Vigor Completes Work on the Centerpieces of Shell’s 21 Ship Exploratory Drilling Fleet - Maritime Executive

Posted - Thursday - June 28, 2012 - Maritime Executive

The Kulluk and Noble Discoverer set sail for the Arctic from Vigor Industrial’s Seattle shipyard, following completion of extensive environmental and safety upgrades by its commercial ship repair subsidiary, Vigor Marine.
“It is impossible to overstate the pride Vigor Marine teams have felt working on these critical rigs,” said Liz Ugorcak, Senior Director of Ship Repair at Vigor Marine. “Everything down to the smallest detail is centered on protecting the environment. Ensuring safety at all levels was our primary focus.”
The Kulluk, an ice-classed semi-submersible drill rig measuring 266’ x 230’, arrived at Vigor’s Seattle yard in July, 2011. Following the work done by Vigor Marine teams, it will operate with zero discharge in the Beaufort and Chuckchi Seas. Everything down to the sink water will be captured and stored. Even the blue and white paint scheme was chosen to accommodate the known preferences of whales.
The same care was taken with the Discoverer, a 512’ x 86’ ice-classed drill ship. The Discoverer arrived this April to undergo winterization and similar environmental upgrades. Vigor Marine mobilized a team of more than 500 skilled, quality-focused workers to complete upgrades which would normally take up to 6 months in just 10 weeks. In-house engineers worked closely with naval architects to accommodate additional requirements.
Vigor teams installed six EPODS, one on each engine. The 7’ x 20’ EPODs perform like catalytic converters in automobiles, capturing harmful discharges like carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide. The Discoverer’s emissions now meet the highest air quality standards in the world.
“Vigor’s work on the Kulluk and Discoverer has been outstanding,” said Curtis Smith, spokesperson for Shell Alaska. “Vigor’s capacity to provide the highest levels of quality work within our timeframe is impressive and continues to make them a valued partner in Shell’s Alaskan offshore operations.” The Kulluk and Discoverer are the latest in a series of vessels Vigor Marine has completed work on for Shell Alaska, including the Barge Klamath and Arctic Challenger, both OSRVs.

Post can be found at:
http://www.maritime-executive.com/article/vigor-completes-work-on-the-centerpieces-of-shell-s-21-ship-exploratory-drilling-fleet

The Emerald Ace—Japan’s Prius of the Sea - Gizmodo

Posted - June 27, 2012 -  Andrew Tarantola - Gixmodo

Japan, China, and South Korea together dominate 90 percent of the global shipbuilding industry. But compared to the neighbors, Japan is getting killed on production costs. So how do the Japanese respond? By inventing an entirely new kind of ship.
"Eco-ships are prerequisites," said Masafumi Okada, managing director of Mitsui Engineering & Shipbuilding Co., at a recent press conference. "We cannot fight without them." Indeed, while Japan has led the world in shipbuilding since the '70s, the 2008 financial crisis effectively strangled the industry. In response, the Japanese simply changed the rules of the game. The island nation sponsored a revision to the International Maritime Organization's Marpol convention, which gradually reduces the amount of carbon ships are allowed to produce while operating.
And, at the same time, Japan began developing a trump card, the Emerald Ace. It's the first ship of its size in history to employ a hybrid electric power plant, and the first ship ever to produce zero emissions while berthed. That's no typo—that's zero emissions, baby. No carbon whatsoever when the ship isn't moving. It pulls off this amazing feat with the power of the sun.
The Emerald Ace was the very last ship built at the Kobe Shipyard (which now produces submarines exclusively), launched this past March. It's 200 meters long by 36 meters wide, with a 34 meter draft, and it weighs 60,200 gross tons—about a third as large as the Emma Maersk. It's big enough to transport 6,400 passenger cars on its 12 decks at just over 20 knots. Well, not all the decks, the very top deck is reserved for the 768 panels of HIT Double—Panasonic's new double-sided solar cell modules.
Each individual cell produces up to 210W, and each panel of cells can generate upwards of 160kW—about enough to power 50 homes. 2.2MWh of this energy is stored in 324,000 Li-ion rechargeable batteries. Packed into 20-unit modules located at the very bottom of the ship, the batteries double as ballast. These batteries, type 18650, are actually the same kind used to power notebook computers.
When the ship is at sea, it relies on its diesel engines for locomotion, and any excess solar-generated power is used to run the ship's navigation, instruments, lighting, and A/C. Once the Emerald Ace pulls into port, the diesel engines shut down.
"We made a difficult and significant decision after considering recent conditions surrounding (the industry)," President Hideaki Omiya said at a news conference. The benefits are apparent—the ship should shave its emissions by four percent for a two-month trip to Europe.



