Philippines and CIP Agree to First Foreign-Owned Offshore Wind Farms

Denmark helped to develop the Philippines first wind farm in 2004 (Bangui photo by Paolo Dala - CC BY-SA 2.0)

PUBLISHED MAR 31, 2023 2:17 PM BY THE MARITIME EXECUTIVE

 

The Philippines Department of Energy signed contracts with Copenhagen Infrastructure New Markets Fund, an affiliate of Danish fund manager Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners, for what will become the country’s first wholly foreign-owned offshore wind projects. The contracts call for three wind farms with a combined capacity of 2,000 MW to be built by the Danish organization and run under 25-year operating licenses. The county has onshore wind power but is yet to start its first offshore project.

The Philippines recently lifted foreign ownership restrictions on renewable energy development. It is part of a program outlined by President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. to accelerate the development of renewable sources of energy for the country. Niels Holst, Partner in CIP and head of CINMF, said the removal of foreign ownership restrictions on renewable energy projects in the Philippines in 2022 was an important development for his company as it gave them positive signals to launch investments in the country.

“We are pleased with the entry of CINMF, a dedicated fund manager with greenfield renewable energy investments and one of the global leaders in offshore wind,” said Energy Secretary Raphael P.M. Lotilla. “They will be bringing in financial muscle and technological heft and will be working with Filipino partners throughout the construction and operation phases.”

The three projects are to be developed in Camarines Norte and Camarines Sur, offshore of Northern Samar, and offshore of Pangasinan and La Union. Once implemented, the three projects are expected to create around 4,500 jobs during the development and operations period, generate enough power to supply about one million households, and offset about 2.9 million tons in CO2 emissions per year.

The Philippines and the Danish Government have a long-standing cooperation in the development of wind power in the country. The 25 MW Bangui Bay Wind Power Project, developed onshore in 2004 by the Northwind Power Development Corporation in Bangui, Ilocos Norte, was partly funded by the Danish Government through the Danish International Development Assistance (DANIDA). It was a landmark project that paved the way for developing onshore wind power projects in the country and the Southeast Asian Region.

Danish Ambassador Melbin said that the Filipino people deserve more reliable and cheaper electricity. Introducing large-scale renewable energy is the fastest way to achieve this he said.

The Philippines currently has no installed offshore wind operations. The World Bank estimates there is a potential for more than 178 GW of offshore wind in the country. Working with the World Bank, the Philippines Department of Energy last year released an initial plan for offshore wind development. 

One of the country’s main power distributors, Aboitiz Power, is currently undertaking a feasibility study exploring the potential for up to 3 GW of offshore wind by 2040. They are expected to complete the study by mid-year.

The Philippines Department of Energy said to date, that 57 Offshore Wind Service Contracts have been awarded with a total potential capacity of about 42,000 MW that will be developed. The DOE targets to bring the renewable energy share in the power generation mix to 35 percent by 2030 and 50 percent by 2040 from the current 22 percent. The World Bank report set out a low estimate of just over 5 percent from offshore wind and a high growth potential to reach 40 percent of the country’s power supply from offshore sources by 2050.

 

Top photo of Bangui wind farm by Paolo Dala - CC BY-SA 2.0

 

DOE's Strategy to Accelerate and Expand Offshore Wind Deployment

DOE mapped out its offshore wind strategy (file photo)

PUBLISHED MAR 30, 2023 7:40 PM BY THE MARITIME EXECUTIVE

 

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) released its Offshore Wind Energy Strategy, a comprehensive plan uniting many parts of the agency to accelerate efforts to meet the goal to deploy 30 gigawatts of offshore wind energy by 2030 and setting the nation on a pathway to 110 GW or more by 2050. As part of the overall initiatives by the U.S. government focusing on renewable energy, DOE is accelerating its efforts with a focus on lowering costs, developing leadership in floating offshore wind design, and building co-generation technologies.

“The transformative potential of offshore wind energy is critical to achieving President Biden’s clean energy goals,” said U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm. “As our Offshore Wind Energy Strategy shows, we’re leveraging all resources across our department to harness this clean and reliable American energy source, which will create tens of thousands of good-paying, union jobs and revitalize coastal communities.”

