Billionaire Robinhood Co-Founder Eyes Solar from Space

By Alex Kimani - Oct 14, 2024

One of the co-founders of the investing app Robinhood, has debuted the space solar power company Aetherflux.

The startup plans to build a constellation of Low-Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites that will use infrared lasers to transmit power to small ground stations on Earth.

The technology could supply 18 TW of power today and possibly 24 TW by 2050


Baiju Bhatt, one of the co-founders of the investing app Robinhood, has debuted the space solar power company Aetherflux. The startup plans to build a constellation of Low-Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites that will use infrared lasers to transmit power to small ground stations on Earth. However, the company has not divulged the specifics about its satellite plans.

“Space solar power can revolutionize energy distribution, especially where delivering power is expensive, challenging, or dangerous. Powering hard-to-reach places like remote military bases, islands, or areas hit by disasters unlocks new capabilities and advantages for our country. Long term, we want to deliver renewable and affordable energy, day and night, to power commercial or civilian use cases,” Bhatt wrote in a Medium post last week as he announced the concept of Aetherflux to commercialize space solar power as a renewable energy source.

A board member of Robinhood, Forbes estimates Bhatt’s net worth at $1.7 billion.

Solar Power From The Moon

If Bhatt’s idea sounds a bit eccentric, consider that other more exotic technologies that take wireless power transmission into new territories have been proposed. To wit, scientists have mooted the idea of beaming solar power from nearby celestial bodies such as the moon--where the sun always shines--to our planet. Although this sounds quixotic, scientists have actually established that it’s not only feasible but also economically viable.


Lunar Solar Power (LSP) arrays on the moon would receive uninterrupted, high energy density from the sun and beam all the energy via microwaves to any part of the globe facing the moon. Tens of thousands of receivers on our planet would capture this energy and use rectennae to convert it to electricity.

Related: Nigerian Producer Resumes Production Despite Rampant Oil Theft


The good part: Microwaves have little trouble cutting through the atmosphere while rectennae are known to rectify microwaves back into electric power very efficiently.

The main kicker: The technology could supply 18 TW of power today and possibly 24 TW by 2050; more than enough not only for the world’s electricity needs but also for its entire primary power consumption of ~15,000 Mtoe or 170,000TWh per year.

The bad part that the challenges here would be considerably harder to surmount.


These include the question of how to set up a lunar manned station for the purpose of supervision and maintenance, not to mention that the idea of constantly bathing the masses in microwaves is bound to offend some sensibilities.

Artificial Blowholes

It’s quite concerning that in this new age of renewable energy, tidal and wave energy have largely failed to live up to their enormous potential despite being regarded as a more reliable energy source than either solar or wind power. Thankfully, a Blue Energy revolution especially is now looking to change that with the EU targeting 1-3 GW for ocean energy by 2030 and 60 GW by 2050.

Luckily, the pace of innovation has been accelerating to make blue energy an everyday reality.

Australia-based Wave Swell Energy has been exploring technology that will generate renewable power by harvesting wave energy pushed through an oscillating water column (OWC), also known as an “artificial blowhole”.


In such a device, the movement of air created during normal wave oscillations spins a turbine that produces electricity. OWC really is a form of an artificial blowhole whereby an underwater chamber opens to the waves with an air cavern above the water in the chamber. The WSE OWC is unique in that it functions unidirectionally, rather than bidirectionally like all previous OWCs by incorporating simple flap valves into the OWC. The WSE setup is currently able to generate up to 200 kilowatts of power with plans for larger 1,000kW models.

Waves are naturally more consistent and predictable than other renewable sources of energy, allowing them to more easily complement existing fossil fuel baseload during the transition to a fully renewable grid.

China Wins Fusion Race

Meanwhile, China is looking more likely to upend its Western rivals by winning the race to build the world’s first practical nuclear fusion reactor. A small, relatively unknown Chinese fusion startup has been able to achieve what even France-based International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER), funded and run by seven countries since 2006, has been unable to pull off. Shanghai-based Energy Singularity has effectively completed the engineering feasibility verification of high-temperature superconducting for its Honghuang 70 (HH70) tokamak device, giving China a first-mover advantage in the critical field of high-temperature superconducting magnetic confinement fusion. Energy Singularity has also become the world's first commercial company to build and operate an all-superconducting tokamak.

