Op-Ed: To Avoid UK's Struggles, All AUKUS Subs Should Be Virginia-Class

USN file image

PUBLISHED FEB 8, 2024 12:45 PM BY THE MARITIME EXECUTIVE

 

 

[By Peter Briggs]

In a recent article for The Strategist I painted a depressing picture of the UK’s submarine capability—a force undercapitalized, with inadequate facilities, short of personnel and unable to get its nuclear-powered attack submarines (SSNs) to sea. Britain’s Royal Navy is struggling to sustain a continuous at sea nuclear deterrent, at the expense of its conventional capabilities. The combination of issues is leading to poor morale and difficulty filling key senior leadership positions.

I argued that the RN’s submarine force of four ballistic missile submarines (SSBNs) and six SSNs has fallen below critical mass. Recovery in terms of manpower, shore infrastructure and submarine numbers will not be simple or quick.

This is a poor foundation for the UK to lead the design of the submarine planned for the UK and Australia’s navies under the AUKUS arrangements agreed to by the US, UK and Australia. The risk is compounded by the need to prioritise resources to recover from this situation, sustain the continuous at sea deterrent, all whilst also introducing a new class of ballistic missile submarines.  The risk from a delayed, over cost and unproven AUKUS SSN design, requiring prolonged rectification to achieve an operational capability is much higher because of this combination of factors.

Under the current plan, the capability gap induced by the retirement of Australia’s conventionally-powered Collins Class submarines and the time taken for the transition to the AUKUS SSNs will be covered by the purchase of three to five Virginia class nuclear-powered submarines from the US.  This would impact on the US Navy’s force level in a time of shortfall and may well not achieve the necessary agreement from a future US Administration to sell these submarines.

Further, this would entail the RAN operating two classes of SSN, from two design houses—significantly adding to supply chain, training and support costs. The two countries have different nuclear regulatory regimes which impacts on the design of their respective submarines and poses issues for the current plan. Which standard is Australia to adopt?  Presumably that of the USA, given the preponderance of USN support and the intention for the USN to certify our fitness for nuclear stewardship under the current plan. How do we then manage a different standard in a UK designed AUKUS SSN?

Further, there is a significant risk that neither of the relatively small number in each class will achieve critical mass or an operational capability.

This is a compounding situation—a change in the plan is needed to avoid it. In developing this we should heed the lessons of the UK situation and ensure that both the UK and Australia’s submarine capabilities individually achieve critical mass. In Australia’s case, I believe this is at least 12 SSNs.

Using the Virginia class as the design baseline for an AUKUS SSN (V), and General Dynamics-Electric Boat (GD-EB) as the lead designer could solve these problems. With a class build of over 38 submarines, currently spread over six blocks, Virginia is a mature design and GD-EB a well-practised designer in updating and building the boats. A secure network and suite of collaborative design applications connecting all three countries would be essential if the program I propose is to succeed. The Integrated Product Development Environment (IPDE) used for Virginia has revolutionised shipbuilding, reducing construction times and costs. It is also the best way to incorporate requirements and design input from the UK and Australia.

Compared to the option for a UK design lead, which is based on the unsatisfactory experience of the Astute Class SSN, which ran considerably over budget and schedule, AUKUS SSN (V) should be less risky, cheaper and importantly, quicker to reach an operational capability.

I suggest GD-EB be tasked with leading an IPDE team, including BAE Systems and ASC, the UK and Australia’s submarine design houses, to produce an updated Virginia design available for construction in the UK, Australia and the US, optimised for sea denial. The design should be updated to achieve the following priorities:

• Simpler and quicker to build,
• Cheaper to own and operate, with a smaller crew
• Incorporating the improvements achieved over the evolution of the Virginia, Columbia, Collins and Dreadnought class submarine designs, possibly including electric propulsion, X configuration after control surfaces
• Able to be built in UK and Australian shipyards, utilising module construction, including by supporting sub-contractors
• Local supply chains in each country would be important to improve resilience and avoid adding to the current difficulties in these areas in the US
• Compatible with current and future US submarine weapons, unmanned underwater and aerial vehicles.
• A simple analysis demonstrates some of the benefits the USA could obtain from this approach:
• A much higher probability of a successful AUKUS SSN program, boosting Allied submarine capabilities, in a shorter time and at reduced cost
• A smaller, quicker to build, cheaper to own SSN option, handy in the event the USA needed to increase force levels quickly
• Ongoing supply chain and depot level support capability for Virginia class submarines in the UK and Australia
• The shorter time taken to achieve an operational capability could reduce or obviate the need to sell Australia submarines from the US’s order of battle
• This would avoid the need to provide design support to BAES if it had to undertake the AUKUS SSN design from an inadequately resourced baseline.

