It’s possible that I shall make an ass of myself. But in that case one can always get out of it with a little dialectic. I have, of course, so worded my proposition as to be right either way (K.Marx, Letter to F.Engels on the Indian Mutiny)
Tuesday, March 21, 2023
Maersk Unveils Pioneering First Methanol-Fueled Containership
Maersk is building a trailblazer 2,100 TEU methanol-fueled containership due to launch later this year (Maersk)
Maersk unveiled the designs for its pioneering methanol dual-fuel containership in social media posts today. The shipping giant revealed the first renderings of the ship which is expected to launch a new era for container shipping as the first vessel in the sector to operate on the green fuel and one of only 25 methanol-fueled ships currently in operation.
The first vessel was viewed as a trailblazer when Maersk announced its intentions in February 2021 and confirmed the construction order with South Korea’s Hyundai Mipo Dockyard in July 2021. So far, the company has only provided a few basic details saying that it would be a feeder ship to operate on its routes in the Baltic. It is 564 feet long with a 105-foot beam with a nominal capacity of 2,100 TEU including 400 reefer plugs.
The renderings show that it is a conventional design with an aft deckhouse for navigation and the accommodation block. The methanol tank, unlike some LNG tanks, is below deck. One visible feature from the rendering is boxes labeled “shore power” which appear to give the vessel cold ironing capability. Also, Maersk is evolving its livery and branding to highlight the vessel’s pioneering role. Painted on the hull is the slogan “All The Way to Zero,” which Brian Borup, Senior Brand and Design Manager, says was selected to highlight the decarbonization efforts.
Boxes as the rear are labeled "shore power" (Maersk)
”Developing this vessel is a significant challenge, but we have already come a long way in our work with the yard and the makers to reach this milestone,” said Ole Graa Jakobsen, Head of Fleet Technology, A.P. Moller – Maersk when the order was placed in 2021. “While we are pioneering these solutions for our industry, we are working with well-proven technologies and the cost potential from further scaling is becoming very clear to us.”
Propulsion for the ship is a MAN 6G50-LGIM main engine and methanol capable gensets that were being developed in a partnership between MAN Energy Solutions and Hyundai Engine and Machinery for the main engine and Himsen for the auxiliary engine. The plant was designed to operate on either methanol or traditional very low sulfur fuel. When the order was placed, Maersk said the limiting factor in vessel design was the engine while also commenting that the methanol-capable engine was costing 15 percent more than a traditional engine for the ship. They however said with the technology in place it would provide a model that would only require engineering to scale up.
The design project they noted was providing important information in the development of the propulsion plant and engineering for methanol systems. Maersk said they expected to gain operating experience from the vessel which would also be vital to the later ships.
“I am very happy with the progress we are making on the project,” said Jakobsen today while revealing the renderings. “We have now completed all key design-related milestones and production is progressing at full speed with delivery expected during summer. It has been a huge project, but we have succeeded not least due to great collaboration internally in Maersk and with our external partners.”
Work is also underway on Maersk’s first class of dual-fuel large containerships. The first steel cuts began late in 2022 for the 16,000 TEU methanol containerships which are due to enter service starting in 2024. In total, Maersk has 19 methanol-fueled containerships on order.
The ships are seen as the first wave of the industry’s next generation which is expected to grow quickly. DNV currently reports that 68 of the 81 methanol-fueled vessels on order and due for delivery by 2028 are container vessels. Senior Consultant Martin Wold noted at year’s end that methanol had reached a 13 percent share of alternative fuel orders in record time. Last month, he noted that methanol “stole the spotlight” with the orderbook continuing to grow and he has commented that “the pipeline is building” with the expectation that methanol will emerge as the next leader in alternative fuels.
Hybrid Ferries with Batteries/Solar Power to be Deployed in Hong Kong
Hybrid ferry with battery and solar power will run excursion trips from Hong Kong (BV)
Efforts are proceeding for the launch of two hybrid ferries that will be equipped with battery power units and solar power technology to be launched in Hong Kong next year. The first-of-their-kind ferries will be providing service from the Central Pier in the city to neighboring Cheung Chau, an excursion destination and island to the southwest between Hong Kong and Macau.