"The design work of the device began in March 2022, and the overall installation was completed by the end of February this year, setting the fastest record for the research and construction of superconducting tokamak devices worldwide," Yang Zhao, Energy Singularity's Chief Executive Officer, has revealed.


So, how did this little-known Chinese company manage to pull off in two years what ITER has failed to achieve in nearly two decades?

According to Yang, using high-temperature superconducting materials can reduce the volume of a device to about 2 percent of that of traditional low-temperature superconducting devices, allowing the construction period of the device to be shortened from ~ 30 years to just 3-4 years.

According to Yang, the company owns independent intellectual property rights of HH70, with a domestication rate of over 96 percent, adding that all of the device's magnet systems are constructed using high-temperature superconducting materials. Despite its commendable success, Energy Singularity is not resting on its laurels, with Yang revealing the company plans to complete the next generation high magnetic field high-temperature superconducting tokamak device dubbed HH170 with a deuterium-tritium equivalent energy gain (Q) greater than 10 by 2027. In nuclear fusion parlance, the Q value reflects the energy efficiency of the fusion reactor, that is, the ratio of the energy generated by the device to the energy input required to sustain the fusion reaction. Q values greater than 1 means the reactor generates more energy than what it consumes, which is essentially what fusion research has been trying to achieve in a commercial reactor for decades. Currently, the greatest Q factor that scientists have achieved is just 1.53.

By Alex Kimani for Oilprice.com

 

India Plans $109 Billion of Grid Investments to Boost Renewables

By Charles Kennedy - Oct 15, 2024,

India plans a massive upgrade and expansion of its power transmission system, expecting investment opportunities of $109 billion to support the integration of renewable energy sources and storage solutions, the power ministry has said.

India’s new National Electricity Plan (Transmission) envisages the addition of hundreds of thousands of kilometers of transmission lines, transformation capacity, and inter-regional transmission capacity by 2032.

India aims to have 500 gigawatts (GW) of renewable energy capacity installed by 2030 and more than 600 GW by 2032, according to the National Electricity Plan.

The country expects its power demand to surge to 708 GW by 2047, India’s Power Minister Manohar Lal said in a statement. To meet this demand, India needs to quadruple its power capacity, the minister added.

“This is not just about increasing capacity; it's about reimagining our entire energy landscape,” Lal said.

“We have set an ambitious target of 500 GW of non-fossil energy capacity by 2030, effectively doubling our current capacity,” he added.

This push towards green energy aligns with India’s commitment to reducing carbon emissions by one billion tons by 2030 and achieving net-zero emissions by 2070, the power ministry said.

Last month, Renewables Energy Minister Pralhad Joshi said that financial institutions had pledged $386 billion in investment commitments to help India boost its renewable energy industry.

The country will need to install at least 44 GW of clean energy capacity every year by the end of the decade to meet the 500-GW goal, according to Bloomberg’s estimates based on data from the Indian Ministry of Power.

“We received overwhelming commitments from states and Union Territories as well as from the developers, manufacturers, and financial institutes to support our goal of 500 GW by 2030,” Joshi said at the annual Renewable Energy Investor's Meet and Expo in India.

India-based conglomerates Reliance Industries and Adani are among the companies that have pledged additional renewable energy capacity. Reliance committed 100 GW of additional renewable capacity, and Adani Green Energy pledged to develop 38.8 GW of capacity.

By Charles Kennedy for Oilprice.com

 

BMW Says EU Ban on Gasoline Cars from 2035 Is “No Longer Realistic”

By Charles Kennedy - Oct 15, 2024

Germany’s car manufacturing giant BMW is warning that an EU ban on the sale of gasoline and diesel cars from 2035 is “no longer realistic” amid slow EV sales as the European auto industry will see a “massive shrinking” with such a ban.

European carmakers are already struggling with their EV sales as subsidies in many countries are coming to an end and Chinese low-cost vehicle makers are gaining market share.

Last year, the EU member states approved an emissions regulation under which the bloc will end sales of new carbon dioxide-emitting cars and vans in 2035. 

The rules target 55% CO2 emission reductions for new cars and 50% for new vans from 2030 to 2034 compared to 2021 levels, as well as 100% CO2 emission reductions for both new cars and vans from 2035. 

Under the regulation, the European Commission will assess in 2026 the progress the EU has made in achieving the target. The Commission will decide whether the targets need to be reviewed.

