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)
Wednesday, March 20, 2024
Attacks on Refineries Force Russia to Ship More Crude and Less Products
Over the past few months, Ukraine has begun a concerted effort to attack Russia's oil refining sector with unmanned aerial drones, and it has had considerable success. These strikes have sparked explosions and fires at more than a dozen refinery complexes to date, including six in the last ten days alone. While energy analysts suggest that this will have a limited effect on the Kremlin's revenue and fuel supply, it does appear likely that it will affect the mix of Russia's energy exports.
The Russian government has acknowledged that the Ukrainian attacks are having an effect on domestic refining, and Russian energy minister Nikolai Shulginov reports that refinery throughput has decreased seven percent since the start of the year. However, the strikes are not expected to impact overall oil production. His ministry claims that the effect will be felt only as a change in the mix of exports. Refining runs will go down, but unrefined crude oil shipments will increase proportionally, deputy energy minister Pavel Sorokin told state media last week.
One early sign of this shift is the Russian ban on gasoline exports, implemented last month in order to conserve domestic stocks. While gasoline exports have been canceled, seaborne crude exports were up about 12 percent in February, according to CREA.
Russian producers export roughly $500 million worth of crude oil and refined products every day by seaborne shipment, according to the Center for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA). Turkey is the leading importer of Russian refined products, followed by China and Brazil, and half a dozen others buy smaller amounts. Only two nations buy Russian crude in quantity: India and China.
High Seas Treaty Will Help Defend Small Island Nations' Fisheries
File image courtesy Seychelles Nation / CC BY SA 4.0
As ratification of the High Seas Treaty picks up the pace, Seychelles has become the first African nation and the third globally to ratify the historic ocean agreement. Seychelles ratified the treaty through a majority vote last week at its National Assembly. For the High Seas Treaty to enter into force, another 57 countries will need to sign and ratify it.
While presenting the treaty to the legislatures, the Leader of Government Business Bernard Georges said that the legal framework's main purpose is “to take stewardship of the world’s oceans, care for and protect the marine environment as well as maintain the integrity of undersea ecosystems and marine biodiversity.”
As a legally binding instrument of the United Nations, the High Seas Treaty will place 30 percent of the world’s oceans into protected areas, helping to protect marine resources in parts of the ocean beyond national jurisdiction. The treaty was formally adopted by governments in June last year and opened for state signatures on September 20.
As a small island developing nation in the India Ocean, Seychelles stands to benefit from the implementation of the treaty. Fisheries represents the second most important economic sector in the country after tourism. Unfortunately, the IUU (illegal, unreported and unregulated) fishing menace - especially from commercial foreign-owned fleets - have seen significant reduction of fish stocks.
“Two thirds of fish stock being fished in seas beyond the national jurisdictions, are being done in a non-sustainable way, and if a decision is not taken quickly, many fish stocks will crash and lead to food insecurities in many countries,” added Bernard Georges. This would be damaging to a country like Seychelles, where over 90 percent of the territory is ocean.
To stem the threat, Seychelles was among the first countries in 2017 to join the Fisheries Transparency Initiative (FTI), a global partnership that seeks to make fisheries management more transparent and inclusive. By ratifying the High Seas Treaty, it will hopefully act as a bulwark against multiple illicit maritime activities facing the country.
In the recent past, Seychelles have built a reputation as a staunch champion of ocean conservation. As of 2020, it was among the first countries in the world to fulfill the pledge of protecting 30 percent of its marine waters, through a debt-for-nature swap deal facilitated by the U.S based NGO The Nature Conservancy (TNC). This means over 154,000 square miles of Seychelles’ waters, an area twice the size of Great Britain, is designated as marine protected area (MPA).
Five years after Viking’s cruise ship Viking Sky blacked out during a storm and came within a ship’s length of a disastrous grounding, the Norwegian Safety Investigation Authority (NSIA) issued a highly critical report of the cruise line and the operational managers while also saying the design, shipyard, and classification society also have a role in the incident. The NSIA report agrees with the earlier finding of the Norwegian Maritime Authority (NMA) that the root cause was an insufficient level of oil in the ship’s tanks, but in disputed finding cites likely possible SOLAS violations, saying the ship should never have departed Tromso, Norway two days earlier.
