Monday, October 21, 2024

Marine News

RSC Bio Solutions Launches FUTERRA Compressor Oils

RSC Bio Solutions launched FUTERRA Compressor Oils, synthetic lubricants designed to meet the performance demands of industrial and marine sectors while addressing sustainability needs.FUTERRA Compressor Oil is formulated with a synthetic, sustainable base oil, offering outstanding thermal stability, long service intervals, and inherent biodegradability. This product is tailored to rotary screw, reciprocating, and other high-performance air compressors in applications where reliability and environmental compliance are critical.FUTERRA Compressor Oil provides a solution for industries that operate in environmentally sensitive areas…

Petrobras signss agreement to supply Vale fuel with renewable content

Petrobras and Vale have agreed to sell Vale diesel containing renewable content. The two Brazilian giants announced the agreement on Friday. The agreement represents a concrete step by Vale in decarbonizing its operations. It also marks a victory for Petrobras, the state-owned oil company that is working to create a market for its sustainable fuels. Petrobras and Vale, two of Latin America’s largest companies in terms of market value, are both owned by Petrobras. Magda Chabriard, CEO of Petrobras, said that the partnership…

HydroWing Technololgy Works, says Dadd

Image courtesy Inyanga Marine Energy Group

Inyanga Marine Energy Group completed hydrodynamic testing of its Passive Pitch Unit for its patented HydroWing technology, which was recently awarded the largest tidal energy project in the UK in Allocation Round 6 of the UK government’s Contracts for Difference scheme and the company is now on course for deploying a 20MW tidal energy project at Morlais in Wales, in addition to other projects around the world.The hydrodynamic testing was conducted at the Kelvin Hydrodynamics Laboratory at the University of Strathclyde in Scotland.

Russian insurance boosts oil exports to India's top buyer

Data from sources in the shipping and trade industries shows that Russian insurers play a greater role in facilitating oil shipments by Russia to India, which is its largest buyer. This helps to protect Moscow's revenue through exports despite Western sanctions. According to calculations based upon the documents of the vessels, Russian firms insured 60% of Moscow’s oil cargoes bound for India in July. This is up from 40% last December. By using Russian insurance companies, Moscow can sell oil above the $60 per barrel cap that was imposed by the Group of Seven (7 G7)…

Russian insurance boosts oil exports to India's top buyer

Data from sources in the shipping and trade industries shows that Russian insurers play a greater role in facilitating oil shipments by Russia to India, which is its largest buyer. This helps to protect Moscow's revenue from exports despite Western sanctions. According to calculations based upon the documents of the vessels, Russian firms insured 60% of Moscow’s oil cargoes bound for India in July. This is up from 40% last December. Moscow can use Russian insurers to sell oil above the $60-per-barrel price cap imposed by the Group of Seven, the European Union, and Australia in order to limit Russia's revenue from oil following its invasion of Ukraine.

Russia is considering limiting metals exports to the West

In response to Western sanctions, Russian President Vladimir Putin suggested this week that Moscow limit exports of metals or other commodities in which Russia has a large share on global markets. Putin mentioned uranium and nickel as well as titanium, but suggested that other commodities could be restricted, pointing out that Russia is a major producer for natural gas, diamonds, and gold. Putin said that any restrictions do not have to be immediately implemented and they should not harm Russia. Commodity exports provide a major source of foreign currency income for many of Russia's biggest companies.

Chile's quest for algae power is fueled by electric seaweed

In the laboratories of the University of Santiago, scientists are trying to convert algae into a reliable power source. The field they work in is biophotovoltaics. This uses photosynthetic organisms such as seaweed to turn light into electricity. Scientists spread seaweed on electrodes of biophotovoltaic solar panels. The project leader Federico Tasca said that algae use light to oxidize the water and release electrons in the process. These can be used in electric circuits. Tasca explained that similar projects have been done before using microalgae. Microalgae are single-celled organisms.

