Global Centre for Maritime Decarbonisation (GCMD)

📄 𝐍𝐞𝐰 𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐨𝐮𝐭! A joint study by GCMD and Boston Consulting Group (BCG), titled “Opportunities for Shipping to Enable Cross-border CCUS Initiatives”, highlights the critical role of shipping in enabling Carbon Capture, Utilisation and Sequestration (CCUS) initiatives, especially in APAC.   🛳️ 𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐠?   In APAC, emitters and sinks are often separated by large bodies of water over vast distances, unlike Northern Europe where CCUS facilities are more geographically concentrated. This makes shipping a more attractive mode of CO₂ transport for APAC.    This is particularly true for distances exceeding 500 km, where shipping becomes more economical compared to pipelines for transporting 5 million tons per annum (MtPA) of CO₂.    💰 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐨𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲?   The study estimates that around 100 MtPA of captured CO₂ could be transported across national borders in APAC. This would require a fleet of 85 to 150 liquefied CO₂ carriers of 50 kt capacity. The total investments needed for these vessels by 2050 could reach up to USD 25 billion.   🔓 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐫𝐞𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐮𝐧𝐥𝐨𝐜𝐤 𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐠’𝐬 𝐩𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐥?    Governments and the private sector must collaborate to develop economic incentives and mandates, clarify domestic regulations and standards, and set up comprehensive cross-border intergovernmental agreements to activate shipping for cross-border CO₂ transport.   🌏 𝐖𝐡𝐨 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐤𝐞𝐲 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐲𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐀𝐏𝐀𝐂’𝐬 𝐂𝐂𝐔𝐒 𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐬𝐜𝐚𝐩𝐞?    Notably, Japan, South Korea, and Singapore are likely net exporters of CO₂, while Malaysia, Indonesia, Australia, and Brunei are potential net importers.   Read the full report to learn more about the potential of CCUS and the importance of shipping in helping APAC countries in achieving their Net Zero Emissions targets.   Link to press release: https://lnkd.in/gcN-yaAy Link to report: https://lnkd.in/gxB3k7CE  

📢 ICYMI! GCMD has recently released a report titled "Rapid forensic analysis of FAME-based biofuels: Potential use of its fingerprint as a fraud detection tool.” This report introduces a new technique that creates a fingerprint for Fatty Acid Methyl Esters (FAME). By identifying their feedstock origins, this fingerprinting technique can potentially be used as a tool to detect fraud in marine fuel supply chains and ensure biofuel authenticity. If you haven’t read it yet, here’s a TL;DR of the report in the infographic below. 📄 For the full report, download it here: https://lnkd.in/gRHF9vZE

🚢✨ Finally, after months of development, analyses and testing, our report on FAME fingerprinting is finally out!   𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭?⁣  🤔    This report introduces a new technique that creates a fingerprint for Fatty Acid Methyl Esters (FAME) biofuels. This fingerprint identifies the feedstock origins of the FAME-based biofuels used in the shipping industry.   𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐝𝐨 𝐰𝐞 𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐝 𝐅𝐀𝐌𝐄 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠?⁣ 🔍     The shipping sector is increasingly using biofuels, such as FAME, to reduce its GHG emissions. However, concerns have arisen regarding the legitimacy of biofuels and whether they are truly sustainable. Industry bodies are seeing a rising number of cases mislabelling biofuels purported to be made from recycled oils and fats, while suspicions persist that they might be produced from cheaper and less sustainable virgin oils.   To address these concerns, FAME fingerprinting can be used as a potential tool to detect fraud in marine fuel supply chains and ensure biofuel authenticity. By providing a physical validation method that complements existing certification schemes, FAME fingerprinting can help justify the green premium with genuine environmental benefits and safeguard the integrity of marine fuels supply chain.    𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐝𝐢𝐝 𝐰𝐞 𝐝𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐩 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐝?⁣ 🧪     FAME fingerprinting is based on the principle that the fatty acid profile of FAME is unique to its feedstock and can be preserved during feedstock transesterification to produce FAME. The "fingerprint" can then be compared against a database of known fatty acid profiles to identify the feedstock origin.    We worked with VPS who modified existing fuel testing methods to carry out sample analyses using a gas chromatograph with flame-ionisation detection, an instrument commonly found in fuel test laboratories. The analysis takes about an hour, comparable to the turnaround time for current marine fuel quality testing in the supply chain.   We have tested this method on a variety of FAME samples from different suppliers, including virgin oils, used cooking oils, palm oil mill effluent, beef tallow and food waste and was able to identify the feedstock origins for each sample.   𝐃𝐨𝐰𝐧𝐥𝐨𝐚𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐮𝐥𝐥 𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐧 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐅𝐀𝐌𝐄 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠!⁣   https://lnkd.in/gRHF9vZE

