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)
CREDIT: CRAIG CHANDLER/UNIVERSITY COMMUNICATION AND MARKETING;/UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA-LINCOLN
Plant life first emerged on land about 550 million years ago, and an international research team co-led by University of Nebraska–Lincoln computational biologist Yanbin Yin has cracked the genomic code of its humble beginnings, which made possible all other terrestrial life on Earth, including humans.
The team — about 50 scientists in eight countries – has generated the first genomic sequence of four strains of Zygnema algae, the closest living relatives of land plants. Their findings shed light on the ability of plants to adjust to the environment and provide a rich basis for future research.
The study was published May 1 in the journal Nature Genetics.
“This is an evolutionary story,” said Yin, who led the research team with a scientist from Germany. “It answers the fundamental question of how the earliest land plants evolved from aquatic freshwater algae.”
Yin’s lab in the Nebraska Food for Health Center and the Department of Food Science and Technology has a long history of studying plant cell wall carbohydrates, a major component of dietary fibers for humans and farm animals; lignocelluloses for biofuel production; and natural barriers to protect crops from pathogens and environmental stresses.
All current plant life on land burst from a one-off evolutionary event known as plant terrestrialization from ancient freshwater algae. The first land plants, known as embryophyta within the clade of streptophyta, emerged on land about 550 million years ago — their arrival fundamentally changing the surface and atmosphere of the planet. They made all other terrestrial life, including humans and animals, possible by serving as an evolutionary foundation for future flora and food for fauna.
The researchers worked with four algal strains from the genus Zygnema — two from a culture collection in the United States and two from Germany. Scientists combined a range of cutting-edge DNA sequencing techniques to determine the entire genome sequences of these algae. These methods enabled scientists to generate complete genomes for these organisms at the level of whole chromosomes — something that had never been done before on this group of algae. Comparing the genomes with those of other plants and algae led to the discovery of specific overabundances of cell wall enzymes, signalling genes and environmental response factors.
A unique feature of these algae revealed by microscopic imaging — performed at the University of Innsbruck in Austria, the Universität Hamburg in Germany and UNL’s Center for Biotechnology — is a thick and highly sticky layer of carbohydrates outside the cell walls, called the mucilage layer. Xuehuan Feng, the first author of the paper and a Husker postdoctoral research associate, developed a new and effective DNA extraction method to remove this mucilage layer for high purity and high molecular DNAs.
“It is fascinating that the genetic building blocks, whose origins predate land plants by millions of years, duplicated and diversified in the ancestors of plants and algae and, in doing so, enabled the evolution of more specialized molecular machinery,” said Iker Irisarri of the Leibniz Institute for the Analysis of Biodiversity Change and co-first author of the paper.
The team’s other co-leader, Jan de Vries of the University of Göttingen, said, “Not only do we present a valuable, high-quality resource for the entire plant scientific community, who can now explore these genome data, our analyses uncovered intricate connections between environmental responses.”
The four multicellular Zygnema algae belong to the class Zygnematophyceae, the closest living relatives of land plants; it is a class of freshwater and semi-terrestrial algae with more than 4,000 described species. Zygnematophyceae possess adaptations to withstand terrestrial stressors, such as desiccation, ultraviolet light, freezing and other abiotic stresses. The key to understanding these adaptations is the genome sequences. Before this paper, genome sequences were only available for four unicellular Zygnematophyceae.
Yin said this research aligns with one of the National Science Foundation’s 10 Big Ideas — “Understanding the Rules of Life” — to address societal challenges, from clean water to climate resilience. The discovery also holds significance in applied sciences, such as bioenergy, water sustainability and carbon sequestration.
“Our gene network analyses reveal co-expression of genes, especially those for cell wall synthesis and remodifications that were expanded and gained in the last common ancestor of land plants and Zygnematophyceae,” Yin said. “We shed light on the deep evolutionary roots of the mechanism for balancing environmental responses and multicellular cell growth.”
The international research collaboration includes about 50 researchers from 20 research institutions in eight countries — the United States, Germany, France, Austria, Canada, China, Israel and Singapore. Other Husker researchers on the team are Chi Zhang, professor of biological sciences, and Jeffrey Mower, professor of agronomy and horticulture.
