Circularise partners with GoodFuels on digital traceability solution for biofuels supply chains

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October 24, 2023

Throughout this innovative project, FincoEnergies shared their knowledge on bookkeeping processes with Circularise to expand its MassBalancer traceability software suite to include the biofuels supply chain, adding ISCC EU certification as an additional supported framework.

The European Union’s RED II regulation aims to ensure that biofuels provide a truly sustainable alternative to fossil fuels. As part of this regulation, records must be maintained for the sourcing, chain of custody, and GHG emissions of the biofuel product process and then verified by a third-party certification scheme such as ISCC EU. This process of bookkeeping is currently a manual process of companies exchanging information from pdfs and spreadsheets, which can be costly and time-consuming.

Adding a digital method of record management will increase information security and ease-of-use for any organisation that needs to report their biofuels feedstock and supply chains. By digitising the record keeping process, information on the chain of custody and GHG emissions of the biofuel products can be efficiently audited, supporting a trustworthy and fair marine biofuels industry.

Paul Bakker, Digital Development Manager at FincoEnergies, said:

“Transparency and trust are critical to the supply chains of all marine fuels, but especially biofuels, where we must be able to demonstrate our sustainability claims easily and with confidence. Through our GoodFuels brand, we are dedicated to leading sustainability within the biofuels market, which is why we are pleased to be able to support Circularise to improve the digital reporting process.”

Jordi de Vos, co-founder of Circularise, said:

“By leveraging digital technologies to trace the chain of custody and impact of the biofuels, we can shed light on opaque supply chains and guarantee that these fuels serve as a truly sustainable alternative to fossil fuels. Our partnership with GoodFuels is a testament to our shared commitment to drive transparency and sustainability in the energy sector.”

Going forward, FincoEnergies will test this software with their GoodFuels customers to ensure a robust information transfer process. By shifting from manual methods to software grounded in RED II principles, Circularise will assist FincoEnergies in ensuring the prevention of double counting of biofuel credits, further enhancing trust and transparency throughout the value chain. This collaboration will continue to explore ways for FincoEnergies to enable its downstream customers to fairly allocate the use of GoodFuels biofuels within their sustainability reporting. This commitment to fair and transparent practices underscores the shared vision of both FincoEnergies and Circularise for a more sustainable future.

Louis Meyer signs contract for delivery Damen’ tug

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October 24, 2023

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The vessel will be operated on a long-term charter by Emder Schlepp-Betrieb GmbH (ESB) for operations in its home port of Emden, one of the top three ports in Europe for car shipping. There, its shallow draft and compact size together with its over 50 tonnes of bollard pull, make it ideal for manoeuvring large vessels in all respective areas of the port.

This is the third Damen vessel to be purchased by Louis Meyer and the second one for ESB, the first being an ASD Tug 2810 in 2020. The company is in the process of upgrading its tug fleet, which will stand at six vessels once their latest addition becomes operational.

“This contract is special for Damen,” says Damen’s Sales Manager Germany Joschka Böddeling. “The contract signing ceremony took place at the start of September and it marked one of the first sales of our new ASD Tug 2111 class. It is the latest vessel in our Compact Tugs product platform and as well as incorporating all the latest advances in efficiency, reliability and sustainability it is especially suited for agile operations within ports and harbours.”

Edvin Kohlsaat, Managing Director of Neue Schleppdampfschiffsreederei Louis Meyer commented on the occasion of the contract signing in Hamburg on 05th September 2023: “We are very excited about the forthcoming delivery of the new ASD Tug 2111. Its design perfectly matches the needs of our customer. We wish them safe sailings, and prosperous performance. Furthermore, we are very happy to support a greener supply chain with the IMO Tier III Standard”.

Key design features of the ASD Tug 2111 include a 2.4 metre diameter propeller, the large size of which offers increased thrust, and the patented Damen Twin Fin to ensure outstanding course keeping and predictable sailing behaviour during both free sailing and bow to bow operations.

