Motorship Oct 2020.indd

OCTOBER 2020

Vol. 101 Issue 1185

Battery hybridisation:Short-haul RoPax focus

4-stroke VLSFO:Operational experience

MS100 ABB Turbo: Christoph Rofka interview

MAN ME-GA EGR: Methane slip option

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ALSO IN THIS ISSUE: WinGD cylinder oil | ABC Engines H2 engine | Cat RCCI debut | VLSFO feature

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For the latest news and analysis go to www.motorship.com/news101 OCTOBER 2020 | 3

CONTENTS OCTOBER 2020

NEWS

FEATURES1432

8

24 BeHydro H2 engine BeHydro, ABC Engines’ joint venture with CMB, launched the world’s fi rst commercial dual-fuel hydrogen/diesel engine in September.

14 Debut RCCI for Cat 3512 A reactively controlled compression ignition (RCCI) engine has been retrofi tted to a Caterpillar 3512 on Deen Shipping’s bunker tanker.

17 DFDS mulls FS+ injection DFDS is evaluating FuelSave’s FS+ system as a solution for its conventional four-stroke engines. The FS+ system injects hydrogen, oxygen and methanol mix at three precisely calibrated different locations along the air intake of a four-stroke engine.

31 Under pressure IMES’ new cylinder pressure sensor generation is designed to satisfy engine manufacturer requirements for new high efficiency gas engine applications.

8Leader Briefi ngKnut Ørbeck-Nilssen,

CEO of DNV GL – Maritime, calls for closer collaboration between industry participants,

and mulls an extension of the EU’s Green Deal

to cover shipping

34Design for

PerformanceGiulio Tirelli, Director

of Sales and Business Intelligence at Marine

Power Solutions, Wärtsilä discusses battery

hybridisation in the Ro-Ro and Ro-Pax vessel segments.

36Ship DescriptionBalearia’s forthcoming

catamaran Ro-Pax ferry combines a Wartsila 31 dual-fuel engine

platform with very high service speed.

10 Electric avenue Leading Ro-Pax ship operators share their perspective on battery hybrid installations in the Ro-Pax segment, amid signs adoption in short-haul Ropax vessels is picking up, Kari Reinikainen hears.

12 4-stroke appraise VLSFO The initial experience of burning VLSFO in four-stroke engines has been positive, but the true test of the switchover could come at overhaul time.

22 Methane slip Thomas S Hansen, Head of Two-Stroke Promotion & Customer Support at MAN Energy Solutions discusses MAN ES’ new high-pressure EGR option for its ME-GA engine.

29 Dual-fuel optionalityWoodward L’Orange’s new family of high-pressure, dual-fuel injectors are compatible with a range of gas or liquid fuels including LNG, LPG, methanol and ammonia.

32 MS100 – ABB Turbocharging Christoph Rofka, Senior Vice President - Head of Global Product Group Medium, Low Speed and Rail, ABB Turbocharging discusses past and present step changes in turbocharging technology.

36REGULARS

2021100YEARS

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NEWS REVIEW

4 | OCTOBER 2020 For the latest news and analysis go to www.motorship.com/news101

A Belgian pairing of infl uential shipping and engineering interests has given a fi llip to the industry’s drive for viable low-carbon or carbon-free technologies by launching a hydrogen-fuelled medium-speed engine, writes David Tinsley.

The market release of a hydrogen-capable, dual-fuel prime mover opens the portfolio planned by the BeHydro joint venture of Antwerp-based Compagnie Maritime Belge (CMB) and the Ghent medium-speed designer and manufacturer ABC Engines. The timing was significant, given the European Commission’s announcement on 17 September that it was stepping up plans to achieve European climate neutrality by 2050.

Over the past three years, the BeHydro partners have developed a hydrogen dual-fuel prototype, progressed a monofuel hydrogen version, and have made preparations for volume production. The development was the subject of an interview with CMB’s Roy Campe in The Motorship in 2019. The mono hydrogen type is due to augment the range during the second quarter of 2021.

In BeHydro, ABC and CMB had initially focused on a portfolio spanning the 800-2,800kW power band, but are now looking towards a much bigger market through significant upscaling of the design concept. By injecting and burning hydrogen, the medium-speed engines are expected to produce 85% less CO2 emissions than a standard diesel engine.

The first contract arises from the revolutionary HydroTug newbuild expected to be ready for deployment in Antwerp by 2022. CMB has been tasked with the provision of the HydroTug, which will represent an important stage in the roll-out of the port’s green agenda. The installation will comprise two 2MW BeHydro dual-fuel (hydrogen/diesel) engines. The CO2 emission abatement achieved by burning hydrogen will be complemented

When the dust settles from the European Parliament’s decision to approve the extension of the Emissions Trading Scheme to cover shipping, one of the least attractive repercussions will be the increasing infl uence of decisions taken within Brussels’ Ring on future fuel choices for the global fl eet.

Meanwhile, the impact of the ETS scheme will extend beyond the short-sea market, and could eventually impact some 40 percent of the world’s fleet when deep-sea vessels that trade with EU member states are included.

Ship owner associations have expressed concern about the risk that the introduction of complex regional regulation could undermine IMO efforts. It will impose additional costs on shipping at a time when many sectors are maintaining operations during challenging economic circumstances.

Knut Ørbeck-Nilssen, CEO of DNV GL – Maritime, makes similar points in an interview in this issue, warning that regional fragmentation risked setting back rather than bring forward decarbonisation.

While arguments rage about methane conversion factors and the respective advantages of well-to-wake and tank-to-wake methodologies, the cost of funding the development of solutions to meet wider society’s demands that shipping decarbonises continues to rise.

The costs of developing alternative fuel solutions, in particular, are considerable for original equipment manufacturers, engine builders and their licensees, and component suppliers. One recurring theme in interviews with Christoph Rofka of ABB Turbo and Peter Riegger of Rolls-Royce Power Systems in this issue has been the challenge of choosing where to allocate finite resources.

These costs are also being felt by class societies, many of whom are developing rules and competencies in a range of different fuels from ammonia to hydrogen, and in some cases developing expertise in innovative solutions such as PEM fuel cells for marine applications.

Certainly, there is no shortage of solutions under development. We feature the first commercial installation of RCCI technology aboard Deen Shipping’s bunker vessel, as well as the launch of ABC Engines’ new dual-fuel hydrogen engine in this issue, along with DFDS’s consideration of FuelSave’s FS+ technology for their four-stroke engines.

We also feature an interview with Giulio Tirelli of Wärtsilä and a wider feature on ship operator perspectives on the economics of battery hybridisation aboard Ro-Pax vessels. We hear that the economics of hybridisation aboard short-haul passenger vessels is becoming increasingly compelling without regulatory assistance.

Other highlights of this month’s issue include a series of articles on the limited impact of the IMO 2020 transition on four-stroke engines, along with an article on LBG and synthetic LNG fuels. We also include an in-depth feature on MAN ES’ new EGR version for its ME-GA Otto Cycle dual-fuel engine, along with a feature on WInGD’s decision to publish oil specific usage guidelines for each cylinder oil on its list of validated cylinder oils.

VIEWPOINTNICK EDSTROM | Editor

[email protected]

by NOx and particulate matter (PM) minimisation in diesel mode through the specification of a catalyser and particle filter.

The BeHydro generation will have a broad application potential, encompassing power generation and rail traction besides marine propulsion and auxiliary duties. The business scope also reflects ABC Engines’ main market sectors.

In 2017, CMB gave form to its ambitions by introducing a 14m hydrogen-powered passenger catamaran on the River Scheldt. The technology demonstrator constituted an early step in its long-term goal. The craft was built in the UK by BW Seacat of Portsmouth and fitted with two Volvo Penta hydrogen dual-fuel engines incorporating hydrogen systems supplied and installed by another UK firm, Revolve Technologies of Essex, a pioneer in the development of hydrogen internal combustion engines.

CMB subsequently acquired Revolve Technologies, which was rebranded as CMB Tech. Investment is now being ploughed into the UK affiliate’s engine testing capabilities, including upgraded cooling towers, as it accelerates work on hydrogen mono- and dual-fuel engines.

Last year, CMB signed a pact with Tsuneishi Facilities & Craft (TFC) of Japan for a project to develop and build a passenger ferry powered by a dual-fuel hydrogen/diesel engine. The newbuild is due to be delivered from TFC’s premises at Onomichi in 2021.

8 BeHydro’s new hydrogen-capable, dual-fuel prime mover

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NEWS REVIEW

BRIEFS

EU ETS vote BIMCO and other ship owner associations expressed dismay at the European Parliament’s decision in September to approve a proposal to extend the EU’s Emissions Trading System (ETS) to shipping from 2022. BIMCO warned the vote risks undermining eff orts to introduce a global Market Based Measure (MBM) at the IMO. Others have noted the ETS has not halted the rise in emissions from aviation.

MAN digital tie-up MAN ES is collaborating with Kongsberg Digital to develop digitalisation solutions as part of a newly agreed strategic digitalisation partnership. An inaugural project will see the partners develop a solution for Höegh Autoliners to off er real time engine monitoring and digital assistance for optimisation, integrating PrimeServ Assist two-stroke engine data analysis with Kongsberg Digital’s data infrastructure solution, Vessel Insight.

New CIMAC group CIMAC has established a new ‘Digitalisation Strategy Group’. The group brings together engine manufacturers, component suppliers, class societies, system integration providers, and universities. The group is working to develop a consolidated view on how digitalisation of propulsion and power generation can contribute to improved operational effi ciencies and safety of the entire maritime logistics chain.

Ballard PEMFC launchIn September, Ballard Power Systems launched what it claims is the fi rst PEM fuel cell designed for primary propulsion power in marine vessels. The 200kW FCwave fuel cell is designed for use in small and medium size vessels and can be scaled in series up to the multi-megawatt (MW) power level. Ballard is currently engaged in the type approval process for the product with DNV GL. Ballard notes the weight and operational life of the fuel cell are highly competitive.

Singapore-based ship operator Eastern Pacifi c Shipping (EPS) has signed a long-term charter for fi ve LNG-fuelled Newcastlemaxes with BHP, the mining company.

The five-year time charter covers the carriage of iron ore between Western Australia and China from 2022. It represents the conclusion of a tender for LNG-fuelled vessels launched by BHP in 2019.

According to an EPS statement published on their website, the five 209,000 dwt Capesize vessels will be powered by MAN Energy Solutions’ dual-fuel ME-GI engines.

However, a MAN ES representative declined to confirm the order when contacted by The Motorship on Friday.

With main dimensions of 300m length, 50m breadth and 18.40m draught, the vessels meet the port accessibility requirements for the Pilbara’s ports, while boasting a load capacity of 222,000m3.

BHP Chief Commercial Officer, Vandita Pant, noted the vessels would virtually eliminate SOx emissions and significantly reduce CO2 and NOx emissions. The vessels will result in a 30 percent reduction in emissions, measured on a CO2-equivalent per voyage basis, compared with conventional fuel along the Western Australia to China route.

EPS AWARDED FIVE-YEAR BHP TENDER FOR DUAL-FUEL NEWCASTLEMAXES

EPS CEO Cyril Ducau commented that “when the vessels are delivered in 2022, they

will be the cleanest and the most efficient in the entire dry bulk shipping fleet and will be IMO

high-pressure dual-fuel ammonia engines with MAN Energy Solutions for some years.

Alfa Laval notes that for high-pressure dual-fuel engines, the existing fuel conditioning solution used for LPG on ME-LGIP engines can be applied with a few modifications.

By contrast, fuel gas supply systems for low-pressure dual-fuel engines are likely to

Alfa Laval plans to produce a turnkey liquid fuel supply system for ammonia-fuelled engines, it confi rmed in a company presentation.

“Alfa Laval is working to develop fuel conditioning solutions for alternative fuels, and for ammonia in particular,” Luca Lori, Global Application Manager - Fuel Conditioning Systems at Alfa Laval told an online seminar.

“We are taking in part in projects that are analysing all aspects of the applicability of this fuel on board, including safety, storage on board, and how to efficiently supply the fuel to the engine,” Lori continued.

Alfa Laval has been engaged in research into the development of liquid fuel supply systems for

resemble low-pressure LNG supply systems.

Lori concluded by noting that it would be necessary to propose retrofit solutions for existing vessels in order to help shipowners’ meet IMO 2030 objectives.

ALFA LAVAL TO DEVELOP TURNKEY LFSS FOR AMMONIA ENGINES

8 Eastern Pacifi c Shipping recently took delivery of its fi rst LNG-fuelled vessel, the boxship Tenere

2030 compliant eight years ahead of schedule.”

Meanwhile, EPS noted the LNG bunkering supply contract is expected to be awarded in October 2020. The Pilbara Port Authority has already awarded Australian natural gas producer Woodside a licence to provide ship-to-ship LNG bunkering services at the ports of Port Hedland and Dampier.


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8 The Alfa Laval Fuel Conditioning Module (FCM) LPG was the basis for the company’s ammonia FCM research

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Source: The Swedish ClubMain Engine Damage Report(figures quoted are average costs)

Speaking on the fringes of the launch of DNV GL’s Maritime Forecast to 2050, Knut Ørbeck-Nilssen, CEO of DNV GL - Maritime, quoted Voltaire’s saying, “Perfect is the enemy of the good”, warning that the stakeholders of the maritime industry needed to come together to develop solutions to the challenges facing the industry.

If not, there was a risk that solutions could be introduced that imposed excessive costs on the industry, or that failed to meet the minimum standards of fuel availability and infrastructure required for a realistic alternative to the current diesel-based paradigm.

“Any new fuel that will be introduced over the coming decades will face the challenges of availability, infrastructure and the price point. For that reason, we are confident that LNG will be the best fuel for vessels for the next 1-2 vessel generations.”

Ørbeck-Nilssen’s key takeaway echoed one of the main takeaways from this year’s report, which introduced 30 different scenarios, modelling different combinations of regulation, policy measures, price differentials against diesel and availability.