The Viking Sky (47,800 gross tons) entered service in 2017 as one of the class of new Fincantieri-built cruise ships for Viking’s ocean cruise line. The two-year-old cruise ship departed Tromso on March 21, 2019, and two days later on the afternoon of March 23 blacked out with 1,374 people aboard losing all propulsion and steering while in a severe Norwegian coastal storm.
Conditions were too bad to evacuate the ship which drifted helplessly and nearly grounded in what NSIA calls an accident that “had the potential to develop into one of the worst disasters at sea in modern times.” The captain was able to maneuver the ship into deeper water when power was restored while more than 400 passengers were removed by helicopter. As many as 900 people remained aboard the ship, many with broken bones and injuries, while the Viking Sky eventually was able to limp into port
Both organizations agree the root cause of the accident was an insufficient amount of lubricating oil in all the vessel’s operating diesel generators’ lubricating oil sump tanks. In the rough seas with the ship pitching and rolling, the systems lost pressure causing the cruise ship to fully black out. It took 39 minutes until both propulsion motors were operational and the ship had sufficient power to maintain between 1 and 5 knots ahead.
In a 158-page report, NSIA identifies operational, technical, and organizational safety issues. They say all of this contributed to the black out citing Viking as well as Wilhelmsen Ship Management, Fincantieri, and Lloyd’s Register while calling on IMO and the International Association of Classification Societies to all take actions to reflect the experience of this incident to prevent it from happening again.
NSIA says the cruise ship should never have departed Tomso, citing the fact that one of its four diesel generators was unavailable exposing the passengers and crew to an increased risk. They allege the vessel did not have the redundancy required under the Safe Return to Port regulations, did not comply with applicable safety standards, and did not meet SOLAS regulations on issues such as the lube oil sump tank design. Further, the report says the design also did not meet the engine manufacturer’s recommendations.
“Insufficient training likely contributed to why the black out recovery was time consuming,” NSIA further contends in the report. They said while the engineers had conducted black out drills they never trained for a situation without an available standby generator.
The Norwegian Maritime Authority concurs with much of the report highlighting that they also identified the core issue of insufficient oil which caused the drop in pressure in its early investigation shortly after the incident. They however “respectfully disagree” with the contention the vessel did not comply with SOLAS regulations.
“As long as the ships have operated with a higher level of oil in the lubrication tanks, there have been no instances of a drop in oil pressure or blackout,” the NMA writes in its response. They argue the issue of the fourth generator being out of order is not applicable and even if it had been operational it likely would have also had a problem due to the overall oil deficiency.
NSIA issued a total of 14 safety recommendations based on its findings. They recommend Fincantieri review and strengthen the design process to ensure the lube oil sump tanks are in SOLAS compliance and that Lloyd’s Register review and strengthen its plan approval process. The shipowner and operator they recommend take action to ensure compliance with SOLAS and implement systematic and holistic reviews of the oil monitoring system. They also call on IMO and IACS to include technical guidance on the rules as they relate to the oil pressure issue that occurred.
Two NGOs Complete a "Crazy" Aid Delivery to Makeshift Pier in Gaza
Rubble from northern Gaza is dumped out to make an improvised pier (WCK)
The first port-free maritime shipment of aid to Gaza has been delivered, despite the risks of operating a barge near the surf zone without a formal pier, and a second is about to get under way.
NGOs World Central Kitchen (WKC) and Open Arms towed a small barge with about 200 tonnes of food aid to the coast of Gaza last week and delivered it alongside at a homemade jetty. (Gaza does not have any substantial port infrastructure.)
WKC acknowledged in advance that the delivery would be a risky attempt, with a high chance of failure - but said that it would be worth accepting the hazards because of the looming famine in Gaza.
