea Construction Vessel (ESCV) to be built for shipowner REM Offshore.The new ESCV is of ST-245 design and will be the first vessel to perform heavy construction work in both offshore wind and the subsea market with net zero emissions. The vessel will be equipped with dual-fuel methanol engines and a 1.7MW battery system. The batteries will be used for spinning…

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has released its latest report in the Pathways to Commercial Liftoff series, describing how the U.S. offshore wind sector is adapting to challenges and poised for continued progress, with a path to deploying over 100 gigawatts (GW) by 2050.The Pathways to Commercial Liftoff: Offshore Wind report finds that the sector today is poised for liftoff, enabled by continued efforts to adapt to recent market challenges. The projects that move forward in the next several years will lay the foundation for consistent long-term deployment…

Norway-based Edda Wind on Tuesday announced it has taken delivery of a newly built service operation vessel (SOV) from Spanish shipbuilder Astilleros Balenciaga.The vessel, C416—to be renamed Edda Goelo at a later stage—was delivered on March 26. It will be the permanent vessel in the contract with Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy at the Saint-Brieuc wind farm in France, running until Q2 2028. C416 is of Salt 0358 design and the sister vessel of Edda Brint, delivered from Astilleros Balenciaga in October 2022.

The Golden Gate Yacht Club (GGYC) represented by BMW Oracle Racing and the Société Nautique de Genève (SNG), the Americas Cup defending champion, represented by Team Alinghi were entwined in a 2.5-year legal battle over multiple court cases, including hearings in the New York Supreme Court and the Appellate Division of the New York Supreme Court, prior to the 33rd edition of the race, due to take place in 2010.The parties disagreed about the location, format, and restrictions on boat design, all of which were changed by the courts prior to the race.

An Expert Workshop on the life cycle GHG intensity of marine fuels (GHG-EW 4) was organized by IMO December 14-15, 2023, to support the further development of the IMO life cycle GHG intensity assessment (LCA) framework.The workshop focused on the sustainability, certification and third-party verification of marine fuels.In adopting the IMO LCA Guidelines, MEPC 80 in July 2023 requested the Secretariat to undertake a review of existing practices on sustainability aspects/certification…

As the world looks to renewable energy sources to combat climate change and reduce reliance on fossil fuels, offshore wind has emerged as a promising frontier in the United States. A report by the University of California Berkeley released in August concluded that due to the nation’s long coastlines with sustained winds in many areas and falling turbine costs, offshore wind could feasibly supply between 10% and 25% of the country’s energy demand by 2050.While that may paint a rosy picture of a cleaner…

A very active Atlantic hurricane season so far this year has not sent storms across U.S. oil and natural gas fields in the northern Gulf of Mexico, sparing energy companies billions of dollars of losses and consumers higher fuel costs.The 2023 Atlantic hurricane season has been another in a string with above average activity producing three major hurricanes with winds above 111 mph (179 kph) out of six hurricanes among 20 named tropical storms.So far this year, only one storm, Tropical Storm Harold, on Aug.

Corvus Energy, a company providing zero-emission solutions for the maritime industry, said Monday it had won a contract with Hvide Sande Shipyard in Denmark to supply a complete hydrogen fuel cell system for the training vessel “MS Skulebas.” "This marks a historic milestone for Corvus Energy," Corvus Energy said."The 35-meter fishing and training vessel has the latest technology and commercial fishing systems installed and sets an example of innovation and cooperation within the maritime and education sectors.

DNV has released the 7th edition of its Energy Transition Outlook highlighting that global energy-related emissions are still climbing and are only likely to peak in 2024. “The pace of the transition is far from fast enough for a net-zero energy system by 2050,” states the report.Over the last five years (2017–2022) renewables met 51% of new energy demand and fossil sources 49%. In absolute terms, fossil-fuel use is still growing.“Our prediction is that emissions from oil use will peak in 2025 and those from natural gas in 2027,” says Remi Eriksen, Group president and CEO.

RINA has awarded an Approval in Principle (AiP) for a green retrofit package designed by naval architect Aurelia in partnership with Econowind, Wattlab and Vertom.The solution incorporates rigid sails, solar panels, batteries, optimised weather-routing, and a smart decision support system developed by Hydrographic and Marine Consultants (HMC) to dramatically reduce emissions on an existing 203,000dwt Newcastlemax bulk carrier.For the Newcastlemax bulk carrier, the challenge was to meet EEXI and the CII index for the reduction of CO2 emissions.

In the global quest for achieving net zero emissions and slowing down global warming, carbon capture and storage (CCUS) technology has emerged as an important solution. Among the notable projects being developed in the field is the Northern Lights offshore carbon capture and storage project in Norway, a country with long experience with offshore CO2 storage.The transition to a sustainable energy future requires innovative solutions that go beyond simply halting fossil fuel projects.

Any commentator on the maritime business decarbonization voyage will offer something along the lines of "There will be multiple fuels…" With the International Maritime Organization (IMO) meetings of its Maritime Environmental Protection Committee (MEPC) set for early July, it is likely that targets for emissions will be tightened. Whatever mileposts that the IMO actually establishes, there will be no prescriptions handed down on how to get there. By mid-2023, nearly two years after the late 2021 alternative fuels crescendo in the aftermath of the COP26 meetings in Glasgow…