From the UK’s perspective the plan would:

• Avoid the costs of leading the design effort, enabling resources saved to be redirected towards remedying the current situation
• Result in a quicker/cheaper build program for Britain’s Astute replacement (possibly allowing for an increased number to be built to overcome the critical mass issue).
• Open up the possibility of supplying major components such as the reactor to a larger number of submarines
• Engage BAES in a world class development and providing ongoing, UK-based design support. Note, BAES already has a design relationship with GD-EB for Astute and Dreadnought designs
• Provide more resilient supply chains, with compatible base and depot level support facilities in the USA and Australia
• Allow greater focus of UK’s resources on achieving an operational ballistic missile capability as early as possible to relieve the pressure on the current SSBNs.

From an Australian perspective the advantages are significant:

• Reduced time to achieve an operational SSN capability, possible avoiding the need to purchase Virginia class submarines from the USN
• Avoid the complications and expenses of operating two classes of SSN
• Avoids the uncertainty and risks of introducing an unproven UK design
• The base and depot level facilities to be established to support the USN Virginia class submarines deployed to Australia as part of the Submarine Rotation Force -West (SRF-W) can be utilised to support the AUKUS SSN, saving time, expenses and personnel
• Given the number of Virginia class submarines already operating in the Pacific and Indian oceans, AUKUS SSN (V) represents a more appropriate design for Australia; the RAN would operate one of many
• The savings, greater efficiency and single class solution offer a better chance to achieve a critical mass in the capability
• Open up opportunities for Australian companies to provide support for a greater number of submarines, including in the UK and US
• The embedded RAN personnel in the SRF-W SSNs and those in Collins Class submarines would provide Australia’s submarine capability during the transition
• ASC, the Australian submarine builder, already has a relationship with GD-EB.

This analysis is simplistic and looks at only at the potential benefits. There will be costs of course and these need to be evaluated in considering whether to change the plan. I suggest that a Virginia Class baseline with GD-EB and the USN leading, offers a significantly improved, reduced risk and lower cost option for the AUKUS SSN program.

All participants stand to benefit from this change. The design, construction and through-life support efficiencies inherent in a single-class operated by the three navies could substantially reduce the cost of ownership and deliver enormous resilience and inter-changeability benefits in times of emergency.

It is time to reconsider the plan; the current concept is one of hope over experience and is at severe risk of becoming entangled in the significant difficulties currently being experienced in the UK’s submarine service, together with the limitations of its submarine building and maintenance infrastructure.

Peter Briggs is a retired submarine specialist and a past president of the Submarine Institute of Australia.

 

Seaspan Finishes Welding Tests for Heavy Icebreaker Construction

Illustration courtesy Seaspan

PUBLISHED FEB 8, 2024 4:10 PM BY THE MARITIME EXECUTIVE

 

Vancouver-based shipbuilder Seaspan has completed a "prototype" hull block for the Canadian Coast Guard's future polar icebreaker to validate its forming and welding techniques, and in a statement Thursday, the firm said that the effort was worthwhile. Heavy icebreakers haven't been built in North America in generations, and both the U.S. Coast Guard and the Canadian Coast Guard are working with shiupbuilders to relearn how to work with the specialized steel and extra-heavy plate required to construct these complex vessels. 

Heavy icebreakers face some of the most difficult operating conditions on the planet, on land or at sea. Air temperatures can be as low as -40 F. The hull and frame are exposed to extreme slamming and vibration from riding up on top of the ice, crushing it, and then pushing through the debris. The structure has to hold up to these rigors for the service life of the vessel - and if past life extensions are any indicator, this could be 50 years or more.  

These service specifications require a high-strength steel with good low-temperature properties - in this case, EH50, which has a higher tensile strength and better resistance to impact at extremely low temperature. 

Some of the plate for the icebreaker will be up to 2.4 inches thick, posing unique challenges for forming and weld quality. Seaspan has set up its own certified test lab on site to evaluate steel and weld quality with a fast turnaround. 

In June 2023, Seaspan set out to determine what it would take to build one block of the icebreaker. That project is now complete, the yard says, and lessons have been learned on the required processes, procedures, equipment and skills. These lessons are informing improvements in the ship's design for manufacturing, the yard said. 

“Having the opportunity for our engineering and production teams to work collaboratively to construct this Prototype Block very early in the design process was beneficial not only to Seaspan, but also to our customer and our cross-country supply chain," said Martin Edwards, Chief Program Officer at Seaspan. 

While its shipbuilding workforce has been busy with Canadian government contracts, Seaspan has been supplementing its own workboat fleet with imported vessels. The firm operates tugs, barges and ferries in domestic trade, and has longstanding relationships with high-quality specialty workboat yards in Turkey. Recent deliveries include HaiSea Wamis, the world's "first fully electric harbor tug," which is owned and operated by a joint venture between Seaspan and the Haisla Nation. 

 

Metal Shark Expands Shipbuilding in Louisiana

Metal Shark is expanding with a third shipbuilding facility in Louisiana (Metal Shark)

PUBLISHED FEB 9, 2024 7:29 PM BY THE MARITIME EXECUTIVE

 

Metal Shark, a builder of specialized welded aluminum vessels for defense, law enforcement, and commercial operators, reports it is expanding its operations in Louisiana. This comes after the news earlier in the week that the company had divested of its Alabama-based ship refit and repair business to Birdon America.

