Innovative Mooring Solutions

259
Credit: Kelly/Pexels

New mooring solutions are being developed to facilitate the transfer of the fuel from both onshore and offshore terminals, says an article published on Riviera.

Latest developments

Under one of the latest developments, Houston-based SOFEC, part of the MODEC Group, has been awarded an approval-in-principle (AiP) by DNV for its developed Ammonia Transfer System, using two mooring technologies. The AiP covers both CALM Buoy and Tower Mooring solutions, part of SOFEC’s product lines.

Parent MODEC has extensive experience in offshore floating production, storage and offloading units, operating some 19 FPSOs and FSOs.

Disconnectable turret moorings

SOFEC is a turnkey supplier of marine terminals, turrets and other innovative mooring, riser and swivel systems, and service buoys. Over the last 50 years, it has delivered over 100 mooring systems for marine terminals, FPSOs, FSOs , floating LNG vessels (FLNGs), and floating storage and regasification units (FSRUs). The mooring systems include permanent and disconnectable turret moorings, external turret moorings, innovative spread moorings, tower yoke moorings and import/export marine terminals.

“This new development will alleviate the challenge of transporting liquid ammonia”

Low- and zero-carbon fuels

Refrigerated liquids, such as ammonia and other e-fuels, are increasingly becoming more important because of their potential as low- and zero-carbon fuels in the energy transition.

Onshore terminal

“While the industry is striving towards blue and green ammonia production and storage, this new development is aimed to alleviate the challenge of transporting liquid ammonia from an onshore terminal to a remote offshore tanker and vice versa,” said SOFEC in a press statement.

“This ammonia transfer system development is a significant contribution by SOFEC to continue developing an environmentally safe and sustainable energy industry,” the company added.

New ammonia CALM terminal 

Last year, DNV issued an AiP to SBM Offshore’s Imodco for the ammonia CALM terminal solution. Imodco’s new ammonia CALM terminal is based on its well-proven single-point mooring terminals which have been used for decades to safely transfer fluids, such as crude oil, gasoline, heavy fuel oil and jet fuel.

Imodco’s ammonia terminal solution has been designed for deployment at offshore locations that require the safe loading of ammonia carriers in open seas.

Safely weathervane

Green ammonia can be produced by combining hydrogen separated from seawater by electrolysis and nitrogen captured from air. Both processes are powered by renewable energy.

The CALM ammonia terminal is a floating buoy that functions both as a mooring and loading connection for an ammonia carrier, allowing it to safely weathervane in the open sea, while it transfers cargo.

Did you subscribe to our Newsletter?

It’s Free! Click here to Subscribe!

Source:Riviera