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)
Monday, July 03, 2023
Greece’s Elefsis Shipyards Gets US Loan Supporting Renewal of Yard
Port of the Elefsis Shipyards which has largely been idle recently as it works to emerge from bankruptcy (Elefsis Shipyards)
The efforts to revitalize the Greek shipbuilding industry are getting support from the United States in the form of a development bank loan. The U.S. Ambassador to Greek announced that paperwork has been completed for a $125 million loan that will be used to support the redevelopment of the Elefsis shipyard located south of Athens in Elefsis Bay.
Efforts to start a large shipbuilder and repair facility to service Greece’s commercial fleet date back to the early 1960s when they organized to develop Elefsis. Operations commenced in 1969, and while Greece continues to be a leader shipowner, the yard fell on hard times in part due to lower-priced competition. New management took over the operation in 1997 but the yard fell further into debt and disrepair. It has been at least five years since a commercial ship docked at the yard with reports that its debt exceeded $460 million when it filed for bankruptcy.
North American-based Onex, a private equity firm, has been leading the effort to restore Greece’s shipyard capabilities. They have been running the smaller Neorion Shipyards on Syros successfully for the past few years and moved to take control of Elefsis. Headed by Greek businessman Panos Xenokostas, Onex has said it wants to fully revitalize Elefsis to become the largest shipyard in Greece. Their plan calls for an annual capacity to handle 200 ships and restarting construction operations.
The shipyard has been kept open by the Hellenic Navy for the past few years with repair work. The Navy also has a contract for two ships to be built at the yard. The plan calls for Elefsis Shipyards to be a major supplier to the Hellenic Navy as well as serving the commercial shipping industry.
The loan will be coming from the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation, America’s development finance institution. The funding will be used to continue the restoration efforts. The value of the loan was expanded from the original reports to the Greek Parliament that the yard would receive $102 million to the new value of $125 million.
The loan comes as the Greek courts are expected to issue final approval to Onex’s plans for bringing the yard out of bankruptcy.
In November 2022, Elefsis Shipyards received its first commercial ship in more than five years. The 56,500 dwt bulk carrier Star Cleo operated by Star Bulk arrived at the yard for an overhaul. Officials acknowledged the quick support of the Greek shipping community after Onex received the relevant agreements for the restructuring of the yard and submitted its reorganization plan to the courts.
The yard also completed the lifting of its Number 1 dry dock in April after many years of being out of service. Company executives said it had been a very complex undertaking because of the poor condition of the dry dock. It had been submerged in the yard since at least 2018.
Onex also has entered into a cooperation agreement with Fincantieri to support the revitalization of the yard. The Greek yard will become a supplier and will have support from the Italian company for a range of projects starting with at least two corvettes, with an option for a third, for the Hellenic Navy. The goal is to expand the capacity with a new production line and other facilities so that the yard can participate in projects up to sophisticated frigates. Fincantieri will also support the development of the capabilities for maintenance, repair, and overhaul both for the Hellenic Navy and the commercial shipping industry.
Report: Floating Offshore Wind Faces Delays in Rollout
Equinor's Hywind Scotland floating turbine test park (Equinor file image)
The floating offshore wind revolution will not be coming quite as fast as expected, according to a new market outlook released by analysts TGS-4C Offshore.
A year ago, TGS-4C predicted that there would be 16 GW of floating offshore wind capacity in operation or under construction around the world by the end of the decade, and no less than 48 GW by 2035. Over the last year, however, the timeline for many projects has slipped. Developers have set a slower-than-expected pace in securing construction permits and offtake contracts, and this is dragging on the expected startup date for future projects. The consultancy now expects to see about 12 GW of capacity by 2030 (4 GW less than last year's forecast) and 39 GW by 2035 (9 GW less).
"Floating wind holds a lot of promise, but delivery is challenging. Offtake visibility is currently limited, and regulatory uncertainty is high in key emerging floating markets. There are many countries whose processes have not yet been tested and matured through bottom-fixed wind. Consequently, we don’t expect the build-out of floating wind to scale significantly until after 2030," said TGS-4C director of research Richard Aukland.
