The 2023 GREEN4SEA Athens Forum successfully took place on Wednesday, 29th of March at Eugenides Foundation, Athens, Greece. The event focused on ways to accelerate maritime decarbonization, providing the current landscape and challenges of alternative fuels and propulsion systems being developed as well as recent regulatory updates and their impact on industry’s journey towards a more sustainable future.
The event was organized by SAFETY4SEA having as lead sponsors the following organizations: ERMA FIRST S.A, MacGregor & SQE MARINE. The event was also sponsored by: American Club, ARCADIA SHIPMANAGEMENT CO. LTD, Blue Planet Shipping Ltd, BUREAU VERITAS, Capital-Executive Ship Management Corp., Capital Gas Ship Management Corp., Capital Shipmanagement, ClassNK, Columbia Ship Management, DNV, Dorian LPG, Eastern Mediterranean Maritime Limited (EASTMED), EURONAV, GTT, Jotun, Latsco Marine Management Inc., Lloyd’s Register, OSM Maritime, RISK4SEA, SEAFiT, SKF, Steamship Mutual, UK Club, World LPG Association (WLPGA).
Supporters of the event included the following organizations: Clean Shipping Alliance2020, European Community Shipowner’s Associations (ECSA), INTERCARGO, International Ship Recycling Association (ISRA), International Windship Association (IWSA), North American Marine Environment Protection Association (NAMEPA), SEA-LNG, Smart Green Shipping, Sustainable Shipping Initiative (SSI), WISTA Hellas and Zero Emissions Ship Technology Association (ZESTAs.)
Sustainable Shipping
Andrew Stephens, Executive Director, Sustainable Shipping Initiative, highlighted that shipping needs a responsible, sustainable decarbonization, that takes into consideration the different externalities created in the development of new fuels and technologies. He spoke about the importance of avoiding ‘carbon tunnel vision’ and addressing sustainable shipping systemically, ensuring that we can better champion all stakeholders – from seafarers to port communities to our oceans and future generations.”
Madadh MacLaine, Secretary General, Zero Emissions Ship Technology Association (ZESTAs), provided a technical overview of zero emissions technologies and projects. In particular, she presented the existing and future hydrogen vessels and referred to green hydrogen production and bunkering infrastructure and the hydrogen bunkering systems. She also mentioned the existing and future wind propulsion systems, energy efficiency technologies and ways to integrate more zero emissions technologies in the future.
Luisa Puccio, Director of Shipping & Trade Policy at European Community Shipowners’ Associations (ECSA), closed the first panel with a presentation on EU’s latest developments on shipping decarbonization under the Fit for 55 package. She also pointed out the importance of the inclusion of shipping in the EU ETS and the new Fuel EU maritime regulation. She finished her speech on the topic of upcoming developments.
Decarbonization Challenges
Dr. Edmund Hughes, Director, Green Marine Associates, kicked off the first panel’s presentations by presenting key issues to be considered on the Revision of the IMO GHG Strategy at MEPC 80. He briefly mentioned the current status of IMO negotiations and provided an overview of proposed technical and economic measures being considered by IMO. Finally, he discussed several existing and future measures, as well as ways to encourage the uptake of alternative low-/zero-carbon fuels.
Dimitrios V. Lyridis, Associate Professor at National Technical University of Athens (NTUA), highlighted that ports, being part of the transport supply chain and key energy hubs, have a large part of the energy burden and are therefore potentially part of a zero-carbon solution. In that regard, he presented several alternative technological and operational solutions that are necessary for a holistic and optimized road map to a green shipping era.
Emmanuel Vergetis, INTERCARGO liaison / Consultant, gave a presentation on the various challenges the dry bulk and tramp shipping are facing as we are heading toward the maritime decarbonization. He also stated that all parties involved in the maritime venture should bear the costs of the decarbonization transition and play their part in order to create a realistic pathway and address the challenges of decarbonization.
