An important milestone is reached in the construction of Les Alizes, a Next-Gen floating offshore installation vessel for offshore renewables and decommissioning. Jan De Nul launched its Offshore Installation Vessel Les Alizes at the CMHI Haimen shipyard in China. This vessel will be the largest Heavy Lift Vessel in Jan De Nul’s fleet, able to install XXL offshore wind components, in floating conditions and with ultra-low emissions.
The launch started by flooding the dry dock in which Les Alizes was built. Once afloat, Les Alizes was moored alongside the adjacent quay wall. Yesterday, the official launching ceremony took place at the CMHI Haimen shipyard, in the presence of the shipyard management and Jan De Nul Group representatives.
The final phase of the vessel’s construction can now begin, including sea trials. Les Alizés is due for delivery in H2 2022 in good time for her first assignment in Germany for the construction of Gode Wind 3 and Borkum Riffgrund 3 Offshore Wind Farms, transporting and installing 107 monopile foundations for the offshore wind major Ørsted.
Philippe Hutse, Director Offshore Division at Jan De Nul Group: “The construction of our offshore floating installation vessel Les Alizés is well on track. We can look forward to delivery later this year, so that we can continue to build the future of offshore renewable energy. Together with our Offshore Jack-Up Installation Vessel Voltaire, which is also under construction in China, we will have the perfect set of offshore installation vessels that will be able to install current and future generations of offshore wind farms. This is how we offer our customers the most efficient installation solutions and results.”
An innovative design ready for future challenges
Following her order at the end of 2019, the design of Les Alizes has been further fine-tuned. The vessel is taking shape thanks to the investments in innovative mission equipment, enabling Jan De Nul to offer solutions for the next generation offshore wind installation challenges while improving safety and efficiency:
A highly innovative crane with Universal Quick Connector: this crane will be among the largest in its class. The crane will utilize a Universal Quick Connector, developed by Huisman, and leveraging the expertise of Jan De Nul’s operational and engineering teams. The result is a ground-breaking innovative UQC, that will deliver a major step change in safer offshore lifting activities.
An innovative motion-compensated pile gripper: the highly advanced electrical gripper, with an integrated guidance and survey system, will allow safe and efficient installation of next-generation monopiles with pin-point accuracy.
A fully automated monopile handling system: the tailor-made system consists of a set of cradles, a skidding system and an upending hinge to handle and install XXL monopiles. It is ideally suited to work in challenging weather conditions and high sea states.
Jan Van De Velde, Head of Newbuilding Department at Jan De Nul Group: “It is our continued philosophy to focus on operational efficiency and improving safety as the main objectives. The Universal Quick Connector, the innovative Motion-Compensated Pile Gripper and the fully automated Monopile Installation System perfectly fit into our strategy of having no manual deck intervention during installation. We stay one step ahead in offering the renewables industry a safe and efficient one-stop-shop installation solution.”
Les Alizes will be an Ultra-Low Emission vessel with hybrid capability
In order to reduce the vessel’s CO2 emissions, the power plant on board is a hybrid setup. The arrangement combines diesel-driven generators with battery and drive technology to optimize engine loading and to recover the potential energy returned from the heavy lift crane. To further reduce the carbon footprint of installation activities, the ultra-low emission vessel can run on second-generation biodiesel that reduces the fuel carbon footprint by up to 90%.
As an ultra-low emission vessel, Les Alizes is equipped with a highly advanced dual exhaust filter system, removing up to 99% of nanoparticles from emissions using a diesel particulate filter (DPF) and reducing the NOx emissions and other pollutants by means of a selective catalytic reduction system (SCR) to levels in accordance with EU Stage V regulation. Les Alizes and Voltaire will be the first two seaworthy installation vessels in the world with extremely low emissions.
MOL launches inter-system linkage of 'Lighthouse' with Nippon Steel Corporation. Image: MOL
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Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd. announced the launch of an inter-system linkage between “Lighthouse”, a platform developed for bulkship customers to provide information on ocean transport, and the supply-demand management system of Nippon Steel Corporation.
Lighthouse is a service that allows those involved in the transport process, such as shippers and vessel operators, to safely, unitarily, and in real time, share and monitor various kinds of information related to ocean transport, such as vessel schedules, weather, ocean conditions, as well as data related to cargoes and contracts, on a customized basis for each customer.