Funding for UNL’s portion of the research came primarily from Yin’s NSF CAREER award, the Nebraska Tobacco Settlement Biomedical Research Enhancement Fund, the National Institutes of Health, and the U.S. departments of Agriculture and Energy.
Land plants cover the surface of our planet and often tower over us. They form complex bodies with multiple organs that consist of a broad range of cell types. Developing this morphological complexity is underpinned by intricate networks of genes, whose coordinated action shapes plant bodies through various molecular mechanisms. All of these magnificent forms burst forth from a one-off evolutionary event: when plants conquered Earth’s surface, known as plant terrestrialization. Among those algae most closely related to land plants, diverse body types are found – ranging from single-celled algae to more complex cell filaments. From this group of relatives, an international group of researchers led by the Universities of Göttingen and Nebraska–Lincoln has now generated the first genome data of such complex specimens, on four filamentous “star algae” of the genus Zygnema. Their results were published in Nature Genetics.
The researchers worked with four algal strains in total, two from a culture collection in the USA and two that have been kept safe in the Algal Culture Collection at Göttingen University (SAG). The research involved more than 50 scientists from nine countries who combined a range of cutting-edge sequencing techniques to elucidate the entire DNA sequence of these algae. The advanced methods enabled them to generate complete genomes for these organisms at the level of whole chromosomes – something that had never been done before on this group of algae. Comparing the genes on the genomes with those of other plants and algae led to the discovery of specific overabundances of signalling genes and environmental response factors. Dr Iker Irisarri, Leibniz Institute for the Analysis of Biodiversity Change, explains: “Many of these genes underpin molecular functions that were important for the emergence of the first multicellular terrestrial plants. It is fascinating that the genetic building blocks, whose origins predate land plants by millions of years, duplicated and diversified in the ancestors of plants and algae and, in doing so, enabled the evolution of more specialized molecular machinery”.
Professor Jan de Vries, University of Göttingen, says: “Not only do we present a valuable, high-quality resource for the entire plant scientific community, who can now explore these genome data, our analyses uncovered intricate connections between environmental responses. This sheds light on one of land plants’ most important features: their ability to adjust their growth and development so that it aligns with the environment in which they dwell – a process known as developmental plasticity.”
Original publication: Feng X et al: “Genomes of multicellular algal sisters to land plants illuminate signaling network evolution”,Nature Genetics 2024. Doi: 10.1038/s41588-024-01737-3
Land plants cover the surface of our planet and often tower over us. They form complex bodies with multiple organs that consist of a broad range of cell types. Developing this morphological complexity is underpinned by intricate networks of genes, whose coordinated action shapes plant bodies through various molecular mechanisms. All of these magnificent forms burst forth from a one-off evolutionary event: when plants conquered Earth’s surface, known as plant terrestrialization. Among those algae most closely related to land plants, diverse body types are found – ranging from single-celled algae to more complex cell filaments. From this group of relatives, an international group of researchers led by the Universities of Göttingen and Nebraska–Lincoln has now generated the first genome data of such complex specimens, on four filamentous “star algae” of the genus Zygnema. Their results were published in Nature Genetics.
The researchers worked with four algal strains in total, two from a culture collection in the USA and two that have been kept safe in the Algal Culture Collection at Göttingen University (SAG). The research involved more than 50 scientists from nine countries who combined a range of cutting-edge sequencing techniques to elucidate the entire DNA sequence of these algae. The advanced methods enabled them to generate complete genomes for these organisms at the level of whole chromosomes – something that had never been done before on this group of algae. Comparing the genes on the genomes with those of other plants and algae led to the discovery of specific overabundances of signalling genes and environmental response factors. Dr Iker Irisarri, Leibniz Institute for the Analysis of Biodiversity Change, explains: “Many of these genes underpin molecular functions that were important for the emergence of the first multicellular terrestrial plants. It is fascinating that the genetic building blocks, whose origins predate land plants by millions of years, duplicated and diversified in the ancestors of plants and algae and, in doing so, enabled the evolution of more specialized molecular machinery”.
Professor Jan de Vries, University of Göttingen, says: “Not only do we present a valuable, high-quality resource for the entire plant scientific community, who can now explore these genome data, our analyses uncovered intricate connections between environmental responses. This sheds light on one of land plants’ most important features: their ability to adjust their growth and development so that it aligns with the environment in which they dwell – a process known as developmental plasticity.”