Tore Longva, principal consultant at DNV GL and the report’s author, added that predicting whether ammonia, methanol or even environmentally electro-LNG or bio-LNG would gain traction after 2030 depended upon the prices and availability of primary energy sources. If supplies of sustainable second or third generational biomass can be secured, bio-methanol may gain market share. By contrast, plentiful renewable electricity (for example, from offshore wind) might lead the market to adopt green ammonia. A third alternative envisages the emergence of low-cost carbon capture and storage transforming the economics of ‘blue’ ammonia.

The report forecasts an expansion in the market share of LNG until 2030 or 2040. Bio-MGO, e-MGO, bio-LNG and e-LNG emerge as drop-in fuels for existing ships. By contrast, hydrogen is unlikely to gain significant traction in the market, except as a feedstock for some hydrogen-based vectors, such as ammonia, Longva concluded.

DNV GL’s comparatively conservative forecast for the future penetration of fuel cells and batteries is also noteworthy, given the class society’s acknowledged expertise in both areas, The Motorship notes.

Ørbeck-Nilssen warned that the development of regional regulations or taxes could disrupt the development of a consistent set of rules at a global level, in the IMO.

“I believe that creating an international patchwork of regional shipping regulations is detrimental to the development of global rules at the IMO level,” Ørbeck-Nilssen said, commenting on the European Parliament’s decision to approve a proposal to extend the EU Emissions Trading System (ETS) to cover shipping from 2022.

The detrimental impact of local initiatives had already been seen in other areas, such as washwater regulations or defouling.

While some members of the EU might be seeking to push the IMO to go further and faster, the EU might be better

advised to set the environmental agenda by funding technological research.

“The EU has a real opportunity to contribute towards the development of solutions,” Ørbeck-Nilssen said, noting that Europe contained leading OEMs, as well as ship owners, yards and ship finance institutions. If the EU were to provide financial support to the European maritime cluster, along the lines of the Green Deal, it could incubate and accelerate the commercialisation of energy-efficient solutions for the maritime sector.

DNV GL can vouch for the transformative potential of officially-funded schemes, having participated in previous collaborations between ship owners, technology developers, academia and class societies in Norway, such as the Green Shipping Programme.

“Battery hybridisation, which is increasingly gaining acceptance aboard vessels with fluctuating power requirements such as dredgers, is an example of such a technology,” he added.

Striking a more upbeat note, Ørbeck-Nilssen discussed how shipping had become more receptive to new ideas while weathering the disruptive effects of the Covid-19 pandemic.

“The entire mentality of the maritime industry has become much more open to new ideas,” Ørbeck-Nilssen said, adding that the uptake of digitalisation within the industry had advanced “half a decade” in a year.

One way of accelerating the development of solutions to decarbonisation might be to widen participation in development projects from the traditional ship owner, shipyard and class society triumvirate to bring in finance, charterers and technology providers.

Charterers were increasingly exposed to environmental criteria through supply chain emissions reporting requirements, Longva added, concluding that DNV GL’s Maritime Forecast to 2050 discussed the potential long-term implications of fuel choices on vessel profitability.

8 Knut Ørbeck-Nilssen, CEO of DNV GL – Maritime

LEADER BRIEFING

ØRBECK-NILSSEN: INDUSTRY NEEDS TO PULL TOGETHER NOWCEO Knut Ørbeck-Nilssen of DNV GL - Maritime issues a call to arms for industry participants to come together, and mulls an extension of the EU’s Green Deal to cover shipping


SHIP DESIGN


However, the business case for battery hybridisation was not yet conclusive for larger ferries operating overnight crossings.

This partly reflected the fact that the economic advantages of hybrid solutions are maximised when vessels are operating at slower speeds, manoeuvring and while they are loading in port. These operations apply for a smaller proportion of longer crossings, said Vesa Marttinen, Development Executive at MarineCycles Oy, a Finnish consulting company.

A separate consideration is the greater hotel loads larger vessels require, owing to larger public areas and a greater number of cabins. This also mitigated the advantages of battery hybridisation somewhat, although technological advances were likely in this area too, Marttinen noted.

By comparison, the economic case for adopting hybrid technology onboard short-haul Ropax vessels is evolving very quickly. “These solutions will become standard quite quickly,” Marttinen predicted.

The rise in demand for battery hybrid systems is confirmed by Corvus Energy, the leading maritime battery supplier. Lars Ole Valoen, chief technical officer, also cited rising demand in countries that do not offer subsidies as a sign that the market is going well. “This tells us that our energy storage systems are commercially viable and competitive,” Valoen added.

COLOR LINEThe aptly named Color Hybrid that Ulstein Verft delivered to Color Line last year is the largest hybrid ferry currently in service. The hybrid power plant of Color Hybrid, which is

based on a combination of diesel generators and batteries, is designed to allow the expansion of the battery pack by 50 percent in the future.

Robin Tomren, SVP Marine & Technical at Color Line emphasised the company chose the hybrid propulsion system on commercial considerations. As other operators compete on the service between Sandefjord and Stromstad, the company could not operate an uneconomical vessel, no matter how environmentally friendly.

“Conversion to full battery power may be possible at some point in the future,” Tomren said, adding that the company had no such plans at the moment.

SCANDLINESScandlines, the Danish ferry company that operates two services to Germany using a total of eight ships, was an early adopter of hybrid power. When its two 22,319 gross ton ferries, Copenhagen and Berlin, were introduced in 2016, they were the largest hybrid ferries in the world.

The two ferries, which operate on the Gedser-Rostock service, were built with three 4,500 kW diesel generators, each with a weight of 100 tons, and two main engines of 4,500 KW. In the design provision was made to gradually replace the generators with battery packs. These weigh only 50 tons and fit into the space vacated by the diesel generators, avoiding engine room space issues and resulting in a slight increase in the ships’ deadweight. It stood at 5,088 dwt at 6.0 m design draught as built.

8 Color Hybrid is the largest hybrid ferry currently in service

SHORT-HAUL ROPAX OPERATORS EYE BATTERY EFFICIENCIESEvolving regulations, technologies and shorepower connections are transforming the case for battery hybridisation in short-haul Ropax vessels, writes Kari Reinikainen

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Scandlines aims to reach zero emissions from its vessels in the near future and views shore power connections as an attractive option. However, there is a practical challenge in this - price. It is not only based on commercial considerations such as differentials against benchmark oil references, but also taxation rules. Nevertheless, hybrid and electric solutions enjoy significantly lower maintenance costs than conventional ferry power plants.

When the project for the two vessels was initiated in 2013, the choice of supplier of battery pack was limited, recalls Fini A. Hansen, Superintendent at Scandlines. But this has changed, and more suppliers are likely to follow. “It looks good for the future: the batteries continue to improve, and we can see the same evolution [in marine batteries] that we are seeing in car batteries,” he said.

Valoen of Corvus Energy confirmed that the prices of battery hybrid systems have fallen by more than 50 percent over the past five years, mostly thanks to a “step change” that happened three to four years ago. Since then, the prices have continued a steady, slow fall. Valoen noted that Corvus Energy was developing a range of diverse battery systems that were tailored to the requirements of various marine clients.

STENA LINEStena Line, the Swedish ferry company, launched a three-stage programmer in 2018 to gradually convert the 29,691 gross ton Stena Jutlandica ropax ferry that operates between Gothenburg and Fredrikshavn to full battery power.

At the first stage, a pack of 180 batteries totalling 1MWh in a container were hoisted on the ship to power the thrusters and shave peak loads of auxiliaries, said Carl Martensson, head of corporate communications at Stena Line in Gothenburg. This cut fuel consumption by 500 tonnes per year and CO2 emissions by 1,500 tonnes - the last figure is equal to annual emissions of 600 cars.

At the second stage, battery packs totaling 20MWh will complement two of the four main engines and allow the vessel to sail for 10 miles on batteries - enough to take it in and out of port through the Gothenburg archipelago, for example. The third stage should see the battery pack upgraded to 50MWh the ship to cover the entire 50-mile crossing on batteries.

Stena has taken the decision to future proof the second batch of its E-Flexer newbuildings from CMI Jingling Weihai shipyard in China: the two ships will have a length of 239.7 m instead of 214.5 m of the first six vessels and they have been designed for battery installations in the future.

Martensson noted that the development of electricity storage and charging of batteries are both areas were major work needs to be done to improve efficiency and bring down the cost. Stena Line has teamed up with Stena Recycling, another company in the Stena sphere of companies, to look at the possible reuse of batteries from recycled cars, lorries and buses to store electricity.

Further in the future lies a concept design called Stena Elektra. Martensson said its lightweight construction is based on experience gained from the large High Speed Sea Service (HSS) catamaran ferries Stena Line built in the late 1990s and it should be able to sail 50 miles on battery power.

DFDSBy contrast, DFDS in Copenhagen is a bit more cautious: the hybrid technology offers exciting prospects, but the price of energy per kilowatt hour remains a big issue despite progress that has been made in the recent past.

“We do see hybrid as a viable solution on newbuildings but with limited battery packages due to the high cost of the

batteries, low capacity and short lifetime,” Jacob Mygind Pedersen, Head of Projects & Implementation at DFDS, told The Motorship.

Battery costs, capacity constraints and operational lifespans are all expected to improve over the coming four to five years, Pedersen added. “What you need is what Tesla is promising to deliver in cars - super batteries. You should reduce the cost and increase the amount of energy that can be stored in a battery significantly,” Pedersen added.

However, the economics of hybridisation remain unsupportive at present, “partly because conventional propulsion systems are so highly efficient,” Pedersen continued. Retrofitting of an existing vessel is not an option for DFDS: the trade-off between lower operating costs and higher capital expenditure is not yet convincing. And as matters stand for now, this applies even to newbuildings.

The company operates large cruise ferries between Copenhagen and Oslo plus Newcastle and IJmuiden and large car ferries in the English Channel out of Dover. It is likely that newbuildings will replace these within the next ten years. The adaptability to change forms an important part of the thinking of the technology in the projected vessels.

Looking ahead, Pedersen sees the short services from Dover are more likely to have greater benefits from hybridisation in the short term than the two longer, overnight cruise ferry services. On the shorter routes, it could be possible to store a battery pack in a container and offload it in port for recharging and bring a recharged pack onboard.

“The vessels will likely be diesel electric. The combustion engines could run on ammonia. The electric current could come from gensets or from batteries or from a combination of both,” he said.

“But then comes the question that such an arrangement could take up cargo space,” Pedersen pointed out. In addition, this would also increase the capital cost of the installation. Consequently, technology that would allow faster charging of the battery packs from ashore is another area where major development would be welcome.

8 Two new diesel-electric newbuildings will use 8.8MWh battery systems and generators on P&O Ferries’ Dover-Calais route from 2023

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8 “Hybrid technology solutions for short-haul Ropax vessels will become standard quite quickly,” predicts Vesa Marttinen, Development Executive at MarineCycles Oy

In the run up to the switchover, no eff ort was spared to to inform the industry about what to expect and how to prepare for VLSFO. A number of papers were submitted by a joint industry group under IMO. Information was released to the industry in 2019 by CIMAC Working Group 7 (Fuels) and ISO 8217. Several dedicated conferences were held focusing on the potential challenges of the IMO 2020 switchover. But, as Charlotte Røjgaard, Global Head of VeriFuel at Bureau Veritas, notes: “There are always teething issues when something new is introduced.”

She says most of the fuel related challenges were experienced during the first months of 2020, with the majority of all issues experienced in the fuel treatment system and not the engines. “Mostly, when fuel causes operational issues, the separators or filters are impacted rather than the engines. Different properties impact the engines. For example cat fines mainly impact the two-stroke engine, although they can also affect the four-stroke engines.

“Although we have had reports of cat fines related wear on the two-stroke engines this year, we have not had similar reports from four-stroke. Bear in mind that the cat fines related incidents seem to be correlated with tank cleaning rather than the VLSFOs themselves. The VLSFOs do not contain higher concentrations of cat fines than HSFO, but the viscosities and densities are lower. Lower viscosity and lower density means easier removal of cat fines, so the separator efficiency should be better for the VLSFOs than for the HSFOs.

“Whereas two-stroke engines are insensitive to ignition and combustion issues, four-stroke engines are more sensitive. However, the VLSFOs are more paraffinic than the HSFO. Paraffins have excellent ignition and combustion properties. We have not had a single report about ignition and combustion related incidents on the four-stroke engines operating on VLSFO.”

Although the quality of VLSFO has varied, Andreas Banck, Engineering Manager for New Technology at Caterpillar Motoren, says the company hasn’t found any significant issues with its use amongst its customers. “We are monitoring the development,” he says. “VLSFO has been on the market for about ten months now, but it is possible that we don’t have a full picture yet. That takes longer, because the time between engine overhauls usually happens on a multi-year cycle. So, it takes time to get a really good picture of what is happening with engine components and changes in wear behaviour.”

He also notes that the need to reduce the base number of lube oil has seen the development of new products. “Of course there are several lube oil trials ongoing, because manufacturers are continuously working on new lube oil types.”

While accepting that experience is still being gained with the new fuels and lubes, Banck is still watching carefully to understand how the situation is developing. Although the company issued proactive service recommendations to customers concerning the possible impact of new fuel, for example on lube oil choice, it was not possible for engine

8 Charlotte Røjgaard, Global Head of VeriFuel at Bureau Veritas

FOUR-STROKE ENGINES


BURNING ISSUE: FOUR-STROKE EXPERIENCES WITH VLSFOWhile the initial experience with burning VLSFO in four-stroke engines has been positive, the true test of the switchover could come at overhaul time

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manufacturers to test the new fuels in advance. “Fuel manufacturers and fuel suppliers did not give a lot of information, so there were a lot of unknowns around these fuel types and a lot of rumours in the market about how they would behave. At the moment we are monitoring and are prepared to support our customers on request.”

Wärtsilä was involved in a lot of customer engagement in the second half of 2019 as operators prepared for the new 0.5 percent sulphur fuel, and Kai Juoperi,Chief Expert, Engine Fluids, R&D and Engineering, Marine Business, points to the experience gained from the earlier introduction of 0.1 percent sulphur fuels in Emission Control Areas in 2015. Thorough tank cleaning was recommended to minimise the risk of fuel compatibility issues, and advisories were also issued relating to fuel handling and injection viscosity.