But BMW’s chief executive Oliver Zipse said on Tuesday at the Paris Automotive Summit that the ban “could also threaten the European automotive industry in its heart.”

The current regulations will “with today’s assumptions, lead to a massive shrinking of the industry as a whole,” Zipse added, as carried by Bloomberg.

Electric vehicle sales in Europe have been suffering this year. Sales in Germany, for example, are plummeting as Berlin ended subsidies at the end of 2023.

Amid slowing sales of EVs, the European Automobile Manufacturers' Association, ACEA, last month called for urgent action to reverse this year’s trend of declining EV sales.

The European auto manufacturers united in ACEA, called on the EU institutions “to come forward with urgent relief measures before new CO2 targets for cars and vans come into effect in 2025.”

Europe’s automakers “are playing our part in this transition, but unfortunately, the other necessary elements for this systemic shift are not in place,” ACEA said.

By Charles Kennedy for Oilprice.com

Look to Asia for the Big Nuclear Renaissance

By Alex Kimani - Oct 15, 2024

• Asia, and not the West, is the true epicenter of the ongoing nuclear energy renaissance.
• Asia is home to 145 operable nuclear power reactors, with 45 under construction.
• Over the past decade, 70 new reactors were connected to the grid globally, 37 of which were in China.

After decades of being treated as the black sheep of the energy universe, nuclear energy is enjoying an unusual renaissance thanks to the global energy crisis triggered by Russia’s war in Ukraine as well as high power demand.  

Back in March, a total of 34  countries, including the U.S.,pledged to install more nuclear capacity in a bid to lower their reliance on fossil fuels. In a highly unusual move, the U.S. federal government has agreed to provide a $1.5 billion loan to restart a nuclear power plant in southwestern Michigan, abandoning earlier plans to decommission it in what will become the first ever nuclear plant in the U.S. to be revived after abandonment. According to the International Energy Agency's (IEA) report Electricity 2024, nuclear power generation is forecast to reach an all-time high globally in 2025, exceeding the previous record set in 2021.

However, Asia, and not the West, is the true epicenter of the ongoing nuclear energy renaissance.

According to Swiss-Swedish energy giant ABB, nuclear power is likely to experience a resurgence in Asia as the sector shakes off its negative reputation and public disapproval as well as countries look to replace fossil fuels with low-carbon fuels.

"There are policies or a history or a connotation that has not always been favorable for nuclear. In parts of Europe, they had stopped investing decades ago, but now with the impact of the war in Ukraine, there is investment and interest again because it is 100% carbon free, whereas some of the other renewables are low carbon but not no carbon," said Karen Bomber, chief commercial officer at ABB Energy Industries.

ABB Energy’s sentiments are backed by available data. According to the World Nuclear Association, Asia is home to 145 operable nuclear power reactors, with 45 under construction and many more having been proposed. Indeed, about three-quarters of nuclear reactors under construction worldwide are located in Asia. 

Not surprisingly, the greatest growth in nuclear generation is expected in China. Currently, the country has 56 operable reactors (54.4 GWe net); 30 under construction (34.7 GWe gross) and 37 planned (39.9 GWe gross). Over the past decade, 70 new reactors were connected to the grid globally, 37 of which were in China. The biggest motivation for the rapid buildout of nuclear reactors in China is to lower generation by coal-fired plants.

Japan is Asia’s second largest nuclear power with 33 operable reactors (31.7 GWe), though many of these have been temporarily shut down. However, only 2 reactors are currently under construction (2.8 GWe) and just 1 planned (1.4 GWe). Japan had big nuclear ambitions prior to the infamous Fukushima nuclear accident in 2011, with nuclear energy expected to generate more than 40% of the country’s electricity by 2017 and plans to double nuclear capacity (to 90 GWe) and nuclear share by 2050. However, these plans were shelved and now the island nation aims to generate just 20% of its electricity from nuclear by 2030, from a depleted fleet.

India is home to 23 operable reactors (7.4 GWe); 7 under construction (5.9 GWe) and 12 (8.4 GWe) expected to come online. According to wWNA, India has already achieved independence in its nuclear fuel cycle, thanks to a commitment by the Indian government to grow its nuclear power capacity as part of its massive infrastructure development programme. India is a pioneer in developing the thorium fuel cycle. Thorium is now being billed as the 'great green hope' of clean energy production that produces less waste and more energy than uranium, is meltdown-proof, has no weapons-grade by-products and can even consume legacy plutonium stockpiles. There is more than twice thorium in the earth’s crust than uranium: in India, thorium is 4x more abundant than uranium. Thorium can also be extracted from sea water just like uranium, making it almost inexhaustible.