𝐂𝐚𝐧 𝐮𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐜𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐢𝐥 𝐛𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐧𝐞𝐰 𝐛𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐠𝐨𝐥𝐝? Only if we can verify its legitimacy. In recent years, the shipping sector has increasingly turned to liquid biofuels, especially those made from Fatty Acid Methyl Esters (FAME), to reduce emissions. 🌱🚢 When used cooking oil is the feedstock, the FAME product is called Used Cooking Oil Methyl Ester, or UCOME. UCOME is one of the FAME products that meets IMO's requirement of having a well-to-wake GHG emissions reduction of at least 65% compared to fossil Marine Gas Oil. ♻️ However, there's a growing concern about the legitimacy of UCOME due to a surge in "mislabeled" products in the market. ⚠️ The European biodiesel industry and the US biofuels sector have raised concerns about the origin of UCOME imports from China. Labelled as made with recycled oils and fats, the surging volumes of UCOME imports are suspected to be produced from cheaper and less sustainable virgin oils. While existing international certification schemes play a crucial role in certifying various FAME products, their primary reliance on retrospective audits may limit their ability to prevent fraudulent practices, especially in real-time detection of fraud. 🔍 To address this industry challenge, GCMD, in collaboration with VPS, has developed a technique to identify FAME's origin through its unique chemical fingerprint. FAME fingerprinting is based on the principle that the fatty acid profile of FAME is unique to its feedstock and can be preserved during feedstock transesterification to produce FAME. The "fingerprint" can then be compared against a database of known fatty acid profiles to identify the feedstock origin. This technique can improve transparency when tracing the origin and presence of FAME in marine fuels supply chains. Our fingerprinting report will be ready soon and will cover the following: ➡️ What is a FAME fingerprint? ➡️ Fingerprinting FAME in residual marine fuels ➡️ Forensic analysis of FAME's origin ➡️ Methodology to acquire FAME fingerprints Follow us now to be among the first to receive this report! 🔔 https://lnkd.in/gyjb75qb #GCMDUpdates

📹✨ Stealth Video Alert! Unbeknownst to many of us, our super intern Jamie Tan had been recording snippets of her internship experience with us. On her final day, she surprised us with a hilarious and heartwarming video showcasing life at GCMD. 💙 From capturing us working hard, engaging in intense discussions, participating in training sessions, and even sneaking in some stretches 🧘♂️, Jamie beautifully portrayed what it’s like to work here — unfiltered and real. Her video is a wonderful reminder of the tight-knit relationships we’ve built at GCMD, making our work life all the more fulfilling and special. Wishing you all the very best, Jamie! 🌟🍀 Thank you for leaving us with such precious memories. 🫶🎬

