NYK concludes contract for construction of dual-fuel methanol VLCC for Idemitsu Tanker

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April 7, 2025

On April 4th, NYK concluded a contract for the construction and charter of a very large crude oil carrier (VLCC) equipped with a main engine that can use methanol as a next-generation fuel.

The vessel, which will feature a large shaft generator, will be constructed by Nippon Shipyard and engaged in a long-term charter for Idemitsu Tanker.

Methanol is a fuel expected to lower greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. It can reduce carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions by about 15% compared to when heavy oil is used. Furthermore, a further reduction in CO₂ emissions is expected when using green methanol, such as bio-methanol, which is produced using biomass as a raw material, or synthetic methanol (e-methanol), which is produced using hydrogen derived from renewable energy and captured CO₂.

In 2023, NYK announced the NYK Decarbonization Story with the aim of achieving net-zero GHG emissions by 2050.

Principal Particulars of Vessel

Length Overall: 339.5m
Breadth: 60.0m
Scantling Draught: 21.0m
Deadweight at Scantling Draught: Approx. 310,000 t
Fuel: Methanol and heavy oil
Other: Equipped with a large shaft generator
Build: Nippon Shipyard Co., Ltd., Japan Marine United Corporation
Charterer: Idemitsu Tanker Co., Ltd
Delivery: 2028

Citizen science to fight marine plastic pollution and improve environmental management

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April 7, 2025

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Plastics are becoming more present in the seas and oceans around the world. The Mediterranean — a semi-enclosed marine basin — is one of the seas that accumulates more plastic waste from the continent, a situation that is endangering biodiversity and marine ecosystems.

Now, the University of Barcelona is working on a citizen science project to better understand the origins and final destination of the plastics that reach the sea and thus improve the marine environment conservation strategies in the north-western Mediterranean.

The TRAP project (Participatory Strategies for the Management of Transboundary Coastal Plastic Pollution) is led by Professor Anna Sanchez-Vidal, from the Consolidated Research Group in Marine Geosciences of the University of Barcelona’s Faculty of Earth Sciences, and has as its main partners the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC) and the company Plastic At Sea.

With a budget of nearly one million euros, the project will run from 2025 to 2028. It is co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), under the Interreg POCTEFA Programme, a European Union initiative to promote the sustainable development of the border territory of Spain, France and Andorra.

The first meeting of the project will take place on 9 April, in the boardroom of the UB’s Faculty of Earth Sciences, with the participation of Professor Anna Sanchez-Vidal, Professor José Alsina, from the UPC’s Laboratory of Maritime Engineering, and Edouard Lavergne, from Plastic At Sea, the main promoters of the initiative, among other participants.

Most of the plastic waste that threatens the marine environment comes from the mainland (rivers, beaches, outfalls, discharges). The TRAP project will contribute to preserving the ecological values of the coastal region of the Eastern Coastal Functional Area (AFLE) of the Pyrenees-Mediterranean Euroregion, from the estuary of the Aude river to the Ebro delta. According to recent studies, marine plastics are present in this area both near large cities and far from the coast, probably due to dispersion by the northern current flowing southwards from the Gulf of Lion, which is capable of transporting up to one trillion microplastics to southern latitudes.

In line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), TRAP will address key issues for the conservation of seas and oceans. The application of numerical models by researchers from the UPC’s Laboratory of Maritime Engineering will contribute to understanding how much plastic enters, how it is dispersed and where it accumulates. The ultimate goal is to provide managers with a numerical tool for predicting the distribution of plastics in this cross-border region to help lead environmental policy actions to mitigate their impact at the local and regional level.

Citizen science will also play a leading role, with the involvement of citizens in the project’s scientific research tasks. This will allow sampling in areas with higher geographical and temporal resolution, reduce travel — and therefore project costs — and increase environmental awareness. The collaboration with Plastics at Sea and sports, social and environmental organizations on both sides of the Pyrenees will make it possible to characterize and monitor the arrival of plastics on the coast — especially from continental sources — and to find out the spatial and temporal distribution of waste in response to anthropic factors and environmental variables (tourism, meteorology, oceanography).