Post to be found at:
http://gizmodo.com/5921423/the-emerald-ace++japans-prius-of-the-sea

FellowSHIP Listed as a Top Sustainable Solution - MarineLink.com

Posted - Press Release - Wednesday, June 27, 2012

The Norway-based FellowSHIP project selected for inclusion in Sustainia100 – a guide to global sustainable solutions
FellowSHIP, a hybrid energy system for merchant ships which couples a fuel cell with advanced batteries, saving fuel and reducing emissions, is added to Sustainia100 - a guide to 100 society-transforming, sustainable and readily available solutions.
The  project, an R&D collaboration between DNV, Wartsila, and Eidesvik, is demonstrating the use of a fuel cell integrated with a battery pack aboard the vessel Viking Lady.
"On behalf of DNV and our partners Wärtsila and Eidesvik, I would like to say we are honored that this panel of global sustainability leaders considers FellowSHIP among the top sustainable solutions available today," said Bjørn K. Haugland, DNV Group Chief Technology and Sustainability Officer.
“Commercial shipping is recognized as one of the growing sources of carbon emissions. The FellowSHIP maritime hybrid energy system, pairing a fuel cell with batteries, can reduce emissions by up to 50% and boost fuel efficiency by up to 30% over conventional maritime propulsion systems.”

Post to be found at:
http://www.marinelink.com/news/sustainable-fellowship345806.aspx

First True Hybrid to be Installed Onboard an OSV - Maritime Executive

 Posted - June 27, 2012 - Maritime Executive

A true hybrid energy system is currently being developed for installation on board the offshore supply vessel Viking Lady. An impressive battery pack for energy storage will soon be installed. When the new system is complete, the operation of the engine will be more smooth and cost effective giving further emission reductions.
The Viking Lady is not like any other offshore supply ship. The three-year-old LNG-fuelled vessel, which is owned by Eidesvik Offshore, was the very first merchant ship to use a fuel cell as part of its propulsion system. The fuel cell, which generates an electric output of 330 kW, was installed in the autumn of 2009 and has successfully run for more than 18,500 hours. Based on this, the Viking Lady is already one of the world’s most environmentally friendly ships.
Now another first step is to be taken to reduce its emissions even more. Once the battery pack is in place, the ship will operate using a hybrid system similar to that which has been installed in hybrid cars for a number of years. However, the potential emission reductions are higher and the return on investment period is shorter for ships than it is for cars.
DNV is heading this research project, which is called FellowSHIP. Its partners are Eidesvik Offshore, the owner of the ship and Wärtsilä, who provides power solutions for the marine market. In this, the next project phase, an energy storage capability is to be introduced to the energy system. This allows the benefits of a true hybrid energy system to be explored.
The primary potential benefits of the hybrid energy system for a ship like the Viking Lady are a 20-30% reduction in fuel consumption and CO2 emissions through smoother and more efficient operation of the engines and fuel cell. The reductions of other exhaust components are even higher.
The whole shipping industry is currently facing record-high fuel costs. Based on these actual costs, the return on investment period for the hybrid system is estimated to be less than two years.
Bjørn-Johan Vartdal, DNV’s project manager says: “We know that the hybrid system will reduce the energy consumption. When operating, for example, on dynamic positioning, there will be a major fuel saving potential. When in harbour, too, the ship should be able to operate on the fuel cell and its battery power alone, which will reduce emissions significantly. For environmentally sensitive areas, this will be an essential benefit. Additional benefits are related to reductions in machinery maintenance costs and in noise and vibrations.”