With the ASD Tug 2111 already in series production at Damen Shipyards Changde, ESB will take delivery of its new vessel in the first quarter of 2024 following upgrades to enable winter operations and Tier III emissions compliance.

RWE appoints Fugro to start geophysical survey for Denmark’s largest offshore wind farm

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October 20, 2023

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RWE has commenced a geophysical survey off the Danish west coast. Up to three survey vessels will be deployed to carry out a detailed pre-construction survey including a search for unexploded ordnance (UXO) approximately 34 kilometres off the coast of Thorsminde.

The data acquired is important and will define the cable routes and exact turbine locations for RWE’s Thor offshore wind farm. To complete this work RWE has appointed Fugro, a global leading Geo-data specialist, which already conducted a comprehensive geotechnical site investigation for Thor in 2022.

Günther Fenle, Project Director Thor Offshore Wind Farm, RWE Offshore Wind:

“We are looking forward to using the data collected by Fugro to finalise the layout of the wind farm and to determine the routes for the inter-array and export cables. This is an important step towards the start of the construction works at sea in 2025.”

Marc Kebbel, Fugro’s Service Line Director of Hydrography and Cable Route Surveys:

“We are using a wide range of survey techniques, comprising offshore and nearshore standard geophysical and UXO surveys techniques, a seismic land refraction survey, and last but not least, Fugro’s rapid airborne multibeam mapping system (RAMMS) for comprehensive mapping of the shallow area and beach in the transition zone.”

The UXO campaign for RWE’s Thor offshore wind farm will run until December 2023.

“The metocean challenges posed by Thor’s exposed offshore location, such as high waves and strong wind in autumn and winter are adding to the complexity. Our ongoing collaboration with RWE reinforces our position as a trusted partner in the development of clean energy solutions”, added Marc Kebbel.

With a planned capacity of 1,000 megawatts (MW) Thor will be Denmark’s largest offshore wind farm to date. Once fully operational, which is planned to be no later than 2027, Thor would be capable of producing enough green electricity to supply the equivalent of more than one million Danish households.

Balmoral launches innovative HexDefence for jacket foundations

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October 20, 2023

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Balmoral announces the launch of its groundbreaking HexDefence product designed for jacket foundations, a globally patented product designed to significantly mitigate jacket foundation scouring around fixed wind turbines.

Building upon the success of the HexDefence development work used for monopile structures, which integrated seabed protection and flow reduction to minimise operational costs and prevent cable failure, Balmoral’s latest innovation specifically targets jacket turbine foundations. The HexDefence jacket system aims to eliminate or dramatically reduce the need for traditional and resource-intensive scour protection methods, such as rock dumping with additional benefits of being installed at quayside, eliminating the requirement for additional installation vessels and ensuring the scour protection is active from point of foundation installation.

Dr. Aneel Gill, Product R&D Manager at Balmoral, said:

“The jacket version of HexDefence represents a significant step forward for scour protection, offering highly cost-effective performance enhancement across installation, management, and maintenance. This proprietary system eliminates the requirement to dump rock, providing a non-invasive approach to protecting the jacket foundation and the immediate surrounding area.”

In March of this year, Balmoral successfully developed the original HexDefence system, receiving positive feedback from leading wind farm developers and industry bodies. The subsequent adaptation to a jacket version demonstrates Balmoral’s commitment to addressing the specific needs of jacket turbine foundations.

One of the key advantages of the HexDefence system is its potential to revive abandoned projects and locations deemed unviable due to the sheer amount and size of rock required for scour protection. The latest analysis indicates that this innovative solution could render expensive and carbon-intensive practices obsolete, making previously financially unfeasible projects viable again.

Managing Director of Balmoral, Bill Main said:

“As part of our commitment to the local communities in which we work, HexDefence will be produced close to development sites. This strategic choice not only increases local content but also contributes to the overall sustainability of offshore wind projects by reducing environmental impact.”