A video of the operation shows the improvised nature of the pier, which might give commercial vessel operators pause. The dirt-and-rubble jetty extended out from an unprotected beach, no more than a hundred yards out from the surf zone. The tug did not approach the shore directly; instead, two RIBs guided the barge in to its berth. It was moored with its beam to the far point of the jetty, with breasting wires to hold it steady. A mobile crane hoisted the pallets off onto a truck for shoreside delivery.
"You knew we had to go to Gaza, had to give it a shot, even if it was crazy," said Open Arms founder Oscar Camps, addressing World Central Kitchen's Chef Jose Andres in a social media message. "You called up another crazy person, and we did it."
The next shipment will be delivered by a merchant vessel, the Jennifer, accompanied by an anchor-handling tugboat for maneuvering and cargo handling. The second shipment will include a large consignment of dates, which have spiritual significance during Ramadan, WKC said in a statement.
Aid groups say that these maritime shipments (and parallel U.S. and EU initiatives) are only necessary because Israel has sealed most land crossings into Gaza, prohibiting or sharply restricting aid. The northern half of the strip is most severely affected, as it is the furthest from the limited crossings near the Egyptian border.
Over the weekend, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said that "there is no alternative to the large-scale delivery of aid by land." The White House and the EU's aid coordinator made similar acknowledgements in a statement early last week.
"[The famine] is manmade," said EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell. "When we look for alternative ways of providing support by sea, by air, we have to remind [ourselves] that we have to do it because the natural way of providing support through roads is being . . . artificially closed."
The Red Sea Crisis, Food Insecurity and Conflict
The stricken bulker Rubymar after her engine room was hit by a Houthi missile
The Yemeni Houthi rebels’ continued attacks on shipping in the Red Sea serve as a reminder that global supply chains remain highly vulnerable to disruption. Moreover, it highlights how food insecurity can simultaneously be an effect and cause of conflict.
To address this, the international community must move quickly to combine its hard and soft power, mitigating the push and pull factors leading people to terrorism, violence, and piracy—factors that include food insecurity itself.
The UN Food and Agriculture Organization defines food security as ‘when all people, at all times, have physical, social and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food that meets their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life’. The latest UN statistics suggest that 691 million to 783 million people are food-insecure, many of them in fragile and conflict-affected states.
This latest disruption in Red Sea maritime traffic has historical precedent. The name of the maritime area in question is Bab el-Mendab, which translates to ‘the gate of lamentations’ or ‘the gate of grief’. In the current episode of the maritime drama, the grief for millions of people who depend on the life-giving goods transiting through this narrow strait may yet wax greater.
The Houthis’ disruption of Red Sea maritime traffic has already significantly affected the global movement and price of goods for some nations. Container traffic has slowed, and 95% of the container shipping that once sailed through the Red Sea is now often diverted around Africa, adding nearly 5000km to the voyage in some cases. The additional distance is already significantly increasing the cost of such essentials as food, medicine and fuel. For the same reason, the Red Sea attacks are increasing the price of inputs for food and agriculture.
For the globe’s most vulnerable populations, cost increases of this kind threaten to exacerbate pressures on food security and precipitate the kinds of downstream consequences that erode prosperity and security, fueling conflict.
In response to Houthi attacks on shipping in the Red Sea, ongoing since the 19 November hijacking of an Israeli-linked ship, Galaxy Leader, the US initiated the multinational Operation Prosperity Guardian to protect maritime safety in the waters around Yemen. The operation received implicit endorsement from a UN Security Council resolution passed on 10 January. The next day, the US and Britain launched strikes against Houthi targets in Yemen.
Until 11 January, it seemed Operation Prosperity Guardian would only respond to Houthi attacks if the group successfully damaged civilian or military vessels. Some may read the two-month delay in responding to Houthi attacks as a vulnerability in the international system ripe for exploitation.
It’s unlikely that a state, perhaps except Iran, whose government has form on this matter in the Strait of Hormuz, would engage in such tactics around the world’s eight most important maritime chokepoints. They are Bab el-Mandeb at the Horn of Africa; the Strait of Hormuz in the Persian Gulf; the Suez Canal, Egypt; the Panama Canal, Panama; the Strait of Gibraltar, between Spain and Morocco; the Strait of Malacca between Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia; the Turkish Straits, Turkey; and the Cape of Good Hope, South Africa.