With this combined approach, TRAP will respond to several scientific and societal challenges: understanding the mechanisms of plastic transport in the coastal region of the north-western Mediterranean, developing a tool to facilitate better waste management at local and regional level, and informing and raising public awareness of plastic pollution.

“TRAP is an opportunity to rethink environmental policies on both sides of the Pyrenees. The joint work of partners, organizations and citizens will make it possible to comprehensively assess the problem of plastic pollution on the coast beyond administrative boundaries, thus improving environmental policies to protect the marine environment”, concludes Anna Sanchez-Vidal.

Stonepeak to acquire interest in Woodside’s Louisiana LNG

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April 7, 2025

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Stonepeak, an alternative investment firm specializing in infrastructure and real assets, has announced an agreement to acquire a 40% interest in Louisiana LNG Infrastructure LLC, a liquefied natural gas production and export terminal in Calcasieu Parish, Louisiana owned by Woodside Energy Group Ltd.

The Project, positioned in the heart of the Gulf Coast LNG corridor with close proximity to natural gas resources and direct access to the US Gulf, has a total permitted capacity of 27.6 million tonnes per annum and is nearing final investment decision (FID) for the foundation development. Construction is currently underway, and the front-end engineering design has been completed. Bechtel is the engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) contractor for the Project. Woodside will continue to operate the Project following completion of the transaction.

“With the need to bring significant additional capacity online over the coming years, we have strong conviction in the critical role Louisiana LNG will play in the US LNG export market,” said James Wyper, Senior Managing Director and Head of US Private Equity at Stonepeak. “The Project represents a compelling opportunity to invest in a newbuild LNG export facility nearing FID approval with an attractive risk-return profile and best-in-class partners in both Bechtel and Woodside to construct and operate the asset.”

Woodside CEO Meg O’Neill said, “We are very pleased to have Stonepeak join us in Louisiana LNG, given their demonstrated track record investing in US gas and LNG infrastructure across LNG facilities, LNG carriers, and floating storage and regasification units. This transaction further confirms Louisiana LNG’s position as a globally attractive investment set to deliver long-term value to our shareholders. It is the result of a highly competitive process that attracted leading global counterparties and significantly reduces Woodside’s capital expenditure for this world-class project.”

The transaction is expected to close in the second quarter of 2025 subject to conditions precedent including final investment decision for the Louisiana LNG foundation development, as well as requisite regulatory, legal, and other customary approvals.

Scientists propose network of autonomous vehicles to observe ocean surface

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April 6, 2025

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A new paper from an international team of more than 50 researchers, including four from UC San Diego’s Scripps Institution of Oceanography, proposes the creation of a global observing network of autonomous vehicles roving the ocean surface.

The proposed network of USVs would be analogous to the Argo network of roughly 4,000 drifting robotic floats that are focused on collecting data from the ocean’s interior.

“Argo provides an incredible view of the ocean interior. Now we are trying to do that for the air-sea interface,” said Luc Lenain, co-author of the study and director of Scripps’ Air-Sea Interaction Research Laboratory. “We feel the technology is there and these vehicles are ready to make a huge contribution to science.”

The study, published March 6 in Frontiers in Marine Sciences, also compiles research showing how USVs are currently being used to collect data and the diversity of designs and technologies that enable these capable machines.

The ocean surface is the site of important exchanges of energy and chemistry between the ocean and the atmosphere.

“The weather that disrupts our lives and waters our crops often originates from interactions between the atmosphere and the ocean,” said Sarah Gille, co-author of the study and a physical oceanographer at Scripps. “Understanding air-sea interactions is key for improving our ability to forecast extreme weather to enhance public safety and protect property.”

But despite its importance, this boundary between the air and sea is not regularly observed in detail – especially in regions that are remote or perilous.

Current observation systems struggle to capture the complex, rapidly changing dynamics at the ocean surface. Buoys and fixed moorings are too sparse or, in the case of Argo, are not focused on the ocean surface; ships are not cost-effective for remote locations and can be unsafe for crew in stormy seas; and most satellites are not well positioned to observe small-scale, fast-moving processes. This data gap hampers scientists’ ability to forecast severe weather, understand climate change and track carbon dioxide uptake by the oceans.