The vessels were designed by CoCo Yachts, a Dutch naval design and development company. Called the Urban Sprinters 1000, the design was sold to Sun Ferries of Hong Kong which ordered the construction of the first two vessels. Once both are in service by the first quarter of 2025, it is expected that they will transport around four million passengers a year.
Each of the ferries will be 212.5 feet in length with a 45.6-foot beam. They will have a capacity for 1,000 passengers on two decks. They will have an aluminum hull and superstructure. Eight entrance ramps will be provided on the main and upper decks for easy passenger access including wheelchair accessibility.
The design is a double hull, double-end ferry, with bridges at each end of the vessel and operated by a total of 10 crew with four on the bridge. The first of the two vessels will be built with hybrid diesel-electric propulsion and will be zero emission when sailing within pier boundaries as well as during berthing. The second vessel will be built with diesel-electric propulsion. Both ferries will have a battery pack for overnight energy to avoid diesel generators running that will receive power from solar cells on the roof of the cabin.
Each vessel will be fitted with four IMO tier III diesel generators, of which three will typically be in service, and one will be on standby. The service speed will be 16 knots. The vessels will also be equipped with four Azimuth L-type thrusters, each fitted with a PM electric motor. The propulsion plant will also ensure low noise and vibration levels for a smooth passenger ride.
During the approximately 60-minute trip passengers will also have access to a range of amenities. In addition to comfortable seating and air conditioning on both decks, there will be a third deck with open air accessible to passengers for sightseeing. There will also be a kiosk and information desks located on the main and upper deck, and a baby care room, as well as two dedicated pet areas on the main deck. There will also be a cargo bay located on the main deck near the mid-ship entrance.
The design and building of the vessel will be surveyed and certified by Bureau Veritas. All flag-related items, including safety and stability, will be delegated from the Hong Kong Marine Department to BV. According to BV, previous projects with similar delegated work have demonstrated this to be an efficient and reliable method for the development of the vessels.
The vessels will be built by YaGuang Technology Co. in Zhuhai, China. The first Urban Sprinter 1000 hybrid is expected to be delivered in Q2 2024, while the second vessel will be delivered in Q1 2025.
Photos: Salvor Confirms Location of Leaking Philippine Shipwreck
Thin threads of fuel oil seep from the topsides of MT Princess Empress (Fukada Salvage / PCG)
A Japanese salvor has completed an ROV survey of the sunken Philippine tanker Princess Empress, returning images of fuel oil cargo leaking from the vessel's topsides. The survey confirms the wreck's location and serves as a first step towards a potential remediation effort.
The small product tanker Princess Empress went down off Pola, Oriental Mindoro on February 28 with a cargo of 900,000 liters of fuel oil. The petroleum continues to leak out of its tanks, threatening a growing swath of the central Philippines with pollution. The slick has spread as far south as the Caluya Islands and as far northwest as the ecologically sensitive Verde Island Passage, a critical fishery breeding ground located between Mindoro and Luzon. Tens of thousands of fishermen, hospitality industry workers and residents have been affected by shoreline pollution and related business impacts.
The salvage vessel Shin Nichi Maru arrived in Mindoro on Monday, and after formalities in port, she headed directly to the suspected wreck site. A Philippine survey ship previously scanned the area to determine the most likely location of the tanker. Shin Nichi Maru deployed her ROV, the Hakuyo, and quickly confirmed that the sonar target was the Princess Empress.
Images courtesy Fukada Salvage / PCG
Now that the vessel's location has been confirmed, the government of Oriental Mindoro plans to meet with the PCG, the shipowner, the insurer and the charterer in order to plan the next steps of the response.
The Philippines' civil defense agency also called for procuring an ROV for domestic use, citing the long timeframe in between the casualty and the visual inspection. "The government itself still needs to procure an ROV in order to create its own capacity. As soon as possible, we need to buy our own ROV," Office of Civil Defense Administrator Ariel Nepomuceno said in a statement.