No minimum viscosity limit has been set in ISO 8217, and Juoperi says: “We have seen ULSFO and VLSFO viscosity varying a lot, and especially in older vessels, where a viscometer is not necessarily installed in the fuel system, particular attention needs to be paid to correct fuel injection viscosity and temperature.”

Generally, four-strokes are less sensitive than two-strokes to an exact lubricating oil alkalinity level, and this area has not been a big issue for the company’s four-stroke engines which require the use of BN30 or BN40 oil with VLSFO.

MAN’s PrimeServ Lab, focused on four-stroke engines, has introduced a fuel-stability analysis of the new types of VLSFO and their compatibility with other fuels. As a result, the p-value has now become part of PrimeServ Lab’s standard, fuel-analysis program. The lab performs analyses of such fluids as fuel oil, lube oil, cooling water, lube-oil separator control samples and fuel-oil separator control samples for both stationary and marine four-stroke engines. The scope of diesel-fuel analysis has also been increased with lubricity, biofuel content and ignition delay added to standard reporting.

MAN Energy Solutions’ Director of New Technologies, Two-Stroke Sales and Promotion Kjeld Aabo contrasts the company’s experience with two-stroke and four-stroke engines. He says, with two-strokes, there has been several cases of scuffing damage to cylinder liners and high wear, but, he says, it’s not necessarily related to VLSFO, rather maintenance and tank cleaning regimes, and the number of issues has declined over the year. Fuel additives are effective in cleaning, but they reduce the cleaning efficiency of the separator, so the cat fines left in tanks can go directly to the engine. Cat fines are less likely to cause problems in the cylinder liners and pistons of a four-stroke, says Aabo, but they can pose a problem for injector nozzles on small fuel pumps.

On ignition quality, he also notes that it can potentially be a problem with VLSFO, and it’s one that is more likely to affect four-stroke engines than large two-stroke engines. “For

VLSFO has been on the market for about ten months now, but it is possible that we don’t have a full picture yet. That takes longer, because the time between engine overhauls usually happens on a multi-year cycle. So, it takes time to get a really good picture of what is happening with engine components and changes in wear behaviour

‘‘ for about tenat we don’t

nger, because usually takes time to appening with wear behaviour

FOUR-STROKE ENGINES

eServ Lab, focused on four-stroke engines, has uel-stability analysis of the new types of VLSFO patibility with other fuels. As a result, the p-value ome part of PrimeServ Lab’s standard, fuel-am. The lab performs analyses of such fluids as oil, cooling water, lube-oil separator control fuel-oil separator control samples for both

d marine four-stroke engines. The scope of alysis has also been increased with lubricity, t and ignition delay added to standard reporting.y Solutions’ Director of New Technologies, Two-

and Promotion Kjeld Aabo contrasts thexperience with two-stroke and four-stroke ays, with two-strokes, there has been several ng damage to cylinder liners and high wear, but,

not necessarily related to VLSFO, ratherand tank cleaning regimes, and the number of clined over the year. Fuel additives are effective ut they reduce the cleaning efficiency of the he cat fines left in tanks can go directly to Cat fines are less likely to cause he cylinder liners and pistons of aays Aabo, but they can pose a injector nozzles on small fuel

quality, he also notes that it can a problem with VLSFO, and it’s ore likely to affect four-stroke large two-stroke engines. “For

8 Andreas Banck, Engineering Manager for New Technology at Caterpillar Motoren


two strokes, we just follow what is in ISO 8217 as there is a very broad acceptable range. For four-strokes, engine designers specify limits.”

Most of Rolls-Royce’s Bergen engines are currently running on conventional diesel or natural gas, with a smaller portion on VLSFO. Kjell Harloff, Senior Vice President, Engines at Kongsberg Maritime, highlighted the special attention needed to avoid leaks when using VLSFO due to low viscosity of these fuels, hence the need of cooling the fuel circuit to help mitigate this. There is also a need for additives to help increase the lubricity when using VLSFO. He says Kongsberg Maritime, exclusive partner for selling Rolls-Royce Bergen engines into the commercial marine market, has developed comprehensive technical user manuals offering guidance on all aspects of using VLSFO. “Focus needs to be on training the crew, to make them comfortable on the particularities of using VLSFO,” says Harloff.

Meanwhile, the company is looking ahead and investing heavily in initiatives relating to future fuels for the IMO’s 2030 and 2050 targets. “We want to make sure we have the best solutions to support sustainability when the market is ready,” concludes Harloff.

8 Kai Juoperi, Chief Expert, Engine Fluids, R&D and Engineering, Marine Business, Wärtsilä

8 Kjeld Aabo, MAN Energy Solutions’ Director of New Technologies, Two-Stroke Sales and Promotion

Credit: MAN Energy Solutions

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Deen Shipping’s MTS Argonon is a fairly ordinary-looking 6,100dwt bunker tanker. But beneath its placid exterior, beats a long-awaited world fi rst: a commercial, reactively controlled compression ignition (RCCI) engine.

So, what could have prompted a pragmatic carrier to risk a perfectly serviceable, Caterpillar 3512 engine in order to explore something so exotic?

In fact, there are a couple of very good reasons: one is fuel flexibility, another is emission regulation. And then there’s also efficiency.

In a standard engine quite a lot of energy goes missing during the power stroke, whether that’s spark or diesel ignition. It’s a fairly simple mechanical issue centring on crank angle: at what point in the cycle the combustion delivers its main thrust.

Ideally “what you want is all the fuel burnt at once, at around top-dead-centre (TDC), then you have the highest efficiency; no ignition before that point, and no delay”, says Paul Nooijen of ArenaRed, the innovation company behind the RCCI solution.

However, SI engines can spark as much as 40 degrees before TDC, and most of the fuel is actually burned some way after, 10% lagging till plus-90 degrees. “You lose twice: not just all the pressure build-up before TDC, but also the fuel that comes late into the combustion,” says Nooijen. “Diesel is more efficient, ignition tends to start at its earliest 20 degrees before TDC, and by 70 degrees after TDC it’s usually burned 90% of the fuel in the chamber.”

But both could do better, with a little help.Therefore, ArenaRed’s RCCI retrofit completes the whole

process, from ignition to combustion, in a short, 23 degree

crank arc. So, what does this fairly small bit of kit actually do that enables an engine to radically alter its behaviour?

“The RCCI works by taking a low reactivity fuel, whether that’s hydrogen, gasoline, methanol, ethanol or propane, and bringing it into the combustion chamber via a very simple port fuel injector,” he explains: this happens across the entire intake stroke, giving it plenty of time to mix with the incoming air. In the case of the Argonon, “the main fuel is LNG” he says.

Then 1% diesel is added via a special injection head, but not as a trigger for the classic, dual-fuel pilot ignition. “Instead, you bring in this small amount of diesel at around 100 degrees before TDC, this gives it enough time to move completely into its gas phase,” says Nooijen. “This is important, because if you work on a diesel principle, you inject the fuel at a very high pressure to optimise atomisation... but you are still talking about droplets, which form NOx on the outside and soot on the inside during combustion.”

It is only when the piston rises to just before TDC that this now homogenous charge ignites, and it does so fairly promptly. According to Nooijen, “You have ignition three degrees before TDC, and its combusted 90% of the fuel by 20 degrees after TDC.”

Interestingly, the lack of an advancing flame front reduces thermal stresses, lowers heat loss from the exhaust, and the very complete burn also mitigates methane slip. Together, hitting the right point on the crank angle, avoiding NOx generating hotspots and cold areas of unburned hydrocarbons means an RCCI retrofit can deliver up to around a third more power, at the same time as gaining another 10% in sheer efficiency. And it doesn’t need expensive after-treatment either, ditching the SCR.

8 The MTS Argonon has been successfully adapted to run in RCCI mode, allowing the tanker future fuel fl exibility as well as cleaner, more effi cient operation. Inset: The neat ArenaRed RCCI retrofi t is fairly small but eff ective for its size

FOUR-STROKE ENGINES


FIRST COMMERCIAL RCCI INSTALLATION GOES LIVEThe subject of many test-bench projects has broken out of the lab, writes Stevie Knight

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In fact, it gets very close to the holy grail of the engine manufacturing industry: complete, clean homogenous combustion. However, if ignition isn’t triggered by spark or valve timing, how is control actually achieved?

At the centre of the magic is ArenaRed’s diesel injection head. This combines three elements; injector, tip cooler (stopping the nozzle itself from becoming a hot spot) and most importantly, a combustion pressure sensor plus a very clever bit of software. Nooijen explains this marries pressure data with volume information to tell the system how much diesel to inject, adapting the charge on the fly and keeping parameters such as pressure rise rate per cylinder and per stroke “within tolerance specifications”.

Moreover, it can iron out otherwise problematic fuel variations: after all, it only takes a couple of percent more moisture than expected, a slightly raised compression ratio or a two-degree advance in ignition timing, and an engine would usually wander into either soot or NOx formation badlands.

So, how does it work out in practice? “We’ve seen that if the ignition starts to come in too early, say from three to five degrees BTDC, the diesel portion drops down from 1% to 0.98% lowering the overall reactivity of the fuel... and as a result the combustion walks back two-degrees to the right point over the next few cycles,” says Nooijen.

Obviously, the RCCI’s responsiveness to changing conditions means a fairly sophisticated software operation; he adds that “around 1GB of information is processed every hour” by the CPBC.

However, there’s another advantage that should wow ship owners: the system, by its nature, has incredible fuel flexibility

as any variations in combustion characteristics are handled in a direct fashion by what’s actually happening in the chamber. “You don’t even need to empty your tank, the combustion will adapt to the mix inside something like two seconds,” he explains, adding “that works even if you’re running methanol”, typically one of the hardest fuels to utilise in a standard engine.

While MTS Argonon is running LNG as that suits its current route, Nooijen favours cost-effective propane for first movers. However, he believes that biofuels, especially alcohols like ethanol, “are the future”, and of course, the RCCI doesn’t need any hardware changes in order to adapt.

While the RCCI retrofit will mean many engines can squeeze out a bit more than the rated power, there are some considerations for load points given the different characteristics of these alternative fuels. For example, “propane will ignite earlier than LNG, so rather than getting an output of, say, 100kW maximum per cylinder, it will be limited to 60kW” he explains. There is a contingency operation: above this, the engine will revert to more standard dual fuel operation.

Intriguingly, “whether it’s a two stroke, or a new automotive with variable turbos, common rail actuators and so on, the RCCI retrofit stays basically the same” says Nooijen: a port intake, the CPBC controller and injection head. Given such a minimal intervention, it seems likely that other owners will be very interested in applying the technology.

The last word should go to Gerard Deen of Deen Shipping, who is rather reassuringly offhand about his world first: “No problems,” he says, “everything is working fine.”

FOUR-STROKE ENGINES


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DFDS EYES FS+ METHANOL INJECTION SOLUTION FOR FOUR-STROKES

Copenhagen-headquartered freight and passenger ferry operator DFDS is evaluating a system that injects methanol and hydrogen as a solution for its conventional four-stroke engines.

The FS+ system, developed by Germany-based technology developer FuelSave, injects hydrogen, oxygen and methanol mix at three precisely calibrated different locations along the air intake of a four-stroke engine.

The solution uses an onboard hydrogen synthgas generator to produce hydrogen as needed, eliminating hydrogen bunkering requirements. The Motorship featured an interview with FuelSave in May.

“We have seen the results of a trial installation, and they are very promising,” Jacob Pedersen, Head of Projects & Implementation in DFDS’ Technical Organization told The Motorship.

One of the key advantages of the FuelSave solution is that it offers significant fuel efficiencies for DFDS’s existing vessels.

“It could reduce our consumption of black fuel by 15%, with only a 3-4% increase in methanol consumption,” Pedersen said, adding that the limited space requirements of the FS+ equipment was a particular advantage for DFDS’s existing vessels.

DFDS is waiting for additional data on the

performance of the system with different engine designs from various four-stroke engine manufacturers.

“We haven’t put any FuelSave equipment on our ships yet but, so long as the data is acceptable, I would expect us to begin a pilot project in Q3 2021,” Pedersen said.

The solution was far from being the only technology on Pedersen’s agenda. “We had 50 projects on our long list, and 29 projects have made the cut: we love to cooperate with

FOUR-STROKE ENGINES


companies developing promising technology.”The innovative solution is only one part of

the company’s ambitious plans to lower environmental emissions. The company is also planning to achieve fuel efficiencies through the introduction of route optimisation software on board vessels, supplanting the company’s existing fuel consumption reports.

8 DFDS is evaluating FuelSave’s FS+ system that injects methanol and hydrogen as a solution for its conventional four-stroke engines

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GREENPORTBALANCING ENVIRONMENTALCHALLENGES WITH ECONOMIC DEMANDS

Conducted in partnership with INTERTANKO, INTERCARGO and the International Chamber of Shipping, and based on 192 responses, the survey indicates that over 60% have experienced increased sludge deposits, over 30% have experienced wax in fuel oil tanks or fi lters, and over 30% have experienced increased wear on cylinder linings, piston rings or other components probably as a result of increased amounts of cat fi nes.

Around 20% have de-bunkered fuel as a result of fuel oil properties. Around 20% have had problems with fuel injection or poor combustion. Around 20% have experienced fuel oil pump seizures, and 10% have experienced loss of propulsion or black outs.

These percentages cannot be considered to represent the frequency of problems in the world fleet but do give an indication of the challenges and the extra effort required to manage the new fuels. In the words of the respondents:5 Vessel faced increase in sludge generation to an extent

that need to clean filters and purifier every day.5 Increase wear and tear at piston ring, need to renew piston

rings more frequently.5 1,200 man-hours spent by vessel crews on handling

problematic fuels. The additional onboard workload affected the vessels normal maintenance time schedule.

5 Additional workload in sampling, testing, re-testing, arguing test results and in collecting evidence and documenting the complete process.The situation is being monitored across the industry. Data

from Lloyd’s Register’s Fuel Oil Bunker Analysis & Advisory

Service (FOBAS) indicates that just over 5% of VLSFOs tested between January-July 2020 were off-spec. About half of the cases were due to high sediment levels, a problem that was approximately 8% in pre-2020 fuels. Around 30% of the cases related to higher than maximum allowed sulphur content. This was approximately 5% in pre-2020 fuels.