South Korea has 26 operable reactors (25.8 GWe) with 2 reactors under construction (2.7 GWe). Currently, nuclear energy accounts for 25% of South Korea’s electricity generation. However, that is set to increase: President Yoon Suk-yeol scrapped the previous administration’s policy to phase out nuclear energy by 2045 and instead set a target to raise its slice in the country’s generation mix to 30% by 2023. South Korea exports its nuclear technology widely.

Meanwhile, Pakistan is home to 6 operable reactors (3.3 GWe) with 1 planned (1.2 GWe). Pakistan generates ~7% of its electricity from nuclear power. While that looks miniscule compared to its peers, expansion of the country’s nuclear capacity has long been a central element of Pakistan’s energy policy. A decade ago, the government set a target to develop 8.9 GWe of nuclear capacity at ten sites by 2030.

By Alex Kimani for Oilprice.com

Video: Pension funds need to be bigger players in the sector, EY mining and metals lead says

MINING.com Editor | October 15, 2024 | 

MINING.com’s Devan Murugan on left, EY’s Theo Yameogo on right.

 Image: The Northern Miner Group.

With the clean energy transition well underway and demand for critical minerals skyrocketing, mining companies are facing an astounding $1 trillion funding gap as tough financing and economic conditions make it more difficult to deliver the metals needed.


EY published a recent report on the top risks and opportunities for the mining industry – topping the list: access to capital. Last year access to capital came in number 2 in EY’s report, after environmental social and governance (ESG).

“Raising capital for new mines and raising capital to expand existing mines in a brownfield environment, or even access to capital to streamline portfolios, has become front and center for mining executives,” Theo Yameogo, EY’s Mining and metals Leader for the Americas and Canada, said in an interview.

Yameogo pointed out that to help address this gap, pension funds need to become bigger players in the mining sector, because there will be no energy transition without metals and minerals.

Watch the full interview with MINING.com’s Devan Murugan

Fire at Freeport Indonesia’s Gresik smelter under control, company says

Reuters | October 14, 2024 

Image from Freeport.

A fire at the sulphuric acid unit at Freeport Indonesia’s Manyar smelter in Gresik, East Java province, was brought under control on Monday, a company spokesperson said, adding that no casualties had been reported.


The company will assess the damage and evaluate the cause of the incident once the area is safe to enter, spokesperson Katri Krisnati said.

The $3.7 billion copper smelter was completed in June and had been expected to produce a first batch of output in September, however due to water and steam leakage during an initial test period, production has been delayed until November, Reuters reported last month.

The smelter has annual input capacity of 1.7 million metric tons of copper concentrate, which could produce around 900,000 tons of copper cathode, 50 tons of gold and 210 tons of silver a year.

“The fire that occurred Monday October 14 at around 1745 (GMT+7) in the sulphuric acid unit of the Freeport Indonesia smelter in the Gresik Special Economic Zone has now been successfully controlled,” Katri said.

(By Bernadette Christina and Ananda Teresia; Editing by Toby Chopra and Alison Williams)

Rio Tinto to take over Ranger uranium mine cleanup

Cecilia Jamasmie | October 15, 2024 

Rehabilitation activities at the Ranger mine. (Image taken from ERA’s 2024 Mine Closure Plan.)

Rio Tinto (ASX, LON, NYSE: RIO) will carry out the rehabilitation of the closed Ranger uranium mine in Australia’s Northern Territory, a government body has ruled.


The Takeovers Panel’s decision ends a long-running dispute over whether Rio Tinto or its majority owned uranium producer Energy Resources of Australia (ASX: ERA) would assume the site restoration’s costs.

It also clears the way for Rio to assume full control of the uranium producer via the company’s capital raising, announced in August.

ERA halted activities at Ranger in 2021, after 40 years of operations. The initial goal was to finish the site cleanup by 2026. Rehabilitation costs for the site have surged to A$2.2bn ($1.4bn) and ERA warned in August it would run out of money by December. It said at the time it would launch a capital rising, with Rio as the most likely buyer of shares.

