BATTERY ELECTRIC FERRY WINS HYBRID SHIP AWARD

by & filed under Bridging R&D and implementation, Sustainability.
A battery powered electric ferry has won an award at the Electric and Hybrid Marine World Expo for Propulsion System of the Year.
Elektra diesel-electric roll-on roll-off passenger/car ferry is owned by FinFerries Photo: FinFerries
Elektra diesel-electric roll-on roll-off passenger/car ferry is owned by FinFerries Photo: FinFerries

Elektra, Finland’s first purpose-built battery electric ferry, operates on a 1MWh battery system supplied by PBES and celebrates its first year of service this month.

“Many of the unique characteristics of its performance are directly a result of the PBES technology onboard. CellCoolTM technology allows the battery to be recharged in 5 minutes and at end of life it is easily refurbished and upgraded using the PBES CellSwapTM system,” said Grant Brown, Vice President Marketing at PBES

Industry kudos

Elektra has an overall length of 98m, beam of 15m and draft of 3.55m, with five lanes to accommodate up to 90 cars.

The vessel travels its 1.6 km route across the Finnish Archipelago year-round. Due to heavy ice conditions in the winter months, it carries auxiliary power generation equipment to augment the battery when needed.

It’s not the only industry accolade for Elektra this year. The ferry also won the international Ship of the Year Award at the marine industry’s Sulphur Cap 2020 Conference in Amsterdam.

It was up against stiff competition from the LNG vessels Cardissa from Shell and Christophe de Margerie from Sovcomflot.

PBES designs and manufactures high power lithium-ion energy storage and is focused on providing value and safety for industrial, marine and grid energy storage applications.

Source: Greenport

The Environmental Ship Index (ESI) to focus more on CO2

by & filed under Bridging R&D and implementation, Environment.

The Environmental Ship Index (ESI) is set to incorporate more work on CO2 in line with the International Maritime Organisation’s (IMO) legislative developments to boost its effectiveness.

 

As the ESI’s user base has expanded to around 7000 vessels, the International Association of Ports and Harbors (IAPH) working group has also decided to upgrade the IT system, including the current database of registered vessels and online portal, with a view to the investment supporting an increasing port and shipowner base and helping achieve the goals of the World Ports Sustainability Program.

Speaking about the group’s meeting last month, IAPH managing director Patrick Verhoeven commented: “The Working Group has agreed to widen the scope and fundamentals of the ESI, including further in-depth work on CO2 based on the IMO strategic approach as well as engaging with shipowners who already use the index to see how we can make it easier to use.

“Following from points raised at the recent IMO special event for ports earlier this month, the ESI will be a vital tool in achieving the priorities set out in our World Ports Sustainability Program.”

ESI administrator Manfred Lebmeier (Senior Environmental Advisor, Hamburg Port Authority) stressed that “new forms of participation need to be developed, beyond the working group. We also need to prepare for the index to have its formula adapted to reflect IMO developments. These include the 2020 Sulfur cap and the 50% reduction target in CO2 emissions by 2050.”

The ESI is a voluntary tool which includes a formula-based evaluation of vessels’ nitrogen oxide (NOx) and sulphur oxide (SOx) emissions.

 

Source: Greenport

JAPAN ORDERS ITS FIRST LNG BUNKER VESSEL

by & filed under Port infrastructure.

A joint venture will see Japan take delivery of its inaugural LNG bunker vessel the first of its kind to be operated in the country.

The LNG bunker vessel the first of its kind to be operated in Japan Photo: Kawasaki Heavy Industries

The LNG bunker vessel the first of its kind to be operated in Japan Photo: Kawasaki Heavy Industries

Central LNG Shipping Japan Corporation (CLS), which has been established by Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha Ltd, Chubu Electric Power Co Inc, Toyota Tsusho Corporation and Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha, wants to boost the use of LNG as a marine fuel. The four companies jointly established CLS and Central LNG Marine Fuel Japan Corporation (CLMF) in May of this year to launch the LNG Bunkering Business in the Chubu region of Japan. The LBV will be owned and managed by CLS and LNG will be supplied to end-users through CLMF. The LBV, which is scheduled to be delivered around September to December 2020, will be built by Kawasaki Heavy Industries ltd.

 

LNG promotion

In March this year, K-Line joined SEA\LNG, the global industry coalition seeking to boost the use of LNG as a marine fuel, at the same time as the Uyeno Group.