Avangrid, CIP announce successful installation of the first turbine for Vineyard Wind 1

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October 20, 2023

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Avangrid and Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners (CIP) have announced that that the Vineyard Wind 1 project completed the successful installation of the first GE Haliade-X Wind Turbine Generator (WTG) for the first-in-the-nation Vineyard Wind 1 project.

The completed turbine is comprised of one tower, three blades, and one nacelle, and the fully assembled machine represents the largest turbine in the western world, with a nameplate capacity of 13 Megawatts, capable of providing power to more than 6,000 homes and businesses in Massachusetts.

The project will consist of 62 wind turbines to generate 806 Megawatts, enough to power more than 400,000 homes and businesses in Massachusetts.

“Having the first offshore wind turbine in the water for the first commercial offshore wind farm in the US is an important symbolic milestone for our company, our customers, and our industry,” said Jan Kjaersgaard, CEO GE Vernova Offshore Wind. “It shows that our teams are making tangible progress on delivering on the significant potential of offshore wind. We are particularly proud to be using our Haliade-X 13 MW turbine to support Vineyard Wind in this endeavor and look forward to continuing to work together with them and all of our partners to bring this historic project to life.”

“To see the fully constructed Wind Turbine Generator is to realize the promise of the Offshore Wind industry – clean, green jobs; new green energy to combat the climate crisis and reduce rates for consumers; and the successful collaboration between our public, private, and Labor partners,” said State Representative Antonio F.D. Cabral.

Vineyard Wind began offshore construction in late 2022, achieved steel-in-the-water in June, and completed the nation’s first offshore substation in July. Construction flows through the New Bedford Marine Commerce Terminal. In July 2021, Vineyard Wind signed the first Project Labor Agreement for an offshore wind project in the United States, which outlined the creation of 500 union jobs though the project.

An 806-megawatt project located 15 miles off the coast of Martha’s Vineyard, Vineyard Wind will generate electricity for more than 400,000 homes and businesses in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, create 3,600 Full Time Equivalent (FTE) job years, save customers $1.4 billion over the first 20 years of operation, and is expected to reduce carbon emissions by more than 1.6 million metric tons per year, the equivalent of taking 325,000 cars off the road annually.

ClassNK issues approval in principle for hydrogen-fueled vessel

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October 20, 2023

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ClassNK has issued an Approval in Principle (AiP) for a parcel layout concept for a hydrogen-fueled multi-purpose vessel developed by Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL), MOL Drybulk, Onomichi Dockyard, Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Japan Engine Corporation.

According to the companies, demonstration operation of the vessel will be conducted for two years from around FY2027 as part of the “Development of marine hydrogen engines and MHFS” which was adopted by Green Innovation Funding Program of the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO).

Prior to the demonstration operation, J-ENG’s large low-speed two-stroke hydrogen-fueled engine and Kawasaki’s MHFS will be installed in the vessel by FY2026. MOL and MOL Drybulk will be in charge of ownership and operation management of the vessel and Onomichi Dockyard will be in charge of the development and building of the vessel, and they will cooperate toward the demonstration operation.

ClassNK carried out a review of a parcel layout concept for the MHFS based on its rules including part GF of its “Rules and Guidance for the Survey and Construction of Steel Ships” incorporating the IGF Code and risk assessment results through Pre-HAZID. Upon confirming they comply with the prescribed requirements, ClassNK issued the AiP.

Breidablikk coming on stream ahead of schedule

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October 20, 2023

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Tied back to the Grane platform, the subsea field holds almost 200 million barrels of recoverable oil. The partners are Equinor (operator), Petoro, Vår Energi and ConocoPhillips.

“Breidablikk will come on stream four months ahead of schedule, within budget, and with higher initial production than expected. The project is highly profitable, provides important volumes to the market, and will create great value for Norwegian society and the owners. Nearly five million working hours have gone into the project. I am proud of the project delivery, and would like to thank everyone involved,” says Geir Tungesvik, Equinor’s executive vice president for Projects, Drilling & Procurement.