The company is adding production capacity with the opening of a third Louisiana location, a 40,000-square-foot manufacturing facility in Iberia Parish. According to Metal Shark, combined with its nearby facilities in Jeanerette and Franklin, the company now has nearly 200,000 square feet of enclosed manufacturing space spread across 35 acres and employs nearly 400 people.

“Birdon America put forth an offer that made good business sense for us while providing long-term opportunities for our Alabama team members,” said Chris Allard, CEO of Metal Shark. “With the sale of our refit and repair business and steel boat building operations now concluded, we are refocusing our energies and doubling down on our core business: the design and construction of durable, high-performance, manned and autonomous welded aluminum vessels.”

Metal Shark reports it is aggressively recruiting to expand its workforce across all its Louisiana facilities to meet its strong order backlog. The company is currently hiring for all production trades and is also recruiting naval architects, project coordinators, and project engineers.

 

This week Metal Shark launched a new US Navy near coastal patrol vessel 

 

“As a diversified builder, at any given time we’re producing boats for customers across a range of markets including U.S. and foreign military forces, state and local law enforcement agencies and fire departments, and numerous commercial markets including pilot groups, passenger vessel operators, and the offshore wind industry,” said Allard. “Our new Avery Island facility will reduce lead times for vessels that lie outside our mainstream production mix, with an experienced crew of boat building professionals specializing in custom rigging and production efficiency.”

The builder highlights that it has retained a portion of its Alabama waterfront to support ongoing training, trials, and autonomous testing. In addition to continuing research, design, and testing in Alabama, Metal Shak has a dedicated engineering facility in Croatia. The company reports its customers include U.S. and foreign militaries, law enforcement agencies, fire departments, passenger vessel operators, pilot associations, and other clients worldwide.

 

Report: Tanker Makes U-Turn After U.S. Launches Sanctions

NS Leader docked in Croatia as the background for a Greenpeace protest (Bojan Haron Markicevic photo courtesy of Greenpeace)

PUBLISHED FEB 9, 2024 2:52 PM BY THE MARITIME EXECUTIVE

 

There have been questions about how effective the U.S. sanction effort is against tankers and if the enforcement of the Price Cap imposed on Russian crude oil is having an effect. Yesterday, the U.S. Treasury Department announced it was listing a tanker that it contends has repeatedly violated the $60 price cap and made five port calls in Russia in 2023, and now that tanker has changed its AIS setting to “waiting for orders.”

The NS Leader, a 115,850 dwt crude oil tanker built in 2007 was the subject of yesterday’s actions. Bloomberg was the first to report the vessel had been sailing in the Atlantic near Portugal with its destination listed as Primorsk, Russia when the sanctions were launched. Bloomberg’s data shows the vessel cut its speed in half, made a U-turn, and changed its declared destination shortly after the sanctions were announced. The AIS signal shows it was returning from a trip to India.

According to Bloomberg, this is not the first time it has happened either. They report two months ago the crude oil tanker Viktor Bakaev (118,000 dwt) undertook a similar maneuver after it was listed by the United States. In yesterday’s action, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control highlighted that both of these tankers, along with four others that were previously listed, were all managed by the UAE-based company Oil Tankers SCF Mgmt FZCO, which was also included in yesterday’s action. 

The U.S. authorities reported that Oil Tankers SCF manages oil tankers beneficially owned by the Government of the Russian Federation through Sovcomflot. They noted the Russian state-owned shipping company is also subject to the prohibitions from a previous Executive Order. The United Kingdom also sanctioned Oil Tankers SCF.

The U.S. authorities reported yesterday that the NS Leader had been used in November 2023 to transport a Russian oil cargo sold by a UAE-based company at over $80 per barrel. That company, Zeenit Supply and Trading DMCC, was also included in the enforcement effort.

Yesterday’s actions referred to the NS Leader as being owned by “Liberia-registered NS Leader Shipping,” but contended that the Government of the Russian Federation is the ultimate owner of the NS Leader. While the U.S. and several major databases including Equasis list the tanker as registered in Liberia, other databases including MarineTraffic report the NS Leader was recently transferred now sailing under the flag of Gabon. 

The NS Leader is no stranger to controversy. A month after Russia invaded Ukraine, the tanker was docked in Omislj, Croatia unloading Russian oil. Activists from Greenpeace staged a protest against the use of Russian oil in Croatia and the European Union with the NS Leader as the backdrop. They were calling for an end to all fossil fuels but also to immediately stop the import of Russian oil.

Since the U.S. and the Western Allies began their enforcement efforts on the price cap there have been other reports of interruptions to the flow of Russian oil. Greek tanker operators have been reported to be abandoning the Russian trade for fears of retaliatory sanctions. Bloomberg and Reuters have also reported tankers and oil deliveries to India and elsewhere being delayed or deferred due to the sanction efforts.