Original publication: Feng X et al: “Genomes of multicellular algal sisters to land plants illuminate signaling network evolution”,Nature Genetics 2024. Doi: 10.1038/s41588-024-01737-3
The filamentous streptophyte alga Zygnema growing in a cell culture flask
Microscope image of Zygnema circumcarinatum, a filamentous alga with a star-shaped chloroplast. Because of this feature, algae of the genus Zygnema are also called "star algae" (scale is 50 µm, corresponding to 0.05 mm)
Recent findings that plants employ a drought-survival mechanism to also defend against nutrient-sucking pests could inform future crop breeding programmes aimed at achieving better broadscale pest control.
Using an advanced fluorescent biosensor (ABACUS2) that can detect tiny changes in plant hormone concentrations at the cellular scale, scientists saw that abscisic acid (ABA), usually linked with drought response, started closing the plant’s entry gates within 5 hours of being infested with spider mites.
Microscopic leaf pores (stomata) are important for gas exchange but are also the major sites for water loss. When there is a water shortage, plants act to conserve water by producing the drought stress hormone ABA to close their stomata.
Coincidentally, the closure of stomata also obstructs the preferred entry points for nutrient-sucking pests like spider mites. The two-spotted spider mite is one of the most economically damaging pests – it’s not fussy and attacks a broad range of more than 1000 plants, including 150 crops. Barely visible to the naked eye, these tiny pests pierce and then suck dry plant cells. They can build up to enormous numbers very quickly and can be one of the most destructive pests in the garden and horticulture industry, spoiling house plants and reducing yields of vegetables, fruit and salad crops.
There has been debate about ABA's role in pest resistance. Initially, it was noticed that stomata close when plants are attacked by nutrient-sucking pests, leading to various hypotheses, including that this closure could be a plant response to losing water due to the pests' feeding or even that the pests act to close stomata to prevent plants from sending distress volatiles to pest predators.
In a collaboration between the Centre for Plant Biotechnology and Genomics (CBGP) in Spain and Sainsbury Laboratory Cambridge University (SLCU), researchers studying how thale cress (Arabidopsis thaliana) responds to the two-spotted spider mite (Tetranychus urticae) have determined the plant leaps into action almost immediately, employing the same hormone as for drought to also block spider mites from penetrating plant tissues and, as a result, significantly reducing pest damage.
The findings published in Plant Physiology found the peak closure of stomata is achieved within a time frame of 24 to 30 hours.
“Open stomata are natural apertures where pests like aphids and mites insert their specialised feeding structures, called stylets, to pierce and then suck out the nutrient rich contents from individual sub-epidermal cells”, said Irene Rosa-Díaz, who carried out the spider mite experiments at SLCU and CBGP during her PhD with Professor Isabel Diaz at the Centro de Biotecnología y Genómica de Plantas, Universidad Polytécnica de Madrid, and National Institute of Agricultural and Food Research and Technology (UPM-INIA) .
The plant leaps into action almost immediately, employing the same hormone as for drought to also block spider mites from penetrating plant tissues and, as a result, significantly reducing pest damage.
“We were able to show mite infestation induced a rapid stomatal closure response, with the plant hormone ABA rising in the leaf tissues – highest in stomatal and vascular cells, but also all other leaf cells measured. We showed through multiple different experiments that stomatal closure hinders mites. Plants that were pre-treated with ABA to induce stomatal closure and then infested with mites showed decreased mite damage, while ABA-deficient mutant plants where stomata cannot close well and plants that have a more stomata are more susceptible to mites.”
Alexander Jones’ research group at SLCU develops in vivo biosensors that are revealing hormone dynamics in plants at unprecedented resolution, including ABACUS2 that quantified cellular ABA in these mite experiments.
Dr Jones said the study highlights the important interactions between biotic and abiotic stresses in plants: “Early warning cues from mite feeding induces a cascade of immune signalling molecules, including jasmonic acid (JA) and salicylic acid (SA), among other chemical responses. Together, these results show that ABA accumulation and stomatal closure are also key defence mechanisms employed to reduce mite damage.
“The next step is to investigate what the initial mite-produced signal is that the plant is detecting that then results in ABA accumulation. The biochemical mechanisms being used by the plant as signals of pest attack could be anything, including mite feeding vibrations, mite salivary proteins, chemicals produced by the mites or mite activity, direct cell damage (wounds) or other molecules associated with the mites.
