Arklow Shipping and DEME are the newest to be added in the Green Maritime Methanol consortium, aiming to review the possibilities for renewable Methanol, to be used as a maritime transport fuel.
Specifically, Arklow Shipping has been operating a variety of shortsea and coastal vessels. In the meantime, DEME is leading in the field of dredging, marine engineering and environmental remediation.
Green Maritime Methanol began in January 2019.
Jorrit Harmsen of TNO comments commented on the steps of the project, according to which
- As a first step in the project, an overview was made of previous research on application of methanol in maritime shipping, including technical application, supply chain development and a comparison to other possible future fuels.
- As a second step, an analysis was made on the impact of the introduction of methanol on the operational profiles of ships in different market segments, based on input provided by ship owners in the consortium.
- Furthermore, an analysis was made on the potential market for methanol from the port point of view.
Moreover, Professor Robert van de Ketterij of Netherlands Defence Academy (NLDA) will begin, along with his team, a series of trials on a spark ignited engine in January 2020; Also, the first compression ignition tests are to be conducted in March 2020.
Whereas, following the installation of a new internal combustion engine in the laboratory of NLDA in Den Helder, the partners will implement a last series of experiments, in late 2020 and early 2021.
The results and information that will be concluded from the work packages will be provided to a number of methanol-based ship designs, and their technical, economic and logistical feasibility will be evaluated.
The Green Maritime Methanol consortium includes leading research institutes TNO, TU Delft, Marin and NLDA and is supported by TKI Maritime and the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy. The project is supported by TKI Maritiem and the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy.