In addition to delays, the cost structure of floating wind is likely to stay higher for longer. TGS-4C has revised its projections for the long term levelized cost of energy (LCOE) and capex for floating wind development, and it still expects costs to come down, but more slowly than previously forecast because of the rising cost of supplies and capital. The consultancy now expects floating wind's LCOE to come in at about $90-110 per MWh by 2030, roughly twice the current price of onshore solar. This could eventually come down to as little as $55 per MWh as the technology scales up, but the timeline for achieving this cost savings is 20 years out.
The majority of the world's offshore wind potential is located in deep waters, where the extra expense and complexity of floating foundations will be required. The reduced momentum for floating wind will have an effect at the margins for the availability of green power, particularly for nations with strong deepwater wind potential in their coastal waters. The UK, Ireland, Norway, South Korea, Japan and the U.S. West Coast are all in line to develop floating wind at scale in the decades to come, assuming that the project economics and the regulatory environment align.
Wind-Assisted Propulsion Study Completed After Five Demonstrations
Scanlines ferry Copenhagen was the largest vessel in the study (Scanlines)
A three-and-a-half-year program to test and demonstrate a range of technologies in wind-assisted propulsion has come to a close with organizers reporting that they believe it will provide critical information to assist the shipping industry in adopting the technologies. The WASP Project (Wind Assisted Ship Propulsion) was funded by the European Regional Development Fund providing a focus for research, academic study, and the testing and installation of wind-assisted propulsion on ships operating in the North Sea region.
Reporting on the conclusion of the project, the organizers are saying that it generated a significant stream of information and transparency around wind propulsion technology selection, installation and operation, that will contribute to the general development of the wind-assist sector. Three different wind propulsion technologies were tested with a total of five commercial vessels retrofitted with wind-assist systems. Third party validation was also conducted to verify the actual fuel savings achieved.
The researchers and installations focused on three technologies. They installed Flettner-style rotors in two of the projects. In addition, they also tested both retractable and foldable suction wings as well as a wingsail. Most of the vessels were smaller coastal ships ranging in size from 1,600 dwt to 3,600 dwt as well as a larger 6,500 cargo ship.
The largest ship in the program was the 23,000 gross ton Copenhagen, a Ro-Ro ferry operated by Scandlines that was an early test of the rotor technology. The other ships were the Annika Braren which also tested a rotor. Three ships, the Ankie, the Frisian Sea, and the Tharsis each tested different rigid wings.
The report highlights that they were able to deliver up to 10 percent fuel savings. As expected, the fuel savings from these systems was variable, in part depending on the route and vessel’s operating profile. The organizers, however, believe the five installations of wind propulsion technology will continue to serve as examples of how wind propulsion systems can be deployed as retrofits on different vessels. These installations also contributed to the generation of three points of reference for different wind propulsion technologies and shipping segments that will support ship owners to make investment decisions going forward.
The project will continue to have an influence on the development and application of the technology. Organizers report that the project played a key role in developing standard procedures for sea trials for wind propulsion technology-equipped vessels. The organizers said that these are significant developments that will reduce the barriers for the uptake of wind propulsion solutions.
In summarizing the results of the project they believe it generated significant learnings, deliverables, and has contributed to the general development of the wind-assist sector. By demonstrating the performance of several wind propulsion technologies in real-life operations, they believe the project contributed to building trust in the technology and this will hopefully convince more ship owners to invest in this green technology.
The developed sea trial methods and key performance indicators will be translated into ITTC Guidelines, which will be published in 2024. The data will also be maintained as a reference for future efforts and they also point to spin-off projects. Project partners from the WASP study, Rörd Braren and ECOFlettner, announced they will be working with MARIKO, the maritime competence center in Germany, and other project partners to further optimize the ECO Flettner rotor technology and widen the testing of the rotor systems on different ship types.