Complete Post to be found at:
http://www.maritime-executive.com/article/first-true-hybrid-to-be-installed-onboard-an-osv

Links to Blogs with some interesting posts - Enjoy

Management of Air Emissions from Shipping - Seminar Home Understanding and developing practical solutions for reducing fuel emissions. http://www.lloydsmaritimeacademy.com/event/airemissions

Closing in on a solution for amine emissions | Maritime and Energy Statoil has made good progress in solving the challenges associated with amine emissions from carbon capture at Mongstad. http://www.maritimeandenergy.com/news-international/2012/06/closing-in-on-a-solution-for-amine-emissions

Safety4Sea | CARB: Recommended Emissions Testing Guidelines IMO reaffirms commitment to sustainable maritime development at Rio+20. * US Coast Guard ... Vale and NSC reduce carbon emissions by 35% in ore transport ... http://www.safety4sea.com/page/11975/3/carb:-recommended-emissions-testing-guidelines

World’s largest ore exporter commits to biodiesel shipping fleet to cut carbon emissions - CarbonPositive

Posted - June 27, 2012 Carbon Positive 

The world's largest ore carrier, Brazilian mining company Valeoperators, is set to invest in a fleet of very large ore carriers (VLOC) that will operate on biofuel supplied by its own manufacturing plant, cutting annual fuel costs and reducing carbon emissions.

The project, which will cost more than $500 million, has led Vale to acquire an area of cleared land in the Amazon rainforest bigger than the city of London.

The plant, which will be producing 600,000 tonnes of palm oil per year by 2019 and will allow the company to run on so-called B20 diesel (with a 20 per cent biodiesel component), helping the company to cut its carbon emissions by 20m tonnes over the next 25 years.

Vale will use the self-manufactured biofuel to run its ships, trains, trucks and machinery, according to a report in the UK's Financial Times. According to Eduardo Ieda, head of Vale's biodiesel company Biopalma, the biofuel will be used in a blend with conventional fuel. Vale has said it wants to be using product with a 20% biodiesel content by 2017.

Vale's commitment to biodiesel comes at a time when US legislators appear to have blocked moves by the US Navy to make a partial switch to biofuel.

Last month the US House Armed Services Committee voted to stop the Department of Defense from buying or producing alternative fuels if they cost more than conventional fossil fuels.

Post to be found at:
http://www.carbonpositive.net/industry-updates/474-worlds-largest-ore-exporter-commits-to-biodiesel-shipping-fleet-to-cut-carbon-emissions.html

Germany: Hamburg Sud Aims to Reduce CO2e Emissions - World Maritime News

Posted - June 26, 2012 - World Maritime News

Hamburg Süd is pressing ahead vigorously with its commitment to environmental protection. The shipping group thus decided recently to set itself an objectively measurable environmental target: by 2020 Hamburg Süd is aiming to reduce the CO2e emissions of its owned and chartered container vessels per unit of transport capacity (TEUkm) by 26 per cent.
Besides carbon dioxide, the unit of measurement CO2e (carbon dioxide equivalent) takes account of other climate gases (e.g., methane) produced in the combustion process in line with their effect on the climate.
“We have always felt committed to the protection of the environment and have launched numerous voluntary initiatives and projects in the past to mitigate environmental impact,” said Dr Ottmar Gast, Chairman of the Executive Board of Hamburg Süd. “With the self-imposed cut in CO2e emissions we now intend to go a step further and make our environmental commitment clear for all to follow. At the same time, we are confident that the measurable results will enable us to identify further optimization potential in the future.”
Hamburg Süd aims to reach this target by taking a variety of measures, such as investing in the energy efficiency of owned ships, increasing average vessel size, chartering in energy-efficient ship, accompanied by an improved and comprehensive environmental information system.