Willy Packer’s Packer&Co and Richard Magides’ Zentree, who collectively own around 12% of ERA, filed an objection with the Takeovers Panel, saying the move would unfairly allow Rio to increase its stake in the company from 86.3% to 99.2%, clearing the way for the mining giant to buy out ERA.

The Takeovers Panel upheld on Tuesday its previous decision to reject the objections from the two minority ERA shareholders.

“ERA now intends to proceed with the [A$880 million] entitlement offer as soon as possible,” the company said on Tuesday.
Jabiluka

ERA still seeks to have its mining permit for Jabiluka, a vast uranium deposit surrounded by the Kakadu National Park, restored. The licence, which has been under the same company’s control since 1991, expired in August.

The Australian government, led by prime Minister Anthony Albanese, has pledged that Jabiluka will “never be mined” and instead will be integrated into the adjacent Kakadu National Park.

ERA filed the petition to have the mining licence back, despite Rio Tinto’s stating that it had no plans to develop the mine site and that it was pleased to see the traditional owners’ wishes respected.

The Mirarr people have long opposed to mining activities in the region, organizing protests in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Rio Tinto has backed the traditional owners’ position in recent years as it works to repair its ties with indigenous groups after destroying sacred rock shelters at Juukan Gorge in Western Australia in 2020 for an iron ore mine expansion.

Australia is home to almost one-third of the world’s identified uranium reserves, yet the mining of this resource is permitted in only two of its six states and two territories — South Australia and the Northern Territory.

The country’s only operating uranium mines are BHP’s Olympic Dam, which generates uranium as a secondary product of its copper mining activities and Boss Energy’s Honeywell mine. Together, they account for around 9% of the global reported production.

 

U.S. Navy Trials At-Sea Missile Cell Reloading for First Time in Years

The crew of the USS Chosin rigged up to reload a VLS cell on the foredeck, October 11 (USN)

Published Oct 15, 2024 8:52 PM by The Maritime Executive

 

 

For the first time in years, the U.S. Navy has successfully trialed a device for reloading the missile magazine aboard its destroyers and cruisers. The task is a comparatively simple crane hoist in port, but in a rolling seaway, it is complicated enough to require years of R&D to solve. 

On October 11, sailors aboard the Ticonderoga-class cruiser USS Chosin used the hydraulically-powered TRAM device to load an empty missile canister into the ship’s MK 41 vertical launching system (VLS) while off the coast of San Diego on Oct. 11. In calm conditions, Chosin connected to the auxiliary USNS Washington Chambers, which transferred over the canister using an underway replenishment cable system. The sailors then used the TRAM device to move the missile canister on rails attached to the cruiser’s VLS modules, tilt it upright, and lower it into a VLS cell.

All Ticonderoga-class cruisers and early Arleigh Burke-class destroyers had a similar capability in the form of an onboard crane - a "strikedown module" - but it was rarely used, and it was eventually removed in favor of easier and safer reloads in port.

Strikedown module servicing the aft VLS cell magazine of a Ticonderoga-class cruiser (USN file image)

The Navy has resuscitated the idea of at-sea reloads in order to generate more warfighting capacity in the far reaches of the Western Pacific, where distances between safe ports are prohibitively long. Driving hundreds of nautical miles for an in-port reload, then heading back to the battle zone would take each destroyer offline for days in the middle of a war. Instead, using TRAMS, the Navy's destroyers and cruisers could reload from an auxiliary at sea, closer to the action.

“Today, we proved just how game-changing TRAM truly is - and what a powerful deterrent it will be to our competitors,” said Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro, who was on hand for the test. “This demonstration marks a key milestone on the path to perfecting this capability and fielding it for sustained operations at sea.”

A shoreside test of the TRAM prototype at Port Hueneme, July 2024 (USN)

The at-sea test follows a successful land-based demonstration in July at Port Hueneme, where the Naval Surface Warfare Center branch came up with the prototype for TRAM. “The combatant can stay near the fight to be rearmed, refueled and resupplied all at the same time,” said Rich Hadley, UNREP division manager at NSWC Port Hueneme. “As Capt. Arleigh Burke said, ‘All time spent in replenishing was time lost in combat.’ TRAM improves operational effectiveness by reducing the amount of time the warfighter must spend away from the fight replenishing.”

According to Del Toro, the Navy could begin fielding TRAM in an operational role within three years' time - a rapid and comparatively low-cost intervention. 

 

Education Underway

The maritime industry desperately needs skilled personnel. Maritime schools and academies are answering the challenge.