One of the primary goals of the efforts focuses on lower the cost of the electricity delivered from offshore wind generation. DOE says that its goal is to reduce the cost of fixed-bottom offshore to $51 per megawatt-hour from a current level of $73 per megawatt-hour. The agency is sponsoring R&D as well as efforts to promote development, transmission research, and supply chain development.

A key part of the strategy focuses on the development and deploying floating offshore wind. DOE is leading the efforts in response to the Biden administration’s calls to make the U.S. a leader in the technology. DOE launched the “Floating Offshore Wind Shot,” which aims to reduce the costs of electricity from floating turbines by more than 70 percent. The strategy sets a goal of reducing the cost of floating offshore wind energy in deep water far from shore to $45 per megawatt-hour by 2035.

About two-thirds of the nation’s offshore wind resource potential is in areas with water depths over approximately 200 feet, according to DOE. Last year, DOE along with the Departments of the Interior, Commerce, and Transportation hosted a summit as part of the goal to deploy 15 GW of floating offshore wind capacity by 2035. 

Yesterday, DOE also announced the Phase One winners in its three phase Floating Offshore Wind Readiness (FLOWIN) program. Nine companies focusing on addressing elements of the critical manufacturing and supply chain challenges were selected. Each receives $100,000 plus credit for $75,000 of technical support from DOE’s national laboratories. The second pass is set to launch which focuses on mass manufacturing and offers prizes for up to five winners each at $450,000 plus $100,000 in technical services. The total FLOWIN Prize has a cash value of $5.85 million plus up to nearly $1.2 million in technical support.

The Biden administration highlights that these efforts are a continuation of the strategy mapped out that included holding up to seven offshore wind lease sales by 2025. After the record New York Bight auction as well as the Carolina Long Bay and first California auctions, they are moving forward with the Gulf of Mexico while also targeting offshore Oregon and Maine, and the development of areas including off Florida, Georgia, and North and South Carolina. 

Supporting this are other elements of the government, including the Maritime Administration (MARAD) which last year awarded grants for nearly $100 million for port projects, MARAD is focusing on staging and assembly facilities, docks for the specialized vessels, and infrastructure development. A further $660 million in funding for port-related infrastructure projects is included in the FY 2023 budget. 

DOE highlights that its new strategic plan connects the work happening at the Wind Energy Technology Office with other sectors of the agency. They report that 15 other DOE officers have specific roles as they work to continue the investments in research and development.

 

Norway Announces Details for First Two Offshore Wind Auctions

Norway's first projects include floating wind off the west coast and another site in the North Sea (file photo)

PUBLISHED MAR 29, 2023 5:20 PM BY THE MARITIME EXECUTIVE

 

Norway announced the first two lease areas that it will offer as it moves to begin the development of its offshore wind energy industry. It marks a critical first step being taken after an extended period of study on how best to execute the strategy which calls for up to 30 GW of offshore wind energy by 2040.

Two separate auctions are planned with one area in the North Sea near the border with Denmark and a second area along the west coast near the existing oil operations off Stavanger. Norway is using the British auction model for these first two projects with the Minister of Petroleum and Energy reporting that they will propose to parliament an upper limit on any state funding for the projects as they begin to move forward with the industry. Plans call for the awarding of the first projects by the end of 2023 with the government planning to announce new offshore wind areas in 2025.

“Leading Norway through the green shift is one of our major tasks as a government,” said Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre at a press event in Oslo. “In order to further develop Norway, the answer to almost all questions is that we need more energy production. And that is why today marks a milestone.”

During the presentation, plans were outlined for the two proposed lease areas which collectively could provide at least 3 GW of wind energy. The Prime Minister noted that the plans for 30 GW are “almost on par with Norway’s total power production last year.” He also highlighted that Norway has five times as much area at sea as it has on land creating a large potential for the wind energy industry. The coastline also has “lots of wind.”

The first project is Sørlige Nordsjø II for which they will offer a single lease for the first phase consisting of 235 square miles. Located in the North Sea, it is suited to fixed bottom wind turbines with an expected 1.5 GW of power production. This first lease process will have a pre-qualification round where companies must document their technical competence and financial strength. Between six and eight companies will proceed into the auction with applications due by August 4, 2023.