BOEM Commences Regulatory Review of Eleventh Offshore Wind Farm Plan
The US is starting review of the eleventh offshore wind farm construction and operating plan (file photo)
U.S. regulatory announced today that they are commencing the review of the eleventh offshore wind farm plan as efforts continue toward the goal of deploying 30 GW offshore wind energy capacity by 2030. The process is expected to run for about a year and could lead to a two-phase project that could produce a total of 2,430 megawatts of wind energy powering over 850,000 homes.
The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) is starting the next phase in the process for Beacon Wind, which is being developed in a joint venture between Equinor and BP. This review comes as the first two commercial-scale offshore wind farms planned for the United States also started building their offshore assets. The U.S. is expected to have its first large commercial wind farms operating by the end of 2023.
“BOEM is advancing the administration’s ambitious energy goals while remaining diligent in our efforts to avoid, minimize, and mitigate impacts to ocean users and the marine environment,” said BOEM Director Elizabeth Klein. She notes that the environmental review process seeks input from government partners, the fishing community, and other ocean users and includes public comments.
The Beacon Wind lease area is approximately 17 nautical miles south of Nantucket, Massachusetts, and approximately 52 nautical miles east of Montauk, New York. The unique position means that the wind farm has the capabilities when completed to provide power to multiple locations in the Northeast United States. The current plan calls for the installation of up to 155 turbines, up to two offshore substation platforms, and up to two offshore export cables. They would make landfall in Astoria, in Queen County New York, and Waterford, Connecticut.
Beacon Wind submitted a Construction and Operations Plan (COP) to BOEM on June 5, 2023. The notice which will be published tomorrow, June 30, outlines meetings scheduled for the second half of July as the first step in the review process.
“We are pleased that the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management has announced its Notice of Intent (NOI) to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for Equinor and BP’s Beacon Wind project. The NOI marks a significant milestone in Beacon Wind’s path toward regulatory approval. It also initiates a public review period that provides an important opportunity to gather feedback as the project progresses,” said Molly Morris, President of Equinor Renewables Americas which would be the operator for the site.
The lease was acquired in 2019 and the plan calls for a first phase, which is what is now progressing in the review process, that would generate 1.23 MW of power. The company’s published timeline anticipates that they could have regulatory approval in mid-2024 and first power in the late 2020s. The partners are currently evaluating offtake opportunities for the second phase. These two projects are in addition to the companies’ Empire Wind 1 and 2 proposed wind farms.
The wind farms will be supported by the development of manufacturing facilities at New York’s Port of Albany. Staging and assembly would be undertaken at the planned wind port redevelopment of the South Brooklyn Marine Terminal in New York City. The 73-acre site is slated to become one of the largest wind ports in the United States.
The Vineyard Wind project in Massachusetts and the South Fork Wind project in New York both recently began their offshore construction phase highlighting that they had “steel in the water.” Boskalis is leading the installation at South Fork roughly 35 miles east of Montauk, N.Y. DEME is leading the work at Vineyard Wind, located 15 miles south of Martha’s Vineyard. Both projects are scheduled to be completed late this year and begin generating power. They will continue to be rivals with each seeking to claim the title of first in the USA.
Two New Partnerships Show Promise of Hydrogen Power in Europe
Two newly-announced projects add to a growing list of hydrogen-propulsion partnerships in Northern Europe. In Boden, Sweden and Duisburg, Germany, H2 suppliers and shipping companies have announced additional initiatives to bring this green fuel to the maritime market.
Swedish ferry operator Gotland Company announced Monday that it has reached an offtake agreement with hydrogen producer H2 Green Steel (H2GS). H2GS is the developer of a massive electrolyzer plant in Boden, a town in northern Sweden. The 700 MW plant will be among the largest in the world, and it will primarily supply a carbon-neutral steel mill.