 

U.S. Container Import Volumes Soar Prompting Retailers to Increase Forecast

Containers volumes are forecasted to increase after a strong January with the U.S. West Coast ports seeing the gains (Port of Los Angeles file photo)

PUBLISHED FEB 9, 2024 6:22 PM BY THE MARITIME EXECUTIVE

 

 

Despite all the challenges being reported for container shipping and the negative outlook presented by the carriers, U.S. import container volumes are soaring and expected to continue their upward momentum through at least the first half of 2024. This comes as economists continue to point to the resiliency of the economy and the apparent soft landing to the feared 2023 recession.

U.S. container import volume had its largest month-over-month gain in January 2024 in the last seven years according to data released by Descartes Systems Group, a software provider for logistics-intensive businesses. Their February Global Shipping report highlights a 7.9 percent increase in overall container import volume in the U.S. in January 2024 versus December. They report a nearly 15 percent rise in imports from China, highlighting that most of the volume went to the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach.

The strong growth in January 2024 also brought container volumes back up to year-ago levels and even slightly ahead of January 2019 before the pandemic. Descartes calculates volumes were up nearly 10 percent year-over-year to a total of 2.27 million TEU in January 2024. This is also 9.6 percent ahead of January 2019.

“January was another solid month driven by surprisingly strong imports from China,” said Chris Jones, EVP Industry and Services, Descartes. He however warns, “The combined effect of the Panama drought and the conflict in the Middle East is beginning to impact transit times, particularly at the top East and Gulf coast ports.” 

Descartes cautions that the global supply chain performance could be impacted throughout 2024. They highlight the ongoing limits of transits at the Panama Canal, the disruptions to routes through the Red Sea and Suez Canal, and the upcoming labor negotiations at U.S. Atlantic and Gulf Coast ports. The International Longshoremen Association reported it has given its locals a May 2024 deadline as it works to complete a master contract before the September 30, 2024, expiration.

The National Retail Federation, the trade group for U.S. retailers, is also predicting a strong start to 2024 with a forecast of a better than five percent increase in import container volumes for the first half of 2024 versus 2023. Their Global Port Tracker is forecasting a strong gain of 20 percent for February in part due to the timing of the Lunar New Year in 2023 and the beginning of a slowdown in import volumes a year ago. 
 
“U.S. retailers are working to mitigate the impact of delays and increased costs,” says Jonathan Gold, NRF Vice President for Supply Chain and Customs Policy, discussing the ramifications of the Suez Canal and Red Sea disruptions. He highlights that only about 12 percent of U.S.-bound cargo comes through the Suez Canal,” but warns like others, “the longer the disruptions occur, the bigger impact this could have.”

After a strong February, the NRF predicts volumes will be up at a more moderate pace in the first half of the year. They forecast between 2.65 percent and 5.5 percent gains with only May expected to be flat with the year-ago. Monthly retail import volumes are projected at between 1.7 and 1.9 million TEU per month.

 MONOPOLY CAPITALI$M

CMA CGM Must Divest in French Polynesia to Win Approval for Bolloré Deal

CMA CGM agreed to sell the customer list from Bollore Logistics Polynesia after competition authority raised objections (Bollore)

PUBLISHED FEB 8, 2024 6:29 PM BY THE MARITIME EXECUTIVE

 

 

Opposition to the pending $5 billion acquisition of Bolloré Logistics by CMA CGM emerged from the authorities in French Polynesia. In a statement released yesterday, February 6, they reported that they have reached an agreement with the company to address concerns over domination in the freight and logistics market between Europe and French Polynesia that could emerge from the acquisition.

CMA CGM Group recently reported that it is poised to “soon complete” the acquisition of Bolloré Logistics to further bolster the group’s freight management scale and industry reach. The French group reported that it had reached terms for the acquisition in May 2023 which would make CMA CGM among the top five global logistics companies.

The Polynesian Competition Authority received an application in October 2023 for approval for a possible market concentration under the Polynesia Competition Code. While they noted CMA CGM’s worldwide transport of containers, the initial filing highlighted that the company’s CEVA Logistics is only marginally directly active in French Polynesia and only in the market to organize services for the transport of goods. Bolloré Logistics they initially indicated was not active in the logistics services sector in French Polynesia.

The authority, which says its role is to ensure the competitive structure of the market in French Polynesia, however after closer examination determined the “buyout raised a risk of blocking access of freight forwarders to transport services with CMA CGM containers and the risk of increases in the price of services as well as a possible impact on the selling price of goods to the consumer.

Their review showed that Bolloré Logistics carries out services organizing the transport of goods, while essentially managing the import flow. While it does not offer logistic services or organize land transport services, they noted it holds a minority stake in a freight forwarder, Transit et Transport International Tahiti. 