The second project, Utsira Nord, is off the west coast and would require floating wind turbines. Currently, they are proposing three lease areas with a total of 386 square miles. Each will have a minimum of 500 MW, but it could be increased to as high as 750 MW based on studies currently underway. Applications are due by September first and Norway plans to use a qualitative criteria designed to facilitate innovation and technology development for floating offshore wind.

After the areas have been allocated, Norway will require the developers to conduct an impact assessment. It will be part of a process to mature the areas and finalize the designs for the country’s first offshore wind power production.

 

To End Hotel Housing for Migrants, UK Revisits Barge Accommodations

U.S. Navy file image

PUBLISHED MAR 31, 2023 2:54 AM BY THE MARITIME EXECUTIVE

 

The government of UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is reported to be in talks to charter an accommodations barge for migrant housing, part of a high-profile plan to downgrade accommodations for illegal immigrants. The UK currently spends about $7.5 million per day on hotel rooms for migrants awaiting asylum hearings, and Justice Minister Dominic Raab explained that the government's objective is to find less-attractive berthing. 

"Being housed in a hotel with all the amenities that that gives is not appropriate for people coming here illegally. . . . We must end, if you like, this perverse incentive through the hotels and in a broader sense the hospitality that this country gives [to migrants]," Raab said in an interview on Sky News on Wednesday. "We'll look at the full range of cheaper, lower cost options. We'll look at barges, it's been done elsewhere in Europe, it's been done in Scotland, we'll look at ex-military barracks."

The previous administration of former Prime Minister Boris Johnson considered cruise, ferry or barge accommodations for migrants in 2022, but set the aside when officials warned that it could be costlier than hotels. In addition to charter costs, port fees and security could impose additional expenses, according to Bloomberg. Advisers also told then-Home Secretary Priti Patel that barge accommodation could be illegal under UK law. 

Cost aside, the administration's objective is to make UK migrant housing less desirable. "We must fundamentally alter our posture toward those who seek to enter our country illegally," immigration minister Robert Jenrick said. "We cannot risk becoming a magnet for the millions of people who are displaced and seeking better economic prospects."

The use of vessels for migrant housing has been done before in the UK, and has been used widely in the EU. The Scottish government chartered two cruise ships last year to provide temporary shelter to Ukrainian refugees. The charter for one has wound down, but the second remains in service near Edinburgh. 

 

Royal Navy Decommissions HMS Enterprise Ending Ocean Survey Service

HMS Enterprise ended 20 yearso f service also ending the traditional ocean survey operation (Royal Navy photos)

PUBLISHED MAR 31, 2023 8:00 PM BY THE MARITIME EXECUTIVE

 

A Royal Navy survey ship that went beyond its primary mandates to take part in many global missions and helped in humanitarian crises including the Beirut port explosion has been decommissioned after steaming more than 500,000 miles in a career spanning two decades. The HMS Enterprise, which was considered one of the most versatile ships in the Royal Navy, and which was the second of two Echo-class survey ships alongside HMS Echo, was decommissioned on March 30 at the Portsmouth Naval Base ending 20 years of service.

The Enterprise, which is the tenth ship in the Royal Navy’s evolving fleet to bear the name was ordered in 2000 and built by the historic Appledore Shipbuilders, which today is working to relaunch after being acquired by Harland & Wolff. Named by Lady Sally Forbes, the vessel was commissioned in 2003 to carry out hydrographic and oceanographic operations across the world besides ensuring safe navigation on and under the water and acted as a floating base for mine countermeasure activities.

Over two decades, its missions took the vessel to the four corners of the globe from Japan and the Pacific Rim, the heat of the Gulf and Middle East, the icy waters of Norway and the High North, the Falklands, the Mediterranean, and European waters far beyond its regular hydrographic duties.

 

Ensign is lowered for the last time

 

Though not designed for humanitarian missions, the ship was among the early responders that helped victims of the port of Beirut explosion in August 2020. Following the explosion that devastated Lebanon’s capital city, Enterprise spent weeks supplying essential commodities to the victims.

In 2014, the ship was involved in another humanitarian mission in Libya where it evacuated civilians caught amid civil unrest. The ship has also spent extensive periods supporting the international operation to rescue migrants in the deadly waters of the Mediterranean. These rescue missions earned the ship the military’s highest peace prize, the Firmin Sword.

Apart from humanitarian missions, the ship has over the past five years been involved in a diverse span of activities ranging from detecting mines in the Arabian Gulf to saving lives and disrupting the work of human traffickers as part of a European task group Operation Sophia.