Leveraging H2GS' experience in green H2 project development, the two companies are conducting a feasibility study to evaluate how to supply green H2 to power Gotland's future fleet. The ferry operator is currently developing two newbuilds designed to run on hydrogen, with an objective of having at least one ship operational by 2030. About 20,000 tonnes of hydrogen per year will be required to operate the company's route between the island of Gotland and the mainland.
"Collaborating with Gotland Company signifies expanding our competence in large scale hydrogen production beyond iron and steel. Joining forces with a Swedish partner sharing our passion for climate change matters and acting as the front runner to reduce emissions in the important ecosystem in the waters around Sweden, naturally feels especially strong and relevant," said Kajsa Ryttberg-Wallgren, Head of Hydrogen Business at H2 Green Steel.
The scope of the feasibility study includes the evaluation of infrastructure required to produce and transport the hydrogen for Gotland's operations. About 30 MW of electrolyzer capacity will be required, a small fraction of H2GS' total installed base.
Inland hydrogen power
Meanwhile, in the inland hub of Duisburg, Germany, port operator Duisport is in talks with H2 producer Lhyfe on the possibility of building a midsize green hydrogen production plant.
The proposal envisions a 20 MW electrolyzer complex located in Duisburg-Hochfeld's outer harbor, a few miles to the south of the main terminal area on the Rhine. This site currently handles coal, and the transformation would be pragmatic as well as symbolic: coal volumes are in decline.
Three local businesses have declared an intent to offtake H2 from the plant if it is built, including the future Duisburg Gateway Terminal, a carbon neutral container facility that will be built on the site of a former coal pier. Hydrogen is an integral part of the new container terminal's development plan, and its success is key for Duisport's transition away from coal cargoes.
All that is needed is a better grid connection to carry enough green electricity to the development site, and two utilities have agreed to take care of the power supply.
Duisport and Lhyfe have announced the launch of a feasibility study for the project, and it could be in operation as early as 2025.
"The construction of the first large-scale electrolyser in the Port of Duisburg would be a milestone on the way to decarbonising the domestic economy and industry," said Duisport CEO Markus Bangen. "At the same time, we are fulfilling our promise not only to build the largest container terminal in the European hinterland with the Duisburg Gateway Terminal, but also to operate it in a completely climate-neutral manner."
Lhyfe Produces First Green Hydrogen from Floating Offshore Platform
Floating hydrogen platform has begun producing the first green hydrogen in a critical demonstration project (Lhyfe)
French renewable energy company Lhyfe reports that its pilot project Sealhyfe has produced the first kilos of green hydrogen from the first offshore hydrogen production platform. Sealhyfe is now connected to the subsea hub off Le Croisic, France in the Atlantic powered by a floating wind turbine, designed to demonstrate the potential and provide critical experience as the company works to scale up to large-scale offshore green hydrogen production.
The pilot hydrogen production platform was towed to the test site just over 12 miles offshore on May 19 to begin the second phase of its testing. It was then connected to the subsea hub at the SEM-REV offshore testing site using a dedicated umbilical cable that was specially designed for the hydrogen application. The hub is linked with a wind turbine, FLOATGEN, a 2 MW floating turbine engineered and operated by BW Ideol.
The platform began producing its first kilos of offshore hydrogen as of June 20, marking what Lhyfe is calling “a decisive milestone for the future of the sector.” It is the first of several projects that seeks to use power generated from offshore wind farms to develop a supply of green hydrogen that can be used as a decarbonizing fuel for industrial applications, including possibly in the maritime sector.
In launching the world’s first offshore hydrogen production pilot, Lhyfe says it wanted to prove the technical feasibility of such a project and acquire the operational experience needed to quickly scale up. Lhyfe and its partners designed, built and assembled all the technology necessary for producing hydrogen offshore, including the 1 MW electrolyzer supplied by Plug, in just 16 months. The Sealhyfe platform, which is less than 200 sq. meters in area, is capable of producing up to 400 kilograms of hydrogen a day.