Mark Smith, Loss Prevention Executive at North P&I Club, highlights cases where VLSFO met ISO 8217 specification limits for Total Sediment Potential (TSP) at the time of bunkering but then became unstable within weeks. “The shelf life of some fuels has decreased significantly, which couldn’t come at a worse time when some operators are placing their vessels into lay-up because of the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.”

Data from ExxonMobil’s Mobil Serv℠ Cylinder Condition Monitoring service, indicates, based on over 650,000 samples, that only 11% of vessels are now operating at the correct feed rate, down from 50% last year. This is likely to be the result of vessel operators having to develop experience with the new low sulphur fuels and lubricants, says the company.

The data also shows that 51% of vessels have cat fines above OEM limits, a 19% increase on 2019. ExxonMobil says that this indicates that onboard preventative measures are insufficient, as the global average cat fine content of 2020 delivered samples is similar to that of 2019. To reduce this risk, ExxonMobil’s guidance is to always bunker fuel that meets ISO 8217:2017 specifications, and if damaging levels of cat fines are detected, run both purifiers in parallel with minimum throughput.

8 BunkerTrace conducted a trial of its innovative blockchain and synthetic DNA technology in a trial with Cooperative Bebeka in 2019

FUELS & LUBRICATION


CLIMBING THE VLSFO LEARNING CURVE HAS TAKEN TIMEBIMCO’s recent survey of early VLSFO experience amongst shoreside technical staff testify that the transition to low-sulphur fuel oil has not been without problems

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In contrast, Christos Koliaridis, Business Developer at Vecom Marine Chemicals in the Netherlands, explains what he believes the problem with cat fines continues to be. “In our observation of the market, due to the pandemic, the issues with VLSFO have not actually been improved upon. Perhaps also as an outcome of the recent oil crisis. As the demand for oil has fluctuated unexpectedly, we believe oil producers were primarily predisposed on that front, and improvements upon these blends will be slow and few. The biggest indicator of that is the cat fines which continue to be very much present in VLSFOs. This is evidence of not-up-to standard production process.”

There appears to have been few real surprises in the problems encountered. BIMCO says the survey result show that the issues addressed prior to 1 January 1 in ISO/PAS 23263:2019 Petroleum products — Fuels (class F) — Considerations for fuel suppliers and users regarding marine fuel quality in view of the implementation of maximum 0,50 % sulfur in 2020 and the Joint Industry Guidance on the supply and use of 0.50% sulphur marine fuel, such as instability, impaired cold flow properties and high levels of cat fines have turned out to be the problems also faced by the industry in reality after 1 January.

Christian Bækmark Schiolborg, BIMCO’s Manager, Marine Environment, says: “The survey results confirm what BIMCO had expected, that there would be quality and safety issues as a consequence of the new VLSFO fuel types. However, none of the problems identified in the survey results are new problems to the industry.”

He says there is a lot of uncertainty and little transparency when it comes to fuel quality and any potential impaired properties of fuel oil available in various bunker ports. “An initiative that could create some transparency and harmonisation would be to amend ISO standard 8217 so that the applicable limits were changed from max or minimum limits to acceptable value ranges for the different characteristics, e.g. viscosity and pour point.”

In September last year, it was confirmed that existing ISO 8217 specifications would still apply, and the Publicly Available Specification (PAS 23263) from ISO did not introduce any new specifications but rather help explain how ISO 8217 would continue to apply. This year, though, a working group has begun evaluating how VLSFO can be better categorised. The work is expected to take around three years.

Schiolborg continues: “The right way forward, to protect human lives, the environment and ships, would be for countries to introduce and enforce compulsory licensing schemes for fuel oil suppliers operating within their jurisdiction to ensure transparency and a certain level of quality of fuel oil delivered to ships.”

Calls for extra diligence continue to echo around the industry: Ilkka Rytkölä, Chief Technology Officer at fuel supply system provider Auramarine, says: “The need to future-proof operations and seek expert advice in relation to all elements affecting the health of a vessel’s fuel supply systems are more important now than ever.”

New services are being developed to help with either fuel choice. In August, Veritas Petroleum Services Group announce the launch of PortStats, a new interactive dashboarding service where users can access near real-time fuel quality statistics and compare fuel quality data from any fuel supplier, from any bunkering port where VPS has performed fuel quality testing (currently over 2,600 ports).

VPS is also offering marine fuel storage monitoring to fuel suppliers and operators with vessels in layup. The COVID-19 pandemic has led to a reduced demand for all refined products including marine fuels, and longer-term storage

increases the risk of fuel quality issues arising from temperature, stratification, fuel stability, cat fine settling, waxing and microbial growth.

BunkerTrace offers another solution, combining blockchain with synthetic DNA technology to link together digital and physical chains of information for traceability on fuel quality. “Our solution offers full visibility into bunkering operations,” says Deanna MacDonald, Co-founder of BunkerTrace. It works by tagging the fuel with synthetic-DNA markers associated with quality metrics, flagging the fuel using a highly sensitive molecular label that allows for on the spot instant verification, and tracing the transactions and hand offs with a web and mobile application powered by the company’s blockchain-based Bunker Delivery Note.

“Taken together this creates end-to-end oversight and control of the marine fuel supply chain for owners, port operators, and bunker suppliers, while giving buyers confidence that the fuel meets the given specification,” she says. “Not only does the solution prove compliance with the sulphur cap for those purchasing traced compliant fuels, it also helps to avoid potential contamination issues associated with low sulphur fuels.”

BunkerTrace conducted a pilot trial with Cooperative Bebeka last year. “The trials we are currently undertaking with our partners and clients have successfully proven the technology in the field and showcased that this unique combination of technologies is both easy to use, and effective,” says MacDonald.

Scrubber manufacturer Kamelia Cleantech anticipates shipowners reconsidering scrubbers as a solution. The company says current experience with the use of VLSFO is mostly limited to the past six pandemic-ridden months, where there have been unusually low levels of marine traffic. The industry is still on a learning curve when it comes to best practices for VLSFO, with engineers attempting to quickly adapt to the new regime; but now is not the time for complacency, says the company. Shipowners and operators have the option of a future proof, long-term savings strategy, - that is continuing to use reliable HFO by choosing to install scrubbers.

Despite the issues, positive stories of the industry’s adaptability to the new fuels are also being told: Ashish Nair, Operations Manager at marine fuel services provider KPI OceanConnect, says that while the information available on specifications and blends of VLSFO varies widely from port to port, most of the company’s customers and supply partners have managed the transition well.

BIMCO’s Schiolborg agrees. “The implementation of the sulphur cap has overall been a success. The entire industry did everything possible to be ready and to ensure it became a success.”

8 Some fuels had high sediment levels

FUELS & LUBRICATION

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8 Christian Bækmark Schiolborg, Manager, Marine Environment at BIMCO

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Introduced in July 2020, this move has led to improved transparency for customers, clarifying oil usage recommendations and ending previous uncertainty about product specifi c limitations, Frank Venter, WinGD Project Engineer Tribology Fuels & Lubricants discussed in an interview with The Motorship in September.

The revision has improved the transparency around specific oil usage restrictions as stipulated in No Objection Letters for cylinder oils. “Previously, we were at times unable to fully answer customers’ queries around specific oil usage restrictions, due to the confidential nature of NOL restrictions,” Venter noted, adding that the previous steady flow of customer queries had slowed to a trickle since the publication of the guidance.

The engine designer’s decision to adopt a more transparent approach was discussed beforehand and welcomed by oil majors and smaller lubricant suppliers as well.

“We began the process of revising the list of validated lubricating oils in late 2019. It required going through every single cylinder oil, corresponding laboratory analyses, and the conditions in which that oil was validated. It was a painstaking and sometimes arduous process,” Venter noted.

AMENDMENTS TO CYLINDER OIL GUIDANCEIn addition to now openly showing oil specific limitations, the revised guidance highlighted changes in the BN15-25 ranges, and in the BN70 category, where the maximum sulphur content of fuel oil was lowered from 2.5% to 2.0%

The main consequence of amendments to usage guidance for BN15-25 cylinder oils was that these are no longer

permitted for fuels with up to 0.50% S. They are only suitable for gas and liquid fuels containing <0.10% S.

“The revisions in maximum sulphur contents were based on operational experience, and in part pre-empted by the entry of IMO 2020 fuels into the market, as well as broader engine developments, which have increased the stresses on lubricating oils,” Venter commented.

The Motorship notes that an additional category, labelled as ‘DF validated’ shows whether the oil has passed a validation trial while burning gas as the predominant fuel during that trial. This does not preclude certain other oils, while validated on liquid fuels, from being used in gas mode. The newly published list clearly indicates this.

While other two-stroke engine manufacturers have also revised their lubrication oil guidance in 2020, Konrad Räss, Head Engine Technology and Development at WinGD noted that WinGD’s guidance did not differentiate between engine designs, for example older or newer ones.

“We haven’t changed our tuning strategy since I’ve been at WinGD and the previous companies (NSD, Wärtsilä). Highly efficient tunings for lowest fuel oil consumption is our standard. The appetite for BN and oil feed rate depends, among others, on the in-cylinder purity which is influenced by the tuning. Our latest design engines behaviour regarding feed rate and BN is comparable to our previous designs,” Räss said.

In fact, both Venter and Räss stressed that the revised list of validated cylinder oils did not suggest that any products were ineffective. The goal of the revision was to include previously undisclosed information, held in the NOL, to the customer.

“We are simply offering guidance, but if our customers

8 WinGD is developing systems to combine real time engine performance data with real time fuel and cylinder oil data, WinGD’s Konrad Rass noted

FUELS & LUBRICATION


TRANSPARENCY AT HEART OF WINGD CYLINDER OIL GUIDANCEWinterthur-based engine designer WinGD has published a new format of their list of validated cylinder oils which now shows oil specifi c usage guidelines for each product


FUELS & LUBRICATION

have a product that they have been using with a certain fuel with good results, there is no problem with continuing to use it,” Räss said.

However, he noted that by closely looking at the usage recommendations of lube oil products, technical managers or ship superintendents might be able to safely lower feed rates. The Motorship notes that separating the procurement of consumables from operational considerations meant operators risked missing out on efficiency savings.

Venter concurred. “You could feed [some cylinder oils] in at feed rates of 0.60g/kWh, as opposed to pouring it in at 1.0-1.1 g/kWh, with better performance.”

Räss noted that WinGD continued to support piston underside analysis as a tool to gain insight into the performance of cylinder oils.

“We still stick to the piston underside analysis,” Räss noted, adding that this provides data on wear particles and on the usage of the BN. “This still provides the best support for our customers who want to reduce feed rates,” Räss added.

Declining sulphur levels have improved the ability of piston underside analysis to analyse lube oil performance. “The lower the sulphur in the fuel, the easier it will become in the future,” Räss added.

However, looking further ahead, WinGD is developing systems to combined real time engine performance data with real time fuel and cylinder oil data.

“The dream would be to develop a system where the customer never has to adjust the feed rate. The feed rate would be adjusted automatically by an algorithm drawing on the vessels’ previous operational data,” Räss said.

While WinGD has introduced real-time digitalisation solutions, such as its WiDE system – digital onboard monitoring system – which feeds into a database that provides real time data, incorporating cylinder oil data into this poses some challenges.

“One of the challenges is developing sensors to track different parameters of lube oil during operation. It is one thing to install a digital temperature gauge that can send data to an engine management system, but it is another to assess retrospectively the real time multiple interacting parameters of the fuel, engine performance and feed rates, and integrating this with scrape-down oil analysis,” Venter noted.

However, WinGD is continuing to work with “certain oil majors” to develop real time measurement data of cylinder oil in- or post-use to complement engine running data. “Watch this space – it is quite exciting,” Venter concluded.

8 WinGD is continuing to work with “certain oil majors” to develop real time measurement data of cylinder oil in- or post-use to complement engine running data

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While the fi nal headline methane emissions reduction was yet to be confi rmed, it was expected to be “30 to 50 percent”, while EGR version would lower specifi c gas consumption by around 3 percent and lowering the specifi c fuel oil consumption in diesel mode by 5 percent. Importantly, the EGR version would allow the ME-GA to meet Tier III requirements in both fuel oil and gas modes without additional aftertreatment.

MAN ES plans to make the EGR option available from late 2021, to the same schedule as the basic and SCR versions of the ME-GA. The technical details of the new version will be available on MAN ES’s CEAS Data platform in October, Hansen said.

The ability to bring the new solution to market in such a compressed timescale partly reflected the fact that MAN ES has extensive experience with designing and delivering low-pressure and high-pressure EGR versions.

“We have 33 EGR engines in operation and 211 engines on order. Our licensees are familiar with our solutions.”

EGR DESIGNUnlike other two-stroke manufacturers’ Otto cycle low-speed engine aftertreatment options, MAN has opted for a high-pressure EGR system. While the HP EGR system introduced requirements for a blower and a small associated parasitic load increase, it meant that the system could be integrated into existing engine room designs.

“We can place the EGR on the engine - with the exception of the water treatment system - and the limited volumes of the solution, compared with LP EGR solutions, means it does not require any modification to existing engine room designs.”

The HP EGR to be used with the ME-GA was very similar to the design of EGR systems used with ME-C engines although the material specifications would be adjusted to reflect the properties of VLSFO and LNG, rather than HSFO. This was likely to lower the price point of the ME-GA EGR version, Hansen noted.

Around 30 to 50 percent of the exhaust gas from the engine is drawn into the EGR receiver, where it passes through a pre spray to lower its temperature, before passing through a cooler spray step.

After passing through the EGR cooler stage, and a subsequent water mist catcher, the gas is passed through a blower to increase pressure back up to scavenging air pressure, before being fed back into the compressor and the engine.

The advantages of employing an HP EGR solution also extended to the volume requirements of the system. The solution required less pipework than LP EGR solutions and had a smaller footprint, while a number of design features minimised space requirements.

One such example was the application of an innovative purging concept from the ME-GI Mark II design. Rather than purging the engine by injecting nitrogen from the GVU, returning the gas via the return pipe to the GVU, we simply apply nitrogen at the engine end.