The authority confirmed that CEVA only organizes transport in a very marginal way in French Polynesia, but they highlight that CMA CGM ensures territorial continuity between French Polynesia and Europe through its Panama Direct route. The carriers’ Pacific Coast route also connects French Polynesia with the West Coast of America. 

They expressed concern that the new entity created in the merger would have had a “high-capacity blocking access to maritime transport of goods on the Europe-French Polynesia route.” They found the CMA CGM has a “quasi-monopoly” on the route and with the acquisition of Bolloré Logistics Polynesia would have added to its dominant position. The Polynesian Competition Authority concluded the transaction was “likely to harm competition.”

Addressing the competition concerns, they have agreed to a settlement that undertakes to divest the maritime activity of Bolloré Logistics Polynesia as well as the activities of Bolloré Logistics France relating to French Polynesia. 

“The sale of this activity will make it possible to effectively and proportionately remedy the competition issues identified,” the authority writes in its statement.

They will be selling the customer list of the business. The agreement provides two limited exceptions allowing CMA CGM to offer services for organizing maritime transport of goods to a limited number of multi-destination customers of Bolloré Logistics.

The Polynesia Competition Authority notes that it notified other authorities including New Caledonia and the European Commission of its examination and cooperated with those authorities. CMA CGM is still waiting for approval from the European Union to close the acquisition, which is the largest in the history of the company. 

 

Norsepower Receives Largest Wind Rotor Order to Deploy on Airbus Vessels

Three large Ro-Ro cargo vessels each with six rotors will be chartered Airbus (Louis Dreyfus Armateurs)

PUBLISHED FEB 8, 2024 8:48 PM BY THE MARITIME EXECUTIVE

 

 

Continuing to make progress with the effort to launch three large, Ro-Ro cargo vessels using wind-assisted propulsion for Airbus, Finnish manufacturer Norsepower reports it has completed the largest order for rotor sails. The vessels, which will operate under charter for transporting airplane components, were ordered last month by Louis Dreyfus Armateurs (LDA) and will be built by China’s Wuchang Shipbuilding.

Norsepower confirmed that it has now finalized the order for what will be the largest installation of rotors, using a total of six rotors on each of the three vessels, supported by a new generation of technology. The design, which was previewed in October 2023, incorporates six 35-meter (115 feet) tall rotors placed in three pairs on each vessel along with two dual-fuel engines running on marine diesel and e-methanol. By 2030, while sailing on the transatlantic route, Norsepower reports that the Airbus fleet will generate approximately 50 percent fewer CO2 emissions compared to 2023.

“This fleet-wide deal is a game changer for the whole auxiliary wind propulsion industry,” said Tuomas Riski, CEO of Norsepower. “Firstly, it is the biggest deal ever made in the mechanical sails market, and in a world first, it includes our brand new Norsepower Sentient Control tool.”

A new patented control system for the rotors developed by Norsepower will help to provide better efficiency for the wind propulsion system and real-time saving reports. The system will permit each rotor to be controlled individually while also providing real-time force measurement, control, and saving reporting.

Norsepower explains the new system will optimize efficiency by managing the complex aerodynamic interactions between the sails and the hydrodynamic behavior of the vessel. The rotor sails use a small amount of electricity to rotate which harnesses the wind to produce the propulsive force which in turn reduces fuel consumption, emissions, and the cost of operation.

The full dimensions of the vessel have not been announced, but they have said that each will be able to carry around 70 40-foot containers and six aircraft subassembly sets expanding Airbus’ cargo capacity. They report that extensive Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) and wind tunnel tests have been carried out during the design phase to optimize the sail arrangement and design. They plan for the vessels to begin to enter service in 2026 and gradually phase out the company’s existing fleet. When e-methanol becomes available, they expect to further reduce emissions through the adoption of the alternative fuel.

The operations will also be supported by routing software that will optimize the vessels’ journey across the Atlantic. It will be programmed to maximize wind propulsion and avoid drag caused by adverse ocean conditions.

ALTERNATIVE FUELS

Smyril Line Signed Contracts for Environmentally Friendly RoRo Cargo Ships

PUBLISHED FEB 10, 2024 5:39 PM BY THE MARITIME EXECUTIVE

 

[By: Smyril Line]

Smyril Line is pleased to announce that a contract has been made with the CIMC Raffles shipyard in China to build two new cargo ships for the company. These are two identical RoRo ships, measuring 190 meters in length and having 3,300 lane meters for trailers. The new cargo ships will join Smyril Line's current network, and they are planned to start sailing in 2026. The ships are designed for optimal year-round seaworthiness in the North Atlantic with great emphasize on our crew comforts and wellbeing on board.

The ships are being designed in close cooperation with Knud E. Hansen, naval architects, who, together with the extensive experience of Smyril Line in the North Atlantic, will ensure that the ships are built for the special route between Europe, the Faroe Islands, and Iceland. The ships will be modern and environmentally friendly, meeting all international emission standards. Compared to the company's existing fleet, they will emit significantly less per transported ton. At the same time, the ships will be equipped with a battery system and the possibility for shore power, which means that port operations can be conducted without emissions. The ships will also be prepared to sail on e-methanol, which is considered to be the best future choice for green energy at Smyril Line.