Whether by design or accident, the Houthis renown has received a boost from the maritime attacks. Other non-state actors may get inspiration from the Houthis’ use of these attacks to achieve political, ideological and military objectives. Of particular concern are the militant groups that operate around Bab el-Mendeb.
Beyond the immediate challenge of maritime terrorism and insurgency, events in the Red Sea are a reminder of the role of food insecurity in conflict. As former WFP executive director David Beasley outlined, ‘there is plenty of information on how conflict impacts food security, but there is very little evidence on how food insecurity can drive conflict or how food security might contribute to the building of more peaceful societies’.
Nevertheless, food insecurity can sometimes be linked to factors that promote conflict: the recruitment of combatants; mortality and morbidity rates that undermine stability in already fragile societies; disputes over land and water in resource-constrained settings; and the mass displacement of food-insecure people. The 1992 famine in Somalia illustrated how food insecurity could accentuate political, economic or social dysfunction.
The tragic irony of the Houthis attacks is that hunger is rife across Yemen itself, where 17 million people are food-insecure. Food insecurity has undoubtedly continued to undermine peace and stability in Yemen. It has been exacerbated by the conflict there and used to radicalise Yemenis to the Houthis’ cause. Strikes on Houthi positions and facilities through Operation Prosperity Guardian or otherwise under the Security Council resolution could deepen Yemen’s humanitarian disaster if such action harms civilians or civilian infrastructure.
Governments and multilateral bodies, particularly through the UN, must work to secure maritime trade to avoid food insecurity contributing to further conflict in the Middle East and beyond.
Saba Sinai is a lecturer in agriculture at CQUniversity, Australia and a fellow with ASPI’s Northern Australia Strategic Policy Centre. The views expressed here are his own and do not necessarily represent those of his employer.
The opinions expressed herein are the author's and not necessarily those of The Maritime Executive.
Japanese Energy Companies Launch Floating Offshore Wind Association
Twelve major Japanese energy firms including J-Power and NTT Anode Energy Corporation have teamed up to establish an association for floating offshore wind energy. The association, the Floating Offshore Wind Technology Research Association (FLOWRA), officially began operations last Friday after a general meeting in Tokyo.
Other members of the partnership include the Kansai Electric Power, Kyuden Mirai Energy, Cosmo Eco Power, TEPCO, Marubeni, Chubu Electric, Mitsubishi Offshore Wind Corporation, Tokyo Gas, Tohoku, Hokuriku Electric and Eurus Energy.
With Japan aiming to deploy 10 GW of offshore wind capacity by 2030 and 30-45 GW by 2040, floating offshore wind is tipped to be a critical component of this ambition. Due to the nature of its continental shelf, Japan has more potential for floating rather than fixed-bottom installations. This calls for investments in advanced technology needed to reduce early costs for installing floating offshore platforms.
FLOWRA will work on technological developments to accelerate commercialization of floating offshore wind in Japan. Further, the association will collaborate on joint research projects with overseas organizations, especially on topics such as standardization of floating offshore wind technological systems.
Last year, Japan and Denmark agreed to partner in researching and developing floating offshore wind power technologies. FLOWRA could be a viable platform for the collaboration, as the two countries also pledged to spearhead creation of de facto global standards for deployment of floating offshore wind.
The Japanese government has allocated $27 million to support floating offshore wind technology. An additional $2 billion will be funded through the government’s green transformation bonds, for building related supply chains for the floating wind. The association will be eligible to access this funding.
Japan appears keen to accelerate its offshore wind sector, having recently passed an amendment to allow expansion of the sea area dedicated for offshore wind to the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).
Thyssenkrupp Confirms Talks with Carlyle for Investment in Shipbuilder
Thyssenkrupp operates Germany's largest shipyard (file photo)
German industrial giant Thyssenkrupp confirmed that it is entering into talks with private equity firm Carlyle to acquire a partial stake in the company’s naval shipbuilding operations as one of several options for the unit. This comes as the private equity sector has increased its interest in defense-related investments and as the German company struggles to reorganize its sprawling conglomerate.