USVs, by contrast, can be powered by the sun and can utilize wave and wind energy for propulsion, allowing them to remain at sea for long periods of time and return themselves to port if they are in need of repairs. USVs can simultaneously measure dozens of variables while traversing thousands of kilometers (hundreds of miles) of open ocean or operate in hurricanes and near sea ice where traditional methods struggle, all while transmitting high-resolution data in near real-time.

Lenain’s lab operates a fleet of USVs called Wave Gliders – named for their use of wave energy for propulsion – with sensors to record troves of data on the wind, waves and weather at the sea surface. For Lenain and other researchers interested in studying interactions between air and sea, the smaller physical profile of the Wave Gliders offers practical advantages for collecting these data compared to ships.

“The form factor of a large research vessel creates wind and wave interference, which reduces the accuracy of our measurements,” said Lenain. “The smaller size of our Wave Gliders reduces that interference, and improves the quality of our data.”

Beginning in 2022, the research team behind this paper conducted a review of 200 datasets collected via USVs and 96 scientific studies from the past decade to evaluate the capabilities and potential of these autonomous platforms. The authors created maps using data from USV manufacturers and researchers to show where these sea-faring robots have been used to observe the sea surface and where they have yet to venture.

The analysis revealed that USVs have successfully measured 33 different variables spanning physical, biogeochemical, biological and ecological processes at the ocean-atmosphere boundary.

“This paper shows the potential value of a global scale network of uncrewed surface vehicles to observe and characterize the complex interactions that occur between the ocean and the atmosphere,” said Lenain. “The technology is ripe for this and there is a strong scientific need for these observations, especially in the high latitudes and remote parts of the ocean.”

The authors argue that creating a global USV observation network would significantly enhance humanity’s ability to forecast severe weather events, improve climate models, monitor carbon dioxide uptake by the oceans and support interdisciplinary marine research.

The team is now working to secure an endorsement from the UN Ocean Decade program and the Global Ocean Observing System. Lenain indicated that an endorsement from the Global Ocean Observing System would be an important stamp of approval for the proposed USV observing network as the researchers behind the proposal begin to seek funding.

“Observing systems like this are funded through contributions of multiple countries,” said Gille. “This paper provides a baseline for conversations in each country about where they can make sensible and meaningful contributions.”

Other next steps include developing international standards for data collection and sharing, building partnerships between scientists, data managers and USV manufacturers, as well as developing a legal framework for operating autonomous vessels in international waters.

Source: ucsd

Scientists discover deep-sea microplastic hotspots created by fast-moving underwater avalanches

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April 6, 2025

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Fast-moving underwater avalanches, known as turbidity currents, are responsible for transporting vast quantities of microplastics into the deep sea, according to research published in the journal Environmental Science and Technology.

The study, led by The University of Manchester and co-led by the UK’s National Oceanography Centre (NOC) shows that these powerful flows could be capable of traveling at speeds of up to eight meters per second, carrying plastic waste from the continental shelf to depths of more than 3,200 metres.

Over 10 million tonnes of plastic waste enter the oceans each year. While striking images of floating debris have driven efforts to curb pollution, this visible waste accounts for less than 1% of the total. The missing 99% – primarily made up of fibres from textiles and clothing – is instead sinking into the deep ocean.

Scientists have long suspected that turbidity currents play a major role in distributing microplastics across the seafloor – The University of Manchester were among the first to demonstrate this through their research on ‘Microplastic Hotspots’ in the Tyrrhenian Sea, published in the journal Science. However, until now, the actual process had not been observed or recorded in a real-world setting.

This latest study, also involving researchers from the University of Leeds (UK), and the Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research provides the first field evidence showing the process.

The findings pose a significant threat to marine ecosystems and highlight the urgent need for stronger pollution controls.

Dr Peng Chen, lead author on the study at The University of Manchester, said “Microplastics on their own can be toxic to deep-sea life, but they also act as ‘carriers’ transferring other harmful pollutants such as PFAS ‘forever chemicals’ and heavy metals, which makes them an environmental ‘multistressor’ which can affect the entire food chain.”