Lastly, Maria Vitoratou Zisimatou, Maritime Decarbonisation Athens Centre Senior Specialist and Team Leader at Lloyd’s Register, presented various decarbonization initiatives and the role they play in the industry. She pointed out that ship owners are being faced with the complex & dynamic challenge to reduce emissions across their assets while the changing statutory regime from the IMO and EU is driving the energy transition. She concluded her presentation with different approaches that can help shipping companies reduce their uncertainty about the future.
New Era – Experience Transfer
Ross Millar, Loss Prevention Associate, Steamship Mutual, presented the evolution of alternative fuels from the P&I Club perspective. The maritime sector is currently evaluating a range of alternative fuels to replace conventional fuels, each with their own set of advantages—and drawbacks. In this regard, industry stakeholders need assistance and information to make wise decisions on their path to decarbonization and steer clear of any claims that could materially affect their P&I coverage.
Konstantinos Galanis, Chairman, International Ship Recycling Association, pointed out that ship recycling is not a stand-alone industry. He noted that organizations should be empowered to foster collaborative thinking to further drive waste management by applying safe processes and utilizing innovation. He believes that by closing the loop and leveraging agile frameworks, business will grow organically and foster society’s mindset.
Dr-Ing Orestis Schinas, Scientific Advisor, HHX.blue, briefly outlined the provisos and impacts on shipping of sustainable finance, Poseidon Principles and EU Taxonomy, which are currently major developments in Europe’s financial markets. As he explained, sustainable finance refers to the process of taking environmental, social and governance (ESG) considerations into account when making investment decisions in the financial sector, leading to more long-term investments in sustainable economic activities and projects.
Ship Performance
Tom Evensen, Regional Category Manager Hull Performance – WESCA, Jotun, highlighted that the shipping industry strives for optimum hull performance, driven by the never-ending need for performance improvement, reduced emissions and reduced the risk of transfer of aquatic invasive species. In that regard, ship operators must significantly reduce time to decision and most importantly, time to action by adopting practices that can save potential and gradually move them from a reactive scheme towards a more proactive approach.
Maria Tsobanoglou, Performance Manager, Pantheon Tankers Management Ltd, presented energy-saving technologies and their impact on the EEXI & CII for large tankers and bulk carriers. The presentation explored the most widely known energy-saving technologies that are already widespread in the market and have proven their effectiveness: pre-swirl stators, PBCFs and low-friction coatings. The savings potential of their combinations and their impact on EEXI and CII ratings were briefly discussed, and attention was focused particularly on the provided potential to CII compliance over time.
Mats Norling, Technical Sales & Business Development Manager, SKF, mentioned ways to enable what he called the true circular use of oil. He noted that oil as consumable is used, discarded, and replaced. With a specific technology that uses a combination of chemical and mechanical separation. Oil can be reused and create value across operations, providing the following benefits: sustainability and performance improvement as well as total oil cost reduction.
Theodosia Digalaki, Technical Product Manager, ERMA FIRST, shared her perspective on reducing carbon footprint with shore power. She presented technical information about the necessary infrastructure on both the port and vessel sides and referred to the benefits of shore power and how it can have a direct impact on reducing emissions and optimize ports’ climate. She also gave a brief overview of the global regulatory framework, emphasized the importance of safety and ways to improve it.
Future Fuel Options
Dr. John Kokarakis, Technical Director South East Europe, Black Sea & Adriatic (SEEBA) Zone at Bureau Veritas, noted that ammonia will be more utilized as a carrier of hydrogen in a future hydrogen ecosystem while the synthetic ammonia appears to be attractive because carbon capture is not required. Although ammonia is promulgated as one of the fuels in the future multi-fuel society, a major stumbling block is the IGC Code of IMO which prevents the carriage and utilization of toxic fuels, he said.