Min says that seismic work will begin on gas fields shared between Trinidad and Venezuela.

Stuart Young, Trinidad and Tobago's energy minister, said on Facebook on Friday that seismic work is expected to begin in the next few days at the offshore gas fields shared between Venezuela and Trinidad and Tobago. Venezuela issued a license in July allowing for the development of the Cocuina Field, its side of reservoir. In early 2014, the U.S. also approved this project. It will be developed by Britain’s BP and Trinidad’s National Gas Company. Cocuina and Manakin, whose Venezuelan part belongs to the Plataforma Deltana offshore gas project, which is currently idle, have 1 trillion cubic feet in proven reserves of gas.

Two Republicans ask Pentagon to add Chinese Battery Maker CATL to restricted List

Two Republican senators on Wednesday requested that the U.S. Defense Department add Chinese battery manufacturer CATL to a list of restricted companies suspected to be working with Beijing's army. Experts say that companies added to this list are not eligible for U.S. government contracts, and they also face significant reputational risk. Senator Marco Rubio and Representative John Moolenaar of the House Select Committee on China asked Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, to place CATL, formally known China's Contemporary Amperex Technology Co, on the list. They said "it would send a strong signal to U.S.

Meet the CTO: Dr. Gunnar Stiesch, MAN Energy Solutions

Dr. Gunnar Stiesch, Chief Technology Officer, MAN Energy Solutions.
Image courtesy MAN ES

As the shipowners stare down decarbonization mandates that grow increasingly strict through 2050, the engine makers are at the tip of the spear of this energy transition phenomena, working to design and build engines and components that are built to operate on a long and growing list of alternative fuels. We recently visited with Dr. Gunnar Stiesch, CTO, MAN Energy Solutions, to take a look inside the research and development process at this global power leader, for insights on ‘what’s next’ in ship propulsion.Dr. Stiesch, to begin…

UK faces legal action for new North Sea oil and Gas Licences

A marine conservation group is challenging in court the decision of Britain to issue new oil and natural gas exploration licenses. The organization claims that ministers failed to take into account the impact of these licences on marine life. Oceana UK has filed a lawsuit against 31 licenses granted by the previous British government to the North Sea Transition Authority in May of this year, as part of its latest round for oil and gas licensing. A licence for exploration does not always lead to a producing field. However, environmental…

Contracts Awarded for Poland's First Offshore Wind Farm

Image courtesy SeaRenergy Group/Baltic power

SeaRenergy Group was awarded a Marine Coordination Services contract by Baltic Power for the construction phase of the Baltic Power offshore wind farm.The services will be kicked off with the preparatory phase in summer, with operations starting in the last quarter of 2024.SeaRenergy’s comprehensive Marine Coordination Service involves ship registration, personnel registration and check-in, inspection, and construction site monitoring based on an innovative Vessel Traffic Management and Maritime Surveillance Systems provided by experienced long-term partner Vissim AS.

ABS Opens LNG Academy in Qatar

(Credit: Screenshot/ABS Video)

American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) has inaugurated the ABS Global LNG Academy, a cutting-edge training center dedicated to using the latest techniques to educate mariners in modern liquefied natural gas (LNG) vessel operations.Located in Doha and supported by QatarEnergy, the Academy is a coordinated effort with industry partners, who are working together to make the ABS LNG Academy the global epicenter for LNG-related training and development. Establishing the training center is also a key part of ABS’ support of Qatar’s National Vision 2030 and the Tawteen Program…

Japan Takes the Lead on Ammonia as Maritime Fuel

Image courtesy NYK

Late last year Japanese maritime leaders – Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha (NYK), Japan Engine Corporation, IHI Power Systems Co., and Nihon Shipyard Co., Ltd. – signed a series of contracts to buid the world's first ammonia-fueled medium gas carrier (AFMGC) equipped with Japan-make engines. The target is a completed ship by November 2026.While the project is significant, hurdles remain, namely:While development work is underway, today there is not yet a dual-fuel ammonia engine on the market, andThe international rules for ships using ammonia as fuel are not yet in place.On the latter…