Other Japanese members of SEA\LNG include Yokohama-Kawasaki International Port Corp (YKIP), Marubeni, Mitsubishi Corp, Mitsui & Co, NYK Line, Toyota Tsusho and Sumitomo Corp.

Demand for LNG is growing in Asia.

Just recently, another LNG bunkering initiative involving several of the CLS/CMLF members, the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) agreed to work with the Ports and Harbours Bureau of Japan’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport, and Tourism (MLIT) to promote LNG throughout the region.

One of its projects will be to conduct a feasibility study on LNG bunkering for car carriers plying between Japan and Singapore.

 

Source: Greenport

ESPO CALLS FOR FIRMER POLLUTER PAYS PRINCIPLE

by & filed under Accessibility and Standards, Governance, Sustainability.

Risultati immagini per espo

PORT RECEPTION FACILITIES: ESPO WELCOMES DRAFT REPORT BUT CALLS FOR STRICTER APPLICATION OF THE ‘POLLUTER PAYS’ PRINCIPLE

The European Sea ports Organisation (ESPO) welcomes the proposals put forward by the European Parliament Rapporteur Ms Gesine Meissner in the draft report of the Transport Committee on the review of the Waste Reception Facilities Directive (Com (2018) 33).  The Draft Report will be discussed in the Transport Committee meeting of 10 July.

The proposals of the Parliament’s rapporteur are aiming to better protect the marine environment and decrease the administrative burden for stakeholders. ESPO welcomes in particular proposals such as the definition of catering waste which would increase the quantities of recycled plastics and contribute to the targets of the European Plastics Strategy.

European ports believe however that the ‘polluter pays’ principle, which has been the cornerstone of the EU’s environmental policy, needs to be strengthened. Introducing a fee system whereby ships would deliver unreasonable quantities of garbage, including dangerous waste for a fixed fee would be a severe divergence from the ‘polluter pays’ principle. It risks discouraging reducing waste at the source.

“The report of Ms Meissner is clearly a step forward. Overall, the report pursues the objectives of the circular economy and aims to reduce the administrative burden for authorities and stakeholders. We strongly believe however that the ‘polluter pays’ principle needs to be better reflected in the new Directive. We cannot accept a regime whereby ships are not incentivised to limit waste at the source and ports have to carry the costs of delivering unreasonable amounts. Additionally, we oppose an automatic rebate for “green” ships. Any green rebate, if not corresponding to a real cost reduction, will have to be borne by the port authority. Not all port managing bodies have the financial ability to cover this cost and to give such rebates. We plead for an efficient, but the responsible management of ship waste. We count on the rapporteur and Transport Committee members to further optimise the Directive in that sense” says ESPO’s Secretary General, Isabelle Ryckbost.

Any mandatory green rebates for waste, as proposed by the Commission proposal, would prevent ports from addressing local environmental challenges. In some areas, waste pollution is a great environmental concern while in others it is air quality and emissions. Furthermore, mandatory rebates disregard the existence of different business and governance models in ports across Europe.

The Commission has been preparing an EU submission to the IMO proposing a 100% indirect fee without quantity thresholds at international level (here).  “I regret that a submission is being introduced to the Council when Parliament has not expressed any views, and negotiations with the Council have not even started. This initiative seems to bypass the ongoing democratic process and lacks legitimacy” adds ESPO’s Secretary General, Isabelle Ryckbost.

Source: ESPO

UNIFIED ENVIRONMENTAL VOICE NEEDED

by & filed under Environment.

Ports are moving in the right direction to decrease emissions but there is a lack of global research on how ports are handling impact management, an environmental specialist has stressed.

Speaking exclusively to Port Strategy at TOC Europe, Satu Kaivonen from Konecranes said that while ports are addressing emissions, waste treatment handling and efficiency, there isn’t any fact-based information and in Europe regulations Cand environmental permit criteria vary from country to Country.

Speaking about regulations, she said: “It does vary a lot and of course that impacts the costs and that might again impact the competitiveness, but because we really need to fight climate change together as an industry that’s why we really need to do this.”

Satu Kaivonen

Ports should join the voluntary World Ports Sustainability Programme (WPSP), urged Satu Kaivonen

 

 

WPSP

Ports can help form a collective front in tackling environmental issues by joining the voluntary World Ports Sustainability Programme (WPSP) launched in March, emphasised Ms Kaivonen.