Skimming operations to recover oil from the Princess Empress, March 16 (PCG)
Shoreline pollution on ecologically-sensitive Verde Island, March 21 (PCG)
Documentation inquiry deepens
It is unclear whether the newbuild Princess Empress had the correct documentation at the time of the casualty voyage. Philippine maritime regulatory agency Marina insists that it never issued an amended Certificate of Public Convenience (CPC) - a permit to operate in domestic trade - to reflect the addition of Princess Empress to the shipowner's fleet. However, the PCG is in possession of what appears to be a signed copy of an amended permit, which was allegedly provided to the coast guard by the vessel's second mate.
On Tuesday, Marina regional director Marc Pascua insisted that he had never signed the document and that it contained material discrepancies that suggest that it may have been forged. At a press conference, he told GMA that the document misspelled his name ("Mark" instead of "Marc"), incorrectly listed his job title, and showed that it had been "certified" by a Marina staffmember who had already retired two years before. The Philippine Department of Transport is currently investigating whether the document was legitimate.
Courtesy PCG
Could Indonesia Block Foreign Nuclear Subs at Maritime Choke Points?
Would it be permissible under international law to deny access of foreign nuclear-powered submarines through archipelagic sea lanes?
A U.S. Navy warship transits the Strait of Malacca, 2017 (USN file image)
Indonesia, a nation that controls vital maritime chokepoints, finds itself at the epicentre of an unfolding geopolitical drama. As rivalry builds between the United States and China, the prospect of more nuclear submarines passing through Indonesian waters – including plans for AUKUS boats under the newly formed pact between Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States – brings an underlying legal question into focus.
All ships, including submarines, have guaranteed rights under the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), which Indonesia is a party to, to navigate through archipelagic waters under the right of “innocent passage” or the right of “archipelagic sea lanes passage”. The right of archipelagic sea lanes passage grants all ships the right to navigate continuously and expeditiously in their “normal mode” through archipelagic waters and the adjacent territorial sea. Submarines may navigate submerged since that is their normal mode of passage. This right “cannot be impeded or suspended” by the archipelagic state for any purpose. An archipelagic state may designate sea lanes through its archipelagic waters, but all normal routes used for international navigation must be included. If such a designation has not occurred or is considered a partial designation, the right of archipelagic sea lanes passage may be exercised through the routes normally used for international navigation.
While it is true that foreign nuclear-powered ships exercising the right of innocent passage are subject to stricter requirements under UNCLOS, the intention is not to limit passage.
Outside of archipelagic sea lanes, all ships are entitled to the more limited right of innocent passage throughout archipelagic waters and through the territorial sea. Submarines exercising the right of innocent passage must navigate on the surface and show their flag, and comply with other rules on innocent passage, such as refraining from engaging in any activity that is prejudicial to the peace, good order or security of the coastal state. An archipelagic state may “temporarily suspend the right of innocent passage” for foreign ships in specified areas of its archipelagic waters and territorial sea if such suspension is essential for the protection of its security, after providing due notice.
Statements by some Indonesian government officials in the wake of the AUKUS announcements suggest that Indonesia should consider prohibiting the passage of foreign submarines through its archipelagic waters if they are engaged in activities related to war or preparation of war or non-peaceful activities. While UNCLOS promotes peaceful uses of the seas and oceans, it contains no provision permitting archipelagic states to suspend the right of archipelagic sea lanes passage through their archipelagic waters. Rather, it specifically provides that there shall be no suspension of the right of archipelagic sea lanes passage.
While it is true that foreign nuclear-powered ships exercising the right of innocent passage are subject to stricter requirements under UNCLOS, such as carrying appropriate documents and complying with special precautionary measures established by international agreements, the intention is not to limit passage, but rather to guarantee that hazardous activities are effectively managed in line with international standards.
UNCLOS makes no exception to the passage rights of submarines based on their intended use or purpose. It only requires that the passage of submarines is in conformity with the provisions in UNCLOS. Even if there is an ongoing war, archipelagic states have an obligation to respect the right of archipelagic sea lanes passage of foreign submarines.
Some debate has arisen as to whether the provisions in UNCLOS are applicable during an international armed conflict. Views vary from UNCLOS not applying at all to UNCLOS remaining applicable. A moderate position suggests that the maritime rights and duties that states enjoy in peacetime continue with minor exceptions during an armed conflict.