Courtesy STAR Center

Published Oct 15, 2024 9:14 PM by Chad Fuhrmann

 

(Article originally published in July/Aug 2024 edition.)

To state the obvious, the maritime industry is struggling to sustain qualified seafarers i sufficient quantities, struggling against a backdrop of evolving technology and myriad commercial concerns such as ESG. This chaotic patchwork is framed by what can only be described as an all-out panic as international leaders react (finally!) to the realization that the maritime industry is critical for economic stability and security.

Color the industry unsurprised, having predicted this seafarer scarcity for decades.

Over twenty years ago, the American Maritime Officers’ Union (AMO), via its STAR Center training division, developed comprehensive programs to address the issue. These programs are designed for individuals on both deck and engineering license paths and include an Officer in Charge of an Engineering Watch (OICEW) curriculum which, according to Director of Training, Captain Gerard Pannell, “will reopen the hawsepipe path, addressing the burden imposed by increased STCW requirements and removing a potential barrier to advancement.”

The mariner shortage is recognized as a critical challenge for the industry globally, significantly impacting supply chains and economic stability, but it’s not just about filling open roles on board. Better-trained and highly skilled professionals are required to navigate the complexities of modern maritime operations. The problem is you can’t get experience without getting the job, but you can’t get the job without experience.

Innovations across the training and education spectrum mirror those of the industry itself and offer potential solutions. With a comprehensive online infrastructure, Maritime Trainer, for example, espouses a strategy integrating customized training with the evolving needs of the industry. Specializing in bespoke solutions, Maritime Trainer “expands the knowledge and skills that seafarers require in a cost-effective manner, providing a holistic and blended training experience,” says Captain Ozgur Alemdag, CEO.

Meanwhile, despite being caught in the middle of the Russia-Ukraine war, Rector Dr. Mykhaylo Miyusov and his team at the National University of Odessa Maritime Academy (NUOMA) are leveraging innovation to maintain a healthy maritime officer training program. “Even being under conditions of war, NUOMA continues to take all possible measures to ensure the quality of education and to achieve its maritime objectives,” states Dr. Miyusov, one of which is to “build a bridge” between people’s desires to obtain qualifications and the needs of the maritime labor market.

The Diversity Challenge

The pace of change in the maritime sector continues to accelerate. Innovation is pushing the technical boundaries of shipboard systems, and the slope of the learning curve is becoming dangerously steep.

However, as learning tools are advancing, the profile of the typical mariner appears to be finally shifting as well. Anecdotally, one U.S. East Coast vessel operator notes that the average age of its vessel captains dropped from 67 to 33 in less than three years! While that may be exceptional, it illustrates the trend toward younger mariners, who provide a much different perspective on technology and learning styles.

Training providers such as MarinePALS realize that a paradigm shift is required to better equip the future maritime industry. “The major challenge is that many companies in the industry have historically looked at training from a minimum compliance viewpoint rather than from the perspective of resilience and growth,” says Founder & CEO, Captain Pradeep Chawla, pointing out that the maritime industry spends less than half of other high-hazard industries on training as a percentage of operating costs.

Modern training methods must be adapted for a new generation, but maintaining motivation among these trainees can be challenging. Maritime Trainer’s Alemdag points out that younger learners have different expectations: “As digital natives, they tend to favor interactive and gamified learning experiences over conventional approaches.”

Training providers must incorporate modern elements that pose unique challenges with real-time feedback to keep trainees engaged. Innovative methods include micro-training, virtual reality (VR) simulations and interactive e-learning. The key, according to Captain Jon Kjaerulff, Director of Business Development at the Maritime Institute of Technology and Graduate Studies (MITAGS), “is to help mariners and employers view training as an investment, not an expense.”

Of course, diversity is another major challenge, and while many shy away from the perceived issues surrounding diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI), NUOMA embraces them by creating equitable conditions, an effort it initiated long before the Russian invasion. In accordance with the policy of the IMO, the involvement of women in particular is strongly supported. Furthermore, a significant strength of Ukrainian seafarers in international shipping is their service as part of multinational crews, emphasizing respect and tolerance for crew members of other nationalities, cultures and religions.

Cutting through the positives of accessibility and inclusiveness, however, is safety, the core concern of many underrepresented groups. In particular, women and LGBTQIA+ are not well represented in the industry, due in no small part to the fundamental issue of safety.