“Identifying the initial triggers could potentially be used to develop new crop treatments to arm the plants ahead of predicted pest infestations. Importantly, efforts to select for plants with altered stomatal traits, which already must balance a photosynthesis vs water conservation trade-off, could also consider resistance to damaging pests.”
Reference
Irene Rosa-Díaz, James Rowe, Ana Cayuela-Lopez, Vicent Arbona, Isabel Díaz, Alexander M. Jones (2024) Spider mite herbivory induces an abscisic acid-driven stomatal defense. Plant Physiology
Salmon like these are dying prematurely at fish farms in Norway
- Copyright AFP BAY ISMOYO
Pierre-Henry DESHAYES
They are hailed for their omega-3 fatty acids and micronutrients, but Norway’s salmon are not in the best of health themselves at the fish farms where they are bred.
Almost 63 million salmon — a record — died prematurely last year in the large underwater sea pens that dot the fjords of Norway, the world’s biggest producer of Atlantic salmon.
That represents a mortality rate of 16.7 percent, also a record high and a number that has gradually risen over the years — posing an economic and an ethical problem to producers.
The salmon succumb to illnesses of the pancreas, gills or heart, or to injuries suffered during the removal of sea lice parasites.
“The death of animals is a waste of life and resources,” Edgar Brun, director of Aquatic Animal Health and Welfare at the Norwegian Veterinary Institute, told AFP.
“We also have a moral and ethical responsibility to guarantee them the best possible conditions.”
Norway’s salmon exports exceeded $11 billion last year, with the 1.2 million tonnes sold representing the equivalent of 16 million meals per day.
The 63 million prematurely dead salmon represent almost $2 billion in lost income for the industry.
– Not so appetising –
Salmon that die prematurely are usually turned into animal feed or biofuel.
But according to Norwegian media, some fish that are in dire health at the time of slaughter, or even already dead, do sometimes end up on dinner plates, occasionally even sent off with a label marked “superior”.
“I see fish on sale that I myself would not eat,” a former head of quality control at a salmon slaughterhouse, Laila Sele Navikauskas, told public broadcaster NRK in November.
Eating those salmon poses no danger to human health, experts say.
“The pathogens that cause these illnesses in the salmon cannot be passed on to humans,” Brun explained.
But the revelations damage the salmon’s precious image.
“If you buy meat in a store, you expect it to come from an animal that was slaughtered in line with regulations and not one that was lying dead outside the barn,” said Trygve Poppe, a specialist in fish health.
“Otherwise, as a consumer you feel tricked.”
The Norwegian Food Safety Authority said it observed anomalies at half of the fish farms inspected last year, noting that, among other things, injured or deformed fish had been exported in violation of Norwegian regulations.
In order to maintain its strong reputation, only salmon of ordinary or superior quality is authorised for export.
The lower quality fish — which accounts for a growing share of stocks, up to a third last winter — can only be sold abroad after it has been transformed, into fillets for example.
– Matter of trust –
Robert Eriksson, head of the Norwegian Seafood Association which represents small producers — generally considered less at fault — said the irregularities reported at some breeders were “totally unacceptable”.
“We live off of trust,” he said.
Taking shortcuts means “you get punished by the market and the economic impact is much bigger than the few extra kilos you sold.”
The Norwegian Seafood Federation — representing the biggest fish farming companies, those most often singled out over quality — insists it is addressing the matter but says more time is needed.
“On average, it takes three years to breed a salmon,” said the body’s director, Geir Ove Ystmark.
“So it’s very difficult to see immediate results today, even though we have launched a series of initiatives and measures.”
It is precisely the speed at which the fish are bred that is the problem, according to fish health specialist Poppe, who criticised the “terribly bad animal conditions” and who has stopped eating farmed salmon.
“The salmon are subjected to stress their entire lives, from the time they hatch in fresh water until their slaughter,” said Poppe.
“For example, during the first phase in fresh water, the light and temperature is manipulated so they’ll grow as quickly as possible,” he explained.
“In the wild, this phase takes two to six years. When they’re bred, it takes six months to a year.”
– New technology –
Truls Gulowsen, head of Friends of the Earth Norway, said recent years’ higher mortality rates were the result of aggressive industrialisation.