“There’s a lot of sustainable development goals that we’re trying to achieve. Ports can openly and publicly state they commit to this and then share information and practises as well as how they are doing with decreasing emissions.”

April’s IMO greenhouse gas agreement is also an “opportunity” for ports said Ms Kaivonen. Ports can offer offshore renewable energy, improve the logistics chain – aided by digitalisation, refine waste treatments and invest in equipment that is energy efficient or even zero carbon, she explained.

Automation developments will help ports become more environmentally friendly while engaging with the whole supply chain is also important, she added.

 

Source: port strategy

PTI Launches Smart Ports Conference

by & filed under Integration in the supply chain and synchromodality, Sustainability.

Port Technology (PTI) is proud to announce the launch of its inaugural Smart Ports & Supply Chain Technologies Conference which is to be held in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, from 2-3 October 2018.

Following on from PTI’s highly successful Container Terminal Automation (CTAC) conferences, this latest offering takes a much broader, daring and dynamic scope, as the event gathers key smart ports, financial experts, freight forwarders, tech giants and shippers, with the aim of uniting them in one holistic conversation on the eponymous ‘smart’ port and supply chain technologies.  

PTI Managing Director James AA Khan said: “This event has been part of our collective strategy and we’ve been waiting for the right time to strike and bring this to the industry.

“I’ve had so many conversations and seen so many developments that have been begging for a unifying event bringing the key players along the wider supply chain to the table.

“With advancements in technology, that time is now. This is the age of science and technology.

“The pace at which this is advancing is incomprehensible for the average person. 

“This is why we’re bringing some of the best minds in, and outside of, the industry to show us where the cost-benefit advantages lie in investing today.”

The Smart Ports & Supply Chain Technologies Conference will tackle issues in connecting the world’s supply chains

The twelve sessions over two packed days include:

  • ‘Smart’ Port Vision: The Rotterdam Story
  • Port Digitisation: Technologies for Smarter Operations Integration
  • The Smart Supply Chain: Total End-to-End Data Sharing Solutions
  • Collaboration and Standardisation: Global Processes Implementation for Smart Exception Management
  • Blockchain and Data Sharing: Capitalising on the Blockchain Opportunity
  • Smart Global Trading: Profiling Leading Future Performance Models
  • Smarter Port Terminals: Integrating the Global Trade Supply Chain
  • Terminal KPIs: Maximising Productivity
  • Smart Terminal Solutions: Transforming Terminals into Intelligent Network Nodes
  • Prioritising the End User: Total E2E Intermodal Planning Processes
  • Evolving Business Models: Transformation Solutions
  • Which Future Business Model for Success?: Unveiling the Challenges in an E2E Supply-Chain Driven Market

Source: port technology

South Pacific Island becomes Smart Shipping Paradise

by & filed under Digitalization, Port infrastructure.

French Polynesia’s Tahiti island capital of Papeete has smart port capabilities after investing in an intelligent cargo system called Ci5 designed by MGI —  a technology company that aims to integrate technologies such as artificial intelligence into cargo handling operations.

 

The Papeete Port Authority (PAP) invested in Ci5, the first commercial success for MGI with the Cargo Community System (CCS), due to its web services-oriented open source architecture and a new generation of integrated technology.

Ci5’s purpose is to give all professionals access to a single window used by the entire port community for goods handling.

This approach avoids multiple and redundant paper declarations to speed up goods transit through the port.

Georges Puchon, General Director of the Papeete Port Authority, declared: “The Ci5 CCS, which we have named FETIA, has a star-network architecture that links all operators, meaning that we can create a single window for the entire port community while integrating an interface with the FENIX Customs software.

“This concept will speed up processing times, reduce the risk of error and increase productivity while placing us in a Smart Port approach.

“All stakeholders in the port area are eagerly awaiting this tool.”

PAP has started its smart port transformation by fitting itself out with the Ci5 CCS building block for goods management.

The full implementation of Ci5 will take place at the end of the first half of 2019 and will connect all private and public players.

In addition to the CCS industry functionalities for operational and strategic management of the supply chain, the application focuses on user experience by providing a quick search engine, predictive text entry, modularity, customized display and a dashboard showing urgent and priority issues.

To ensure the success of the project, MGI is deploying a dedicated team for FETIA.

