Tag: alternative fuels

Blockchain technology experts Blockchain Labs for Open Collaboration announced, through Maritime Blockchain Labs, the establishment of a consortium to address traceability and transparency in the marine fuel supply chain, bringing together LR, Precious Shipping, Bostomar, BIMCO, IBIA, and GoodFuels.

The MethaShip project consortium presented its results in Hamburg. This project aimed to examine methanol as fuel for cruise ships and RoPax ferries. Namely, it concluded that methanol can indeed be used as a marine fuel and will actually be one with a future.

The ISO Working Group issued a statement reassuring the industry that the general requirements of ISO 8217:2017, along with the characteristics included in Table 1 and 2 of ISO 8217: 2017, cover 2020 0.50% max. sulphur fuels in the same way as they cover today’s fuels including the 0.10% max. sulphur fuels.

Guido Van Meel, Secretary General of Euroshore International (a non-profit association of waste contractors specialised in ships’ waste) discusses the key challenges with respect to scrubbers taking into consideration a combination of factors that cannot be disregarded amid the legal background.  

Stephanie Lavelle, Maritime Manager, Chelsea Technologies Group, shares her thoughts on the upcoming 2020 sulphur cap. Ms. Lavelle says that despite the fact the shipping industry players appear to have agreed to invest in new technologies and fuels to meet this regulation, the market still seems uncertain regarding the effectiveness of the sulphur cap.

HFO for sea-going vessels does not comply with European rules for chemicals, while there is insufficient report of what the fuel contains. Users, emergency services workers, competent authorities and terminals therefore do not have a reliable picture of the risks, according to investigations by ILT.

Low sulphur fuel oil has a higher content of catalytic fines (cat fines) when compared to high sulphur fuels. Margrete A. Nordahl, Claims Director, Master Mariner H&M at the Skuld P&I Club discussed best practice on preventing engine damage from catalytic fines in marine fuel oil. 

China released a three-year action plan to reduce air pollution by 2020. In this plan, an environmental friendly transport system, which will incorporate high fuel efficiency and low emissions, is key. To achieve this, China will increase the use of railways and waterways and reduce road transport. 

The Methanol Institute has welcomed the decision of the IMO MSC 99 in June to invite the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) to develop a standard for methyl/ethyl alcohol as a marine fuel and a standard for methyl/ethyl alcohol fuel couplings.

The fossil fuel share of total US energy consumption in 2017 was the lowest share since 1902, at a little more than 80%, as US fossil fuel consumption decreased for the third consecutive year, according to EIA. This decline was driven by slight decreases in coal and natural gas consumption.