“The participation of a private equity company is one of several options we are currently investigating for the separation of our marine business. With the active involvement of Carlyle, we are now taking the necessary next step and starting the phase of an open-ended assessment of the relevant business activities,” the company said in a prepared statement from Dr. Volkmar Dinstuhl, member of the Executive Board of Thyssenkrupp.
The statement came a day after Bloomberg first reported that Carlyle appeared ready to start a due diligence and valuation of the company beating out rival private equity firms that had also expressed interest in the unit. Reuters speculates the enterprise valuation for the shipbuilder of both surface and non-nuclear submarines as well as naval electronics could range between $1.3 and $1.7 billion.
The company operates the largest shipyard in Germany employing around 3,100 people at its facilities in Kiel in addition to smaller facilities in Hamburg, Bremen, and Emden. They previously announced plans to expand investments in the Kiel site as well as an agreement with Germany to take over the Wismar site of the former Genting Hong Kong shipyard MV Werften.
The company dates back more than 185 years but took its current form through the merger of Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft (HDW) and Blohm+Voss Naval in January 2013 and the acquisition of Atlas Elektronik in April 2017.
The supervisory board said last year it was looking at options for the Marine Systems division both to create future growth opportunities and better position the company to “exploit market opportunities.” They highlight the division is the only company in Europe that combines underwater and surface warcraft shipbuilding with electronic systems expertise.
“The independence would also provide a good starting point for possible national and European consolidation,” Dinstuhl said in today’s statement. European shipbuilders have been looking at ways to increase their competitiveness and respond to changing market conditions. A proposed deal between Italy’s Fincantieri and France’s Chantiers de l’Atlantique was abandoned due to antitrust issues in January 2021, but the naval shipbuilders also face growing competition from South Korea’s yards which are looking for more opportunities in shipbuilding.
Thyssenkrupp said the agreement with Carlyle does not rule out a parallel examination of other options including turning to the capital markets. The company is also reported to be in talks with the German government to take a stake in the shipbuilder, which Bloomberg says would be about 25 percent.
The exploration of the partial sale of the Marine Systems group comes as the conglomerate has faced pressures from a downturn in the steel market and other industrial sectors. Private equity firms have been carving off groups including the well-known elevator business from TKS. No timetable was announced for the due diligence of the shipbuilding group.
Astilleros Gondan Cuts Steel for Unique Unmanned Offshore Vessel
Spanish shipbuilder Astilleros Gondan has cut steel for the first unmanned offshore inspection vessel for USV A/S, a Norwegian joint venture that is among the first pioneers in this space.
DeepOcean, Solstad Offshore and Østensjø Rederi joined forces last year to order a unique unmanned offshore vessel, which could change the way that subsea inspections are done in the North Sea. The partners believe that they will be able to perform all subsea inspection tasks and most subsea intervention work, without any onboard crew, and with 90 percent less carbon emitted.
Their one-of-a-kind vessel is a 78-foot steel workboat with a sheltered back deck. The hull form is designed for seakeeping in "severe" weather, according to project partner Solstad.
The boat will have a hybrid diesel-electric propulsion system with enough fuel capacity to run for up to 30 days offshore. Its payload will be a work-class ROV rated for 1,500 meters of depth, an unusual piece of equipment for a vessel of this size. ROVs are usually launched from much larger vessels, so this small USV will have a newly-developed launch and recovery system for safe handling on its fantail.
“We will operate the vessel and the ROV from an onshore remote operations center. This is an excellent way of reducing cost, CO2 footprint and limit personnel exposure to offshore operations,” said Øyvind Mikaelsen, Chair of USV AS and CEO of DeepOcean, in announcing the order last year.
The partners hope to have the new vessel in operation in 2025.
The unmanned inspection and survey business space has multiple competitors, including Ocean Infinity, which is entering the market with first-of-a-kind "lean-crewed" ships starting this year. These ship-sized vessels are far larger, measuring about 255 feet in length, and will operate on a minimally-manned basis - for now.