The resources will support PAP and the port community with implementation, training and operation of the Polynesian Single Window FETIA.

FETIA’s official launch was in early July.

Dominique Lebreton, Audits, Projects and Marketing Director for MGI, stated: “MGI is especially proud to be supporting the Papeete Port Authority over the next 10 years in their drive to digitalize processes in the port community.

“Collaboration between our two entities and the implementation of Ci5 will enable real-time goods tracking, paperless procedures and smoother data exchange between stakeholders.”

Source: port technology

Ports of the Future in a New Ecosystem

by & filed under Bridging R&D and implementation, Integration in the supply chain and synchromodality, Sustainability.

Port Technology is able to offer, for a limited amount of time, all its papers from the most popular and latest edition of its journal ‘Linking the Supply Chain’ as free to access until July 25, 2018.

 

Technological advancements are multiplying human development by factors never before imagined, which means it is imperative that supply chain data is digitized to ensure a smart ecosystem that fosters an end-to-end flow of information for the port of the future.

Many experts believe that smart ports will be central to ensuring that the logistics industry’s key players are all involved in moving freight from point A to B, from one side of the globe to the other.

One of the leading insights from the journal is a technical paper by World Economic Forum expert Wolfgang Lehmacher, who has provided PTI’s audience with an idea of how a chain of interacting actors will link logistics in ‘Ports for Tomorrow: Smart Links in Intelligent Supply Chains’.

Lehmacher’s knowledge has helped build the intellectual groundwork for the Smart Ports & Supply Chain Technologies conference.

Other edition 78 technical papers which mirror the theme of the conference include ‘DP World: Linking the Supply Chain’ by Rashid Abdullah, CEO, Europe and Russia, DP World (pictured above); ‘Digital Transformation: Are Start-Ups the New Leaders?’ Mare Straetmans, PortXL; and ‘Blockchain for Maritime: Securing the Cyber Environment’ by Darko Djuric, CargoX.

Edition 78 technical papers:

 

Source: port technology

HIGH SPEED SHUTTLE USES AIR LIFT

by & filed under Bridging R&D and implementation.

The French company A2V which exhibited its revolutionary air assisted catamaran at Seawork two years ago has recently delivered a version that will link the town of Evian on Lake Geneva in Switzerland to both Lausanne and Geneva.

It is the lift generated by the wing structure that lifts the catamaran hulls in the water

It is the lift generated by the wing structure that lifts the catamaran hulls in the water

Called the Evian One, this new craft can carry up to 12 passengers in comfort at a cruising speed of 50 knots.

The A2V concept is a wing-like cross deck that spans the two slim stepped hulls of the catamaran. It is the lift generated by the wing structure that lifts the catamaran hulls in the water, significantly reducing the frictional resistance and allowing high speeds and good fuel economy with modest power. The passenger compartment is contained within the wind structure with passengers offered an excellent view through panoramic front windows.

The whole 12-metre long structure is constructed from composites, much of it sandwich construction, with a beam of 7.35 metres. The craft runs on a draft of just 0.65 metres and the loaded displacement is 7.5 tonnes when carrying the 12 passengers.

The power comes from a pair of Yanmar 8LV diesel that each produces 235kW. These drive-through surface drives and this package offers a cruising speed of 50 knots at 90% power. The fuel tanks, one in each hull, each hold 300 litres which gives a range of 250 miles and A2V claims that the fuel consumption is 2.2 litres per nautical mile.

There are 12 luxurious seats in the passenger compartment which is fully air-conditioned. The pilothouse is in a compact compartment on top of the ‘wing’ and this allows an all-around view. The craft has EU certification for category C.

On the route on Lake Geneva, it takes this shuttle just 30 minutes for the transfer from Evian to Geneva compared with 1½ hours by car on a good day.

A2V is developing a larger 18-metre version of this shuttle that will carry up to 40 passengers on a route on the Gironde Estuary in France from Royan to Bordeaux. Another version under development will use electric motive power with power from a bank of batteries which has been requested by a number of potential clients.

By Dag Pike

Source: maritime journal

Blockchains for logistics: from hype to relevance?

by & filed under Bridging R&D and implementation, Digitalization, Integration in the supply chain and synchromodality.