In wartime, the law of naval warfare is considered the lex specialis regime that supersedes UNCLOS “for belligerent parties”. However, UNCLOS continues to govern the conduct between neutral and belligerent states, and among neutral states. This principle applies in particular to passage rights of foreign ships, including the rights of archipelagic sea lanes passage and innocent passage through archipelagic waters. The law of naval warfare thus modifies the relationship between neutral and belligerent states to some degree to ensure that neutral states are not harmed by the conflict and to prevent the conflict from escalating.
The law of naval warfare has evolved over time and is primarily based on customary international law. A series of conventions have been adopted to regulate naval warfare, but not all have been widely accepted. The San Remo Manual, prepared by a group of legal and naval experts, provides the most detailed and current rules for the conduct of naval warfare. While it is an unofficial statement, it appears to be widely accepted as a reflection of customary law.
Finally, the San Remo Manual provides that the passage rights applicable to archipelagic waters in peacetime shall continue to apply during an armed conflict. A neutral archipelagic state may condition, restrict or prohibit the entrance to or passage through its neutral waters by belligerent warships and auxiliary vessels on a non-discriminatory basis, “except for passage through archipelagic sea lanes” – whether formally designated or not.
Indonesia’s policy on the passage of AUKUS submarines through its archipelagic waters will have significant implications for its relationship with the countries involved and its commitment to uphold international law, especially if it attempts to prohibit or restrict the passage of foreign submarines in a manner inconsistent with its rights and obligations under UNCLOS. The legal principles and frameworks will undoubtedly play a crucial role in shaping the outcome.
Dita Liliansa is an Ocean Law & Policy Research Associate at the Centre for International Law (CIL), National University of Singapore (NUS). She earned her first law degree (LLB) from the University of Indonesia and Master of Laws (LLM) from the University of Washington as a Fulbright scholar. She has received recognition for her research work, including being awarded Second-Prize Winner of the 2021 Asian Society of International Law Junior Scholar Award. Apart from research, she is active in teaching university students and training government officials as well as participates in ASEAN and IMO meetings as an observer.
This article appears courtesy of The Lowy Interpreter and may be found in its original form here.
Lithuania Preps for its First Offshore Wind Auction
The Government of Lithuania has approved the requirements for developers wishing to participate in the upcoming auction for the construction of the Offshore Wind Park in the Baltic Sea. The National Energy Regulatory Council (VERT) is expected to open the tendering process on March 30 and the winner will be announced this summer.
According to the auction conditions, prospective bidding companies must have revenues of at least $266 million in the last three years and at least 20% of the project value in equity. Lithuania’s 700 MW Offshore Wind Park is estimated to cost over $1 billion to develop.
Further, bidders must have developed at least one offshore power plant larger than 150 MW or be authorized to produce electricity there. Developers will also be required to support local communities of the municipalities bordering the marine area of the offshore park, as well as contribute at least $5 million to environmental protection.
Once the construction is completed, the developer will be expected to make an annual contribution equivalent to about $1 per MWh of electricity generated to the communities surrounding the park. Considering the project will generate up to three terawatt-hours per year, the sum could reach $3 million annually.
Most importantly, the developer offering the highest development fee to the state stands the highest chance to win the tender.
The construction of Lithuania’s first offshore wind farm has been in the making since June 2020, when the government identified the farm’s location in the Baltic Sea. The site covers an area of 137.5 square kilometers, with a distance of approximately 29 kilometers off the coastal town of Palanga in western Lithuania. The project is expected to begin operation in 2028.
According to Lithuania’s National Energy Independence Strategy, the 700 MW Baltic Sea wind farm is a critical project aimed at boosting the country’s local electricity production from renewable energy sources. When operational, the project will meet up to a quarter of Lithuania’s electricity demand.
Uncrewed Ocean Mapping Vehicle Closing Gaps in Remote Waters
Saildrone Surveyor SD 1200 sails out of Dutch Harbor on Amaknak Island in Unalaska, AK.
The Saildrone Surveyor, the world’s largest uncrewed ocean mapping vehicle, has mapped more than 45,000 square kilometers (17,375 square miles) of previously unexplored ocean floor during a months-long survey around Alaska’s Aleutian Islands and off the coast of California.