Until now, Nippon Steel obtained information on ocean transport in raw material procurement through information sharing from various shipping companies, including MOL with a limited frequency. Linking Nippon Steel’s supply-demand management system with Lighthouse enables the customer to constantly monitor and update a broad range of information on ocean transport, such as schedules and cargo information, not only for MOL-operated vessels, but also those of other shipping lines, allowing the conversion of more information into useful data.
MOL will use data and digital technology to help customers optimize their supply chains, not only in ocean transport, but also throughout the entire supply chain from raw material procurement to production, and to transform their business models for the better. Then, it aims to reduce the environmental impact of ocean transport and achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by improving service and quality based on customer needs, by, for example, enhancing operational and transport efficiency.
MOL Group will continue to earn the trust of a wide range of stakeholders while offering high-quality transport services and new added value through the use of digital technology as a group.
Oldendorff's report on West Australia – East Asia iron ore green corridor. Image: Oldendorff Carriers
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Oldendorff Carriers has welcomed the release of a green corridor feasibility report on the West Australia – East Asia iron ore trade route, in partnership with other consortium partners including BHP, Rio Tinto, Starbulk and the Global Maritime Forum. The green corridor project focuses on the feasibility of ammonia as a low emission marine fuel option to reduce seaborne transport emissions on this major iron ore trade route.
The feasibility report can serve as an inspiration for further development of other green corridor initiatives, through public-private partnerships and regulatory follow-up actions. This type of collaboration is very useful in identifying what steps and initiatives are necessary to accelerate the decarbonisation of shipping. Oldendorff Carriers is committed to an ambitious decarbonisation trajectory towards sustainable levels.
The report shows sufficient potential for low emission ammonia availability, and that deploying ammonia powered vessels on this trade route is feasible. However, the safety aspects for the use of ammonia as a marine fuel, still needs to be validated and accepted. The report indicates that the Pilbara region of Australia and Singapore are potentially viable places for bunkering ammonia on this trade route. The shipping industry continues to debate which of the future fuels will be most appropriate for our sector. It is expected that there will be more than one fuel for shipping and there is still a lot of work to be done to develop a comprehensive understanding of how to make and use alternative forms of energy efficiently.
Scott Bergeron, Managing Director Global Engagement & Sustainability at Oldendorff Carriers, says: “Being one of the founding members of the West Australia – East Asia Iron Ore Green Corridor Consortium was an excellent opportunity for Oldendorff Carriers to collaborate and share perspectives with the other consortium members on the feasibility of reducing emissions on this strategic iron ore trade. We are pleased to join in sharing this feasibility assessment to show how a well-considered green corridor can facilitate our collective desire to decarbonize shipping with an alternative fuel. While outside the scope of this report, the safety concerns and environmental risks of ammonia have yet to be adequately addressed. As the safety of our crew is paramount, these challenges must be overcome to enable adoption.”
NYK takes delivery of new coal carrier Kagura. Image: NYK Line
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The coal carrier Kagura for the Chugoku Electric Power Co., Inc. was delivered at Oshima Shipbuilding Co. Ltd. A naming and delivery ceremony took place on the same day and was attended by Shigeru Ashitani, representative director, vice president and senior managing executive officer of EnerGia; Hitoshi Nagasawa, president of NYK; and many other persons concerned.
Under a long-term transport contract with EnerGia, the vessel will use carbon offsets to theoretically reduce its greenhouse gas emissions to zero for the entire contracted voyage, making the marine transport of coal under the contract carbon neutral. Specifically, CERs as credits for the GHG emissions of the entire contract voyage have been procured to offset the GHG emissions.
The ship’s name, Kagura, is derived from Iwami Kagura, a masked traditional performance art loved by the people of Japan’s Chugoku region. The vessel was named by EnerGia with the hope that the ship will be loved by people for a long time. NYK provides marine transport services that meet the needs of our customers, while at the same time promoting corporate activities that reduce environmental impact. NKY promises will continue to actively engage in activities to decarbonize marine transport and strive to realize our basic philosophy of “Bringing value to life.”