By Jean-Paul Rodrigue

An artificial consensus

While presenting at recent transportation trade conferences I expressed rather skeptical views about the potential of Blockchains for logistics, which raised a few eyebrows and critiques. The industry is currently drinking its own cool-aid and caught in the standard hype cycle where the benefits of a new technology are exaggerated while the complexity and costs of its implementation are discounted. Many do not understand well what it entails from a technological, managerial and operational standpoint, but are ready to endorse the hype that Blockchains are going to revolutionize supply chains because they are supposed to revolutionize supply chains. This is the classic circular logic flaw. Even worst, many who claim about the merits of the technology have limited experience or particular knowledge on the issue and are simply repeating marketing statements put forward their corporation or organization, further promoting cognitive dissonance. The discourse does not yet match the reality. This is why that at this point I say ‘bullshit’.

There is a need to go beyond this emerging artificial consensus and cognitive dissonance until there is solid evidence of the effective operational applications of Blockchains in logistics; from hype to relevance. A good share of the trade literature and opinions issued on the topic enthusiastically underline the benefits of Blockchains while the discourse remains at that level; Blockchains are beneficial because they are beneficial. What we have so far is rather partial information and many actors (shipping lines, logistics service providers, port authorities, etc.) seriously committed to explore its potential and develop operational systems that are due to transform the world of logistics ‘any time soon’. I am quite confident that impressive results are very likely emerge, but beforehand one has to have the intellectual integrity to acknowledge that transportation and logistics are complex systems to manage and that fitting Blockchains to support this complexity is much easier said than done. Be prepared for disappointments and spectacular failures.

 

The promise of blockchains

At this point, this is where Blockchains stand at; A promise that could either fall short or be reached beyond expectations. Looking more closely at this promise requires the understanding of a technology which in appearance may look straightforward, but actually requires an effort to get a reasonable grasp of. A review of the technology underlines the following:

  • The core principles of a Blockchain (distributed electronic ledger) based on the creation and transmission of unique digital objects (blocks) shared across a network of servers (nodes). It implies an implicit level of digital trust where each transaction is verifiable and immutable.
  • The commercial purpose of a Blockchain is to generate value to logistics chains. Due to the transactional intensity of logistics, the main value proposition involves contract management, coordination (stakeholders able to more effectively share information) and dis-intermediation (stakeholders able to directly interact without a third party). Automated settlements (smart contracts) can also be arranged so that payments are done when a set of conditions have been met and verified (e.g. a shipment has been received at a warehouse).
  • The expected benefits of Blockchains on supply chains are related to its velocity (less latency, improved inventory management), visibility (tracking enabling coordination) and tracing (and tracing (an immutable encoded sequence of events).

All of the above can certainly be an attractive proposition but it is important to underline that most of it remains largely unproven.

A complex puzzle

Blockchains for logistics are therefore a complex puzzle where several pieces must fit together to reach effective outcomes. Among the most importance pieces:

  • A common platform. An important factor in the success of containerization was the fact that the container became a standard open source product open to all. What would be the state of the global economy and international trade if the container was not an open source and subject to different standards? The current risk is that competing Blockchain platforms are developed, leading to duplication. Who will be able to set the standard and have it accepted?
  • A network able to handle the massive distributed computing and storage load. A distributed network may have a higher cost than a centralized network even if this network is more resilient. Who will provide the infrastructure and the energy in a profitable fashion to avoid free riders?
  • Stakeholders along a continuous supply chain willing to collaborate and trust the platform. The electronic coordination of a Blockchain platform is a complex social coordination problem between service providers, users and regulators. How can the diverging and competing interests of stakeholders be reconciled?
  • Sensors and other means to update a massive amount of digital information (blocks) related to supply chain management. Technically, each action performed on a unit of cargo needs to be appended to the Blockchain, which requires a sensor for input. Since the Blockchain itself is assumed to be secure from tampering, what are the risks that its numerous inputs are not?

We are starting to see partial answers to these questions. A large amount of experimentation about the technology over numerous contexts and platforms is underway. These pilots are going to reveal important lessons and information about the actual strengths and pitfalls of Blockchains and how to make them deliver value for its users.

The history of innovation and its diffusion tells us that eventually the hype will be over and the true relevance of a technology is assessed. A similar pattern applies to Blockchains. It needs to be tested and validated. Until then, I will keep saying ‘bullshit’ until we get a clearer view that is less associated with marketing statements and circular logic.

Source: PortEconomics