“We have bred a farmed fish that has poor chances of survival and which is dying from a combination of stress and bad genes because it’s been bred to grow as fast as possible and subjected to a major change in diet.”
The Norwegian Seafood Association aims to halve the mortality rate by 2030, and industry giant Salmar has allocated $45 million to tackle the issue.
Among the frequently mentioned possibilities are greater spacing between fish farms, and new technology, including so-called closed facilities.
The latter, where sea water is filtered, would help prevent sea lice but are more costly.
The government insists it is up to fish farms to respect the rules.
“Not all producers have the same mortality rates, so it is possible to reduce them,” said Even Tronstad Sagebakken, a state secretary at the fisheries ministry.
In the meantime, the Norwegian Food Safety Authority says it has not yet received any reports of salmon not fit for export being sold abroad.
Tuesday, April 23, 2024
Peninsula Facilitates B30 Biofuel Supply Deal in Zeebrugge
Peninsula, the leading independent global marine energy supplier, announces the successful conclusion of the first B30 biofuel supply deal in Zeebrugge, Belgium, in collaboration with the Japanese shipping company, Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha (NYK). The deal, which marks a significant milestone in sustainable fuel distribution, saw the delivery of 1,200 metric tons of B30.
The delivery, executed on March 24, 2024, involved the vessel Garnet Leader, a vehicles carrier. Peninsula's New York barge, played the role of ensuring the smooth transportation and delivery of the biofuel to its destination in Zeebrugge.
Kaori Takahashi, General Manager of NYK’s Fuel Group, said: "NYK is proud to collaborate with Peninsula in this pioneering supply of B30 biofuel, which underscores our dedication to environmental sustainability and innovation in the maritime sector. By leveraging sustainable biofuels like B30, we are taking meaningful strides towards reducing greenhouse gas emissions. NYK remains dedicated to driving positive change within the industry while meeting the evolving demands of our customers and stakeholders."
B30 biofuel, a blend comprising 30% ISCC EU certified sustainable UCOME, which is biofuel derived from Used Cooking Oil, offers a promising avenue reducing GHG emissions by 84%, thus mitigating the environmental impact of maritime operations. By using biofuel technology, Peninsula continues to pave the way for a greener future while simultaneously meeting the evolving needs of the shipping industry.
Commenting on this delivery, Peninsula's Head of Biofuels Desk, Nikolas Nikolaidis, stated: "As the maritime industry, along with prominent players like NYK, intensifies their adoption of Sustainable Marine Fuels (SMF), the accessibility of such solutions grows in significance. Peninsula is committed to collaborating closely with our established clients and partners to deliver SMF solutions where demand is highest. Peninsula is broadening its biofuel supply network, positioning itself as the leading physical marine fuel supplier to offer comprehensive biofuel solutions across multiple regions and ports for our customers."
The products and services herein described in this press release are not endorsed by The Maritime Executive.
Sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) derived from human waste is being explored as a promising alternative to fossil fuels for powering flights.
Governments worldwide are pushing for greener aviation practices, with targets set for SAF adoption and emissions reduction in the aviation sector.
Companies like Wizz Air and Firefly are investing in projects to convert sewage into SAF, aiming to capitalize on abundant feedstock and reduce carbon emissions in the aviation industry.
Aviation companies worldwide have increasingly been investing in research and development into sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) to help decarbonise their flights. The aviation sector is considered a hard-to-abate industry, as there is no clear alternative to fossil fuels that can be used to power commercial flight. And yet, governments worldwide are putting increasing pressure on companies to make their operations greener. The most promising fossil fuel alternative to date is SAF, which many airlines are now mixing with conventional fuels to reduce emissions. Recently, Wizz Air and Firefly announced that they intend to use human waste to produce jet fuel for future flights through an innovative project in the U.K.
SAF is a biofuel that can be used to power aircraft. It has similar properties to conventional jet fuel but produces far fewer greenhouse gas emissions. A wide variety of feedstock can be used to produce SAF, from food waste to excess crops. Using agricultural waste can provide farmers with extra income while using leftover food can help reduce waste. In the U.S. alone, an estimated one billion dry tonnes of biomass can be collected sustainably each year, which is enough to produce between 50 and 60 billion gallons of SAF. According to the International Civil Aviation Organisation, 120 airports around the globe are distributing SAF; 40 SAF policies have been adopted or are under development; and 42 feedstocks have been recognised for the production of SAF.