Post to be found at:
http://worldmaritimenews.com/archives/59524

Maritime executives gathering in Tacoma for emissions discussion - The News Tribune

Posted - by John Gillie / The News Tribune on June 26, 2012 at 11:16 am

More than 100 shipping line, port, government and other maritime executives are gathering Thursday at Tacoma’s Hotel Murano to discuss compliance with new emission rules for large ships.
The new rules, effective Aug. 1, require large ship operators to reduce emissions from their vessels when operating within 200 miles of the coasts of the United States or Canada.
The maritime executives will share information about strategies to meet the new rules. Those strategies range from burning cleaner fuels to installing emission control devices on the ships’ engines. The forum will also include information about how the United States and Canada plan to enforce the regulations

Post to be found at:
Read more here: http://blog.thenewstribune.com/business/2012/06/26/maritime-executives-gathering-in-tacoma-for-emissions-discussion/#storylink=cpy

Post to be found at:
http://blog.thenewstribune.com/business/2012/06/26/maritime-executives-gathering-in-tacoma-for-emissions-discussion/

Statoil Sees Growth in Energy Demand Towards 2040 - Maritime Executive

Posted - Tuesday, June 26, 2012 - Maritime Executive

Statoil launches its annual outlook for global economics and energy markets – Energy Perspectives 2012.
It foresees significant progress for energy efficiency, but global energy demand is still expected to increase by more than 40 per cent towards 2040. Fossil fuels account for the majority of the increase. Even faster growth is projected for in nuclear and renewables, reflecting a steady greening of the energy mix.
Statoil emphasises the uncertainty connected with any long-term outlook, but points to the connection between energy and economic growth.
"Our assessment suggests that global growth will continue at an average of 2.8 per cent per year over the coming three decades. This is close to the average of the previous 30 years, even though we expect a gradual slowdown in growth towards 2040," says Statoil chief economist Klaus Mohn.
According to the outlook, the future expansion in global energy demand will be significantly slower than for economic activity, with an average annual growth of only 1.1% (from 13 bn toe in 2010 to 18 bn toe by 2040).
"Demand will increase for all types of energy. At the same time, we expect continued progress for energy efficiency, amounting to a 40 per cent reduction in energy use per dollar of real GDP," says Mohn.

Natural gas as a fuel of the future

Balance of Post to be found at:

 http://www.maritime-executive.com/pressrelease/statoil-sees-growth-in-energy-demand-towards-2040

EPA Guidance on Fuel Availability Off N. America - MarineLink.com

Posted Tuesday June 26, 2012 - MarineLink.com

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency released interim guidance for ship owners and operators clarifying how the U.S. government will implement fuel availability provisions when ships are unable to obtain fuel that meets standards protecting against sulfur pollution along the coast. Sulfur pollution has been linked to respiratory illnesses, particularly in at-risk populations including children, the elderly, and asthmatics. The International Maritime Organization (IMO) has officially designated waters off of the coast of North America, known as the North American Emission Control Area (North American ECA), as areas where stringent international pollution standards apply for ships, including fuel sulfur limits. The guidance provides background information on the North American ECA fuel sulfur standards, explains how owners and operators of vessels can establish compliance with these requirements, and describes how an owner or operator of a vessel who cannot obtain compliant fuel oil can make a fuel oil non-availability claim.
The IMO is a United Nations agency that deals with marine safety, security, and the prevention of marine pollution from ships. The International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL) is a treaty designed to minimize pollution on the seas including dumping waste, oil, and exhaust pollution. MARPOL Annex VI sets out air emissions standards, including fuel sulfur limits, for ships. The United States implemented Annex VI in 2008 when Congress amended the Act to Prevent Pollution from Ships (APPS).
Annex VI requires ships operating in designated geographical areas, the ECAs, to meet the most advanced standards for fuel sulfur and other pollutants. The North American ECA will come into force on August 1, 2012. At that time, the maximum sulfur content of fuel oil used by ships in the ECA will be limited to 1.00 percent m/m (10,000 ppm). This standard will change on January 1, 2015, to 0.10 percent m/m (1,000 ppm).
Compliance with both the Annex VI air emissions standards for ships and the Clean Air Act standards applicable to U.S. ships are expected to reduce the annual emissions of sulfur oxides by 1.3 million tons by 2030.
Read the interim guidance:
http://www.epa.gov/compliance/civil/caa/caaenfprog.html