At the decommissioning ceremony attended by Lady Sally Forbes alongside Admiral Sir Ian Forbes, Enterprise Commanding Officer Commander Malcolm McCallum said the ship has been of great service to the Royal Navy over its 20 years of operation. “Throughout her service over the last two decades, she has continually punched above her weight, delivering real operational effect and representing the nation throughout the world. Her influence has been truly global,” he said.

The Enterprise was often at home in its key mandates of mapping and surveying the ocean floor. Over the years, the ship has surveyed hundreds of thousands of square miles of ocean floor and in 2022 earned the rare distinction of venturing closer to the North Pole than any other Royal Navy vessel, sailing within 1,000 miles of the top of the world.

 

Crew of HMS Enterprise during decommissioning ceremony

 

The ship, which was manned by a 50-strong crew who are experts in examining and mapping the seafloor, has also been into the Arctic to update charts and scientific understanding of waters increasingly patrolled by Royal Navy warships to maintain freedom of navigation of the High North.

Following the decommissioning of the Enterprise and her sister vessel Echo which was decommissioned in June 2022, the Royal Navy is set to change tactics in ocean surveying. Through the Future Military Data Gathering Program being introduced over the next 18 months, the Navy intends to deploy drones and autonomous systems on other vessels – including commercial ships – to gather the relevant information.

Demands for Reform in the Wake of Philippine Ferry Fire

The wreck was beached where the search continues (Philippine Coast Guard photos)

PUBLISHED MAR 31, 2023 7:28 PM BY THE MARITIME EXECUTIVE

 

There are growing calls for reforms in the Philippines in the aftermath of this week’s tragedy when another inter-island ferry caught fire resulting in casualties and scenes of devastation. The primary agencies overseeing the shipping sector responded with a series of steps while the country’s senate is also demanding actions and planning an investigation.

 The Bureau of Fire Protection declared the fire aboard the passenger-cargo ferry Lady Mary Joy 3 officially out as of 7:30 a.m. om March 30, 10 hours after the first reports of a fire in the passenger areas of the vessel. Survivors continue to tell the authorities that the fire began in the passenger areas and that there was chaos aboard the vessel. Many people jumped into the water to escape. The vessel came to rest on the shore.

The Lady Mary Joy 3 had departed Zamboanga City for an overnight trip to Jolo, Sulu in the southern Philippines on March 29. Reports of the fire began around 10:30 p.m. while the vessel was near Baluk-Baluk Island where it has come to rest.

 

 

As of this morning the Coast Guard along with multiple agencies are continuing the search and retrieval operation. Several teams and vessels remain in the area continuing to look for the missing. Initially they said sections of the vessel were too hot to reach and crews had to be pulled back at one point because of the dangers. Pictures released by the Coast Guard show scenes of total devastation demonstrating the intensity of the fire. 

The Coast Guard revised its report now saying that 29 people were known to have died in the fire, down from a report of 31, but that seven people remain missing. Eleven of the casualties drowned and they have been identified. The 18 bodies recovered from the vessel are badly burned and awaiting DNA testing for positive identification. Media reports previously said that several children including one infant were among the dead.

The survivor count has been set at 216 with the Coast Guard believing a total of 252 individuals were aboard. This included 205 passengers and 35 crew. There were also eight Army personnel and four Coast Guard personnel traveling on the vessel. Earlier reports said the manifest for the vessel was incomplete and inaccurate.

 

 

 

“The MV Lady Mary Joy 3 tragedy brings back memories of neglect and problems [with] corruption in the enforcement of safety of seagoing vessels and where passengers ships [or] vessels serve practically as floating coffins because of their lack of safety,” said Senate Majority Leader Joel Villanueva in a prepared statement. The senate is calling for an investigation into both the Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) and the Philippine Coast Guard. They want to know the steps taken by the agencies for enforcement of rules regarding seaworthiness, safety requirements, and manning of all vessels operating in the Philippines.

For its part, MARINA issued several directives in the hours after the tragedy. They have ordered a full survey of all the vessels of the Aleson Shipping Lines. Media reports said the shipping company has not made a public statement. On its website the company called itself the dominate shipping operator in Western Mindanao with a fleet of 25 ships.