From September 2022 to May 2023, Sealhyfe was moored at the Quai des Frégates, in the Port of Saint-Nazaire, France for a series of start-up tests. This included benchmarking the platform to provide comparison data for the second phase trial offshore. Systems were also optimized including the development of the software and algorithm building blocks necessary to manage the site remotely.
The platform will now replicate the previous tests of producing hydrogen offshore, under the toughest conditions. The company says it voluntarily chose to confront Sealhyfe with the toughest conditions offshore to test operations under real conditions. The floating platform was re-engineered to stabilize the production unit at sea.
Lhyfe is also preparing to move to the next stage of the demonstrations working with a consortium of nine partners to proceed to a large-scale project (10 MW) that will be able to produce up to four tonnes a day of green hydrogen at sea. The concept calls for exporting the hydrogen ashore by pipeline, and then compressed and delivered to commercial customers. Known as Project Hope, Lhyfe and its partners have been selected by the European Commission under the European Clean Hydrogen Partnership and are being awarded a €20 million grant as part of the goal to gear up to commercial scale.
Through these two pioneering projects in offshore hydrogen production, Lhyfe aims to validate industrial solutions for the production of green hydrogen. Their goal is to contribute to achieving the target set by the European Commission as part of the REPowerEU plan which calls for 10 million tonnes of clean hydrogen produced in the European Union by 2030.
Canada Enacts Mandatory Wastewater Regulations for Cruise Ships
Citing the importance of strengthening Canada’s environmental standards, government officials announced today that effective immediately they have moved from voluntary to mandatory measures governing cruise ship wastewater discharges. Having previously been criticized for lax standards and enforcement, they highlighted that the new measures align with or exceed standards set out by the International Maritime Organization.
“We need to ensure they are doing so in a more sustainable manner moving forward,” Omar Alghabra, Canada’s Minister of Transport said while recognizing the contribution of cruise tourism to Canada’s economy. He noted the direct and indirect contributions to the economy represent more than C$4 billion annually (US$3 billion) while highlighting the need to protect Canada’s waters and environment.
The rules were first introduced in April 2022 on a voluntary basis for measures addressing discharges of greywater (the drainage from sinks, laundry machines, bathtubs and showers, or dishwaters) and sewage (wastewater from bathrooms and toilets). They noted that greywater can contain detergents, cleaners, grease, and cooking oil while in addition to human waste sewage can contain pharmaceuticals and heavy metals.
The timing of the shift to mandatory regulations comes as the cruise industry is in peak season in Canada. Cruise ships transit Canadian coastal waters during their trips to Alaska with frequent stops in Vancouver and Victoria. The Alaska market is expected to set new records in 2023. Cruise ships also cruise along Canada’s east coast, as well as trips that also extend along the St. Lawrence River.
The rules apply to Canada’s waters below the Arctic region prohibiting the discharge of greywater or treated sewage within three nautical miles from shore where geographically possible. They are also strengthening the regulations on the treatment of greywater and sewage in the zone between three and twelve nautical miles offshore. Canada already has in place stricter regulations governing the use of its Arctic waterways.
Cruise ships are required to comply with the new regulations and will also undergo inspections. Canadian officials warn that a cruise ship found to be non-compliant will face enforcement actions. The monetary penalties are up to a maximum of C$250,000 (US$190,000).
Canada introduced the new voluntary regulations in 2022 responding in part to reports from environmental groups. The groups had used the pause in cruising during the pandemic as an opportunity to lobby for tighter restrictions. It was estimated that cruise ships released more than eight billion gallons of wastewater during the Alaska season in 2019.
The rules could be especially challenging for older cruise ships. Historically, the industry has outfitted some ships with increased capabilities so that they could operate in more challenging environments such as sailing to Alaska and parts of Northern Europe. Newer cruise ships the industry highlights have incorporated the most advanced wastewater treatment capabilities.
Military Sexual Assault
Op-Ed: Time to Investigate SASH Cover-Up at U.S. Coast Guard Academy
In 2014, I testified twice before a Congressionally mandated panel on military sexual assault. I testified about the problems I’d encountered as a Coast Guard officer in the late 1990s and as a Maritime Administration chief counsel.