Several countries are rapidly expanding their biofuel production to support the development of SAF, as well as other low-carbon products, such as fertiliser and biodiesel. The demand for these fuels has grown exponentially in recent years as governments put increasing pressure on companies to decarbonise their operations, particularly in hard-to-abate sectors, such as industry and transport. The demand for biofuel rose to 4.3 exajoules (EJ) in 2022, surpassing pre-pandemic levels. To meet net-zero emissions aims by 2050, the global production of biofuel needs to increase to 10 EJ by 2030, requiring an average growth of around 11 percent per year, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA).
In Europe, the EU has stated that by 2035 SAF must contribute at least 20 percent of the fuel used in aircraft. Meanwhile, the U.K. is expected to soon announce a 10 percent minimum SAF mix starting in 2030. The International Air Transport Association aims to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 and it expects SAF to contribute to 65 percent of emissions reductions in the industry. This will be supported by new technology, such as electric and hydrogen, contributing 13 percent, improved infrastructure and operational efficiencies, (3 percent) and offsets and carbon capture (19 percent).
Recently, the low-cost, Hungarian airline Wizz Air and the British sustainable aviation company Firefly announced they are planning to use human waste to produce SAF in the coming years. The two companies intend to build a commercial refinery in Essex to convert treated sewage into SAF. Wizz is investing in the project by placing an order for up to 525,000 tonnes of Firefly’s human waste-derived SAF over the next 15 years, which could be worth hundreds of millions of pounds.
The potential use of human waste is highly appealing to biofuel producers as it could provide abundant feedstock for low-carbon fuel production. There is a limited supply of food and agricultural waste, and acquiring these feedstocks can be costly. In contrast, converted sewage is expected to be cheaper and more abundant. Firefly’s COO, Paul Hilditch, believes it could provide up to five percent of the fuel demand of U.K. airlines.
Firefly has already produced small test quantities of SAF that Hilditch said were “chemically indistinguishable” from jet fuel. However, the fuel is still undergoing regulatory testing and the firm needs significantly more funding to develop a full-scale factory for production. James Hygate, Firefly’s CEO, hopes the company will be able to deliver commercial supplies of SAF by 2028 or 2029, with the first facility in Harwich serving London airports. Hygate stated, “We’re turning sewage into jet fuel, and I can’t think of many things that are cooler than that.”
At present, much of the biosolids in the U.K. are used for muck spreading on farmland, around 87 percent. Several companies in the biofuel industry are competing for agreements with utility companies to use their waste for fuel production, for a range of applications. While environmentalists believe that waste-to-jet fuel may not be the best use of sewage, those in the industry see it as a sustainable production option, as they will be using unavoidable waste to make something valuable. Further, residue from the sewage-to-fuel process could still be used to improve soil. While the U.K. uses its sewage to support other industries, many countries incinerate their human waste, which demonstrates the huge potential for converting waste into other products of value.
By Felicity Bradstock for Oilprice.com
Thursday, April 18, 2024
ONE Joins Trend Towards Optional Low-Carbon Container Fees
Japanese ocean carrier ONE has added a low-carbon option for shippers who are willing to spend to reduce their emissions. Rather than selling carbon offsets for tree planting or conservation, the company is offering its customers the opportunity to pay for biofuel for the carrier's fleet, in an amount equivalent to the energy needed to move the shipment.
ONE is buying regulation-compliant biofuels for a number of its ships, and customers can reduce their Scope 3 (supply chain) emissions by paying for the fuel. Customers receive a certification of the CO2-equivalent savings, independently verified to ensure compliance. ClassNK has validated the process and methodology behind the credits.
The fuel product is a second-generation biofuel made from used cooking oil, which reduces well-to-wake emissions by more than 80 percent when compared to VLSFO. It meets the EU's definition of a waste stream, and does not require human food for production (like virgin soy-based biofuels).
"We are fully committed to our target in achieving net-zero GHG emissions by 2050," said Gilberto Santos, Senior Vice President, Global Commercial Service Management at ONE. "The launch of ONE LEAF+ underscores our commitment to sustainability and provides our customers with the tools and transparency they need."