By reversing the flow, the existing piping can carry the purged volume. This lowers the cost of piping, reduces the required components on the engine, and “ultimately we expect it to lead to higher reliability”, Hansen added.

COMBUSTIONWhile MAN ES’ engineers were initially conducting research into Otto cycle engines, they focused on maximising the fuel efficiency of the process.

“We knew that the engine would require Tier III abatement systems for fuel oil mode, and our abatement experts told us that this technology held out the potential for improvements while they were looking into different solutions.”

However, we found that introducing an EGR solution improved the stability of the combustion process, Hansen added.

A second phase of research into the potential of the technology was underway, examining how the circulation of larger percentages of scavenged air than typically used in

8 A rendering of MAN ES’ new 5G70ME-GA low-pressure engine

LNG & ALTERNATIVE FUELS


ME-GA EGR PROMISES ‘30-50%’ METHANE SLIP REDUCTIONMAN Energy Solutions’ unveils a new high-pressure exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) after treatment option for its ME-GA engine platform

EGR versions for diesel engines affected engine operations. “We are currently exploring how far can we lower methane slip while maintaining a good equilibrium with recirculation,” Hansen said.

What was clear was that introducing “a few percent” of the fuel-air mixture in the combustion chamber with recycled inert gases lowered slowed the rate of combustion, and also slowed the rate of pressure rise.

“Adding the inert gases to the fuel-air mixture, lowers the pressure rise rate (dP/dT) of the combustion process,” Hansen noted. “Lowering the maximum pressure, while maintaining the same mean efficient pressure, allows us to ignite the fuel-air mixture a little sooner after Top Dead Centre (TDC) with a pilot flame,” Hansen said, “without exceeding the maximum permissible pressure within the cylinder”.

The earlier ignition leads to the significant improvement in fuel economy, as the efficiency of the combustion process is improved.

Hansen noted that the injection also led to more uniform combustion within the combustion chamber. It also reduced mechanical stresses on components within the combustion chamber, as combustion temperatures were lowered and the combustion process became more homogenous.

OPERATING WINDOWThe solution also offers additional benefits for ship owners and operators, Hansen noted. In common with other Otto cycle engines, the ME-GA needs to maintain a lean air-fuel mix to ensure it remains within an ‘operational window’, as too rich a mix can cause it to self-ignite before pilot fuel injection, (‘knocking’) while too lean a mix can cause combustion instability (‘misfiring’).

“We are looking for the sweet spot between knocking and misfiring,” Hansen explained.

The ability to adjust the gas pressure at the engine inlet offered another means of controlling the combustion process in addition to injection timing. In practical terms, this means that the operating window for ME-GA engines will be widened.

This offered significant advantages in terms of managing engines with SMCR above 15 bar mean effective pressure, particularly when the engines are running at high engine load.

The solution will also increase the engines’ tolerance for nitrogen content in LNG, as well as improving their ability to operate in hot ambient conditions without additional equipment, Hansen noted.

METHANE SLIPIn common with other Otto cycle engines, the new ME-GA engine releases a limited amount of unburnt fuel. While MAN ES’s engineers originally focused on maximising the fuel efficiency of the engine, the engineers are currently focused on a second round of tests to reduce methane slip.

The proportion of scavenged air being recirculated via the EGR system was currently being finalised. “We are looking at circulating higher percentages than our current HP EGR systems for two-stroke engines,” Hansen added. The question was discovering how far methane slip can be lowered while maintaining a good equilibrium with fuel efficiency.

Although the exact methane slip reduction has not been published, Hansen noted that it would be “extremely substantial”, and MAN ES engineers were looking at achieving savings of 30 to 50 percent.

The EGR solution would help to lower methane slip via improvements in combustion efficiency. The earlier ignition is also likely to lead to a reduction in unburnt gas within crevices and other volumes within the combustion chamber, The Motorship notes.

The recirculation of unburnt methane back through the combustion process would also lead to a reduction of methane emissions, Hansen noted.

ME-GA COMPONENTSApart from the EGR, the ME-GA also employed a number of solutions. The ME-GA design features a location of the gas regulating unit on the engine. This offers the use of gas pressure to improve the engine’s dynamic response, in addition to admittance timing.

By designing the gas regulating unit for installation on the engine from the outset, it allows the GVU to be located outside the gas safe area, eliminating the need to install a cofferdam box in the engine room.

Meanwhile, the engine also employed a safe gas admission valve, placed on the manifold and exhaust side of the cylinder. By being located close to the cylinder, it minimises the potential volume that could enter under the piston case in case of a release. “As each valve has a window valve function, you have double safety,” Hansen noted, “all but eliminating the risk of burst discs in the scavenging air receiver.”

ADAPTIVE CYLINDER CONTROL AND TRITONThe ME-GA engine platform is also being launched with MAN ES’s new Triton engine management system. This system is being integrated with all new ME-GA engines, along with ME-GI engines. “Triton is being integrated with all new engine types being developed from now on,” Hansen said.

The solution includes an Adaptive Cylinder control function, which is an integral part of the Triton system. The adaptive cylinder control function allows the system to automatically manage the combustion process on each individual cylinder, without any user interaction at all times.

The system constantly monitors the maximum pressure, the compression pressure and the mean efficient pressure on each cylinder, and automatically adjusts them if they deviate from shop test results.

8 The safe gas admission valve is placed on the manifold and exhaust side of the cylinder



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“Realistically, there are three compliant choices right now, scrubbing HFO, using low sulphur heavy fuel oil, or running on LNG” says Mark Bell of SGMF. “Currently, we really only have these three choices on the table, not a lot else, and the clock is ticking.”

It’s a point picked up by Peter Keller from SEA-LNG: “We need to be doing something right now, not waiting two or three decades for a utopian solution.” What the industry needs “is a forward pathway”, comments Jacob Granqvist from Gasum: “If you invest in LNG you are future proofing your ships: biogas becomes a stepping stone on to synthetic, power-to-x solutions”.

Natural gas is primarily composed of methane (CH4), which has four hydrogen atoms to one carbon - though it has less impact than, for example, propane which releases three carbon atoms on burning. However, since liquefied biogas (LBG) is produced from biodegradable sources that would release CO2 anyway, many people argue that it doesn’t, in fact, add to the world’s GHG burden.

But the real beauty of it is that it’s a ready-to-go “drop-in” fuel for LNG engines, says Adrian Tolson of Blue Insight, with an existing physical and regulatory infrastructure. It’s also a case of “future proofing” the supporting ecosystem, adds Keller.

ONBOARDCertainly, bio-LNG is already being supplied by companies like Gasum, either in blends or as pure methane “with no issues in the engine room”, says Granqvist.

Interestingly, engine manufacturers are right behind the change. Reetta Kaila of Wärtsilä’s Gas Solutions arm explains that “yes, there is a chemical difference in the composition... fossil derived LNG methane numbers [a measure of detonation resistance] can be as low as 65, but bio-methane is close to pure, at 100MN. There are none of the longer, heavier hydrocarbons such as ethane or propane that can reduce the methane number and cause knocking.” Her colleague, Kaj Portin adds that as a result “both bio and synthetic LNG are much cleaner and far more stable in quality”.

There are a few considerations: biogas needs upgrading and drying to achieve the required calorific value. There are a handful of different methods - used both separately and together - to separate it from water and CO2 (the greater part of the mix), and treat the smaller amounts of hydrogen sulphides (H2S), siloxanes and VOCs. Mostly these come down to solvents (amine or pressurised water) and filtration (activated charcoal and membranes).

But there’s no chance “of harmful components sneaking through the system”, says Kaila. The biomethane liquefaction has requirements for extremely low levels of moisture (H2O < 1 ppm) and CO2 (< 50 ppm) to prevent ice or dry ice formation during the chilling process; trace siloxanes and H2S are removed during preparation. “In other words, the liquefaction process itself ensures high quality composition,” she explains.

Widespread take-up could potentially shift engine design. “The fewer changing parameters in the system, the more

accurate you can be in achieving the lowest emission output. In fact, if a ship can operate completely on pure bio or synthetic LNG, I believe that we might even be able to simplify the engine,” says Portin.

AGEINGPortin explains that fossil LNG ages partly because as it warms, the more volatile methane boils off first leaving a mix that doesn’t have the composition stated on the bunker ticket.

It’s been a nubby issue for the development of an embracing ISO standard. “The problem is that ageing is affected by how the LNG is handled, how it splashes around in the tank, the onboard temperature, so it has been really tricky,” he says.

Alongside this, there have been issues with sudden spikes in the boil-off rate. It can happen when LNG of different compositions stratify into layers which (given heat ingress or sloshing) then collapse suddenly: according to research, rapid mixing and ‘rollover’ leads to vaporisation rates that can be 30 times higher than normal.

There is another concern apart from efficient combustion characteristics: “How do I know I’m getting the calorific quantity that I ordered?” asks Bell: “Am I getting what I paid for?”

All that will be left behind if there’s only bio or synthetic LNG in the tank says Portin, it won’t stratify, and “while the fuel will still boil off, it’s only leaving [identical] methane behind” he explains. No changes in quality means ageing will simply cease to be an issue. Of course, until these purer fuels are widely available, these challenges will still need addressing - although Bell points out gas “has far fewer quality issues than heavy fuel oils”.

8 The Biokraft plant inTrondheim/Norway, produces biogas from fi sh industry and paper mill waste recovering 99% of the methane



CREATING A FUTURE-PROOF FUEL PATHWAY - NOWOf all the fuels vying for attention, at the moment LNG alternatives might be best placed to deliver change, hears Stevie Knight

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BIO FEEDSTOCKHowever, to gain certification, Bell points out that the feedstock “has to come from a sustainable resource”, at present these are renewable crops, aquatic biomass, forestry waste and agricultural residue, although Adrian Tolson of Blue Insight adds that “theoretically, any organic material can be the feedstock for anaerobic digestion”. “We just have to be broader in our thinking,” adds Keller. In fact, municipal waste and manure are currently utilised, both having more potential for the future: “If you use manure, it’s possible to move to negative CO2 emissions,” adds Granqvist: very attractive given the likelihood of an emission trading scheme for shipping.

There’s already 40m tonnes of biogas manufactured annually. While that current figure still falls short of shipping’s global power requirement, fuel processing plants certainly have enough for the foreseeable future.

Moreover, there’s room to scale up. According to this year’s SEA-LNG-commissioned CE Delft study, there is enough biomass available to feed the whole marine industry. Having said that, ramping up will precipitate sector competition for the resource, admits Kaila “from heat and power plants and biodiesel production, even before it gets to being taken off for bio-LNG”.

TWISTOf course, there is an interesting point here. Supply chain development is central to raising production capacities, so while biomass can be harvested by truck, after first stage processing, most manufacturers will likely feed it into an existing grid, gas collection taking place at liquefaction hubs close to the ports. That gets around the rather expensive long distance transport.

Why will this matter to ships and engine designers? While there will be an environmental certificate from the producer.... it won’t, actually, be the same gas as put in at the other end of the pipe. So, the terminology has yet to sort itself out says Kaila, along with the supply chain: “Bio-LNG will have its total environmental impact certified... but the physical tank will hold a proportion of hydrocarbons.” Pure LBM, liquefied bio-methane, will only be available where there’s a dedicated supply from the plant.

FOOTPRINTAll this effort could come to nothing, unless detailed well-to-wake analyses are made for proposed fuels, underlines Keller.

It’s not straightforward. As Bell points out: “To produce synthetic fuels you need hydrogen and production of that, in turn, needs a significant amount power,” further, creating methane and other hydrocarbons also requires the addition

of retained or captured CO2. If the power for all this isn’t from a renewable source “the carbon footprint does not stack up”, he explains.

“It’s been acknowledged that creating ammonia takes as much energy as synthetic methane,” says Granqvist, and that’s before constructing the infrastructure. Further, running just 3% of the global fleet on a hydrogen-based synthetic “would take all the energy that the Nordic countries produce in a year”, he says. “It’s just not doable.”

Moreover, competition for renewable hydrogen stands to heat up: “Certain players in the steel industry have already announced it will go for green H2... which might affect price,” adds Kaila.

Given all this, bio-LNG comes out ahead. According to that CE Delft study, even traditional LNG’s well-to-wake carbon footprint is 21% lower than current oil-based marine fuels: apply Norway’s cheap hydropower to processing, and it drops even further. Further, bio-LNG can reduce CO2 emissions by up to 90% compared to conventional liquid fuels, says Gasum.

However, “methane is still an issue .... especially in biogas production”, says Tolson. Despite this, SEA-LNG’s lifecycle analysis shows “we are already getting over 20% savings in total upstream GHG emissions”, says Keller, added to which, there’s now intense focus on mitigating onboard methane slip.

Costs, too, should come down. While running on an 80:20 LNG/LBG mix “is currently on a par with MGO” says Granqvist; he sees the demand for blends rising with the balance gently tipping toward 100% bio-LNG, “so we are ramping up production and sourcing”, he explains, economies of scale eventually reducing the price.

However, the final take-home message has broad implications: to avoid the clean-up proving counterproductive, “a strict lifecycle assessment is needed for shipping’s fuel alternatives”, concludes Keller.

8 The existing LNG supply infrastructure could put liquefi ed bio-methane ahead



8 Gasum’s LNG plant in Risavika, Sola municipality, has a production capacity of 300,000t p/a. There is also a LNG bunkering facility for marine customers

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The tests had originally been scheduled to begin in 2020 but had been impacted by the coronavirus pandemic, Dr. Peter Riegger, Rolls-Royce Power Systems Vice President Power Lab told The Motorship in an exclusive interview in September.

The tests were among a ‘basket’ of solutions that the company was developing within a new dedicated Power Lab unit, which has been set up to develop innovative and net zero carbon drive and energy solutions.

Alongside a focus on synthetic Power-to-X fuels, such as hydrogen, methanol or synthetic LNG, the engine designer was also ramping up research into fuel cell solutions for both the stationary and marine markets.

HYDROGEN ENGINE RESEARCHTurning to the initial focus of the Power Lab, Riegger noted that alternative fuels was “the biggest topic”, along with the addition of PEM fuel cell technology to the portfolio.

Riegger previously revealed that Rolls-Royce Power Systems had successfully concluded endurance and component tests alongside single-cylinder tests at its R&D site in Magdeburg and in collaboration with Technische Universität München.