Volumes at Southern California Ports Continue Strong Driven by Economy
SocCal ports continued the trends of strong volumes in February with a positive outlook (Port of Long Beach)
Data for February from the southern California ports once again confirmed the continuing strength in U.S. trade and continued the positive trends in container volumes. Executives both the Port of Los Angeles and the Port of Long Beach highlighted the strong start to the year for the ports after weak 2023 volumes and the positive outlook based on the U.S. economy.
The Port of Long Beach cited cooling inflation, rising consumer confidence, and an ongoing effort to recapture market share boosted cargo shipments moving through the port in February. Similarly, the Port of Los Angeles pointed to the economy being led by job growth while noting that market confidence is strong and the cargo is flowing efficiently through the gateway.
February was the seventh month of consecutive year-over-year growth for the Port of Los Angeles. While total volume was up 60 percent over a very soft February 2023, the port also highlights that the volume is exceeding the five-year running average by 15 percent. They noted that volumes are back to pre-pandemic rates.
The growth they noted is coming in all categories for the Port of Los Angeles with a 64 percent increase in imports and a 61 percent increase in exports. It was also the ninth consecutive month of year-over-year increases in exports with the port saying that the growth was being led by volumes in agricultural products, recycled goods, and plastics.
They acknowledged that last February was softer than normal in large part due to an earlier date for the Lunar New Year but that shippers were also last year rerouting cargo away from the SoCal ports due to the protracted labor negotiations with the dock workers.
The Port of Long Beach saw similar strengths in February with an overall 24 percent increase in volumes, driven by a nearly 30 percent increase in import container volumes. Exports however lagged down 21 percent at Long Beach.
“Market confidence in our gateway is as strong as it’s ever been,” said Port of Los Angeles Executive Director Gene Seroka at today’s media briefing. “With American consumers still spending and economic indicators positive, the Port of Los Angeles is well-positioned as we move into the second quarter,” Seroka added.
He forecasted a possibly slight slowing in March with the impact of this year’s Lunar New Year celebration saying that container volumes might be around 650,000 this month. However, his overall outlook is positive with Seroka highlighting the increased movement of empties in February as shippers position boxes in Asia for future volumes. Empties volume was up 54 percent in Los Angeles last month while it was up nearly 45 percent in Long Beach.
Shippers Seroka said are closely watching the disruptions in the Red Sea/Suez Canal and the impact of the drought in Panama as well as labor negotiations for U.S. East and Gulf Coast dockworkers and the U.S. presidential elections. He said logisticians are working to determine the best routing for volumes based on the four issues overhanging the markets.
The prediction is also for a possibly slightly earlier peak season for container volumes. As in past years, shippers have advanced shipments to avoid potential delays as they also closely watch the geopolitical and other issues.
Report: Lack of Port Infrastructure Challenge Onboard Carbon Capture
EPS's tanker Pacific Cobalt was one of the first vessels fitting with a carbon capture system, but the new report says ports are not ready to handle the LCO2 from ships (EPS file photo)
A new study looking at port readiness and the challenges of handling CO2 captured from ships at sea finds that few ports are ready to handle liquified CO2 coming from ships and preparations are lacking in key areas such as infrastructure and safety training. The report concludes that low port readiness is a major hurdle bottlenecking the adoption of onboard carbon capture and storage as a practical decarbonization solution.
Capturing carbon from ships underway has been viewed as a possible technology, especially in the near term to extend the life of in-service vessels while making progress on the global goals to reduce carbon emissions. Multiple companies are moving forward with developing the onboard technology with promising results. However, the report commissioned by Singapore’s Global Centre for Maritime Decarbonization in collaboration with Lloyd’s Register and ARUP, finds a critical need to define a clear pathway to offload, utilize, and/or store CO2. They write that these critical issues need to be resolved for large-scale commercialization of onboard carbon capture and storage.