Post to be found at:
http://www.marinelink.com/news/availability-guidance345796.aspx

Another Container Freight Line Fights Ocean Shipping Pollution - Handy Shipping Guid

Posted - 26 June 2012 - Handy Shipping Guide

GERMANY – WORLDWIDE – The question of protection of the environment is uppermost in the minds of all branches of the ocean freight trade these days. We have recently referred to Shipping Emissions, Abatement and Trading (SEAaT), and the efforts of some of the major container carriers to clean up their act to accommodate the demands of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) MARPOL undertaking and the North American Emission Control Area that will become effective on 1st August this year. Now another freight and logistics group known mostly for their ocean carriage has announced their latest policy.
Hamburg Süd have indicated this week that it is pressing ahead vigorously with its commitment to environmental protection. The shipping group thus decided recently to set itself an objectively measurable environmental target. By 2020 Hamburg Süd is aiming to reduce the CO2e emissions of its owned and chartered container vessels per unit of transport capacity (TEUkm) by 26%. Besides carbon dioxide, the unit of measurement CO2e (carbon dioxide equivalent) takes account of other climate gases (e.g., methane) produced in the combustion process in line with their effect on the climate.
Hamburg Süd aims to reach this target by taking a variety of measures, such as investing in the energy efficiency of owned ships, increasing average vessel size, chartering in energy-efficient ships, accompanied by an improved and comprehensive environmental information system. Dr Ottmar Gast, Chairman of the Executive Board of Hamburg Süd, explained:
“We have always felt committed to the protection of the environment and have launched numerous voluntary initiatives and projects in the past to mitigate environmental impact. With the self-imposed cut in CO2e emissions we now intend to go a step further and make our environmental commitment clear for all to follow. At the same time, we are confident that the measurable results will enable us to identify further optimization potential in the future.”
 
Post to be found at:
http://www.handyshippingguide.com/shipping-news/another-container-freight-line-fights-ocean-shipping-pollution_3763

Moss Hydro Engineers Create Revolutionary Filters - MarineLink.com

Posted - (Press Release) -Tuesday, June 26, 2012, 9:06 AM

Newly-formed Moss Hydro has been established to address a ballast water challenge that is threatening the entire shipping industry – reliable filtration.
Stein Foss, the former CEO and co-founder of ballast water treatment (BWT) business OceanSaver, has set up the independent company with three partners, and an array of engineering, marketing and manufacturing experts. Together they are creating revolutionary filters designed specifically for ballast water treatment.
“Our filters are unique,” comments Moss Hydro CEO Foss. “There is nothing else on the market that offers the same quality of materials, precision manufacturing standards, self-cleaning capability and extremely short delivery times in one all-round package. This gives us a huge competitive advantage.”

International Maritime Organization (IMO) mandates that all vessels must have BWT systems installed by 2016. However, the emerging BWT system market faces challenges of supply - there are very few filter manufacturers - and technology, with some existing filters prone to blockages from ocean sediment and other organics. And if the filter blocks, the BWT system stops… and so does the ship.

Foss and his colleagues, including former OceanSaver SVP of Business Development/ Research and Development Aage Bjorn Andersen, have engineered their own solution to these pressing issues. Moss Hydro filters have been created for optimized self-cleaning and minimal maintenance. Crafted from super-duplex stainless steel, they are corrosion free and 50-70% lighter than conventional filters. The filters are manufactured in a highly robotized facility in Norway, enabling extraordinary precision. This achieves high accuracy, meeting strict requirements to tolerances, alongside high welding quality and total product uniformity. Added to this innovative and quality-conscious approach comes unbeatable delivery time, as Foss explains: “We have entered into an agreement with a world-class manufacturing facility created especially for our production needs. It is a state-of-the-art facility of 20,000m2, employing 200 people and boasting huge capacity. This gives us an extremely short turnaround time for orders – a crucial point of difference as the approaching IMO regulations threaten huge supplier bottlenecks in the BWT sector. Our production capacity means that we are capable of meeting any demand from the BWT industry.”
Moss Hydro will begin taking initial orders for its single and multi-screen filters (prototypes have been tested up to a capacity of 3,200 m3/hr) in September, with production commencing in Q4 2012. The company’s ambitions are crystal clear: “It’s simple,” says Foss, “we want to be the leading supplier of filters for the BWT industry. With our unique products and production capacity, the foundations are now firmly in place for us to build towards that goal.”