The current engine tests represented a lower power density than gas powered versions show. However, the company had continued to make progress with the impact of ageing on the behaviour of hydrogen, as well as emissions reduction.

By undertaking research into the two main technological branches of hydrogen-fuelled propulsion in parallel, Rolls-Royce Power Systems would be well positioned to offer solutions to meet market demand.

It was unclear whether the market would adopt (hydrogen-fuelled) fuel cell technologies or whether hydrogen-fuelled reciprocating engines would gain a market share.

A reformation process converting methanol into hydrogen fuel aboard a vessel offered a potential solution to containment issues, for example.

The research that the engine designer was undertaking into hydrogen safety, handling and containment was applicable to both technologies, Riegger noted.

A RENEWED FOCUS ON FUEL CELLS Fuel cell technology is not a new area of research for Rolls-Royce Power Systems. Rolls-Royce developed significant experience working with fuel cells during the ultimately unsuccessful attempts to commercialise molten carbonate fuel cell (MCFC) technology. Between 1999 and 2011 Rolls-Royce installed 26 high-temperature MCFC fuel cells systems for power generation in various industrial companies and health institutions with an average of 22,000 operating hours each.

“We invested a lot of time and effort carrying out trials of MCFC also aboard the Viking Lady a decade ago. But the difference is that we can now leverage the multi-billion dollar investments by automotive manufacturers in (PEM) fuel cell technology.”

Rolls-Royce Power Systems plans to start up a PEM fuel

cell-based demonstrator unit at its Friedrichshafen research centre at the beginning of next year.

“We have operated a vessel with a PEM fuel cell installation on Lake Constance, and have gained some operational experience,” Riegger noted, adding that a number of technical obstacles needed to be addressed, including designing fuel cells with greater durability to meet the different power demand profile of marine vessels compared with automobiles. The efficiency of the fuel cells was a separate issue.

“It’s not a case of simply sticking a few automotive fuel cells into a vessel,” Riegger noted drily.

Technical challenges for marinizing fuel cells included preventing salt water from entering the fuel cell, owing to the effect of the sodium on electrical conductivity, along with ensuring the hydrogen fuel supply meets the purity thresholds of PEM membranes.

Looking further ahead, Riegger noted that several PEM fuel cell installations aboard vessels were underway but the technology was some way from being a commercial solution.

Cost considerations were currently a barrier but economies of scale were likely to lead to a fall in unit costs as production ramps up.

“I’m completely convinced we’ll see the same decline in unit costs for fuel cells that we saw ten years ago with PV units and five years ago with Li-Ion batteries,” Riegger noted.

POWER LAB – MORE THAN AN ACCELERATOR“Power Lab is about the technologies of the future. As a company, we believe decarbonisation will be a topic for the whole economy, and will drive demand for carbon-neutral technologies, such as Power-to-X or fuel cells.”

However, Dr Riegger was quite clear that the Power Lab was more than a technology incubator. In fact, the development of the technology only formed one strand of the Power Lab concept.

“We are also establishing the “boundary conditions” of the technology and seeking to develop business models (within

8 The Power Lab management team: Daniel Chatterjee, Arne Schneemann and Peter Riegger



ROLLS-ROYCE SEES BENEFITS OF PARALLEL APPROACHRolls-Royce Power Systems, the designer of MTU engines and systems, plans to begin full-scale multi-cylinder tests on a spark-ignited low-pressure hydrogen engine design in 2021

Rolls-Royce Power Systems’ overall strategy) to ensure that the technology can be commercialised.”

To put it another way, Riegger added, we are taking a broader holistic perspective of the introduction of new technology, rather than narrowly focusing on the development of technical solutions without considering the economic aspects.

The idea is to develop technical solutions, confirm the business case and ultimately introduce the technology as separate units within Rolls-Royce Power System. “This was the approach we followed with the Microgrids technology, which was established as a separate business unit at the beginning of 2020,” Riegger noted.

Riegger added that the company was continuing to develop solutions for its portfolio of reciprocating engines, but that they would be focused on lowering emissions and improving fuel consumption. One such example under consideration was the company’s RCCI research. The company had successfully run multi-cylinder trials on the technology in 2016, and was considering reviving research into the technology.

Rolls-Royce Power Systems was also continuing to participate in research with DVGW (German Technical and Scientific Association for Gas & Water) Research Unit at the Karlsruhe Institute for Technology and other industry partners into the development of a catalytic converter (oxicat) to reduce methane slip from low-pressure gas engines.

COLLABORATIVE APPROACHESOther areas of focus include the developing of engine control algorithms, along with potential commercial applications of

machine learning or AI for Rolls-Royce Power Systems’ markets. [The Motorship notes that RRPS launched an engine condition monitoring solution, EHMS, with ZF in 2019].

Rolls-Royce Power Systems has been active developing digital solutions for its stationary and marine customers, such as the MTU Go! troubleshooting app, specifically created for onsite operators of engines and systems.

Another aspect of the Power Lab concept was to establish collaborations with likeminded companies, Riegger noted.

“It is not possible for any company, even a company like Rolls-Royce Power Systems, to do everything by itself,” Riegger said, concluding “it is about teaming up with others with a similar perspective.”

8 Full-scale multi-cylinder tests on a spark-ignited low-pressure hydrogen engine design are due to begin in 2021



Do ECO with HI AIR

SOx Scrubber• Easy Installation with Small & Flexible Dimension• Cost Effective with Low Energy Consumption• Operation Friendly with Simple construction

“We are working to have a package ready for retrofi ts by early 2025, approximately one year after the fi rst ammonia engine is delivered to the yard,” Brian Østergaard Sørensen, Vice President, Head of R&D 2-Stroke Business, at MAN Energy Solutions announced.

The retrofit solution is intended to meet demand for low-carbon solutions to meet the targets set by IMO and some shipowners. Meeting such targets will require solutions to be developed for existing ships, Sørensen noted.

The introduction of a retrofit solution that offers full fuel flexibility would offer shipowners peace of mind, eliminating the risk that assets may become stranded in the future. Similar retrofit packages were already available or under development for MAN ES’ other dual-fuel solutions.

Sørensen acknowledged that regulatory obstacles, ammonia availability (and price) and infrastructure were key constraints to the introduction of ammonia engines.

As expected, safety issues were among MAN ES’s highest priorities. “Our priority is to ensure that we can purge and vent the engines in a safe manner”. This includes the elimination of ammonia slip when using the nitrogen purging system.

Sørensen added that the engine would require SCR aftertreatment. However, an area of ongoing research was how to prevent NO and NO2 forming of N2O, nitrous oxide. “Processes exist in the chemical industry to eliminate N2O, but use higher temperatures in the treatment of offgases than exist after our engines.”

8 MAN ES plans to deliver the fi rst ammonia-fuelled variant of its ME-LGIP engine by 2024



MAN ES UNVEILS 2025 AMMONIA RETROFIT TARGETMAN Energy Solutions plans to introduce a retrofi t package for its ammonia-fuelled engine by 2025, the company announced in a presentation yesterday

We are working to have a package ready for retrofits by early 2025, approximately one year after the first ammonia engine is delivered to the yard

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“We strongly believe that CO2 pricing will need to be in place to drive the development of the ammonia engine,” Sørensen said.

The existing regulatory regime governing the transportation of toxic products, the IMO International Gas Carrier Code (IGC), and the International Code of Safety for Ship Using Gases or Other Low-flashpoint Fuels (IGF Code) would both need to be developed to permit the use of ammonia, Sørensen noted.

The upgrade package will be aimed at MAN ES’ existing ME-C, ME-LGIP and ME-LGI engines, and will draw on MAN ES’ existing modular engine design philosophy. “We want to retain the modules and architecture of existing engine platforms as far as possible, only touching on the components needed.”

The advantages of such a modular approach include improved efficiency and a reduction in cost, Sørensen noted.

UNIQUE FEATURES OF AMMONIA ENGINEWhile the engine builds on the existing architecture of the MAN B&W ME-LGIP engine, the engine design features several unique features.

While combustion with pilot fuel injection successfully overcomes the hydrogen carrier’s poor combustion characteristics, MAN is experimenting with other means of reducing the emissions associated with pilot fuel ratios of up to 20%. One of the solutions under consideration was replacing the pilot fuel with a carbon neutral fuel - or by injecting small amounts of hydrogen as an accelerant in the combustion chamber.

Processes exist in the chemical industry to eliminate N2O, but use higher temperatures in the treatment of offgases than exist after our engines

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Originally designed for high-speed engines, the new injectors can easily be adapted to medium-speed engines, says Woodward L’Orange, enabling them to run in diesel only or dual-fuel mode with a range of gas or liquid fuels including LNG, LPG, methanol and ammonia. These fuels, when produced from regenerative electrical energy (power-to-X), are expected to help meet IMO’s 2050 greenhouse gas ambitions, but with uncertainty around cost and supply, the new injectors off er the fl exibility to switch fuels during an engine’s lifetime whilst still providing diesel-like power densities and dynamic performance.

Where Woodward L’Orange’s existing GD-series injectors are designed for engine bores of over 320mm, the new injectors are targeted at bores of 170mm. The new injectors have a nozzle tip diameter of 25mm and use diesel as a sealing oil rather than engine oil. They are compact and can be fitted to most engine configurations.

HIGH PRESSURE INJECTIONToday’s emissions limits can be readily achieved by learn-burn gas engines with spark ignition or diesel pilot ignition, says Hartmut Schneider, Senior Manager Advanced Development at Woodward L’Orange. However, Woodward L’Orange chose diesel pilot ignition because lean burn

engines cannot use three-way catalysts and therefore produce significant volumes of unburnt methane.

He says the new high pressure gas direct injection and diesel pilot injection technology ensures low methane slip and eliminates knocking. Cylinder outputs typical of diesel engines can be attained without throttling, and diesel-like efficiencies and transient responses are also achievable.

The diesel side of the new injectors is almost the same as a common rail injector and capable of supplying an injection pressure of 2,200 bar to ensure fully optimised combustion. However, the accumulator volume has been reduced to make room for the gas side components.

LOW CALORIC VALUE FUELSPilot-ignited, high pressure direct injection also suits combustion of low caloric value fuels even though they require greater injection quantities, and because those quantities are fairly similar, even external components, such as the fuel tank or high pressure pump are similar for some of the fuels.

The standard configuration has three gas needles around one single diesel nozzle - a configuration with one diesel and only one gas needle is also possible. For liquid fuels such as methanol, a separate accumulator is integrated into the design.

8 Nozzle withthree concentric gas needles and one central diesel needle



MULTI-FUEL INJECTORS READY FOR FUTURE FUEL FLEXIBILITYA new family of Woodward L’Orange high-pressure, dual-fuel injectors has been released to deliver future fuel fl exibility

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The gas injection jets are positioned concentrically around the diesel pilot and provide gas at injection pressure of 500 bar, up from 350 bar in the GD series. This allows super-critical gas flow with pressure ratios greater than two even at peak cylinder pressures of around 250 bar and ensures mass flow is not sensitive to engine back pressure.

Accumulation volumes in the injector are optimised to provide as much gas as possible close to the needle seats. Pressure losses inside the injector were analysed using CFD simulation and reduced to a minimum. Less than 10 percent of the rail pressure is lost from the injector inlet down to the sac-hole as a result of large flow cross sections inside the injector.

DIESEL-ONLY MODE PERFORMANCEFor diesel-only mode, the springs connected to the gas needles are forced to seal by tightly guided spring spindles. This ensures the needles seal reliably during peak cylinder pressures in the absence of pressurised gas. The main fuel needles are actuated by an independent hydraulic valve which is placed on top of the injector to save space.

A key feature of the injectors is their installation flexibility, and Woodward L’Orange has already, for example, provided a side-feed and a top-feed version of the injector. “As every cylinder head and air inlet/outlet valve actuation is different on every engine, a different solution is needed for every engine,” says Schneider. “One solution is to use the existing diesel connection of today’s injection valve and either press or screw the quill pipe into the injector housing, but it is still necessary to connect the power-to-X fuel and the sealing oil. This requires additional quill pipes going through the cylinder head either at the same height and a different angle or at the same angle but different heights. If there is not sufficient access or installation space available in the cylinder head itself, the connections can form a ‘crown’ at the top end of the injector. The fluids enter the injector at the top and are guided in internal bores to the nozzle.

“There might also be a combination of all measures with connections in and above the cylinder head, as typically such a project does not start from scratch on a white sheet of paper, but rather as a retrofit to an existing engine.”

The injectors have undergone high pressure methane tests at several German research facilities. Hundreds of hours of engine running time have confirmed that methane slip occurs at negligibly low levels. Selective catalytic reduction exhaust after-treatment is required to meet IMO Tier III standards.

FUTURE FUEL CHOICES“We see fossil methane as a popular fuel for the next years, but only as a ‘bridge fuel’, as it reduces CO2 emissions by approximately 25 percent only,” says Schneider. “If the IMO goal of CO2 emission reductions of 50 percent by 2050 is to be reached, it has to be a zero-CO2 fuel instead. This might be for example green methane, which is expensive, or ammonia as it does not contain any carbon at all. On the other hand, storing of ammonia is not as convenient as for example methanol, which could also be produced green.” Tests with methanol are currently on-going.

Schneider says that although hydrogen seems very popular at the moment, Woodward L’Orange views it as another bridge fuel, as large fuel cells will likely replace hydrogen combustion engines beyond 2030.

“The race is not decided between the different options,” says Schneider. “It is still not clear which fuel and which engine technology offer the most future-proof investment.” He says the new injectors provide a technology that is ready for most power-to-X future fuel options currently under discussion.

8 The new injectors are compact and can be fi tted to most engine confi gurations



8 A schematic view of the gas side of the injector

Credit: Woodward L\’Orange

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At fi rst, cylinder pressure sensors were used within gas engines management to identify peak pressure and for the detection of knocking and misfi ring. The primary goal was to balance the diff erent cylinders and thus to ensure the smooth operation of the engine.