Victor Alessandrini, Business Development Manager at GTT, focused his presentation on LNG as a fuel. He mentioned the latest LNG fueled ship deliveries and ongoing LNG fueled projects with new challenges, highlighting that more than 800 LNG fueled ships will be sailing by 2025. As design flexibility is important, their focus is on saving space and cargo for all ship types and find innovative solutions to maximize flexibility and performance.
Rafik Ammar, Manager of Government and Public Affairs in Europe, Methanol Institute, mentioned how the Methanol Institute engage policymakers and stakeholders to make the green deal a reality and talked about methanol as a marine fuel. In particular, he explained how methanol can move industry forward as an alternative fuel concerning the EU regulations (FuelEU and Maritime ETS) and IMO’s targets and he also referred to the availability and benefits of e/biomethanol.
Wind as an option
Gavin Allwright, Secretary General, International Windship Association (IWSA), provided an overview of wind propulsion and the path to zero-emissions. He began his presentation by debunking myths around wind propulsion in shipping and then focused on where the market is now and where it is headed as shipping accelerates its path to decarbonization. Wind propulsion has been extensively researched, tested, discussed, piloted and by some, dismissed throughout the last decade, he highlighted.
Daiji Aihara, Deputy General Manager, ClassNK’s Piraeus Office, referred to activities related to Wind-Assisted Propulsion Systems (WAPS). As explained, ClassNK provides guidelines for the safe design of WAPS, which have been recently updated based on recent expertise to improve clarity, comprehensiveness, and level of detail. By offering appropriate standards, drawing reviews, and survey services, ClassNK aims to support the smooth implementation of these systems and contribute for decarbonizing ship operations.
LPG as an option
Nikos Xydas, Technical Director of the World LPG Association, highlighted that LPG as a marine fuel is a better choice among the other fuel options from a well-to-wake perspective. LPG has better environmental GHG benefits than other alternative and renewable fuels and LNG while LPG Technology Readiness level for ocean energy is at the highest level. LPG is ready now and a capable solution by 2035. What is more, bio and synthetic sources of LPG and renewable DME can offer a long-term pathway.
Constantinos Chaelis, Global Gas Markets & Technology Lead, Lloyd’s Register, displayed a market outlook update on the LPG and ammonia gas value chains. He explored the current landscape of LPG as fuel and discussed its prospects and opportunities as a transition portfolio, addressing also key upcoming projects such as a VLGC of the Future and Ammonia carrier scalability. He concluded his presentation with technology pathways for future-proof designs.
Peter Quaade, Manager, Head of Dual Fuel Technology group, MAN Energy Solutions, presented the benefits that a ME-LGIP engine offers, such as supporting the use of LPG for propulsion of large merchant marine vessels, giving also potential for global bunkering network as smaller LPG carriers can be used for STS bunker operations. These are designed to be dual fuelled with LPG as the low-flashpoint fuel, he explained.
Antonios Georgantzis, Chief Operating Officer at Latsco Marine Management Inc, provided an overview of his company’s journey to a more sustainable future using LPG and presented his company LPG fleet discussing the evolution of the reliquification design of their VLGCs. He highlighted that LPG Fuel can be used as cargo or fuel as it suits charterers needs and concluded with potential retrofit considerations for LPG Dual Fuel.
Panel #8: Ship Managers Perspectives
The last panel of the forum focused on the recent updates of IMO/EU Air Emissions legislation and next steps to move forward, highlighting that stakeholder communication and collaboration are key in industry’s journey towards sustainable shipping. The panel, moderated by Apostolos Belokas, Managing Editor, SAFETYS4EA, included interesting perspectives from the following experts: Dr. John Kokarakis, Technical Director South East Europe, Black Sea & Adriatic (SEEBA) Zone, Bureau Veritas; Fotis N. Dalmyras, CEO, Andriaki Shipping Co. Ltd.; Costas Kontes, Managing Director, V.Group and; Takis Koutris, Managing Director, Roxana Shipping SA.