The research focused on Whittard Canyon in the Celtic Sea, a land-detached canyon over 300km from the shore. By combining in-situ monitoring and direct seabed sampling supported by the RRS James Cook and RRS Discovery as part of the NERC-funded Climate Linked Atlantic Sector Science (CLASS) programme, the team were able to witness a turbidity current in action, moving a huge plume of sediment at over 2.5 metres per second at over 1.5km water depth. The samples directly from the flow revealed that these powerful currents were not only carrying just sand and mud, but a significant quantity of microplastic fragments and microfibres.

Further analysis found that the microplastics on the seafloor are mainly comprised of fibres from textiles and clothing, which are not effectively filtered out in domestic wastewater treatment plants and easily enter rivers and oceans.

Dr Ian Kane, Geologist and Environmental Scientist at The University of Manchester, who designed and led the research, said: “These turbidity currents carry the nutrients and oxygen that are vital to sustain deep-sea life, so it is shocking that the same currents are also carrying these tiny plastic particles.

“These biodiversity hotspots are now co-located with microplastic hotspots, which could pose serious risks to deep-sea organisms.

“We hope this new understanding will support mitigations strategies going forward.”

Dr Mike Clare of the National Oceanography Centre, who was a co-lead on the research, added: “Our study has shown how detailed studies of seafloor currents can help us to connect microplastic transport pathways in the deep-sea and find the ‘missing’ microplastics. The results highlight the need for policy interventions to limit the future flow of plastics into natural environments and minimise impacts on ocean ecosystems.”

The study team are now focusing on efforts to better understand the effect that microplastics have on marine organisms, for example sea turtles and deep-sea fauna.

MacGregor delivers its new electric heavy lift crane to Nordic

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April 5, 2025

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This next-generation heavy lift crane combines MacGregor and NMF’s extensive experience in the heavy lift industry. The crane is designed to enhance operational efficiency while significantly reducing emissions, energy consumption, and maintenance costs.

By leveraging MacGregor’s advanced electric drive technology, the crane eliminates hydraulic oil usage, improving environmental performance and ensuring compliance with stricter industry regulations.

Soeren Hoessermann, Managing Director at Nordic Hamburg Shipmanagement (HK) Ltd., expressed enthusiasm about the delivery: “We are pleased to receive MacGregor’s electric heavy lift crane, which aligns with our commitment to improving efficiency and reducing our environmental impact. This innovative technology will help us optimize cargo handling operations while contributing to our sustainability goals.”

“At MacGregor, we are committed to delivering sustainable and innovative solutions that create lifetime value in cargo handling. The delivery of our new electric heavy lift crane is a testament to our dedication to reducing the environmental footprint of maritime operations while maintaining the highest standards of performance and reliability,” said Magnus Sjöberg, Senior Vice President, Equipment Solutions Division, MacGregor.

The crane will be installed on the vessel Amy, which will play a key role in a project cargo market.

Ripple effects from Equinor in Norway continue to grow

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April 5, 2025

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Equinor procured goods and services with a total value of NOK 142.6 billion, an increase from 134 billion in 2023. 93 per cent of this came from Norwegian suppliers located in 260 different municipalities. This resulted in an employment effect of more than 85 thousand full-time equivalents.

“The report demonstrates extensive ripple effects and employment effects from Equinor’s activity in Norway. The greatest ripple effects come from operating our fields and onshore facilities, which account for more than 85 billion in deliveries. With the Norwegian continental shelf (NCS) in a mature phase, high levels of exploration activity and maturing of new oil and gas resources are important to ensure that this continues,” says Kjetil Hove, Equinor’s executive vice president for EPN.

The report was prepared by Kunnskapsparken Bodø (KPB) which analysed actual purchases of goods and services from around 1900 suppliers and several thousand sub-suppliers in nearly 300 sectors.

Development projects contributed Norwegian deliveries worth more than NOK 36 billion and more than 20 thousand full-time equivalents. The largest share of this comes from subsea developments, which accounted for 31%. Johan Castberg was Equinor’s largest Norwegian field development in 2024, and accounted for 26%. The various electrification projects also created significant ripple effects with 23%.