The regulators ordered Aleson to attend to all of victims and their families. They were ordered to pay for the medical attention of the survivors and to provide financial and other assistance to the survivors and the families of the deceased.

MARINA has also ordered compliance monitoring regarding the safety regulations and necessary steps to  prevent similar incidents. They also released a reminder for engine room crews, crew working in other parts of vessels, and passengers on the steps to guard against fires.

Video: Philippine Ferry Fire Kills At Least 31 with Search Continuing

Fire engulfed the passenger areas aboard the ferry (Philippine Coast Guard photo)

PUBLISHED MAR 30, 2023 11:57 AM BY THE MARITIME EXECUTIVE

 

A small inter-island ferry operating in the Sulu Sea in the southern portion of the Philippines caught fire while underway overnight leaving many passengers dead and injured. Officials are struggling to arrive at accurate counts but at the last report, the Coast Guard is saying at least 31 bodies have been recovered but they had been able to access parts of the vessel due to extreme heat. The Coast Guard confirmed 160 survivors while media reports are now saying that approximately 230 passengers and crew survived.

Ferry travel is a common means of transport around the Philippines but has a spotty safety record. It is the second reported incident in the past year. In May 2022, at least seven people were killed in another fire on a ferry.

The Mary Joy 3 was a small combination ferry and cargo ship registered in the Philippines. The 835 gross ton vessel departed Zamboanga for the overnight trip to Jolo both in the southern Basilan province. The Coast Guard received reports of a fire on board at approximately 23:00 on March 29 and immediately sent at least four patrol boats assisted by other SAR teams.

Passengers reported that they awoke to smoke and a spreading fire in the accommodations area of the vessel. Many reportedly jumped into the sea, some with life jackets. Local fishermen also responded assisting with rescuing people from the water.

The captain of the vessel has reportedly told the Coast Guard that he believes the fire began in the passenger accommodations. He said it spread into the galley and then they believe there were explosions possibly from an LPG tank in the galley.

 

 

Built in 1990 in Japan, the vessel is 239 feet long and operated by the Aleson Shipping Line. The company started in the 1970s and reports it currently has a fleet of 25 vessels and “has become the dominant shipping operator in Western Mindanao.” The registry indicates they acquired the vessel in 2011.

The Coast Guard is having a difficult time determining how many people were aboard the ferry, saying that the manifest appears to be incomplete and inaccurate. Officials are insisting the vessel was not overloaded. Some reports are saying there were up to 250 people aboard while the Coast Guard said the manifest showed 240 passengers and crew. Some of the survivors are members of the army and coast guard who however are reportedly not appearing on the manifest. It is believed there were 35 crewmembers.

 

The wreck has been beached in the southern Philippines (Isabela City-DRRM photo)

 

Passengers were asleep on the lower deck of the vessel when the fire started. An initial search recovered at least 18 bodies from inside the ship but the Coast Guard is saying some sections are still too hot to enter. The vessel was beached with the Coast Guard cutter extinguishing the fire after about eight hours. Among the dead are reports of a six-month-old child as well as several other children. At least several of the people drowned attempting to escape the ship.

Some of the survivors suffered minor burns and bruises. They have been taken to local hospitals.

The Coast Guard has begun an investigation while continuing the search of the vessel and the surrounding waters.

 

Video: Norway’s Hydrogen-Powered Ferry Begins Service 

MF Hydra is Norway's first commercial hydrogen-fueled ferry (Norled)

PUBLISHED MAR 31, 2023 6:43 PM BY THE MARITIME EXECUTIVE

 

Norway marked another first in the development of hydrogen-fueled shipping. After years of development, the MF Hydra, the first commercial ferry operating on liquid hydrogen entered regular service. The vessel is a pioneer in the technology and a demonstration of the potential of hydrogen, but it is also helping to define the rules for hydrogen-fueled commercial shipping.

While there are a few examples of hydrogen-fueled shipping already in service, such as a workboat launched last year by CMB.TECH of Belgium, much still needs to be developed and learned about the use of the fuel. The Norwegians are highlighting that other than Norled, the shipping company operating the ferry, and the MF Hydra, the space industry in its rocket propulsion is one of the few current large users of hydrogen.