“While pilots have successfully demonstrated numerous capture technologies onboard ships, it is still uncertain how captured carbon on merchant ships can be safely offloaded, and what the rest of the value chain looks like,” said Professor Lynn Loo, CEO of GCMD. “This study sheds light on these challenges, and highlights recommendations to holistically address these concerns for parties interested in advancing OCCS/LCO2 offloading concepts.”
Aiming to address the gaps in the onboard carbon capture value chain, the study found that a limited number of ports possess the infrastructure to offload liquified CO2, which is the most promising solution for shipboard capture and storage. They write that few ports have any CO2 capabilities and the ones that do are primarily designed to handle food-grade CO2 noting that the differences in purity standards limit the interoperability of those systems with shipboard CO2.
The study reviewed 162 possible scenarios for the handling of LCO2 evaluating the options for offloading infrastructure and the safe handling challenges. They focused on four concept configurations writing that ship-to-ship or ship-to-shore transfers using an intermediate LCO2 receiving vessel are the most promising approaches for offloading at scale. Ship-to-terminal transfer they concluded is more compatible at smaller scales.
They point to the challenges of setting the end use be it eventual sequestering or use as a feedstock for manufacturing synthetic fuels. They also note that LCO2 presents a unique set of safety challenges not commonly encountered when handling fuels in shipping. The report identifies safety issues such as asphyxiation and toxicity and conducted safety studies for identifying and handling the risks.
They point to unique challenges such as the dangers as CO2 nears its triple point where gaseous, liquid, and solid phases co-exist. In addition to being sensitive to impurities, they note minor changes in temperature and pressure can lead to hazardous situations, such as blockage in pipes and a build-up of pressure.
They concluded that for onboard carbon capture systems to be operationally feasible, the industry needs to develop a collaborative ecosystem to enable the value chain for managing captured CO2.
Spain’s A Coruña Port Partners with RWE to Prep for Floating Offshore Wind
Port Authority of A Coruña looks to develop into a wind port to support floating offshore wind projects
As part of Spain’s efforts to become a hub for the growing European offshore wind energy sector, the Port Authority of A Coruña in northwest Spain is joining with German energy major RWE to develop the port’s infrastructure. The Spanish port looks to become a logistic hub for the marshaling, assembly, and deployment of floating offshore wind components both to meet the country’s renewable energy goals and to support RWE which has said its goal is to lead in the development of cost-competitive, commercial-scale floating wind projects.
Working together under a Letter of Support the partners will investigate the potential for transforming infrastructure at the Port of Coruña into a logistic hub for the marshaling, assembly, and deployment of major components for commercial-scale floating offshore wind projects.
They highlight that Spain is already supplying components for offshore wind energy projects while the Spanish government is targeting 3 GW of floating offshore wind capacity by 2030. Spain plans to carry out its first auction, in the Canary region this year.
“Located on the main international maritime routes our deep water port is suitable for the marshaling, assembly, and deployment of main components, like floating substructures and mooring systems,” said MartÃn Fernández Prado, Executive Chairman at Port Authority of A Coruña.
The goal of the effort is to support the early development of port capacity which they believe will ensure that Spain is well placed to maximize the potential of the floating offshore wind industry in Spain, Portugal, and even at a wider European level. Last year, the DemoSATH Demonstrator was successfully commissioned two miles off the Basque coastline. DemoSATH was the first floating wind turbine connected to the Spanish grid.
“Port capacity and a sustainable supply chain industry are key to the deployment of commercial-scale floating offshore wind projects,” said Marta Carroza Diaz, Head of Floating Wind Industrialisation & Engineering for RWE Offshore Wind. That is why we support the Port of Coruña in its ambition to become a logistic hub for floating wind projects off the Spanish coast and beyond.”
RWE has already taken the first steps into floating offshore wind projects. It has already secured a commercial-scale floating wind lease off the Californian coast and is involved in two demonstration projects in Norway and Spain. The company also recently announced a partnership with Ferrovial, a sustainable infrastructure and mobility company, to jointly develop, construct, and operate floating offshore wind farms off the Spanish coast.