Post to be found at:
http://www.marinelink.com/news/revolutionary-engineers345785.aspx

IMO renews commitment to sustainability - Maritime Journal

Posted - 25 Jun 2012 - Maritime Journal

Today the IMO publicly renewed its commitment to sustainable development in the maritime industry and gave feedback on its input to the Rio+20 conference held last week in Brazil.

The outcome of the Rio+20 conference last week builds on work started 40 years ago by the international shipping community, said Mr Koji Sekimizu, secretary general, IMO. “History will decide whether what we have done has great value or not.”
The main outcome of the Rio+20 conference was that a text called ‘The Future We Want’ was adopted . It covers the themes of energy, transport, green economy and looks to future implementation by way of sustainable development goals (SDGs).
To create these SDGs, the UN hopes to establish a “transparent intergovernmental process”, a process which will involve input from all stakeholders in the shipping industry.
As a first step towards creating the SDGs, The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) will establish a working group and an initial report will be presented at its 68th session.

Complete Post can be found at:
http://www.maritimejournal.com/news101/imo-renews-commitment-to-sustainable-development

Emissions Reduction in Aviation and Shipping Sector - The Trend is Blue

Posted - Tue 19th Jun 2012 04:48

“Someone flying from New York to London and back generates approximately the same level of emissions as the common person in the Europe does by heating their home for an entire year.” -European Commission

International aviation and shipping sector are major and fast-growing sources of greenhouse gas emissions. The sectors’ combined emissions were over one GtCO2 in 2007 and are expected to rise to around 1.7 GtCO2 by 2020. Business-as-usual projections by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and International Maritime Organization (IMO) suggest that in the absence of policies to control them, emissions could triple by 2050. Such unchecked emissions would take up a substantial proportion of any global carbon budget, and undermine the chances of avoiding temperature rises of 2°C, let alone 1.5°C.
 
Complete Post to be found at:
http://www.thetrendisblue.com/article.cms/emissions-reduction-in-aviation-and-shipping-sector

Emissions Testing Guidelines for Ocean-going Vessels have been posted - California Environmental Protection Agency

Posted - 21 Jun 2012 15:20:45- California Protection Agency Air Resources Board

The California Air Resources Board (ARB) staff has developed
Recommended Emissions Testing Guidelines for Ocean-going Vessels
(guidelines) to provide testing guidance in support of control
equipment manufacturers, Port programs and regulatory
requirements.   The guidelines are available on the Reports and
Publications page at:
http://www.arb.ca.gov/ports/marinevess/ogv/ogvreports.htm 

Other information for marine vessel programs is available on our
website:
http://www.arb.ca.gov/marine

If you have any questions, please contact Bonnie Soriano at (916)
327-6888, or by email at bsoriano@arb.ca.gov. 

Original Announcement at:  
http://www.arb.ca.gov/lispub/rss/displaypost.php?pno=5936

Aquatron expands to help stop the spread of invasive ocean species - Dal News

Posted - June 21, 2012 - Ryan McNutt - Dal News

New ballast water treatment system at Dal

Shipping accounts for more than 80 per cent of the world’s commodities transportation, with port cities like Halifax playing critical roles in global trade. To help stay buoyant and balance their cargo, container ships gather and dump ballast water as they travel, bringing seawater from around the world into their hulls and dumping it as needed.
The problem is that ballast water is not just water. It often contains species: various bacteria, phytoplankton and other microorganisms. And this unexpected cargo is dropped off in harbors halfway around the world, where species never meant for a certain climate can quickly cause rapid damage to marine ecosystems.
Little wonder that the United Nations International Maritime Organization, has declared invasive marine species as one of the four greatest threats to the world’s oceans. And the impacts of invasive species are most often irreversible, unlike other forms of marine pollution where ameliorative action can be taken to encourage recovery.