The Saildrone Surveyor, the world’s largest uncrewed ocean mapping vehicle, has completed a months-long survey around Alaska’s Aleutian Islands and off the coast of California as part of a multi-agency public-private partnership funded by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) to address ocean exploration gaps in remote areas with uncrewed surface vehicles (USVs).
The United States Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), stretching from the coast to 200 nautical miles from shore, is one of the largest in the world, but it is largely still unmapped, unobserved, and unexplored. Alaska’s coastline is approximately one-third of the entire US coastline, far longer than that of any other US state or territory. And yet, Alaska is by far the least mapped region of the US EEZ.
In 2022, the White House released the Strategic Priorities Report for Ocean Exploration and Characterization report, which specifically calls out the Aleutian chain as one of the highest priority regions in the US EEZ for collecting additional data and information in multidisciplinary interests across the Federal space. Exploration and seafloor mapping of this region has the potential to unlock new opportunities for conservation, climate science, and the Blue Economy.
“Every American, in one way or another, depends on the ocean—from protein from fish to feed animals or humans, to deep-sea cables that make the internet possible. The only way the US can maximize our ocean resources is to understand what’s there. This mission is the first step to mapping the seafloor of key regions in Aleutian waters in high resolution. The beauty of the Surveyor is getting that initial exploration step done faster, cheaper, and without as much staff,” said Dr. Aurora Elmore, Cooperative Institute Manager at NOAA Ocean Exploration.
To the unknown and back
Saildrone Surveyor SD 1200 departed Saildrone HQ in Alameda, CA, to sail across the North Pacific to the survey area around the Aleutian Islands in July 2022.
For 52 days between August and October, the Surveyor mapped 16,254 square kilometers (6,276 square mile) of unknown seafloor around the Aleutian Islands. Mission collaborators were able to follow the data collection in real time. Preliminary data revealed unprecedented detail of the Aleutian arc seafloor, including previously unknown structures, some of which indicate potential hydrothermal vents.
Amukta Canyon in the Bering Sea, as mapped by the Saildrone Surveyor during the Aleutians Uncrewed Ocean Exploration expedition.
Severe weather is the norm in the Aleutian region, with violent storms and persistent fog. During the mission, the Surveyor was diverted south to a secondary priority area to avoid the remnants of Typhoon Merbok that pounded Alaska with gale-force winds. “Part of the premise of the mission was to test the Surveyor to its limits,” said Rachel Medley, chief of the Expeditions and Exploration Division at NOAA Ocean Exploration and NOAA co-chair for the Interagency Working Group on Ocean Exploration and Characterization (IWG-OEC).
Despite 35-knot winds and wave swells over 5 meters (16 feet)—conditions that would have proved too challenging for most crewed survey vessels—the Surveyor continued to collect high-quality data without risk to human life and with a reduced carbon footprint.
In addition to high-resolution mapping sonars, the Surveyor carried technology from the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI) to sample environmental DNA (eDNA). Outfitted with the Environmental Sample Processor (ESP)—a groundbreaking “lab in a can”—the Surveyor was able to collect important clues about marine biodiversity and ocean health from the genetic “fingerprints” left behind by marine life that can inform our knowledge about marine biodiversity and ocean health.
Top and side views of the 1,000 m seamount mapped by Surveyor SD 1200 using its Kongberg 304 echo sounder during the second part of the Aleutians Uncrewed Ocean Exploration expedition.
New discoveries—right off the coast of California
After transiting 2,000 nautical miles back to San Francisco and a brief pit stop at Saildrone HQ, the Surveyor was tasked to map additional priority areas a few hundred miles off the coast of California.
The Surveyor mapped an additional 29,720 square kilometers (8,665 square nautical miles) of the US EEZ and discovered a previously unknown seamount standing approximately 1,000 meters (3,200 feet) high from the seabed. Discoveries like this improve our understanding of the physical processes of the ocean and help scientists identify unique habitats that need further exploration.
The future of ocean mapping
Accurate and up-to-date topography of the ocean floor is essential for understanding how ocean currents move heat and carbon around the planet, sustainably managing resources, tsunami and storm surge forecasting, safety of navigation, telecommunications, developing and maintaining coastal infrastructure, and establishing new offshore energy sites. Oceans cover more than 70% of Earth’s surface, but as of June 2022, less than 24% of the global ocean has been mapped using modern technology, leaving most of the planet unmapped and unexplored.