During the last 5-10 years the development of gas engines has reached operating ranges where it has become critical to have real-time insight into the combustion process of every cylinder. Moreover, the trend to higher indicated mean effective pressure (IMEP) for gas engines in the broad range of 100... 1800 rpm comes along with additional challenges to the cylinder pressure sensors. Beside the IMEP, also the Heat Release Rate (HRR), Mass Fraction Burned (MFB) as well as other specific thermodynamic values gain more and more importance for gas engine control, even for serial applications.

Meanwhile, engine manufacturers requirements regarding the robustness of cylinder pressure sensors are also becoming increasingly challenging. Some examples here are (regular) peak pressures of up to 300 bar, high vibration load, shocks up to 1000g and maximum speed of pressure change of up to 1.000 bar/ms.

IMES as a leading manufacturer of cylinder pressure sensors has developed its new cylinder pressure sensor generation type HTT-06CA and CPS-1CA incl. IP69 protection class to satisfy engine manufacturer requirements for application on new high efficiency gas engines. The new sensors are extremely robust and fulfil the demand of high accuracy with low dynamic- and static zero drift. The sensor membrane can withstand static pressure up to 800 bar and has a natural frequency range of 80 - 100 kHz.

At the heart of the sensor is a high temperature strain gauge thin film measuring element based on TION (Titanium oxynitride) which is designed for very good temperature stability. The measuring elements of the new cylinder pressure sensor generation are located in the front of the sensor thread (M10x1 and M14x1.25). A new connection method was developed to withstand temperatures up to 400 °C as well as high shock levels, which has been successfully tested on laboratory equipment and on test engines.

For application on pressure controlled high efficiency gas engines it is necessary to have a good long-life stability and a good accuracy of sensor for thermodynamic calculations. At the Paul-Scherrer-Institut in Switzerland (LCC) comparisons between IMES FPS-03CA sensors and high accuracy piezoelectric type sensors were carried out in June 2020 on a Wärtsilä 6L20DF engine. The thermodynamic comparison @ 18 bar IMEP showed to the reference sensor deviation of 0.4 bar in Pmax and 0.5bar IMEP.

One of the outstanding capabilities of the IMES new sensor is its long-term stability with constant measuring characteristics. The sensor is able to run for 20,000 hours in gas, diesel and

dual fuel 4-Stroke engines with a power range equal to or

bigger than 100 kW/cylinder. The life-time of the pressure

sensor depends typically on the service interval, which is 16,000 to

20,000 running hours which corresponds to an operational life of 2-5 years. Together with

IMES “Check-box” solution, the operator can check with a static pressure device actual span- and offset condition of installed cylinder pressure sensors via serial interface of sensor electronic.

The long-time operation tests were conducted aboard Bit Viking on two Wärtsilä 6L50DF engines. During the long-term operation the sensors were taken off from the engine after 6,000 hours and sent back to IMES to check the original calibration data. The span and offset of each sensor were measured over the full temperature range. The experienced drifts in span and offset were minor, which is very important for the use on control loops on engines.

The cylinder pressure sensor manufacturer noted that both HTT-06CA and CPS-03CA are waiting to receive type approvals.

IMES noted that solutions can be developed for the different challenges facing the industry, including the impact of alternative fuels, evolving engine designs as well as the miniaturization of the sensors for low cylinder power of only 50 kW/cylinder. The company identified the need to achieve competitive costs for serial applications in gas engines as another challenge.

8 Long-time operation tests have been conducted on two Wärtsilä 6L50DF engines aboard the Bit Viking. Inset: Cylinder pressure sensor HTT-06CA



IMES’ NEW ROBUST CYLINDER PRESSURE SENSOR GENERATIONThe development of modern gas engines has been closely connected to the measurement and processing of cylinder pressure, which has in turn driven advances in sensor technology

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From an engine design and operation perspective, what do you think have been the most important

technological innovations during your career?I’m a mechanical engineer by training, with a specialisation in turbomachinery, so one example from

my own experience would be the improvement in the reliability of equipment for 4-stroke medium-speed engines operating on heavy fuel oil (HFO) starting in the late 90s. It’s funny to think about it with the challenges of zero-carbon and new fuel types that we’re facing now, but that work took us a decade.

From a wider turbocharging perspective, you could point at the IMO Tier II legislation, which led to a quantum leap in turbocharger performance. We had previously become used to incremental improvements in pressure ratios, and suddenly the legislation created an incentive for engine designers to utilise extremely high-pressure ratios, without loading the engine more. For a company like ours, which prides itself on its technological leadership, that was a great time. The quantum leap in pressure ratios meant we could bring to market our performance enhancements.

And after that we had the introduction of two-stage turbocharging, which has also led to a step change in performance. The technology is slowly becoming established in medium speed commercial engines: the genie is out of the bottle, and the technology will become increasingly widely used.

Finally, if we look away from turbocharging towards wider engine developments, the introduction of electronic controls, such as common rail, and variable valve timing have been significant.

As a mechanical engineer by training, how do you see the future role of the internal combustion engine? Will

it remain the main mover for marine transportation in the future?

I expect engine technology will remain the prime mover of marine propulsion, particularly for deep-sea shipping.

I have not seen any alternatives that come even close to the capabilities of today’s propulsion systems for deep-sea ships.

We might see the emergence of alternative solutions in the short-sea market like fuel cells. These might be complementary to auxiliary engines in deep-sea shipping, although they are only likely to gain a small place in the market.

There is likely to be a greater range of solutions in the short-sea market, where we are seeing some fragmentation, or in the high-speed market. But that range of solutions brings with it its own challenges - it is hard for OEMs to benefit from economies of scale with too many options.

So, we expect the prime movers of deep-sea vessels will continue to be fuelled by fuels with a low to zero carbon footprint. The transition will definitely be in the fuels.

How do you see the increasing focus on emissions reduction

infl uencing fuel choices and product design considerations?

If we are serious about reducing emissions, we need to develop solutions

that address emissions from the deep-sea fleet, which accounts for around 80 per cent of emissions from shipping.

From the big picture, we are in a transition phase. We do not know what the eventual future fuel or fuels will be and there are different perspectives within the industry. One interesting aspect of working at ABB is that we can see increasing demand for alternative fuel from outside the marine industry, from players looking at transportation solutions for alternative fuels.

But we have seen greater cooperation between different parts of the industry, to ensure that the industry can make its voice heard. This is important - we know at ABB that shipping’s comparatively small share of overall fuel consumption means our influence over the supply side is limited. Fuel availability will be just as important as technical solutions in a potential fuel transition.

From a product design perspective, when the topic of fuel transition was first raised, we were concerned that there would be a very wide choice of different fuels, forcing the industry to manage a wide range of fuels.

We are pleased that the choice has narrowed down to a level that the industry can handle, as we have now moved beyond discussion into development. The main engine developers are all developing solutions capable of burning alternative fuels, and we are involved in a range of development projects.

And positively we have seen much closer collaboration

8 ABB’s Power2 800-M two-stage turbochargingInset: ABB Turbocharging’s small- and medium-size turbocharger solutions for 3MW to 7MW output engines, such as the A255-L, have market-leading effi ciencies

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STEP CHANGES IN TURBO TECHNOLOGY OVER TIMEChristoph Rofka, Senior Vice President - Head of Global Product Group Medium, Low Speed and Rail, ABB Turbocharging discusses previous step changes in turbocharging technology

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to commission the first installation of the solution aboard a vessel in Q1 2021. We have established that the system offers fuel efficiency savings of up to 6 grams per kWh (3 - 5 percent). Both the major two-stroke engine designers have approved the system.

Looking further ahead, we are continuing to develop new single-stage solutions for 4-stroke diesel & gas engines. As part of our development project, we are targeting a higher maximum pressure ratio of 6.5 for single stage solutions from today’s 5.8, combined with efficiencies of over 70 percent for up to 5 MW output small- and medium-size turbochargers.

The prototyping process is far advanced, and we are planning to demonstrate its capabilities to the engine OEMs. This may lead to us beginning product development. This would represent the single largest step change in turbocharger performance for decades.

Finally, how is ABB planning to develop its two-stage solution for the four-stroke market?While our two-stage solution offers significant advantages in terms of engine power density and fuel

efficiency, the higher CAPEX and greater complexity of the solution has slowed uptake. We are undertaking development to make the two-stage turbocharging product more compact, lighter and modular.

With the exception of some 4-strokes at the lower end of the range where fuel efficiency is not a decisive factor, the development of a simplified design, which will improve its on-engine accommodation, will improve its applicability, particularly among upper range engines.

between OEMs, engine designers, and other system suppliers in order to develop solutions.

You have spoken previously about the challenges of prioritising the development of solutions for

diff erent fuel types. How is ABB Turbocharging prioritising the development of solutions for the varying demands of ammonia, methanol and other fuels?

At ABB, we are concentrating on the development of solutions for a smaller number of fuels. You’ll be

surprised to learn we are not investing in technology to deal with heavy fuels any longer. [Laughs]

We are closely working with OEMS to understand the impact of different fuels on combustion, to see where turbochargers can help support combustion and emissions. We know ammonia and hydrogen have different combustion characteristics. Ammonia combustion is relatively slow and challenging to maintain while combustion of hydrogen is fast and prone to knocking and glow ignition. This is likely requiring differentiated turbocharging solutions starting with quite different air-to-fuel ratios. However, this is not far enough advanced to lead to specific product development.

In parallel with this research, we are focusing on developing the performance of core turbine and compressor technologies, looking at higher efficiency and higher specific capacity.

This is leading us to focus on component level advances, so that we have a suite of components that can be introduced when the specific requirements of a turbocharger for an ammonia or hydrogen-fuelled engine are defined. The development of a suite of components around a core is also a cost-effective approach to managing development amid uncertainty - the largest proportion of the costs of product development occur during the final stages of a commercial launch.

But when it comes to commercial developments, we still have to avoid proliferation within our product range. I don’t see much scope for taking competing products to market, such as two turbocharger families within the same output range for different fuel types.

Apart from the fuels, we have introduced a new way of developing products to shorten the lead time to develop technology demonstrators and test engine installations before bringing new solutions to market.

This should shorten the development cycle to under two and a half years, compared with the previous typical five-year development cycle.

Away from alternative fuels, how do you see the rise in interest in battery hybridisation solutions infl uencing

ABB Turbocharging solutions?There are likely to be a range of different hybrid solutions. From a product perspective, we expect base

engines to operate with a relatively high-power density. But the way I see it, the effect will be more of a simplification.

The greater risk is that the market fragments, both in terms of products and also variants, which would lower the potential volumes for new products, and ultimately impact the economic case. So you have to find a way to launch your product in a modular way to obtain some scale effect.

Turning to the two-stroke market, how is ABB’s focus on improving fuel effi ciency and lowering emissions in

its single-stage solutions progressing?We have been continuing with the development of sequential turbocharging. We concluded the first official

engine test of the Flexible integrated Turbocharging System for Two-Stroke Engines (FiTS2) a few weeks ago and expect

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on-engine accommodation, will improve its applicability, particularly among upper range engines.

8 Christoph Rofka, Senior Vice President - Head of Global Product Group Medium, Low Speed and Rail, ABB Turbocharging discusses discussed past and present step changes in turbocharging technology

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8 ABB Turbocharging is conducting research with OEMs to understand the impact of diff erent fuels on combustion, to see where turbochargers can help support combustion and emissions

While battery hybrid installations off er the potential of double-digit fuel effi ciency savings for newbuildings, the potential savings for retrofi ts was even greater in some cases, Giulio Tirelli, Director Business Development at Marine Power, Wärtsilä told The Motorship.

BROADER TRENDS IN RO-PAXTirelli noted that interest in battery hybridisation among operators in the passenger ferry has picked up within the Ro-Ro and Ro-Pax segment. “We have seen a radical change in appetite for new systems in the last ten years,” he said.

Tirelli suggested that shifts in the Ro-Ro and Ro-Pax segment were being pushed by regulatory changes, including IMO Tier III environmental regulations, as well as concerns about how EEDI regulations will be applied to existing tonnage.

“It will not be easy [for Ro-Pax vessels] to achieve the standards because of the way in which the formulas apply to passenger and vehicle shipping,” Tirelli noted.

Looking further ahead, shipowners are looking at solutions that ensure the continuity of their company and services, given concern about upcoming environmental regulations, as well as how to meet their demands.

Reconciling regulatory pressures with economics was more complicated in public-facing vessel segments, such as passenger ferries, than in other segments, such as tankers or bulkers. “Environmental considerations are likely to play a part in owner considerations in the Ro-Pax market, along with underlying economics,” Tirelli said.

Popular attitudes towards environmental emissions from vessels in port were becoming an increasingly relevant issue in a number of countries worldwide. “Because passenger ferries and Ro-Pax vessels often berth in or close to major population centres, and especially in Europe , emissions are coming under closer scrutiny. Particularly as some urban centres, both in US and Asia, are following the example set by the EU and are developing plans to reduce overall emissions in their urban centres.”

Finally, The Motorship notes that the expansion of shoreside power connections in some regional markets was also likely to have encourage shipowners to consider diesel-electric configurations in Ro-Pax vessel design. One of the principle benefits of the application of battery systems was the possibility of eliminating environmental emissions in port if shoreside connections supplied green electricity to the vessel.

MORE THAN COMPONENTSHowever, Tirelli noted that the creation of a detailed use case was necessary to accurately assess the potential benefits of adopting battery hybridisation for any given vessel.

This systemic approach was key to understanding the potential benefits of integrating energy storage systems into diesel-mechanic, diesel-electric (or even potential full-electric) configurations for newbuildings, rather than narrowly focusing on component level advances in battery

power density, life span and weight and footprint reductions.Before embarking on a new project, Wärtsilä develops

highly sophisticated models of the energy consumption of individual ships, based on integrating ship system level data with wider ship navigation data and wider route-specific data on sea state, current and weather conditions.

As few ship owners are able to supply such data at the once per second frequency upon which Wärtsilä’s analysis team prefers to work, Wärtsilä is able to offer a proprietary Wärtsilä Data Collection Unit (WDCU) that can retrieve operational data from a given vessel, retrieving everything from load ramps to the start up and shut down of equipment.

The extraction of meaningful data from these extensive data sets draws on Wärtsilä’s advanced digital capabilities. Tirelli noted that “this step was impossible before”.