Like all good officers, I provided recommendations on how to stop the crimes - remove prosecutions from the chain of command. Hold perpetrators accountable for committing sexual assaults. Hold people accountable for covering up sexual assaults.
I thought about those recommendations when reading the CNN article this morning about sexual assaults at the US Coast Guard Academy. Per CNN, the Coast Guard initiated a review in 2014 of sexual assaults that had occurred between the late 1980s and 2006.
The review, known as Operation Fouled Anchor, uncovered many assaults and sadly, no prosecutions. Victims were blamed and perpetrators were allowed to stay on active duty.
And then the review was covered up, only to come to light because of CNN’s reporting.
To learn that crimes were occurring without accountability fills me with sorrow. To learn that senior Coast Guard officials who I call friends participated in a possible cover-up fills me with anger.
We all swore the same oath to uphold the Constitution against all enemies foreign and domestic. A Coast Guard member who commits sexual assault violates his or her oath of office. A Coast Guard member who covers up a crime also violates his or her oath of office. Both should be held accountable for their actions.
I support Congressional hearings on the crimes that occurred in Connecticut. I support Congress’ demands that the Coast Guard provide documentation on the 42 individuals against who there may have been substantiated claims of rape, sexual assault, and sexual harassment.
I support Congress’ request for information regarding the 58 survivors, and its request for the names of the leaders who “discouraged survivors from filing formal complaints or otherwise disclosing their assaults.”
The Coast Guard’s motto Semper Paratus means “Always Ready.” It is time for service leaders to remember that they have to be always ready to hold those who commit crime accountable for their actions - and always be ready to hold those who cover up these crimes accountable as well.
K. Denise Rucker Krepp is a former Coast Guard officer and former Maritime Administration Chief Counsel
The products and services herein described in this press release are not endorsed by The Maritime Executive.
The Potential for a Mega-Sized Tug-Barge on the Upper Great Lakes
The inland ship transportation industry moves significant volumes and tonnage of bulk cargo on the Upper Great Lakes. While the tugs push and navigate barges of 740-feet length across the Great Lakes, there may be prospects of sailing even larger tug-barges in the region while making minimal changes to the locks between Lakes Superior and Huron.
Introduction
The Great Lakes shipping industry has at various times modified vessels to carry great volumes and tonnage of payload. During the early years of the 20th century, one shipping company removed boilers and coal storage from a vessel that they converted to sail propulsion, to increase payload capacity. Other companies would use a steam-powered ship to tow a former sail-driven ship in order to increase payload capacity. During an even later era, ships were converted to barges after removing engines, fuel tanks, and crew quarters, and large tugs would push and navigate the former ships across the Great Lakes.
Ships sailing between Lakes Superior and Huron need to transit a navigation lock of 1200-feet interior length. Articulated vessels built to lengths of over 1200-feet would need to uncouple to transit in a sequence through the same navigation lock. Any initiative at converting a ship of 1,000-feet length to a barge would require much research into articulated vessel dynamics and vessel structural integrity. Wave conditions would likely require the development of a coupling mechanism capable of relative vertical movement between the stern of the barge and the bow of the tug.
Precedent and Research
The precedent of tug-barge operation on the Upper Great Lakes involves barges built to 740-feet length by 78-feet width (the maximum for the MacArthur Lock). Structural research would determine the necessary modifications and reinforcements required for a vessel built to 105-feet width by over 1,000-feet in length (the maximum for the Poe Lock) to operate as a barge. The coupling mechanism between the barge stern and tug bow would be subject to repeated vertical stress loads caused by waves inducing vertical forces along the length of both hulls. Future structural research would determine as to whether or not to include relative vertical movement capability into the tug/barge coupling.
