Full steam ahead
The global maritime cargo fleet constantly traverses the seas, playing a vital role in the world’s supply chains. And while there are moves to make cargo ships more environmentally and climate friendly, the alternative fuels this requires pose new challenges for bunkering.
Bunkering
Cargo ships are the lifeblood of our global supply chains. There are some 58,000 of them crossing the oceans, moving about 90 percent of the world’s trade in goods – containerized products and bulk cargo such as crude oil, chemicals and grain. But there are challenges on the horizon. Under standards mandated by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and many national regulators, these vessels are required to become progressively more sustainable in their operation. There are already strict limits on the sulfur content of fuel. Then there’s the push to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 20 percent from 2008 levels by 2030, and even further by at least 70 percent by 2040. The ultimate aim is to make cargo ship operations climate neutral by 2050.
“That means the shipping industry will either have to separate, store and use CO2 or switch from heavy fuel oil and marine diesel to alternative fuels,” explains Michael Kaiser, who is in charge of flow management solutions at Endress+Hauser Flow. Ideally, he notes, that would mean using green methanol, ammonia and green hydrogen. But industrial-scale production of these fuels still lies some way in the future. “Hence the growing use of liquefied natural gas as a transitional technology. Although LNG is still a fossil resource, it beats heavy fuel oil in that it contains zero sulfur. What’s more, its combustion releases 20 percent less CO2.”
> 400
LNG-powered oceangoing vessels are currently being built.
Nonetheless, the switch to LNG poses challenges for all stakeholders. Shipping lines will have to convert and replace their fleets, not to mention put in place the port infrastructure needed to fuel their ships via terminals, trucks or bunker vessels. And because these custody transfers involve thousands of cubic meters of LNG changing hands – not to mention vast sums of money – the bunker quantities exchanged need to be measured with absolute precision. On this point, Stephan Natter, principal expert business development at Endress+Hauser Flow, explains: “Endress+Hauser, in partnership with customers and regulators, has developed a solution specifically for the purpose. It’s a world first because it can determine both the quantity and the composition of the transferred LNG in real time. This makes it possible to calculate the total energy transferred, and thus the LNG’s transactional value.”
DIRECT IN-LINE QUALITY MEASUREMENT
The solution centers on two components optimized specifically for the cryogenic conditions (around –162°C) needed to keep natural gas in liquid form. Stephan Natter explains: “Our Proline Promass Q Coriolis flowmeter provides precision measurement of LNG quantity, while the LNG’s composition is analyzed by a system based on Raman spectroscopy, an alternative to conventional gas chromatography.” Gas chromatography first requires vaporizing LNG back into its gaseous state, a timeconsuming and complex process. In addition, the vaporizers require intensive maintenance. The Raman system, on the other hand, comprises a probe located directly in the LNG line and connected via a fiberoptic cable to an LNG-optimized Raman analyzer. It uses a light-scattering technique to build a chemical profile of the measurement sample. “All this makes the Raman system fast, reliable, efficient and less demanding of specialist knowledge to operate,” says Stephan Natter.
This Endress+Hauser solution is certified for custody transfer and is already in use on several LNG bunker vessels. These mobile bunkering stations are becoming steadily busier as more LNG-powered ships come on stream. At present, only 1 percent of all vessels worldwide can run on LNG, but this is changing, as Michael Kaiser explains: “The Det Norske Veritas (DNV) classification society is registering a shift in the order books towards new-built ships powered by alternative fuels. There are currently over 400 oceangoing vessels with LNG propulsion on order.” And where does Endress+Hauser fit into this? Stephan Natter: “We’re already working on the next wave of innovations – including for green methanol, the rising star on the horizon – to further support the shipping industry’s energy transition.”
Published 06.01.2025, last updated 20.01.2025.
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