"Now is the time to set ourselves new and bigger goals towards reducing emissions in the North Atlantic," says Jens Meinhard Rasmussen, CEO of Smyril Line. "The company's main goal is to ensure safe and reliable transportation of both passengers and cargo, and to connect the periphery of the North Atlantic with the rest of the world. With the new ships, we emphasize futureproofing and leading the company towards a greener energy solution and lead the way for Smyril Line towards the goals for decarbonization in our fleet renewal, supporting the green transition of the shipping industry. We will also transport much larger quantities of cargo with less energy consumption than we do now. The energy saving will be at least 60%. This is an important step for us to achieve our goals towards net-zero emissions by 2050, while we can offer our customers an even better service. We have been operating routes in the North Atlantic since 1982. This is not just one of the world's longest ro-ro and ro-pax routes, but probably also the one with the most challenging sailing conditions. We know from experience that sailing on our route places great demands on both ship and crew, and we have therefore designed the ships with this in mind."

The products and services herein described in this press release are not endorsed by The Maritime Executive.

DNV Study Validates Energy Efficiency Gains for LNG Carriers

ABB dual-fuel electric propulsion system - Image credit ABB

PUBLISHED FEB 10, 2024 5:40 PM BY THE MARITIME EXECUTIVE

[By: ABB]

DNV has quantified the gains that owners of liquefied natural gas (LNG) carriers could expect to achieve using the new Dual Fuel, Electric+ (DFE+) solution developed by ABB and MAN Energy Solutions. Comprising MAN’s four-stroke 49/60DF dual fuel engine and ABB’s Dynamic AC power distribution and control system, the solution has been developed to overcome efficiency challenges that are specific to the vessel type.

DNV’s Maritime Advisory assessment concludes that the DFE+ concept is “a competitive and more energy efficient alternative to even the most efficient conventional dual-fuel LNG carrier propulsion designs.” Smaller machinery space requirements could deliver “a conservative estimate” of 5 percent greater cargo capacity. Combined with other steps to optimize performance, the DFE+ concept could contribute to overall energy savings of 6 – 7.5 percent considering the ship’s increased transport work, DNV says.

From January 1, 2023 the International Maritime Organization (IMO) has required shipowners to report vessels into an Energy Efficiency Design Index (EEDI), an Energy Efficiency Existing Ships Index (EEXI) and an operational Carbon Intensity Index (CII). These tools benchmark ships so that owners know what they must do to meet IMO targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

As the newest addition to MAN’s four-stroke portfolio, the MAN 49/60DF engine is optimized for LNG. It is also highly compatible with ABB’s Dynamic AC system, which combines the merits of conventional AC with those of variable frequency to allow the engines to operate on optimal speeds – significantly improving total fuel consumption.

"Owners of LNG carriers face specific challenges in complying with the regulations, given their reliance on propulsion solutions with limited potential for efficiency gains," said Prof. George Dimopoulos, Scientific Advisor, DNV. "The ABB – MAN propulsion concept aims to offer a highly effective way for LNG carriers to meet progressively tightening emissions regulations while also reducing fuel costs."

“With the current global orderbook for LNG carriers including more than 200 vessels, and emission regulations continuing to tighten, owners need new technologies to meet the requirements that apply to this specific class of ships,” said Rune Lysebo, Strategic Market Development, ABB Marine & Ports. “DNV’s testimony on the gains available to LNG Carriers with the new solution developed by ABB and MAN Energy Solutions proves the time is right to explore the next-generation technologies for this vessel type.”

DFE+ could be installed with an energy storage solution to operate as a spinning reserve or come coupled with ABB’s Azipod® electric propulsion. ABB and MAN will also explore integrating fuel cells as the technology matures.

The products and services herein described in this press release are not endorsed by The Maritime Executive.

Hydrogen-Powered Inland Cargo Barge Ready to Sail on the Rhine

H2 barge launched in the summer of 2023 was the first conversion followed by the second vessel completed this week (FPS)

PUBLISHED FEB 9, 2024 8:04 PM BY THE MARITIME EXECUTIVE

 

 

The retrofit has been completed and a new hydrogen-powered cargo barge is now ready to begin operations on the Rhine sailing between Rotterdam in the Netherlands and Duisburg in Germany. Dutch shipowner Future Proof Shipping (FPS), the EU-funded Flagships project, and the Interreg-funded ZEM Ports NS project celebrated that milestone in a project that they believe will serve as a model for the industry.

“This is another proud moment for us, it proves moving cargo with zero emissions and zero impact is not only possible, it’s scalable too,” said Richard Klatten, CEO of Future Proof Shipping. “Successfully launching our second hydrogen-powered inland cargo vessel is just as important an achievement as the first, not just for Future Proof Shipping, ZEM Ports NS, and the Flagships project, but for the future of green shipping.” 