This is because the traditional method of exploring and mapping the ocean with large survey ships is difficult, time-consuming, and expensive. The global Seabed 2030 initiative and the National Strategy for Mapping, Exploration, and Characterization (NOMEC) of the US EEZ have set ambitious seafloor mapping goals, which cannot be achieved with the current global survey fleet alone.
Rigorous sea trials showed that the data quality the Surveyor collects rivals that of the most advanced ocean survey ships in use today—meeting or exceeding International Hydrographic Organization standards.
The Saildrone Surveyor represents a paradigm shift in how we explore our oceans, carrying the same cutting-edge sonar equipment as survey ships to deliver high-resolution data to the global community—at a fraction of the cost and carbon footprint.
“Surveyor brings a new and exciting capability for ocean exploration and mapping. Mapping in the Aleutians is not trivial, and the conditions there can be austere any time of year. The Surveyor weathered the storms, collected high-resolution bathymetry, and put no humans at risk. This mission proves that long-endurance USVs provide a viable option to achieve the goals of NOMEC. This is the future of ocean mapping,” said Brian Connon, Saildrone VP of Ocean Mapping.
The Aleutians Uncrewed Ocean Exploration expedition served as an excellent example of how public-private partnerships and uncrewed surface vessels (USVs) like the Surveyor can increase the pace and efficiency of seafloor mapping and help us reach national and international goals. Whether used on their own or paired with traditional ship-based operations, USVs can act as force multipliers, expanding capabilities in a way that is cheaper, more environmentally friendly, and safer.
The total area mapped by Saildrone off around the Aleutian Islands and off the coast of California.
What happens to the data?
NOAA Ocean Exploration is already using some of the preliminary data collected by the Surveyor to inform its exploration of Alaskan waters with NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer during its 2023 field season.
These expeditions, the first for the ship in the region, will fill gaps in the understanding of Alaskan deep waters through mapping and remotely operated vehicle operations. The ROV operations will establish baselines to help sustainably manage and protect Alaska’s deep waters and the resources they provide and contribute to safer navigation and community access, hazard mitigation, and a deeper comprehension of and appreciation for the region’s marine environment.
“NOAA Ocean Exploration is excited to see the results of this remarkable multi-partner expedition come to fruition,” said Jeremy Weirich, director of NOAA Ocean Exploration. “By joining forces with other federal agencies, academia, and industry, we were able to leverage a variety of expertise and multiple technologies to investigate areas off of Alaska and California that were otherwise unexplored. In order to map and characterize vast and remote expanses of the ocean, we need new technologies like the Saildrone Surveyor to augment ship-based exploration.”
Saildrone Surveyor SD 1200 is escorted out of Dutch Harbor in August 2022.
Once post-processing has been completed by the Center for Coastal and Ocean Mapping at the University of New Hampshire, the high-resolution data collected during the Aleutians Uncrewed Ocean Exploration expedition will be made publicly available through NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Information to further exploration and characterization efforts and in support of US and international mapping initiatives, including the Seascape Alaska regional mapping campaign.
“This mission is an exciting partnership opportunity with industry, academia, and government to accelerate and advance new US-based technologies that will not only benefit the scientific community but also have the potential to answer some of our largest global challenges by providing a better understanding of ocean dynamics and climate science,” said Medley.
Scaling up the fleet
SD 1200 is the first of Saildrone’s Surveyor class vehicles. An additional four Surveyor-class ocean mapping vehicles will be built by Austal USA in Mobile, AL, this year to meet increasing global demand for uncrewed survey vehicles.
This article is courtesy of Saildrone. It can be found in its original format with additional links here.
Netherlands Plans World’s Largest Offshore Hydrogen Production Site
Hydrogen production will take place offshore next to the Gemini wind farm (Gemini)
The Netherlands is moving forward with plans for the development of the world’s largest offshore hydrogen production project. Last December the government said it intended to pursue offshore hydrogen production and today the Ministry for Climate and Energy Policy announced the site selection working from existing plans for offshore wind farm development and the existing natural gas pipeline.