🚢  Sharing another key takeaway from our recent ammonia transfers in the Pilbara! Bunkering typically takes place within a short timeframe when the vessel is in port. Therefore, these operations must be both safe and efficient. Our ammonia transfer trials in the Pilbara region spanned five days from start to end, when the actual ammonia transfer took about 13 hours. This was because many of the equipment required for ammonia transfer was not readily available on the ammonia vessels, and had to be specifically brought onboard by a separate supply vessel. Considering the time constraints on future bunkering operations, the bunker vessel will need to be equipped with the necessary hardware to minimise downtime. Based on our experience with the ammonia transfer pilot in the Pilbara, our team has identified a list of the elements that an ammonia bunkering vessel should have: ➡️ 𝐎𝐧𝐛𝐨𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐠𝐞𝐧 𝐬𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐥𝐲: Nitrogen is needed to conduct leak tests of hoses and connections prior to ammonia transfer; it is also needed to purge residual ammonia in the hoses after transfer completion. ➡️ 𝐎𝐧𝐛𝐨𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐟𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬: Instead of transporting individual fenders from the shore to be attached to the vessels to prevent collision during approach, onboard fenders can help reduce the preparation time for ammonia transfer. ➡️ 𝐄𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐲 𝐑𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐩𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 (𝐄𝐑𝐂𝐬): In the event of an unintended hose separation resulting in an ammonia leak, ERCs can be automatically triggered to seal off the transfer system. Check out our simple sketch below illustrating some of our suggestions on the elements to include on an ammonia bunker vessel. 📢 More detailed information about our trials will be provided in our upcoming report. Please stay tuned! 📖 To learn more about our completed ammonia transfer trials, check out these resources below: Press release: https://lnkd.in/gkG-kZcE Overview of the process: https://lnkd.in/gdU3yZ2f Overview of our key findings: https://lnkd.in/gXAgWcR6

We are happy to announce that SINTEF Ocean has joined GCMD as a Knowledge partner! 🌊🤝 SINTEF Ocean is an independent Norwegian research institute that conducts research and innovation related to ocean space for national and international industries. Their ambition is to continue Norway's leading position in marine technology and biomarine research. As part of our partnership with SINTEF Ocean, we will focus on complementary areas addressing adoption barriers to the use of ammonia as a marine fuel, onboard carbon capture and storage systems (OCCS), and energy efficiency technologies. GCMD has also joined SINTEF Ocean’s R&D program FME MarTrans, an 8-year collaborative project with 65 partners from the maritime industry and research environment. This will be one of the world's largest maritime research programs when it kicks off in January 2025. As one of the overseas partners under the FME MarTrans, GCMD looks forward to refining problem statements and co-ideating projects to accelerate maritime decarbonisation. We look forward to working with SINTEF Ocean! 🙌 Read the press release here: https://lnkd.in/g5yDA-Xc

International shipping faces increasing pressure to reduce GHG emissions in order to meet IMO’s targets. 🎯   While low- and zero-carbon fuels are expected to be the primary drivers of emissions reductions, uncertainties surrounding their availability and high cost premiums are driving increasing interest in onboard carbon capture and storage (OCCS) as part of the portfolio of solutions.   However, the adoption of OCCS faces significant challenges, requiring optimising around its "trilemma" for adoption:   ➡️ 𝗛𝗶𝗴𝗵 𝗖𝗔𝗣𝗘𝗫: Upfront investments are required for OCCS installations. ➡️ 𝗜𝗻𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗢𝗣𝗘𝗫: OCCS systems are energy intensive, leading to higher fuel consumption, increased O&M and manpower requirements to operate the system. ➡️ 𝗖𝗢₂ 𝗰𝗮𝗽𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲: The CO₂ capture rate has to be high enough to meet regulatory requirements AND justify the additional CAPEX and OPEX for vessel operations to remain commercially viable.   Consequently, OCCS installations must navigate this trilemma, balancing CAPEX, OPEX, and CO₂ capture rates.   This is one of the areas Project REMARCCABLE* investigated. 🔍   Check out the infographic on the optimal CAPEX, OPEX, and CO₂ capture rate based on an OCCS retrofit for the Stena Impero, an MR tanker. For the full report, please check it out here: https://lnkd.in/g8a445i8 *Project REMARCCABLE was supported by a consortium comprising American Bureau of Shipping, Alfa Laval, Deltamarin, Lloyd’s Register, Seatrium, and TNO.