Navigation Lock
An over-length articulated vessel would split in the navigation lock after the tug has pushed the barge into the lock. Cables would attach to restrain the barge as the tug would uncouple from and then reverse from the lock. Both tug and barge would need to make the transit simultaneously transit involving both the MacArthur and the Poe locks. If the tug is under 50-feet width by under 240-feet length, it might be possible to negotiate with Canadian authorities for the tug to make the transit between Lakes Superior and Huron via Canada, in both eastbound and westbound service.
After the cable restrained barge has changed elevation, the tug would tow the barge and sail for a short distance before mooring it at dockside. It would uncouple from the barge bow and couple to the stern before continuing its voyage.
Locks Tug
There is the option for a tug stationed at Sault Ste. Marie to pull a mega-size barge from the locks. Its presence would depend on the number of mega-size barges that enter service on the Upper Great Lakes in the years ahead, as well as the headway between ships that need to transit through the locks. A generous headway between ships would allow a mega-barge and a mega-size tug to transit via parallel locks simultaneously and without causing undue delay to other ships. A close headway between ships would require a tug assigned to the locks.
Cost Aspects
The conversion of a full-size vessel that sails the Upper Great Lakes from ship to barge, would increase payload carrying capacity and increase earnings for the ship owners and especially when sailing between Chicago and ports located around Lake Erie. However, sailing between Duluth and ports around Lakes Erie and Michigan would result in the tug-barge incurring higher transit fees from dual lock transit for both tug and barge. The delay would include transit duration for both tug and barge along with duration to uncouple from the barge and then re-attach to the barge.
The economics of operating a mega-size barge on the Upper Great Lakes would depend on the increased earnings that result from increased payload capacity along with savings in fuel cost per ton-mile for the season, being able to exceed the higher cost of making the transit between Lakes Superior and Huron. While iron ore accounts for a large proportion of the bulk freight that sails across the Upper Great Lakes, a mega-size barge would be especially suitable for carrying the lower density bulk freight that requires additional onboard volume, such as agricultural produce, fuel oil and compressed gas.
Tug-Barge Coupling
Structural analysis would determine stress levels at the coupling between a barge of over 1,000-feet length and a tug of 230-feet to 350-feet length. It is possible that coupling mechanism might need to provide for relative vertical freedom of movement, to reduce bending loads on the barge superstructure as waves induce pitching motions. The coupling mechanism might combine the proven transverse hinge with triple sets of vertical rails that enclose two sets of double-flange railway-type wheels between them, to transmit forward and reverse thrust loads while allowing relative vertical movement between barge stern and tug bow.
Temporarily locking the vertical mechanism upon departure from port would allow for acceleration while preventing the bow of the tug from lifting upward. Once underway, the vertical mechanism would be unlocked and be operational as the tug-barge sails through waves, with the stern of the barge and bow of the tug rising and falling at different rates. Research and development undertaken to meet such an objective would likely have application in future ocean service, involving mega-size tugs and mega-size barges assigned to coastal service and short-distance trans-ocean service.
Future Developments
Construction is underway to rebuild the north side navigation lock between Lakes Superior and Huron, on the American side of the border. The project is scheduled for completion in 2029, with the rebuild lock being open to ship traffic either by the summer of 2029 or early 2030. If the Great Lakes shipping industry has any long-term interest in sailing extended length vessels on the Upper Great Lakes, there would be need to undertake research into the economics of operating such vessels and their structural integrity. Without such interest, the navigation lock will remain at 1200-feet interior length.
Conclusions
It may be technically possible to develop a tug-barge where the barge is over 1,000-feet in length. Such a barge would carry increased payload involving lower-density freight such as agricultural produce, liquid fuel or compressed gas. However, the Great Lakes shipping sector would need to decide as to whether such a vessel would find market application carrying bulk freight across the Upper Great Lakes. If there is long-term future interest in operating such vessels, there would likely be scope to negotiate with the Department of Transportation in regard to the interior length of the navigation lock undergoing reconstruction.
The opinions expressed herein are the author's and not necessarily those of The Maritime Executive.