The project would be the first in which hydrogen production at sea is carried out on a large scale. The site selected is the Ten noorden van de Waddeneilanden Wind Farm Zone located 30 nautical miles off the north coast of the Netherlands in the North Sea. The government has been studying the site in its plans for additional offshore wind farm development. Plans had called for a wind farm tender in 2022 but were delayed while additional studies were taking place to finalize the route for the export cables from the site to shore.
The designated site consists of nearly 30,000 square acres and the government reports there is strong support within the Groningen region for the project. The wind farm plan calls for the development of a new farm located north of the Wadden Islands that would provide 700 MW of electric power from wind. The existing Gemini Wind Farm (600 MW) lies within the region adjacent to the designated site. Gemini began operations in 2017 as one of the world’s largest offshore wind parks, both in terms of size and production.
The ministry said the wind farm would provide 500 MW of electrolysis capacity. They expect it should be operational around 2031. The site was also selected because there is an existing natural gas pipeline that can possibly be reused for transport to land. They believe it could also be connected to the planned hydrogen network which will be developed by Gasunie.
“We are a global leader with this plan. It is also a big step on top of the goal of 4GW electrolysis in 2030 from the Climate Agreement,” said Minister Rob Jetten. “We have already designated the area as a preferred location so that preparations can start quickly and we provide the sector with clarity so that they can make their investment plans. The province and the municipalities are fully committed to a green economy in which the production of sustainable energy is central.”
The expectation is that the project can provide valuable experience with this new technology, which they expect will play a major role in the energy system of the future. It will also expand on the work underway on a smaller pilot with an electrolysis capacity of approximately 50-100 MW. This first project the government says should help to identify and address issues from the technology so that the project of 500 MW can be realized efficiently. Later this year, the minister also wants to choose a preferred location for this smaller project.
Before the tenders are issued, the Ministry is carefully working out several important matters together with the Groningen region, parties around the Wadden Sea Region, and involved parties. This includes discussions on the landing of the pipeline to bring the hydrogen from the wind farm ashore and how hydrogen production can be done safely and in an ecologically responsible manner.
UK Union Says Strikes Will Cause Standstill at Dozens of Oil Platforms
Unite says 1,400 workers have voted for strikes over pay and work conditions (file photo)
Update: Unite announced it has reached terms with Sparrows Offshore for 50 workers employed on BP platforms. It is a portion of the workforce due to start short work stoppages next week on platforms also operated by Apache, Shell, and Harbour Energy. The agreement for the BP workers provides three additional weeks of paid leave, which Unite says equates to a 10 percent pay increase. Other terms include the implementation of 2022 pay increases and overtime pay for work beyond normal 12-hour shifts. Unite said the disputes against other portions of Sparrows and the other companies outlined in this article remain unresolved.
The UK offshore oil and gas industry is facing the prospects for additional strikes as Unite the union continues to target the sector with job actions over pay and working conditions. The union reported today that it has received strike mandates from a total of nearly 1,400 employees of five additional service companies supporting major operators including BP, Shell, Total, and others. Unite has been targeting the offshore energy sector after it reported record profits.
“Unite has received unprecedented support in favor of industrial action in the UK Continental Shelf. It is the biggest mandate we have received in a generation in the offshore sector,” said John Boland, industrial officer at Unite. “There is no doubt that this is directly linked to oil and gas companies reaping record profits while the workforce gets scraps from the table.”
The union is predicting that the disputes, which involve service companies Bilfinger UK, Stork, Petrofac Facilities Management, and Wood Group UK, could result in a “Tsunami of industrial action” at dozens of platforms. The prospective action would include electrical, production, and mechanical technicians in addition to deck crew, scaffolders crane operators, pipefitters, platers, and riggers.
Each of the companies’ contracts has come up for negotiation with the size of the workforce and the nature of the dispute varying by company. The largest involves approximately 700 offshore workers at Bilfinger UK which are involved in a pay dispute. A further 350 at Stork are disputing work schedules and pay rates. The other two disputes are smaller in scale with 50 workers at Petrofac Facilities Management working at the FOFI platform disputing holiday work rules. A further 80 workers at Wood Group on the TAGA platforms are seeking to win back a 10 percent pay cut the company made in 2015.