One of the main focuses of Wärtsilä’s analytical tool was on the impact of fuel types on overall vessel performance. “The introduction of LNG-fuelled engines often coincides with wider changes, as LNG impacts vessel design, operation and fuel availability,” Tirelli noted.

The analytical tool also allowed shipowners to accurately gauge how investments would impact operational performance, and ultimately the bottom line. “Through our simulation tool, we are able to demonstrate whether a new energy source, such as a PV panels, or an energy consumer, such as enlarged tunnel thrusters, would make economic sense or not,” Tirelli added.

The process of data collection and analysis did not stop once an HY system was installed. The system continued to collect data during operation. “The last vessel becomes the starting point for planning the next vessel,” Tirelli said simply.

RO-RO/RO-PAX BENEFITSTurning to the Ro-Pax and Ro-Ro sectors, Tirelli noted that while there was a difference between short-haul ferries and longer distance vessels, the difference between the two

8 Wärtsilä’s “HY Module” modularised energy storage system solution limits the amount of lost cargo capacity aboard a RoPax

DESIGN FOR PERFORMANCE


NOT JUST BATTERIES: MODELS KEY TO ROPAX SAVINGSGiulio Tirelli, Director Business Development at Marine Power, Wärtsilä, discusses the current outlook for battery hybridisation in the Ro-Ro and Ro-Pax vessel segments

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types of vessel did not reflect hotel load so much as the proportion of the voyage which was spent operating at normal operating speeds, rather than slowing before port, manoeuvring or loading alongside.

“The economics of an installation is not related to the size of the vessel, but rather according to its specific operational patterns.”

However, while the operational fuel efficiencies were clear for smaller short-haul ferries, the additional CAPEX cost of installing ESS, EMS and electrical systems is proportionately greater, Tirelli admitted.

Turning to older tonnage, Tirelli noted that the collecting data from a WDCU on operational vessels offered significant efficiency savings: in fact, the potential for efficiency savings offered by hybrid solutions for older vessels greatly exceeded those offered for newbuildings.

“For retrofits, the potential is huge: while newbuildings are designed with efficiencies in mind, some older vessels were not designed with the same perspective,” Tirelli explained.

Tirelli noted that the optimisation analysis offered of the highly detailed second-by-second data collected from Wärtsilä’s WDCU was likely to be more detailed than that currently collected by older vessels’ systems, and route optimisation solutions.

A further consideration for owners of older tonnage was the potential payback period for HY solutions. Once again, Tirelli noted that the payback period varied - and that there may well be a variation between short-haul ferries and larger Ro-Pax ferries with a greater number of cabins, and a correspondingly higher hotel load.

“Speaking very generally, I would confidently predict that the payback period would be less than five years, and lower than that in some specific cases.”

One of the reasons for the confidence is that Wärtsilä is offering a modularised energy storage system solution, the “HY Module”, that importantly limits the amount of lost cargo capacity. “It occupies the same space of a TEU, and many operators are looking at installing it on the truck deck of a Ro-Pax,” Tirelli said.

The containerised solution is also an elegant solution to both classification society requirements and space limitations aboard some vessels that were not designed with separate battery rooms, Tirelli concluded.

8 Giulio Tirelli, Director Business Development at Marine Power, Wärtsilä

DESIGN FOR PERFORMANCE


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Scheduled to enter service during the opening quarter of 2021, the 123m catamaran ro-pax ferry Eleanor Rooseveltwill provide a showcase for LNG-fuelled, four-stroke engine propulsion in the high-speed vessel sector.

Spanish-built to an Australian design, the Eleanor Rooseveltwill rank among the world’s largest twin-hulled ferries, potentially taking the crown among such vessels with a dual-fuel reciprocating main engine plant.

While the Buquebus-owned, 99m wavepiercer Franciscoheralded the opening of a new chapter in fast ferry powering in 2013, by employing a dual-fuel gas turbine installation, the impending entrant to the Balearia fleet signals a further important stage in the uptake of LNG by way of her multi-engine, DF medium-speed machinery.She incorporates Incat Crowther catamaran technology for a top speed of 40 knots.

Based in the Mediterranean port of Denia, in Alicante province, Balearia has to date amply demonstrated its commitment to the LNG option through conversion projects involving six existing vessels, plus three DF newbuilds. Eleanor Roosevelt is the third new ship, and follows the two Visentini-type, conventional ro-pax ferries Hypatia de Alejandria and Marie Curie, commissioned last year. Hypatia de Alejandria was the first LNG-powered ferry to enter service in the Mediterranean.

Total investment in the programme for nine LNG-capable vessels to date amounts to €362m (US$422m). The strategy does not end there, however, as the company expects to have all its fleet running on LNG within the next eight years.

While Balearia has received a measure of subsidisation from the EU for the power conversion projects, the scale of its expenditure in LNG powering is scarcely matched

anywhere worldwide. The endorsement of LNG on mainly environmental grounds not only reflects the increasing legislative pressures on the industry but also corporate goals as to social responsibility and economic profitability.

Albeit a hydrocarbon fuel, use of LNG implies a reduction of CO2 by 30%, NOx by 35%, and the elimination of sulphur and particles, having an immediate effect on air quality and greenhouse gas creation.

Commanding a contract price of around €90 million (US$90m), Eleanor Roosevelt was launched during September from the Gijon premises of Astilleros Armon. Capacity for 1,200 passengers is complemented by vehicle deck space corresponding to a ro-ro payload of 450 cars, or up to 500 lane-metres of trucks plus 250 cars.

The newbuild is a testament to the versatility of the productive shipbuilding and allied sector in northwest Spain, drawing on outside fields of particular expertise, not least Wartsila’s engineering and propulsion technology and Australian designer Incat Crowther’s know-how in fast, lightweight forms. Inputs from the domestic cluster have included engineering support by Cotenaval of Valencia and architectural and interior work by Oliver Design of Madrid.

Eleanor Roosevelt provides a further reference for the Wartsila 31 four-stroke, medium-speed engine platform, distinguished by its class-leading fuel efficiency rating, modular design and availability in diesel, dual-fuel and pure gas versions. While the diesel yields the highest cylinder power in its segment, at 610kW, the dual-fuel variant still gives a relatively potent 550kW per cylinder at the crankshaft speed of 750rpm.

The adoption of four 16-cylinder models in the Balearia

8 Eleanor Roosevelt, constructed by the Armon yard in Gijon

SHIP DESCRIPTIONS


PLEDGE TO LNG REINFORCED BY NEW RO-PAXAs it targets wholesale fleet adoption of LNG fuel, Balearia’s forthcoming addition blends a potent dual-fuel power installation with very high service speed, writes David Tinsley

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cat, at 8,800kW per unit, thereby makes for a primary power concentration of 35,200kW, transmitted through four Reintjes SLVJ850 gearboxes to a corresponding number of Wartsila waterjets of the LJX1500SR type.

In gas mode, the W31DF installation ensures IMO Tier III compliance, and the proprietary Wartsila LNGPac system’s storage tanks give the ferry a range of 400 nautical miles sailing only on natural gas. The reach is increased to 1,900 nautical miles with switchover to diesel, conferring both deployment flexibility throughout Balearia’s route network and service dependability in the event of any fuel supply issues. As a long-term contingency, the engine type lends itself to ready adaptation to pure gas operation, if required, or to the ingestion of renewable fuels.

The integrated power and propulsion system provides for schedules requiring laden service speeds of 35 knots, and a top speed in the order of 40 knots.

The isolated superstructure lessens transmission of noise and vibration to the passenger areas, while the latest iteration of Incat Crowther’s proven hull form, application-specific centreline bow, and retractable centre T-foil are designed to enhance comfort in difficult sea conditions. Hydrodynamic modelling and testing was carried out in Norway by Marintek-Sintef.

Certain features of the passenger spaces and seating layout have been adapted in light of the ongoing health crisis. On a fleet-wide basis, the company has taken an initiative that puts it in the vanguard of the industry for pandemic protection measures. Bureau Veritas (BV) certification to the society’s Global Safe Site Covid 19 criteria confirms that Balearia has implemented specific procedures, cleaning plans, organisational and personnel measures to combat Covid 19 aboard its ships and at terminals under the company’s management.

The level of certification, designated Excellence, means that periodic testing will be carried out for the presence of the virus on surfaces, using laboratory analysis.

While €290m (US$338m) of capital expenditure is encapsulated in the Italian-built sisters Hypatia de Alejandria and Marie Curie plus the Eleanor Roosevelt, the €72m (US$84m) commanded by the LNG dual-fuel retrofits to six of the existing fleet has attracted 20% in grant aid under the EU’s Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) provisions. Engine refitting began with the Napoles in 2019, followed by the Abel

Matutes and Bahama Mama later that year, the Sicilia and Martin i Soler in 2020, with work on the Hedy Lamarr scheduled for next year.

Towards the end of last December, Balearia introduced the Multi Truck to Ship (MTTS) bunkering method at the port of Valencia. With MTTS, using Kosan Crisplant’s Y-piece solution, LNG can be supplied to the ship from two road tankers simultaneously. This raises the transfer speed of fuel to between 80 and 120m3/h, depending on the size of the trucks’ onboard pumps.

By comparison, the more usual way of bunkering from the quayside from a single tank trailer at a time typically means a transfer rate of some 30-50m3/h. The MTTS modus operandi thereby expedites the whole process, and does not entail high investment relative to the efficiencies gained. At Valencia, the initial fuelling was made to the Hypatia de Alejandria, engaged at the time on the Valencia/Ibiza/Palma run. Balearia signed a 10-year LNG supply agreement with Naturgy (formerly Gas Natural Fenosa) in January 2018.

Balearia’s traditional sphere of influence lies in the routes linking the Spanish mainland with the Balearic Islands (Majorca, Minorca and Ibiza). The company also connects Andalucian ports with northern Africa and the Canary Islands, and runs a service between Fort Lauderdale and the Bahamas. Expansion in foreign markets is a key goal, such that new connections are planned to North Africa and in the Caribbean.

SHIP DESCRIPTIONS


8 The Bahama Mama is one of six Balearia vessels which will be converted from diesel to LNG dual fuel

PRINCIPAL PARTICULARS - Eleanor RooseveltLength overall 123.3mBeam 26.0mDepth 7.8mDraught 3.4mPassenger capacity 1,200Ro-ro capacity (cars) 400 carsRo-ro capacity (mixed) 500 lane-m (trucks) + 250 carsPropulsion machinery LNG dual-fuel medium-speedMain engine power 4 x 8,800kWPropulsors 4 x waterjetsSpeed, service 35ktsSpeed, maximum 40ktsGenerators 2 x 210ekW + 2 x 236ekWClass BVFlag Cyprus


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—ABB Virtual Industry Expert Day21 October10am CET


50 YEARS AGO

Looking at the various vessels which were subjects of detailed reports in The Motor Ship, October 1970, ‘multi-functional’ is a phrase which frequently cropped up.

Fred. Olsen Lines had taken delivery of the Blenheim, designed to act as a car ferry or cargo liner in summer and cruise ship in winter. She was fitted out to carry 396 or 995 passengers, depending on configuration, while down below the ship transported either 300 cars or a “large quantity” of refrigerated vegetable containers. The concept had been tried before with two of the operator’s fleet, the Black Watch and Black Prince, the Blenheim being basically a stretched version of the earlier ships, with completely redesigned layout offering a greatly increased cargo capacity. Built at Upper Clyde Shipbuilders she was powered by a twin-screw Crossley-Pielstick plant, each of the 18PC2V engines rated at 9,000bhp to give a 23-knot maximum speed. All machinery featured a high level of automation, and was capable of unmanned engine room operation, although this was still not permitted under British Board of Trade standards. Most of the design effort had gone into the passenger and cargo accommodation, most cabins for the former being convertible from single or twin-berth for cruising into double- or four-berth units respectively for ferry duties. Similarly, the cargo space featured six refrigerated compartments below the main deck, aft of the machinery, and a further two compartments either side of the main deck. The garage space, accessed from a stern door, was two decks high, allowing high vehicles to be carried, while the forward half was equipped with a hydraulic hoistable ramp allowing cars to be carried on two levels or, with the ramp raised, full height cargoes.

Other reports concerned a new class of four Belgian-built 18,000 dwt product tankers for Stolt-Neilsen, equipped with complex cargo handling and tank cleaning systems, which were claimed to allow the ships to carry any of 400 different oil and

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chemical products in the 36 tanks, nine of which were of stainless steel construction. The MAN K7Z70 main engine was rated at 9800 bhp, and drove a Kamewa CP propeller with automatic adjustment to maintain engine torque load at a pre-determined value.

Another interesting vessel, for the time, was built at Ferguson of Port Glasgow as a stern trawler, but was to be employed primarily for fisheries research and oceanographic survey. In keeping with this role, a diesel-electric propulsion plant was specified, with the aim of minimising noise and vibration. Three 1100 bhp Allen-engined generating sets each drove a constant-current generator, two of the gensets including an alternator connected in tandem for auxiliary electrical load. These were supplemented by a further 460 bhp Paxman-driven alternator. The main gensets powered a 2200hp electric propulsion motor, plus the 400hp trawl winch motor and a 350hp bow thruster. To aid navigation and position-keeping, a sophisticated suite of electronics was installed on the bridge, including two radars, echo sounders, gyro and autopilot, Decca navigator and electromagnetic log.

Finally, the issue included a 52-page supplement on ‘British Shipbuilding Today’, taking a not-unnaturally optimistic view of changes made to increase competitiveness in world markets, such as grouping of yards into eight companies, helped by grants and loans, and a planned move from ‘prestige’ vessels to standardised designs. Despite the upbeat tone of the various reports, structural shifts in the industry led to an erosion in the competitiveness of UK merchant shipbuilding. This would accelerate in the 1970s as Brazil, South Korea and subsequently China used shipbuilding as a demand driver for the creation of domestic steel industries, while a distracted UK government allowed the UK’s position in shipbuilding to diminish.

FLEXIBILITY AND VERSATILTY

8 The Blenheim, a true multi-purpose vessel for Fred. Olsen Lines. Inset: Cirolana, built to a trawler design, featured electric propulsion and was employed on research duties

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