Dalhousie is doing its part to help. A new ballast water facility within the Aquatron Laboratory is now up and running, with Trojan Technologies as its first user. The international water treatment corporation, headquartered in London, Ont., is using the facility to test products that treat ballast water, in line with new international regulations requiring every ship using ballast water to have approved systems that prevent the spread of invasive species.

“We’re very pleased to be the first users of this facility,” said Trojan President and CEO Marvin DeVries at a walkthrough this Thursday. ”It creates tremendous flexibility in terms of the water that can be tested, and the large flows. That’s critically important not only to us, but to the regulators who need to have an independent verification.”

Balance of Post found at:
http://www.dal.ca/news/2012/06/22/aquatron-expands-facilities-to-help-stop-the-spread-of-invasive-.html

Work starts on fossil fuel free cargo ship set to transform shipping industry - AAAS and EurekAlert

Public release date: 21-Jun-2012 - AAAS and EurekAlert

Development is underway to design the modern world's first 100 per cent fossil fuel free sailing cargo ships.
With rising fossil fuel prices and the global challenge of reducing greenhouse gas emissions, this project is set to change the shipping industry by providing efficient and affordable low-carbon shipping. The project combines proven technology, using the state of the art dyna-rig sail propulsion system with an off the shelf Rolls-Royce engine powered by waste derived liquid biomethane (liquid gas).
The ships are being developed by B9 Shipping, part of the B9 Energy group of companies, which has started work on a full-scale demonstration vessel validating the engineering and economic assumptions of the initial vessel design.
The fundamental testing programme is being conducted at the University of Southampton's Wolfson Unit for Marine Technology and Industrial Aerodynamics (WUMTIA), which has provided innovative marine technology and industrial aerodynamics expertise for over 40 years to a world-wide customer base.
Diane Gilpin, Director of B9 Shipping, says: "The shipping sector is a highly complex, interconnected system and our task has been to develop relationships with key players across the industry. Having worked previously with WUMTIA, I believe this collaboration will enable a robust, commercially and technically viable solution to be ready for scale once the engineering is proven."

		IMAGE: This is a B9 ship model. Click here for more information.

Kevin Forshaw, Industry Liaison for the newly formed Southampton Marine and Maritime Institute (SMMI) at the University of Southampton, says: "Helping to develop viable means of propulsion for shipping in a post-carbon economy is a strategic objective for SMMI, and the B9 concept offers a viable alternative that we will be seeking to support at every opportunity.''
The testing programme, which begins in June, will undertake tow tank and wind tunnel research to identify a basic hull design and how it interacts with the dyna-rig system. It will examine various options in the performance parameters of a B9 Ship in scale model, calibrating the thrust from the sailing rig with various hull shapes to secure optimum performance efficiencies in a wide range of meteorological and sea conditions, whilst delivering against the essential commercial (loading and discharge; port constraints) aspects.

		IMAGE: This is an artist's impression of B9 commercial sailing ship. Click here for more information.

Engineering data will be used to assess and model more accurately various economic performance scenarios: for example varying the proportion of propulsion delivered by the wind/dyna-rig relative to that provided from liquid biomethane derived from waste by B9 Shipping's sister company, B9 Organic Energy.
This economic analysis will be undertaken later in the summer once towing tank and wind tunnel testing is complete and all data has been validated.
Diane says: "We are designing B9 Ships holistically as super-efficient new builds transferring technology from offshore yacht racing combined with the most advanced commercial naval architecture. We're combining proven technologies in a novel way to develop 'ready-to-go' future-proof and 100 per cent fossil fuel free ships. This approach means financial investment and crucially, garnering support and furthering understanding with the shipping sector that there is a need for urgent change and through collaboration we can create viable commercially successful solutions."

 Post to be found at:
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2012-06/uos-wso062112.php