“Looking towards 2035, Equinor plans to continue to ramp up activity. On the NCS alone, we want to see 250 exploration wells, 600 more development wells, 75 subsea developments, 3000 interventions, 2500 modification projects and 50 low-pressure projects. This robust activity level will require a cost level that yields profitability. Together with its partners and the supplier industry, Equinor must maintain to achieve competitive solutions. If we succeed with this, we’ll be able to maintain value creation on the NCS, as well as preserve high energy deliveries to Europe over the long term,” Hove concludes.

Equinor’s exploration activity had deliveries amounting to NOK 10.8 billion, an increase of just over 3 billion from 2023.

“Equinor’s activity generates work for suppliers all across the country, which demonstrates that this company is important for people and local communities. The competition to secure important contracts and long-term supplier relationships also helps develop competence and innovation throughout the entire supplier industry. We have lots of small suppliers in the Norwegian supplier industry who are the leading specialists within their respective areas. We must continue to build on our strengths as an energy nation,” says Per Steinar Stamnes, head of the union Styrke Norwegian Continental Shelf in Equinor, on behalf of the five trade unions in Equinor; Styrke, SAFE, Lederne, NITO and Tekna.

The 2024 analysis also includes operation of renewable energy facilities and low-carbon solutions, where the Norwegian supplier industry delivered services worth 170 million from the operation of Hywind Tampen and the development of Northern Lights.

Bulgarian port places first order for new Konecranes Gottwald Mobile Harbor Cranes

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April 5, 2025

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The order was booked in Q1 2025 and handover is expected in Q4 2025.

BMF and Konecranes started working together 12 years ago, when the Bulgarian port operator invested in four pre-owned Konecranes Gottwald Mobile Harbor Cranes. In 2016, two of these cranes were retrofitted with external power supplies to reduce onsite tailpipe emissions and operating costs. BMF extended this successful retrofit to its other two mobile harbor cranes in 2021.

The customer is now taking another step towards lower emissions with a first-time investment in two brand-new Konecranes Gottwald ESP.9 mobile harbor cranes. Each has a lifting capacity of 150 tonnes, bringing the handling performance of the terminal to an entirely new level. Continuing its electrification approach, BMF has opted to equip both cranes with an external power supply from the outset.

“Our existing Konecranes equipment has proven its reliability and efficiency for more than a decade – meeting our expectations every step of the way. We’re excited to now reach the milestone of investing in two brand new cranes, significantly boosting our performance in handling both project cargo and containers,” says Nikola Kosev, Project Manager at BMF.

BMF Port Burgas is expanding its equipment fleet to support growth in freight volumes. The operator has developed a new deep-water berth at its Burgas West Terminal, with increased capacity for larger vessels and heavier cargo. The investment reinforces BMF’s position as a key logistics provider for the wider Black Sea region.

“BMF’s journey from operating pre-owned cranes to investing in the latest Generation 6 models is a great example of successful growth with Konecranes. We are proud to have supported them for more than a decade, always finding the right handling and drive solutions for their needs,” says Andreas Czwalinna, Regional Sales Manager, Konecranes Port Solutions.

This contract is part of Ecolifting, Konecranes’ vision to increase its handprint – meaning the beneficial environmental impact that can be achieved with our product and service portfolio – while reducing customers’ carbon footprints. From eco-optimizing diesel drives, to hybridization and fully-electrified fleets, we will continue to do more with less.

A strong focus on customers and commitment to business growth and continuous improvement make Konecranes a material handling industry leader. This is underpinned by investments in digitalization and technology, plus our work to make material flows more efficient with solutions that decarbonize the economy and advance circularity and safety.

NYK, partners to work on renewable energy-powered offshore floating data center

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April 5, 2025

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The MoU, signed by NYK, NTT Facilities, Eurus Energy Holdings, MUFG Bank, and the City of Yokohama on March 27, entails a demonstration project of an offshore green data center utilizing a mini-float (floating berthing facility) installed as a disaster countermeasure.

The parties intend to test an offshore floating data center powered by renewable energy generated by solar power and battery energy storage systems on a mini-float (25 meters long and 80 meters wide) installed off Osanbashi Pier, Yokohama City.

Based on the results of this demonstration project, the partners will explore further developments in the waterfront and sea areas of Yokohama port.