When the plan for development and operation (PDO) was submitted in September 2020, production from Breidablikk was scheduled to start in the first half of 2024, with predrilling and completion of five wells. Now, eight wells have already been drilled, and the drilling of additional wells will continue on the field until the end of 2025.

Breidablikk is being developed with 22 subsea wells drilled from four templates. Pipelines and cables have been installed between the subsea facility and the Grane platform, which has been modified to receive the well stream.

The project has had major ripple effects in Norway. More than 90 percent of the contract value has gone to suppliers with a Norwegian billing address. The main suppliers are Odfjell Drilling in Bergen, Aker Solutions, with large deliveries from Egersund, Wood Group in Sandefjord, and TechnipFMC, from their spoolbase in Orkanger.

Investments in the project are expected to be just over NOK 21 billion (2023 value).

“Breidablikk can help to extend the productive life and the approximately 1000 jobs associated with the operation of the Grane field towards 2060. By utilising existing infrastructure both offshore and onshore, this is a cost-effective development. At peak, Breidablikk is expected to send up to 55-60,000 barrels of oil to the market daily, mainly to Europe,” says Kjetil Hove, Equinor’s executive vice president for Exploration and Production Norway.

The oil from Breidablikk is processed on Grane and sent ashore by pipeline to the Sture terminal in Øygarden. Oil will account for about 15 percent of exports from Sture in the years to come. The new field will be operated together with the Grane field by the Equinor organisation at Sandsli in Bergen.

Scotland: TotalEnergies commissions its biggest offshore wind farm

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October 18, 2023

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Seagreen is a joint venture between TotalEnergies (51%) and SSE Renewables (49%). It is located in the North Sea, some 27 km off the coast of Angus. It is TotalEnergies’ biggest operational offshore wind farm worldwide and the world’s deepest fixed bottom wind farm, with its foundation reaching nearly 60 meters below sea level.

The project, which began construction in June 2020, has been completed in around 3 years for a global investment of around $4 billion, globally in line with the expected capex. The development and construction were led, with the support of TotalEnergies, by SSE which will now operate the offshore wind farm for its expected 25-year lifetime.

The 1,075 MW offshore wind farm has the capacity to generate around 5 terawatt hours (TWh), or enough renewable electricity to power almost 1.6 million homes annually, equivalent to two-thirds of all Scottish homes. Seagreen will also prevent the emission of over 2 million tons of CO2 from fossil fuel electricity generation every year.

Consistently with its business model, TotalEnergies will commercialize, through Seagreen, its share of production through a mix of a long-term contract at guaranteed price, including a 15-year CfD (Contract for Difference) awarded by the UK Government, and a 15-year private CfD with the SSE Group, and short-term sales on the wholesale market.

Patrick Pouyanné, Chairman and CEO of TotalEnergies, said:

«I am very pleased to see Seagreen generating at full power, making it TotalEnergies’ biggest offshore wind farm worldwide. This 1 GW project is a new step in delivering our strategy of building a world-class, cost-competitive portfolio of renewable energy to deliver clean, reliable and affordable power to our customers. It will positively contribute to achieving our Integrated Power 12% profitability target and our objective of reaching more than 100 TWh of power generation by 2030. Our participation in the project alongside SSE has enabled us to strengthen our offshore wind expertise which will be extremely useful for our future projects in the United Kingdom, the United States and Germany. It’s also very good news for Scotland, as Seagreen makes a significant contribution to the country’s net zero ambition for 2045.»

The First Minister of Scotland, Humza Yousaf, said:

«The Seagreen offshore windfarm is a fantastic example of the work being done to unleash Scotland’s renewable potential, as we seek to lead the world in the transition to net zero. This significant milestone for Seagreen is also significant for Scotland, taking us a step closer to creating a net zero energy system that delivers affordable, secure and clean energy. Delivering on our climate obligations is an absolute priority for the Scottish Government – so too is our unwavering commitment to a just transition for workers. We are determined to maximize the economic opportunity Scotland’s offshore wind potential presents, by developing local supply chains, embedding innovation, boosting skills, creating jobs, and benefiting people and communities.»