FPS announced its plans for the conversion of the two barges in 2021 and working with partners including Holland Shipyard Group´s Werkendam facility, just outside Rotterdam, overcame key hurdles to bring the ships to service. The first barge was completed in May 2023 with the plan calling for the vessel to operate between Rotterdam and Antwerp. It is chartered to BCTN Network of Inland Terminals on behalf of Nike EMEA. The company has said its plan is to put 10 inland and short-sea vessels into service in the five years.

The H2 Barge 2 is the first of two demonstrators in the EU-funded Flagships project, and the second demonstrator of the ZEM Ports NS project. The vessel, formerly Fenny 1 and FPS Waal, was built as a conventionally powered containership. It is 360 feet (110 meters) in length with a capacity of approximately 200 TEU.

During 2023, H2 Barge 2 was stripped of all combustion engines and fossil fuel tanks by Holland Shipyards Group after reaching the yard in August. Now, the vessel has a completely emission-free propulsion system including PEM fuel cells, hydrogen storage, battery packs, and an electric drive train installed below deck. Six fuel cells from Ballard Power Systems raise the total power installed to 1.2 MW. H2 Barge 2 is expected to reduce 3,000 tonnes of CO2 annually when sailing the Rhine. 

“Inland waterways are important for freight transport in Europe,” said Mirela Atanasiu, Executive Director ad interim of Clean Hydrogen Partnership. “We are thrilled to see a high-power container vessel being converted to zero-emission. The H2 Barge 2 will bring knowledge on how to retrofit vessels from diesel combustion to zero-emission alternatives, by using batteries in combination with green hydrogen in a fuel cell.” 

The second demonstrator vessel in the Flagships project, Zulu 06, will be deployed in Paris in 2024.

“We´ve been working hard for several years to get to this point. Having the first demonstrator on the Rhine is truly a great achievement by Future Proof Shipping and the rest of the partners. The aim of the Flagships project is to take zero-emission waterborne transport to an entirely new level. Now we´re one important step closer to reaching our goal,” says Flagships Project Coordinator and Senior Scientist at VTT, Jyrki Mikkola.

The project was made possible with funding support from the Interreg North Sea Region Programme (Zero Emission Ports North Sea – ZEM Ports NS), Flagships H2020 Project (Clean Hydrogen Partnership), and Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO).

 

British Start-up Completes Sea Trial of Onboard Carbon Capture System

While still early days, our pilot project proves that our technology works.

Sounion Trader was the testbed for the first demonstration of the CO2 capture technology (Lomar)

PUBLISHED FEB 9, 2024 6:56 PM BY THE MARITIME EXECUTIVE

 

 

The UK-based climate tech start-up Seabound recently released the results of its trial of shipboard carbon capture technology. The sea trial of the technology began last September as a crucial step in commercializing a cost-effective method of reducing emissions on board vessels.

The pilot was supported by global shipping companies including Lomar Shipping, and its subsidiary Lomarlabs, as well as Hapag-Lloyd, Columbia Shipmanagement, and the UK Government, among others. The onboard carbon capture system (OCCS) was tested in a 3,200 TEU vessel, the Sounion Trader which is owned by Lomar and currently operated by Hapag-Lloyd. The vessel was built in 2003 and is 40,478 dwt. Before the trials began, Seabound received a class society approval for installation and testing of the device from the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS), with the project also approved by Liberia, the vessel’s flag state.

The trials took two months, while the vessel was on a route between Turkey and the Persian Gulf. During the period, the device captured CO2 at 80 percent efficiency and sulfur dioxide at 90 percent efficiency.

 

The company promotes that its system is compact fitting inside a container and easy to retrofit (Lomar)

 

"While still early days, our pilot project proves that our technology works. This breakthrough demonstrates that the shipping industry doesn’t have to wait for new fuels or solutions to reduce its emissions in the future- we can start carbon capture from the existing fleet right now,” said Seabound co-founder and CEO Alisha Fredriksson.

The patent-pending compact carbon capture device by Seabound works by retrofitting it into a ship’s engine exhaust at the funnel. The CO2 chemically reacts with pebbles of quicklime, which then convert into limestone, keeping the CO2 locked in. The limestone pebbles are temporarily stored onboard and are later offloaded. They can be either sold in pure form or turned back into quicklime and CO2, with the quicklime to be reused for a similar carbon capture process and the CO2 sold for utilization or sequestration.

Following the successful pilot project, Seabound has announced that it will design a full-scale onboard carbon capture device that will capture 50 tons of CO2 per day. In addition, the company plans to deliver the first commercial systems to the market in 2025, with the expectation of scaling to three ships that year, and 10 ships by 2026.

Last month, the Liberian Ship Registry submitted the results of this pilot project to the International Maritime Organization (IMO), ahead of the eighty-first session of the Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) scheduled for next month. The project will act as a case study of a successful onboard carbon capture, demonstrating that this new category of marine decarbonization technology is quickly emerging as an option for the industry.  