The Looming Fate of Fukushima's Contaminated Water
In the coming months, Japan will be in a position to enact its long-announced plan to release contaminated water from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant into the Pacific Ocean. Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, who will make the final decision on whether to go ahead with the plan, will have to balance the fact that the tanks currently being used to store the water will reach their capacity in early 2024 against the environmental and political risks that the plan to release the water presents. How he ultimately does this is likely to have significant ramifications not only for his own domestic standing, but for Japan’s international reputation as well.
The challenge stems from the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami, which caused a meltdown at the Fukushima nuclear reactor located on Japan’s Pacific coast. Since that time, the plant’s operator, Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings (TEPCO), has had to pump in water to cool the melted fuel and fuel debris. Once the water comes in contact with the radioactive materials, it becomes radioactive itself.
TEPCO has been using a process known as Advanced Liquid Processing System (ALPS) to remove most of the radioactive elements in the water, but the technology is not able to remove from the water the low levels of tritium, a radioactive isotope of hydrogen. The treated-but-still-contaminated water is currently being stored at the power plant in specially designed tanks. Although TEPCO has constructed enough tanks to store more than 1.3 million cubic metres of contaminated water, it expects that the tanks will reach their capacity early next year.
In 2021, the Japanese government published a plan to slowly release the contaminated water into the Pacific Ocean. According to the government, the water that will be released will present a minimal risk to humans and the environment, with the level of radioactivity falling far below established safety levels. The final piece of an undersea tunnel that will be used to release the water was recently installed, leaving only final safety checks and official approvals before the water will be able to begin to flow.
Shortly after Japan announced its plans in 2021, it requested technical assistance from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), with the IAEA Director General setting up a task force to provide a science-based safety review of Japan’s plan. The task force is expected to release a comprehensive draft report in the near future.
When the government first announced its plan, it was met with significant concern – if not outrage – from a variety of groups both inside and outside of Japan. Protests against the plan came from China, South Korea, Taiwan, and the Pacific Island countries that view the ocean as part of their identity.
As a result of its diplomatic and educational efforts, Japan has begun to win over some of the objectors.
Now, two years later, there is still robust opposition from many of these same places. Japan’s fishing industry recently reiterated its opposition to the plan, China is accusing Japan of using the Pacific Ocean as its “sewer for discharging its nuclear contaminated water”, and the Secretary General of the Pacific Islands Forum has called for continued discussion and study before the water is released. Australian Minister for International Development and the Pacific Pat Conroy recently echoed the Pacific Islands Forum’s position, explaining Australia’s expectation that “any discharge of treated water by Japan will be fully informed through scientific assessments” and hope “that everyone just keeps talking”.
However, as a result of its diplomatic and educational efforts, Japan has begun to win over some of the objectors. The leaders of the Federated States of Micronesia and the Republic of Palau now say they have no objection to the release of the contaminated water. Additionally, a South Korean delegation recently visited the Fukushima site to collect additional data, showing a willingness to revise its existing opposition.
Assuming that the IAEA’s report agrees with Japan’s contention that the release of the contaminated water presents only a minimal risk to the environment and that Kishida decides to move forward with the plan, the question the prime minister will face is how to handle the political difficulties he is likely to encounter.
Within Japan, Kishida’s approval ratings have recently declined over unpopular domestic policies, raising questions of whether he will call a snap election to seek a fresh mandate. In this context, approving the release of the contaminated water before ameliorating domestic opposition from the fishing industry and others may present a meaningful threat to his own political future.
At the international level, approving the release plan risks derailing the recent rapprochement between Japan and South Korea, whose relationship has long been tense for historical reasons. It could also undermine decades of effort that Japan has put into building its status as a trusted partner for the Pacific Island countries, as well as its desire to create a “Free and Open Indo-Pacific”.
Given the fact that the storage tanks at the power plant will soon reach capacity, the inescapable reality is that action will need to be taken. The decision and resulting impact will ultimately determine whether the action is as severe as the initial meltdown.
This article appears courtesy of The Lowy Interpreter and may be found in its original form here.