Alistair Phillips-Davies, Chief Executive of SSE plc, said:

«This is a big milestone for Seagreen and for Scotland. It shows that this country not only has world-class renewable resources but also world-class teams able to deliver major clean energy projects at scale. Seagreen’s ability to power up to 1.6 million homes will make a significant contribution to energy security and extend Scotland and the UK’s leadership in clean energy generation. But if we are to fully realise this country’s potential we need many more Seagreens and we look forward to working with governments, partners, investors and local communities to bring more landmark projects like this forward in the future.»

QatarEnergy, Shell sign 27-year LNG supply to the Netherlands

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October 18, 2023

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Affiliates of QatarEnergy and Shell signed two long-term LNG sale and purchase agreements (SPAs) for the supply of up to 3.5 million tons per annum (MTPA) of LNG from Qatar to the Netherlands.

The LNG volumes will be sourced from the two joint ventures between QatarEnergy and Shell that hold interests in Qatar’s North Field East (NFE) and North field South (NFS) expansion projects.

The SPAs were signed by His Excellency Mr. Saad Sherida Al-Kaabi, the Minister of State for Energy Affairs, the President and CEO of QatarEnergy, and Mr. Wael Sawan, the CEO of Shell, at a special event held in Doha in the presence of senior executives from both companies.

Commenting on this occasion, His Excellency Minister Al-Kaabi said:

“We are delighted to sign these two long-term LNG sale and purchase agreements with Shell that will further enhance our decades-long relationship and strategic partnership in Qatar and around the world. There is no doubt that the contracted LNG volumes underscore the vital role natural gas plays in the energy transition and in supporting energy security of customers across the globe.”

His Excellency Minister Al-Kaabi added:

“These agreements reaffirm Qatar’s commitment to help meeting Europe’s energy demands and bolstering its energy security with a source known for its superior economic and environmental qualities. We look forward to work closely with our partner, Shell, in delivering on this shared endeavor.”

Shell’s partnership in the North Field LNG Expansion Projects is made up of a 6.25% share in the 32 MTPA NFE project and a 9.375% share in the 16 MTPA NFS project.

ZIM Expands its Latin America network with the launch of two services

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October 18, 2023

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Both services are fully operated by ZIM, expanding ZIM’s presence and operations to and from Latin America, further connecting ZIM’s customers in that region with ZIM’s global network.

The new ZIM Albatross service will provide premium direct connection from and to North China, Korea, Mexico, and the West Coast of South America. ZIM will deploy 4,250 TEU vessels on this service, allowing operational flexibility. Connections to/from Southeast Asia and the Indian sub-continent will be made via China. This service will commence from China in December 2023.

ZIM Gulf Toucan service will connect the East Coast of South America to the Gulf of Mexico and the US. ZIM will deploy 2,800 TEU vessels on this service. Connections to other ports in North America, the Caribbean, Central America and West Coast South America will be made via ZIM’s regional hubs. This service will commence in both directions during January 2024.

The new rotations will be as follows:

ZIM Albatross (ZAT):

Xingang – Qingdao – Shanghai – Ningbo – Busan – Lazaro Cardenas – Buenaventura – Guayaquil – Callao – San Antonio – Busan – Xingang

ZIM Gulf Toucan (ZGT):

Buenos Aires – Montevideo – Navegantes or Itapoa – Paranagua – Santos – Rio De Janeiro – Cartagena – Kingston – Veracruz – Altamira – Houston – Mobile – Kingston– Cartagena –Santos – Buenos Aires

These services follow the launch of the ZIM Colibri Express (ZCX) in July 2023, and complement this service, to provide comprehensive service to new and existing customers in Latin America.

Eran Epstein, ZIM VP Latin America BU, said:

“We are very excited to add the ZIM Albatross and ZIM Gulf Toucan services to our growing network in Latin America. With these new services, will be able to offer our customers in the region broader reach, coupled with ZIM’s signature customer service tailored to meet their specific needs.”