“These seafarers may have faced a variety of difficulties on board including harassment and a general lack of acceptance,” states MarinePALS’ Chawla. For this reason, training organizations have developed programs on sexual assault and sexual harassment (SASH), mental health issues, suicide prevention and other topics to introduce seafarers to viewpoints with which they may not be familiar or comfortable.

Maritime training institutes have long understood that diversity and representation are crucial to strengthening the industry, and this diversity extends to the accessibility of the training platforms themselves. Modern training programs are designed to be inclusive and accessible, providing materials in multiple languages and ensuring user-friendly platforms for individuals with varying levels of digital literacy.

“Everybody Wins”

Attracting new and diverse talent is only one part of the effort necessary for maritime’s growth.

Newly minted seafarers are faced with technology that will continue to evolve throughout their careers. As MarinePAL’s Chawla puts it, “Seafarers will have to get used to continuous learning and rapid changes in technology. Continuous professional development (CPD) will play a vital role as seafarers not only keep up to date but also maintain the credentials necessary to prove their qualifications.”

AMO STAR Center has undertaken a significant effort to update the content and delivery of its professional development courses beyond the engineering hawspipe pathway. Its expanded CPD programming includes bridge-oriented skills such as emergency shiphandling, electronic navigation and dynamic positioning. It’s Captain Pannell’s belief that “This will lead to enhancing the skills of our AMO officers by providing CDP that is relevant, practical for today’s real-world requirements, and for the vessels of the future.”

Maritime TOAR Assessments, out of Rhode Island, leans heavily on simulation training and assessments to improve mariners’ perception and judgment of dangerous situations. Simulation improves training outcomes compared to conventional on-board training exercise and creates more collaborative, critical thinking.

NUOMA supports adaptability and collaboration as keys to a modern workforce regardless of conditions. Despite martial law, Dr. Miyusov and his team continue to participate in international activities and organizations as Ukrainian delegates to the International Association of Maritime Universities. NUOMA ensures that innovation remains a crucial part of its evolving curricula including greenhouse gas reduction, alternative fuels, autonomous vessels and cybersecurity.

To be certain, the meaning of “competence” has evolved well beyond what might be considered traditional seafaring skills. In addition to technical literacy, these skills now include vocational aptitude, personality profiles, maritime English proficiency and comprehensive onboard training encompassing cultural integration and SMS.

MITAGS’ Kjaerulff reminds us, however, that regardless of the courses being taught or the delivery method employed, the overarching goal of training has never changed – and never should. Keeping ships safe and protecting the environment require highly trained professionals. “We align ourselves with industry players and people who want to be the best and are always looking for ways to do better,” Kjaerulff says. “When ships come home safe and there are no accidents, everybody wins.”

Industry 4.Ocean

Today, we thrive in the chaos of what many consider the Fourth Industrial Revolution, a revolution characterized by a blinding pace of innovation, increased scrutiny of ESG issues and equal parts fear and anticipation of growing digitalization and autonomy.

The maritime sector is quickly becoming a brave new watery world with brand-new adventures and challenges.

Training providers navigate a landscape marked by rapid technological advances, evolving industry standards and shifting workforce demographics. The integration of advanced technologies like AI, VR and machine learning into training requires a significant investment of time and resources but simultaneously offers unique and malleable solutions to emerging issues.  

Maritime consultant Chad Fuhrmann is the founder of REvolution Consulting X Engineering.

The opinions expressed herein are the author's and not necessarily those of The Maritime Executive.

 

OSV Coastal Liberty Operates on Green Hydrogen in the German Wadden Sea

First months of running eCap Marine’s containerised hydrogen-electric energy system successful

Published Oct 15, 2024 6:52 AM by The Maritime Executive

 

[By: eCap Marine]

In a significant step towards sustainability and emission-free energy sources on board, Offshore Supply Vessel Coastal Liberty has set sail on the waters of the Wadden Sea. With the clear aim of minimising the environmental impact of its activities and driving forward the energy transition, the shipping company has decided to switch to green hydrogen as its main source of energy.

End of February 2024 the refitted OSV received class certification by DNV for its newly installed hydrogen system on board. eCap Marine, contracted by Offshore Service Gesellschaft mbH, engineered the system enabling the vessel to operate without producing any emissions using hydrogen and batteries.