NO! SEABED WARFARE!

U.S. Navy Picks Three Vendors to Quickly Field AUVs for Seabed Warfare

A prototype of Anduril's large AUV (Anduril)

PUBLISHED FEB 8, 2024 9:11 PM BY THE MARITIME EXECUTIVE

 

 

The U.S. Navy has picked Kongsberg, Oceaneering and Anduril to develop prototypes for long-range, large displacement unmanned subs, hoping to fill an urgent procurement need on a shorter timetable. 

The winners will begin live demonstrations of their solutions - not next year, but next month. These companies already have products in hand, and two of them have decades of experience in the segment. The contracts will allow Navy units around the world the opportunity to borrow or purchase large UAVs for testing, according to Anduril. 

The Navy worked with the Pentagon's Defense Innovation Unit, which can execute contracts much more rapidly and with more flexibility than most defense programs. The unit was created for this purpose: to bring commercially-based solutions to the military fast, and without imposing excessive up-front cost on the vendor. 

Some of the proposed solutions are grounded in tried-and-true systems. Kongsberg has been building its HUGIN line of autonomous underwater vehicles for a long time, and they are an industry standard for commercial and government operators. The extended range HUGIN Endurance variant will be fielded for the DIU trials. “We are excited to bring our many years of AUV experience in support of the U.S. Government and look forward to closely partnering with DIU and the U.S. Navy to support making their LDUUV program a reality,” said Kongsberg Discovery President Martin Fjell in a statement. “HUGIN’s reliability has created a legacy and our continued evolution has enabled us to provide the expertise needed on such a program.”

Australian contractor Anduril is a relative newcomer, and its Dive-LD model has been in testing for the last two years, but it believes that it has a technological edge. Its sub prototype was constructed in large part with 3D printing, so its shape can be adapted to specific payload requirements with greater ease. The company belives in "an agile software-first mindset, advanced manufacturing processes to enable speed and scale, and products built to solve problems."

The Navy has multiple existing programs to develop subsea autonomous drone capability, but some have encountered challenges.

Snakehead, an autonomous sub that was supposed to deploy from submarine drydeck shelters, was canceled after years of in-house R&D effort by the Navy's research establishment. The service cited “Misalignment of Snakehead LDUUV design and procurement efforts with submarine hosting interfaces," which means a "limited availability of host platforms to conduct Snakehead operations.” Not all subs carry drydeck shelters, and the same equipment is also in demand for Navy SEAL insertion and extraction missions. 

Boeing holds the contract for the largest class, the bus-sized XLUUV, but the program is years behind schedule. An initial "test article" has been delivered and is in testing in California. The delay appears to crimp operational plans: the service had planned to put the first five delivered hulls into service as soon as possible, according to GAO, even though they will technically be prototypes.  

 

House Committee Seeks Answers to the Decline of U.S. Sealift Readiness

“screaming national security vulnerability”

Ro/ro ships of the Ready Reserve Fleet, center left (USN file image)

PUBLISHED FEB 7, 2024 8:39 PM BY THE MARITIME EXECUTIVE

 

The chairman of the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party is sounding the alarm on a familiar problem: the acute deficit of government-owned sealift capacity. Drawing a comparison with China's vast shipping resources, Rep. Mike Gallagher (R-WI) called the much-reduced size and limited readiness of the U.S. sealift fleet a “screaming national security vulnerability.”

The advanced age and physical limitations of the government-owned Ready Reserve have been well-publicized for years, but efforts at reversing the trend depend upon budget availability. The slow decline of the sealift fleet would be a problem in the event of a Pacific conflict, Gallagher said, since these ships (and other U.S.-flagged vessels) would have to carry 90 percent of American military equipment and supplies to war. 

"In the middle of a new Cold War, the United States finds itself with neither the sufficient military nor civil resources to meet our sealift objective," said Gallagher in a letter to Transportation Command chief Gen. Jacqueline Van Ovost and Maritime Administrator Ann Phillips. "Although the Navy has put forward plans to acquire foreign commercial vessels to be incorporated into the military sealift fleet, there is little indication that such efforts are being pursued at the scale and pace that the moment requires."

He noted that the commercial U.S.-flag merchant marine is also small relative to historical levels and near-peer competitors. Only about 180 vessels remain in the U.S.-flag fleet, a fraction of what was available a few decades ago. 

In the letter, Gallagher asked Van Ovost and Phillips to define their plans to restore sealift capability - including their plans to acquire U.S. or foreign merchant ships to join the Ready Reserve or Military Sealift Command. (The majority of government sealift ships are preowned foreign vessels, and fleet restoration plans have historically been structured around this model.) He also made sure to ask if they planned to buy any merchant ships from China, the world's largest shipbuilding and shipowning nation. 

Gallagher also asked for an assessment of the practicality of using foreign-flag, foreign-crewed ships to carry America's weaponry in time of conflict - including which countries would be willing to come to the United States' aid.