These latest strike authorizations come in addition to a current plan for up to 200 workers at Sparrows Offshore Services to begin 24, 48, and 72-hour work stoppages between the end of March and June over pay. Announced at the beginning of March, this involves crane operators, maintenance workers, and lifting personnel as well as deck crews on platforms run for BP, Shell, Apache, and Harbor Energy.
The latest strike effort could also be further expanded with two additional strike votes which are currently underway. Unite is conducting balloting for 80 workers at Petrofac BP and a further 50 workers at Worley Services UK. Combined with the current efforts, this could involve a total of 1,500 offshore workers in the various actions.
The union has been staging rolling actions across the industry over the past few months. In February, they reached an agreement for nearly 100 drillers working for Odfjell Technology. The drillers will receive three weeks of paid time off work per year, which Unite says equates to around an 11.5 percent wage increase.
Port Handles First Containers in 40 Years in Cyclone Relief Effort
Rangitata alongside in Eastland Port moving her first containers (Drone images by Brennan Thomas, Strike Photography - Courtesy of Eastland Port)
It is not often that you hear a port say it is handling containers for the first time in 40 years. New Zealand’s Eastland Port on the North Island, however, is doing just that as part of a support effort to help the local communities in response to Cyclone Gabrielle which hit the region hard.
Located in Gisborne City, Eastland Port is New Zealand’s second-largest log export port handling three million tons of wood each year. The port, however, has not been serving coastal shipping for more than 40 years. This all changed today, March 21, when a chartered vessel, the Rangitata (1,650 dwt), docked for the first time to open the new vital link which the Regional Economic Development Minister Kiri Allan told the New Zealand Express will be a “blue highway.”
Tropical Cyclone Gabrielle formed in early February moving across the North Island of New Zealand leaving a path of destruction in its wake. Eleven people were killed and thousands displaced with reports indicating that the aftermath of the storm could cost NZD$13.5 billion (US$8.4 billion) in long-term repairs. At its peak, maximum winds exceeded 90 mph with massive amounts of rain and flooding before the storm moved on to impact both Vanuatu and Australia.
Remote communities and businesses on the North Island are suffering from the aftereffects. One of the main roads in the region is washed out with no definitive timeline for when it can be reopened. In response with farmers and other businesses struggling to move their goods, port and local government officials began lobbying for the blue highway to support the community in the aftermath of the storm.
The port’s chief operating officer Andrew Gaddum told the New Zealand Herald the effort would be “a game changer.” He cites the fact that freight routes have been severely disrupted with the few trucks that can travel required to take long, circuitous routes dramatically increasing the time and cost of moving their goods.
Containers are being moved via coastal shipping as part of the cyclone relief effort (Drone images by Brennan Thomas, Strike Photography - Courtesy of Eastland Port)
The Eastland Port is underwriting the effort investing approximately US$1.4 million including converting parts of the Gisborne log port to handle products ranging from meat to fruit and vegetables. Cranes had to be repurposed from moving logs to handle the containers, generators had to be supplied for the refer boxes, and operators had to be trained. Gaddum said it has been “a monumental learning curve,” but thanked everyone’s effort and support including the Napier Port which will be the other terminus for the blue highway. The government provided a grant of just over US$300,000.
The 16-year-old general cargo ship Rangitata has been chartered for three months. The 220-foot vessel which is registered in New Zealand is able to transport containers, including refers, which will be perfect for the farmers to move the local meat and produce to market.
“The Rangitata made history yesterday being the first container ship we’ve seen at Eastland Port in decades,” reports port executives after the vessel’s arrival. “It’s great to see the return of containers to our port and we are excited to be doing our bit for the region in terms of shoring up our resilience.”
The vessel brought in an initial shipment of thirteen 40-foot empty containers and loaded thirteen 40-foot full containers with meat and fresh produce. She departed late on March 21 heading to Napier and will return later in the week with 17 more containers.
While it is the first time in many years that commerce has traveled by coastal shipping, port officials hope it might continue beyond the immediate relief efforts. They are already speaking with local businesses to gauge interest in maintaining the service highlighting that they believe it can be cost-competitive and good for the environment by removing diesel trucks from the roads.
Skimming operations to recover oil from the Princess Empress, March 16 (PCG)