Fratelli Cosulich Inks Charter Deal for LNG Bunkering Vessel

(Credit: Fratelli Cosulich)

Italian shipowner Fratelli Cosulich and PETCO Trading Labuan Company Limited (PTLCL), a trading arm of Malaysian energy company Petronas, have signed a two-year charter agreement for Paolina Cosulich LNG bunker barge.Operating under PTLCL, a global energy solutions provider in key bunker hubs with network in Southeast Asia, Japan, Middle East and South Africa, Paolina Cosulich will cater to the increasing demand for LNG as bunker fuel in the Straits.Fratelli Cosulich’s latest LNG bunger barge features a cargo capacity of 8…

Exploring 'Future Fuels' - Methanol’s Superstorage Solution

Image courtesy SRC

Technical inquiries to SRC Group ramped up after it received Approval in Principle (AIP) for a concept which ‘reinvented methanol fuel storage’ on board ships. Delivering the answers has seen technical talk converting into project discussions        ‘Green’ methanol has the ability to one day run vessels almost emission-free, and commercial shipping increasingly investigates. Derived today principally from natural gas, methanol is nonetheless available, relatively easy to handle and predictable. Lower carbon today, and potentially zero carbon tomorrow…

NYK, JERA, Resonac to Study Supplying Ammonia as Fuel to Vessels

NYK is conducting research and development of a tugboat equipped with a domestic ammonia-fueled engine (A-Tug) together with other partner companies. Image courtesy NYK

NYK, JERA Co., Inc. and Resonac Holdings Corporation signed an agreement to jointly study the supply of ammonia as fuel to ships.As part of the Green Innovation Fund Project of the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO), NYK is conducting research and development of a tugboat equipped with a domestic ammonia-fueled engine (A-Tug) together with other partner companies. As part of this initiative, in conjunction with the completion of the A-Tug scheduled for next June, we will work together to realize…

WinGD, Alfa Laval Team to Advance Ammonia-powered Engines

Test engine in WinGD Engine Research and Innovation Center. Image courtesy WinGD

Alfa Laval and WinGD established a partnership in which Alfa Laval will deliver two fuel supply systems (FSS) for testing WinGD’s ammonia-fuelled engine in early 2024, a step in the development of ammonia as a future fuel for marine vessels.Alfa Laval will deliver the FSS for the injector test system and FSS for the engine test bench in early 2024. The project is in the framework of WinGD’s and Alfa Laval's earlier agreement for cooperation on methanol and ammonia, signed in 2022. This gives both companies the chance to optimise the overall fuel supply and use it for later application onboard."Strategic collaboration…

Port Invests in Zero-Emission Cargo Handlers

Image courtesy Port of Long Beach

A fleet of 33 new human-operated, zero-emissions battery-electric yard tractors were unveiled last week at a Port of Long Beach container terminal where the cargo-handling machines have replaced traditional gasoline and diesel-powered models.The deployment – the largest of its kind on the West Coast – was led by terminal operator SSA Terminals LLC, a joint venture between SSA Marine and Matson Navigation Company. It is partially funded by a $50 million grant from the California Air Resources Board for the Sustainable Terminals Accelerating Regional Transformation…

Fincantieri Set to Acquire Remazel Engineering

© Mauro Carli / Adobe Stock

Fincantieri has set the main terms and conditions for the acquisition of 100% of the shares of Remazel Engineering S.p.A. from Advanced Technology Industrial Group S.A. Remazel is a leader specialized in the design and supply of highly customized and complex topside equipment.The transaction enables Fincantieri to acquire highly specialized capabilities in the design and supply of cutting-edge top side equipment, while increasing its role as partner of the major international marine and subsea energy operators. With Remazel…