The partners in this new project highlight that when the work on the MF Hydra started, both the technology and regulations from the classification societies and the Norwegian Maritime Authority were inadequate. Their project among others has helped to advance these fronts with the first regulations in place for the handling and use of hydrogen-fueled ships.

“It has been an incredibly exciting, educational, and challenging project. We must commend our competent cooperation partners on this journey, and not least the NPRA (Norwegian Public Roads Administration). They made liquid hydrogen a requirement in their tender specification, forcing the development of new technology. Together we have made history,” said Erlend Hovland, Chief Technology Officer of Norled.

The new ferry builds on Norway’s heritage in innovation. They highlight the MF Glutra launched in 2000 that became the first car ferry to run on liquefied natural gas. Eleven years ago, the NPRA issued a tender that resulted in the construction of MF Ampere, an electric ferry with a propeller drive. They also called for the innovation of the hydrogen-fueled ferry while Norled is also proceeding with larger, electric-battery-driven ferries.

The project worked closed both with the Norwegian regulators and DNV to get them to the point of putting the MF Hydra into service. In addition to the challenges associated with hydrogen, the ferry was adapted with a universal design with wide and threshold-free access roads without the use of a lift. There are also large public areas for passengers with windows that will provide a lot of natural light in the lounge, and a viewing area for the hydrogen installation. 

MF Hydra is 270 feet long with a 56-foot beam. The ferry is connecting the national road between Hjelmeland - Skipavik - Nesvik in Rogaland, Norway. It has a capacity of 299 passengers as well as 80 cars and 10 cargo trailers. The vessel was designed to use three tons of liquid hydrogen every three weeks. The ferry has an 80 cbm hydrogen storage tanks and is expected to reduce its annual carbon emissions by up to 95 percent. It has a service speed of 9 knots.

 

 

The vessel was built by Norway’s Westcon Shipyard. Linde Engineering in Germany supplied the hydrogen systems while Danish Ballard developed the fuel cells that produce electricity from hydrogen. Westcon in Ølensvåg was responsible for equipping and completing the vessel together with system integrator SEAM from Karmøy. Seam has also supplied the automation scope for the hydrogen system. Corvus Energy supplied the batteries.

Since the beginning of 2023, MF Hydra and Norled have been carrying out tests at the quay in Hjelmeland. In recent weeks, they have been running sea trials and received the final approvals from the Norwegian Maritime Authority (NMA).

“MF Hydra confirms Norway's world-leading position in the development of new green maritime solutions,” said Ada Jakobsen, CEO of Maritime CleanTech. “By putting the world's first hydrogen ferry into operation on a Norwegian ferry connection, we are once again showing how purchasing power and good public-private partnerships can be used to develop new and groundbreaking technology.”

The vessel is now entering regularly scheduled operations. In addition to providing an important demonstration for hydrogen-fueled operations, they expect it will contribute to the knowledge helping to advance future developments.

 

China Launches Its First Hydrogen Fuel Cell Powered Vessel

China launched its first hydrogen-powered vessel in its efforts to develop fuel cells

PUBLISHED MAR 31, 2023 2:02 PM BY THE MARITIME EXECUTIVE

 

China recently launched its first hydrogen-powered vessel which will be used as a demonstration of the technology and to support the development of the country’s fuel cell programs. The vessel, named Three Gorges Hydrogen Boat 1, will operate in the inland area around the Three Gorges dam and follows China’s largest electric vessel which was also launched last year for operations in the same region as a demonstration vessel.

Construction on the hydrogen vessel began on May 17, 2022. The design was developed by the Wuhan Changjiang Ship Design Institute working to international standards. The vessel was classed by the China Classification Society and built by Jianglong Shipbuilding. The launch took place on March 17 in Guangdong.

The vessel is 164 feet long with a 33-foot beam. The catamaran hull is built of steel with an aluminum superstructure. Power is provided by a 500 kW hydrogen fuel cell which operates in conjunction with a 1,800 kWh lithium battery system. The speed was reported as 17 miles/hour with a maximum range of 124 miles. The Chinese media is calling it the world’s largest hydrogen vessel completed to date. In addition to the emission-free operations, they also highlight the reduced noise levels during operation.