Earlier this year, we announced that we were teaming up with NYK Line to launch Project LOTUS. This six-month trial aims to assess the impact of continuous use of biofuels on engine performance and onboard systems. 🔍 Specifically, we are trialling a B24 biodiesel blend with VLSFO aboard a short-sea vehicle carrier that will call at multiple ports. 🚢 𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗮 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝗿𝘁-𝘀𝗲𝗮 𝘃𝗲𝗵𝗶𝗰𝗹𝗲 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗿? Short-sea vehicle carriers frequently load and unload cargo, spending more time in ports, which can negatively impact their Carbon Intensity Indicator (CII) rating. The use of biodiesel as a drop-in fuel can help this vessel class maintain compliance today. For Project LOTUS, a short-sea vessel allows for regular access to onboard fuel storage tanks for sampling and testing during port calls. In the latest issue of Marine Professional, our Chief Strategy Officer, Dr Sanjay C Kuttan, delves deeper into our approach in conducting this trial. 📖 𝗧𝗼 𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗲, 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗵𝗮𝘀 𝘆𝗶𝗲𝗹𝗱𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘀𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀: 📌 𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗰𝘁 𝗼𝗻 𝗳𝘂𝗲𝗹 𝗱𝗲𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝘀𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗺 Since fuel switch from VLSFO to B24 in July, there have not been any adverse effects on the fuel delivery system. Comparative analyses from storage tank to settling tank, settling tank to service tank, and service tank to engine inlet reveal no significant changes in pump pressure, filter changeover frequency, or residue accumulation levels within the filters. 📌 𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗰𝘁 𝗼𝗻 𝗳𝘂𝗲𝗹 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘀𝘂𝗺𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 Likewise, we do not observe any significant changes in the fuel consumption pattern for the main engine or the generator engine during sea voyages, with net calorific value (NCV) of both VLSFO and the B24 blend comparable at 41.1 MJ/kg and 40.2 MJ/kg, respectively. 𝙏𝙝𝙚𝙨𝙚 𝙞𝙣𝙞𝙩𝙞𝙖𝙡 𝙛𝙞𝙣𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙨 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙚𝙣𝙘𝙤𝙪𝙧𝙖𝙜𝙞𝙣𝙜. Upon completion, Project LOTUS will offer quantitative insights for shipowners and operators considering biodiesel blends to meet vessel compliance with regulations, like the Carbon Intensity Indicator (CII) and the FuelEU Maritime Standards ⚓. Stay tuned for the full findings of Project LOTUS! Read the article on Project LOTUS on Marine Professional here: https://lnkd.in/gRF4zkqA Thanks Carly Fields and Institute of Marine Engineering, Science & Technology (IMarEST), for the opportunity to contribute to the latest issue of Marine Professional.

🚢 Sharing early findings from our ammonia transfers at Port Dampier in Pilbara!   At Pilbara Ports’ annual Safe Ships Safe Port Forum last week, our CEO, Prof. Lynn Loo, had the opportunity to share in her keynote presentation the findings of the ammonia transfers that took place at the anchorage of Port Dampier.   Illustrated in the infographic below, she shared four ways how our ship-to-ship transfer pilot in Pilbara serves as a step towards future ammonia bunkering operations:   🛡️  𝐒𝐚𝐟𝐞𝐭𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐤 𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬: Find out what our HAZID and HAZOP studies established.   ⚙️ 𝐎𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐜𝐞𝐝𝐮𝐫𝐞𝐬: Learn how we built on STS procedures to mimic bunkering operations.   🦺  𝐒𝐚𝐟𝐞𝐭𝐲 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐨𝐜𝐨𝐥𝐬: Find out how we implemented appropriate personal protection equipment for different operating scenarios.   🚨 𝐄𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐲 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐨𝐜𝐨𝐥𝐬: Understand our approach on tailoring existing protocols to cater for ammonia’s physical characteristics.   𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭’𝐬 𝐧𝐞𝐱𝐭? 🔍   GCMD will expand on the learning points from the ammonia transfers and share these insights to help refine safety protocols, optimise bunkering operations, and address any technical or logistical challenges.   We look forward to sharing our findings with the industry and contributing to the ecosystem to prepare for safe and efficient ammonia bunkering!