A safe hydrogen-electric power system
Over two years, eCap Marine developed a containerized system featuring two Ballard FCwave (2x200kW) fuel cells, a maritime battery system from Lehmann Marine, a fire
extinguishing system, tank units, a custom power management system, and all necessary cooling and safety equipment.

Lars Ravens, Managing Director of eCap Marine, states that this kind of system is a unique installation on board a seagoing ship and scalable up to megawatt-sized designs for larger commercial ships and longer voyages as well as smaller inland vessels.

Local hydrogen production
The green hydrogen for the installed fuel cells will be produced locally and sustainably, using offshore wind power on a electrolyser hydrogen plant a few kilometers from the vessel’s berth that was installed simultaneously to the fuel cell project. The electrolyser is designed to expand in case of a higher demands. eCap Marine designed the three swappable high pressure tank systems with the focus on safety, and in alignment with the rules and regulations resulting to the transport of the units between the vessel and the electrolyser by truck. eCap’s Head of Projects Frederike Engels confirms that switching, disconnecting and reconnecting the hydrogen tanks is very easy and safe, taking just a few minutes due to the toolless design and standard connections for crane and truck.

For the vessel’s crew the new system means reduced vibrations on board and a more direct propulsion allowing immediate response to the propeller shafts. Jochen Kaufholt, CEO of Offshore Service Gesellschaft, describes the Coastal Liberty a first of its kind and a flagship for the maritime energy transition in Europe.

eCap Marine firmly believes that this investment will not only have a positive impact on the environment but will also bring long-term benefits for its customers and society as a whole.

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

Windcat’s First CSOV Launched by Damen

Damen Shipyards, Windcat and CMB.TECH are celebrating the launch of the first of six Commissioning Service Operation Vessels (CSOV). The launch marks the inauguration of Windcat’s ‘Elevation Series’ of future-proof offshore wind farm maintenance and suppo

Published Oct 15, 2024 7:03 AM by The Maritime Executive

 

[By: Damen Shipyards Group]

Damen Shipyards, Windcat and CMB.TECH are celebrating the launch of the first of six Commissioning Service Operation Vessels (CSOV). The launch marks the inauguration of Windcat’s ‘Elevation Series’ of future-proof offshore wind farm maintenance and support vessels, which have been designed in close collaboration with Windcat and CMB.TECH. The launch ceremony took place on 12 October at Ha Long Shipyard in Vietnam, where Damen is constructing all six CSOVs. With this first CSOV in the water, Damen will continue with its outfitting and commissioning operations to prepare the vessel for delivery in Q2 2025.

Damen, Windcat and CMB.TECH first announced their intention to develop and build a series of offshore wind farm support vessels together back in 2022. After an initial contract for two ships, Windcat increased the order to six vessels, with the last contract being signed mid-2024.

Talking shortly after the launch of this widely anticipated first example of ‘Elevation Series’ CSOV, Windcat Managing Director Willem van der Wel said: “We have been working with Damen towards this day for some years now and to see the first CSOV glide into the water was truly a special moment. We are excited for this first vessel to hit the water today and look forward to introducing this game-changing vessel to the world next year.”

Compared to earlier designs of offshore wind farm support vessel, this CSOV represents advances in efficiency, performance and comfort. The 87-metre long vessel is designed around best in class offshore performance, with various new technologies on board to achieve this. The vessel will accommodate up to 120 people on board, remaining at its offshore location to provide in-field technical and maintenance support for up to 30 days at a time. Particular attention has been given to provide offshore personnel with the most comfortable conditions to live and work during their time on board.

“We are especially proud of the efficiency gains that this vessel is expected to deliver,” added Damen Sales Manager Benelux Joost van der Weiden. “The hybrid-electric propulsion system coupled with an efficient power distribution system means that there will be no need to run a backup diesel generator and the vessel will never use more power than necessary. And we have optimized the thruster configuration, enhancing the dynamic positioning during transfer operations. All in all, we expect innovations like these to add up to substantial reductions in fuel consumption and, therefore, emissions.”

Reducing CO2 emissions further, the Damen / Windcat / CMB.TECH cooperation has taken a proactive stance on the subject of future fuels. The consequence of this is that, thanks to CMB.TECH’s dual fuel hydrogen technology, the entire series of six vessels will be able to use hydrogen as a fuel, increasing this hydrogen use as the energy market progresses. 

Video 
A short video about the launch is available here.

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