As disclosed, the demonstration project will involve installing a container-type data center, solar power generation equipment, and battery energy storage systems on a mini-float. The aim is to operate the data center entirely on renewable energy while assessing the equipment’s salt damage resistance and operational stability in an offshore environment.

The demonstration is planned to commence in autumn 2025, marking “a significant step toward the practical application of a world-first offshore floating green data center”.

Once realized, offshore floating green data centers are expected to enable efficient utilization of offshore wind power. The project envisions situating these data centers near offshore wind farms to maximize the use of generated electricity without relying on or being limited by onshore power grids.

Additionally, this approach is expected to address various challenges associated with onshore data center construction, such as land availability, shortages of construction contractors, and extended construction lead times.

“We expect the offshore floating green data center, which operates on 100% renewable energy, will become one of the new standards for future data centers and greatly contribute to the realization of a carbon-neutral society by operating entirely on renewable energy and emitting no greenhouse gases during operation. Through the demonstration, we will work to address various challenges to achieve this vision,” NYK said.

Valuable raw materials being discarded at sea, scientists say

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April 5, 2025

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The world needs more of the valuable nutrients found in fish viscera, liver and roe. Yet, much of this raw material is being thrown back into the sea. There are good reasons to stop this wasteful practice.

Up to two-thirds of the fish caught never reach the dinner table. SINTEF researcher Line Skontorp Meidell wants to fix that.

Seventy percent of the residual raw materials that occur in the ocean-going fishing fleet are discarded back into the sea. The raw materials contain valuable nutrients like omega-3 fatty acids and high-quality proteins, according to the researcher.

“For my doctoral degree, I investigated how we could increase the utilization of residual raw materials on deep-sea fishing vessels. Our research shows that we could be extracting far more value from each fish taken from the sea,” says Meidell.

Seafood residuals can be converted into nutritious ingredients for food and feed. Raw materials from the viscera, liver, roe and head of fish are packed with valuable nutrients that the whole world could use more of.

Proper handling is key

The quality of residual raw materials, such as the viscera and liver, degrades quickly due to the enzymes and bacteria that are naturally found in the raw material. That poses a challenge.

Since the quality of the ingredients is determined by the quality of the raw material, proper handling and preservation on board ship is absolutely necessary to ensure high quality and increased utilization,” Meidell says.

Can the viscera be turned into high-grade fish liver oil?

Whitefish store most of their fat in their liver. The liver is therefore manually sorted out for the production of fish liver oil in Norway’s coastal fleet. Such sorting operations are resource-intensive and can be challenging to carry out on board.

“That’s why we have looked more closely at whether it would be possible to use the whole fraction of the viscera to produce oil without sorting out the liver,” says Meidell.

The study results indicate that sorting out the liver is not necessary. Both the liver and viscera from cod and saithe can be used to produce high-quality oil for human consumption that is rich in omega-3 fatty acids.

Cold storage a must

Experiments conducted on board the ship showed that processing the raw material immediately after the catch is critical to achieving the highest possible oil quality.

“However, we found that the raw material could be refrigerated for up to two days and still be used to produce oil for human consumption,” Meidell says.

This provides greater flexibility on board, especially in bad weather or variable catch size and composition.

Silaging is a preservation method in which acid is added to control the growth of unwanted microorganisms and ensure optimal conditions for the enzymes in the raw material. In principle, this is the same as when grass is stored for animal feed in round bales. The resulting silage promotes hydrolysis, which can enhance nutrient quality in food.

Silage products are often perceived as being of low-quality. But the researchers’ findings show that the quality of the oil can be significantly improved by adding acid with antioxidants immediately after catch to start the preservation process.

“Although viscera with liver contain a lot of fat, we found that sorting out the liver did not affect the protein content or the quality of the protein hydrolysates,” says the SINTEF researcher.

High demand

According to Meidell, the residual raw material that is currently discarded at sea represents a huge opportunity to meet the demand for nutrients in Norwegian food production – either directly or indirectly through feed.

Fish waste can be turned into valuable nutritional ingredients by developing good strategies for storage, sorting and preservation.

“Maximizing the use of raw material can help reduce the loss of important food resources and at the same time offer new, sustainable sources of omega-3 and proteins that the world needs more of,” says Meidell.