Port of Liverpool to Install UK’s Largest Solar Project
Port of Liverpool with enhance sustainability with solar panels and repowering its wind turbines (Peel Ports)
The Port of Liverpool is embarking on a program to enhance the sustainability of the operations of Peel Ports and continue to advance the efforts to reduce emissions around the port. The first stage of the new project plans to install the UK’s largest roof-mounted solar energy system followed by repowering existing wind turbines on the banks of the River Mersey.
This is the first stage of a 25-year agreement between Peel Ports Group, the UK’s second-largest port operator, and E.ON could see as many as 63,000 solar panels – the same areas as that of 18 football fields – installed on 26 buildings across Port of Liverpool.
The panels could generate up to 31MW of renewable electricity and provide the same amount of power as the yearly needs of more than 10,000 average UK homes. The exact number of panels and their generation potential will be confirmed in the final designs but the solar array is expected to be the largest of its kind in the UK and will generate up to 25 percent of the Port’s annual electricity needs.
The first portion of the installation, more than 6,000 solar panels, have already been delivered to the port ready to be installed on the new 240,000 square foot Alexandra Dock warehouse which is nearing completion. Minimizing disruption within the local area, the project will be wholly contained within the existing footprint of the port, using existing roof space, and bringing all equipment and technology directly to the port by sea. The project is being financed by E.ON and is due to be completed by mid-2026.
“Ports of the future need to become more sustainable environments and we must play our part in a greener supply chain,” said Claudio Veritiero, CEO of Peel Ports Group. “There is still work to do, but this project is a huge step for Peel Ports Group in cutting emissions and driving our ambition to become a net-zero port operator by 2040.”
According to Peel Ports and E.On, the solar panels will reduce CO2e emissions from within the port by more than 6,500 tonnes each year, the equivalent of taking more than 2,250 cars off the road.
E.ON has committed to using local contractors where possible and will also be looking to work with local companies for the ongoing upkeep of the 25-year period.
The second stage of the agreement will replace the five existing wind turbines at the port with four new, larger turbines generating close to 20MW. This will bring Peel Ports Group within reach of its ambition of powering the Port of Liverpool entirely by renewable energy generated on-site, including at night and over winter when the solar panels are not producing as much energy. It is expected this phase could begin as early as 2027/28 following planning consent and consultation with the local community.
Greenpeace Could Be Expelled From International Seabed Authority Meetings
The ISA's 167 member states will vote on whether to revoke Greenpeace's observer status when they meet this week.
The boarding team aboard Coco's A-frame (Greenpeace)
Environmental NGO Greenpeace could be thrown out of the UN's seabed regulatory agency over an altercation on the high seas last year.
Deepsea mining firm The Metals Company (formerly DeepGreen Metals) clashed with Greenpeace when the NGO's activists boarded its vessel on the high seas. In November 2023, the Greenpeace vessel Arctic Sunrise rendezvoused with the chartered offshore vessel Coco and launched an attempt to block its operations. In addition to small-boat protests near the Coco's stern, the plan called for sending a team of climbers aboard to occupy the vessel's A-frame platform. The operation effectively prevented the crew of the Coco from carrying out the vessel's mission of collecting environmental data on a trial run of mining operations.
Coco's charterer, The Metals Company (TMC), filed suit in the Netherlands and obtained an emergency injunction requiring Greenpeace to cease and desist. The group complied with the terms and withdrew its climb team from the Coco's weather deck, ending a week-long interruption in the ship's operations.
The Metals Company says that the Coco's mission was to gather data for the International Seabed Authority, and that Greenpeace disrupted its scientific mandate. Greenpeace, for its part, says that the environmental risks are too high to proceed with deep sea mining until appropriate regulations are in place.
"Responsible nations at the ISA are listening to the mounting science that shows deep sea mining would cause irreversible damage to the oceans. The Metals Company and startups like it, don’t have the time or the interest, for a serious and transparent debate. The momentum is on the side of a moratorium," said Louisa Casson, the deep sea mining campaign leader for Greenpeace.
The ISA's 167 member states will vote on whether to revoke Greenpeace's observer status when they meet this week.