 

The catamaran vessel was recently launched in China

 

The vessel will be operated by the China Yangtze Power Company. The Global Times says it will initially be used to provide transportation as well as for patrolling the waters between the Three Gorges Dam and the Gezhouba Dam and in the Three Gorges reservoir. The China Classification society expects that it will provide important data that will support the subsequent development of hydrogen fuel cells. Reports say that the fuel cell market is growing rapidly in China and could reach $1.45 billion in the next few years.

To support the operation of the ship and the development of hydrogen propulsion for inland vessels, the China Classification Society reports that the Three Gorges Group is investing in the construction of shore-based hydrogen bunkering stations.

At the beginning of 2022, Three Gorges Group also took delivery on what was called the world’s largest battery-powered river cruise ship. After testing, the report said the vessel would be used for cruises along the Yangtze River in central China. They were also building out a network of electric charging stations along the river to support the growth of battery-powered vessels operations along China’s inland waterways.
 

 

Updated: France Says Six Crew Kidnapped as Pirates Abandon Tanker

French Navy forces llocated and secured the missing tanker (Marine Nationale photos)

PUBLISHED MAR 31, 2023 2:55 PM BY THE MARITIME EXECUTIVE

 

The French Navy located the missing product tanker that had been boarded by pirates last weekend but according to reports from the French patrol boat Premier Maitre L’Her which is assisting the tanker, six crewmembers have been kidnaped by the pirates. Security officials are continuing to warn of an increased level of threat in the Gulf of Guinea and the wider area off the west coast of Africa as efforts continue to resolve this situation.

“The Monjasa Reformer was located off Sao Tomé & Principe in the Gulf of Guinea by the French navy. At this point, the pirates had abandoned the vessel and brought a part of the crew members with them,” Danish oil trader Monjasa reported in its latest update. The company thanked the French navy and other authorities that assisted in locating the vessel while saying its thoughts are on the missing crew and their families. “Monjasa will continue working closely with the local authorities to support our seafarers safe return to their families.”

The French and British joint effort in the region, Maritime Domain Awareness for Trade Gulf of Guinea (MDAT-GoG) issued a brief update officially listing the incident as “complete,” after the vessel was located and has been secured. 

 

French naval vessel arrived to assist the Monjasa Reformer (Marine Nationale photo)

 

The French Navy provided additional details reporting its patrol boat initially proceeded to the tanker’s last known position. On Thursday afternoon, March 30, they were able to spot the vessel while using an aerial drone. At the time a skiff was alongside the tanker which they believed was heading toward Nigeria. By early evening, as they were closing in on the tanker, a new reconnaissance flight showed the skiff was no longer alongside and the French reported hearing a distress message from the Monjasa Reformer broadcast on VHF 16. 

The patrol boat reached the tanker and sent a team across including a doctor and nurse. The crew told the French that the pirates had left with six of their colleagues. The medical team reports they treated three of the crewmembers for minor injuries. They did not detail the vessel’s position but security consultants EOS Group calculated its position as approximately 90 nautical miles south of Bonny Island, Nigeria. 
 

 

 

The vessel had a crew of 16 with Danish Shipping reporting earlier in the week that none of the crew were Danes, but their nationalities are unknown. Monjasa is being circumspect in its reports over concerns for the safety of the crew. 

A Nigerian patrol boat the NNS Gongola met up with vessels this morning and with the agreement of Monjasa, the tanker was escorted to the port of Lome. Monjasa is saying the crew that remained aboard are in good health and have been brought to a secure environment. The company also said there is no damage reported to the ship or cargo.

Authorities across the region had been searching for the vessel for the past five days with one report placing it on the move west northwest of its original position 140 nautical miles west of Port Pointe-Noire, Congo. The vessel ended up traveling hundreds of miles to the north before it was abandoned.

Danish Shipping and previously the ICC International Maritime Bureau (IMB) both highlighted the importance of maintaining vigilance as demonstrated by the current kidnapping incident. IMB in its annual report for 2022 highlighted that piracy had dropped to a modern low with just 19 incidents in the Gulf of Guinea and 115 reports worldwide during 2022. While 107 vessels were boarded last year, the IMB only recorded two hijackings and two kidnappings, but 41 crew were held hostage at some point.

Security analysts are pointing out that the current assault took place further to the south than the historic activity in the Gulf of Guinea, although there have been other incidents in the region off Congo. With the efforts to combat piracy originating from Nigeria and the surrounding areas, officials had previously warned that pirates were working further to sea and across a broader area.