Like many carriers, ONE aims to meet the IMO target of net-zero emissions by 2050, and views the opt-in policy for low-carbon biofuel as a step towards that goal. Other carriers offer similar programs or partnerships: UECC has piloted biofuel voyages with BMW, Maersk Supply Service offers optional biofuel credits for the offshore sector, and MSC, Maersk, and Hapag all offer an optional service for customers to buy low-carbon fuel. With Maersk's recent dual-fuel vessel investments, its ECO Delivery option now includes methanol-fueled shipping in addition to biofuel.
Monday, April 15, 2024
ALTERNATE FUEL
Viking Line Sees Improved Supplies of Bio-LNG on the Market
Finnish ro/pax operator Viking Line began offering passengers the opportunity to pay for bio-LNG on its voyages last year, and the possibilities for using this sustainable fuel have been growing, the company reported last week.
"We made sure that Viking Glory, which was completed in 2021, and Viking Grace, which was completed in 2013, were built with the technological readiness to use biogas and synthetic fuels produced from renewable energy," said Viking Line’s Sustainability Manager, Dani Lindberg. "There is now enough biogas being produced in the market so that we can start to use this fuel together with liquefied natural gas for these two climate-smart vessels."
Under Viking's low-carbon pricing program, passengers on the Turku route are offered the option of buying biofuel to cover their journey. This adds a manageable fee of up to €5 in addition to the fare, which ranges between €45-55. The price is based on the typical fuel usage per passenger, and effectively reduces the passenger’s carbon footprint by up to 90 percent. The two passenger ferries make two sailings each day on the same route, and the voyage takes eight to 12 hours depending on the vessel.
Last year, Lindberg said that the local supply of bio-LNG was limited, constraining the amount that Viking could access. Subsidies may be required to expand production, according to the International Council on Clean Transportion (ICCT); with the right policies, 98 billion cubic meters (bcm) of biomethane could be produced in Europe by 2050, according to an industry-backed study for Gas for Climate. This would be enough to replace about 30 percent of current European demand for pipeline gas.
Viking also uses electricity from renewable energy at all of the ports where it uses shore power, which reduces the company’s annual greenhouse gas emissions by about 780 tonnes. Last year it also sold its largest and most emissions-intensive vessel, the M/S Rosella.
For the second time, Viking Line was named the most sustainable company in maritime transport service between Finland and Sweden last year, based on a passenger survey.
Methanol-Fuelled MAN 21/31DF-M GenSet Secures First Propulsion Order
Three MAN 21/31DF-M units are bound for a chemical tanker
MAN Energy Solutions has received an order for 3 × MAN 6L21/31DF-M (Dual Fuel-Methanol) GenSets capable of running on methanol in connection with the construction of a 7,990 dwt IMO Type II chemical bunker tanker.
The dual-fuel engines will form part of a diesel-electric propulsion system on board the vessel with electrical motors driving twin fixed-pitch propellers via gearboxes; an onboard battery-storage system will optimise the use of the dual-fuelled generators. MAN Energy Solutions’ licensee, CMP – an engine-manufacturing division of Chinese State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC) – will build the engines in China and the vessel is scheduled for delivery during Q4, 2025.
The newbuild will operate at the port of Singapore under charter to deliver marine fuels. The port itself is reported as laying plans for the steady supply of methanol from 2025 onwards in order to meet future, anticipated bunkering requirements for methanol-fuelled vessels.
Bjarne Foldager – Country Manager, Denmark – MAN Energy Solutions, said: “Seeing our trusted MAN L21/31 GenSets go into these ships as a methanol-fuelled version shows that maritime decarbonisation is a prominent consideration for shipowners in all vessel segments and sizes. It also clearly illustrates, regardless of the market one serves as shipowner, that our broad, dual-fuel portfolio enables everyone to take part in the green transition.”
Thomas S. Hansen – Head of Sales and Promotion – MAN Energy Solutions, said: “The MAN L21/31 engine is well-established in the market having racked up some 2,750 sales. The reliability of its cost-effective, port fuel-injection concept now prominently positions the 21/31DF-M as the preferred, medium-speed, small-bore engine for GenSet and diesel-electric propulsion solutions, while also meeting market demands to balance both CAPEX and OPEX. With the shipping market currently experiencing an increased interest in methanol as marine fuel, and orders for methanol-fuelled ships steadily growing as part of many companies’ decarbonisation strategy, we feel that the introduction of this dual-fuel engine is timely.”
The products and services herein described in this press release are not endorsed by The Maritime Executive.
