Periodic Reporting for period 2 - FASTWATER (FAST Track to Clean and Carbon-Neutral WATERborne Transport through Gradual Introduction of Methanol Fuel: Developing and Demonstrating an Evolutionary Pathway for Methanol Technology and Take-up)
Reporting period: 2021-12-01 to 2023-05-31
The EU calls for a CO2 reduction from shipping, and a pollutant emissions reduction as soon as possible, including from existing vessels, i.e. including retrofitting. Waterway and marine transport needs to defossilize. The Paris and IMO agreements target a 50% reduction of CO2 emissions from maritime transport by 2050. There are a number of alternative ways to achieve that goal. FASTWATER is meeting this target by moving shipping towards a clean and renewable fuel, namely methanol. Methanol, as non-sooting fuel burning at low temperatures, enables an immediate reduction in pollutant emissions (effective in the short term), and offers a pathway to a climate-neutral synthetic fuel produced from renewables (effective in the long term). Methanol can thus make an immediate impact and is a future-safe fuel.
FASTWATER´s specific objectives are aimed at developing and demonstrating an evolutionary pathway for methanol technology in waterborne transport by pursuing the following objectives:
- Demonstrating the overall feasibility under operational conditions, when FASTWATER’s demo-cases test methanol in service, in a harbour tug boat, a pilot boat and a coast guard vessel; and working out the design for a methanol-powered river cruise vessel.
- Developing and demonstrating universal, scalable retrofit kits for converting ships to methanol use for a wide power range (200 kW – 4 MW)
- Developing the next generation of methanol-fuelled engines for further advances in efficiency, and further reductions in emissions and costs
- Demonstrating the complete supply chain from renewable methanol producers to ship bunkering, including setting up bunkering procedures for safe and efficient bunkering
- Working with regulatory agencies to develop rules & regulation for methanol as a fuel
- Developing a training programme for crews, gaining experience with the FASTWATER demo-cases and formulating best practices for use beyond FASTWATER
- Assessing life cycle performance to analyse investment costs, CO2 savings and pollutant reductions
FASTWATER´s specific objectives are aimed at developing and demonstrating an evolutionary pathway for methanol technology in waterborne transport by pursuing the following objectives:
- Demonstrating the overall feasibility under operational conditions, when FASTWATER’s demo-cases test methanol in service, in a harbour tug boat, a pilot boat and a coast guard vessel; and working out the design for a methanol-powered river cruise vessel.
- Developing and demonstrating universal, scalable retrofit kits for converting ships to methanol use for a wide power range (200 kW – 4 MW)
- Developing the next generation of methanol-fuelled engines for further advances in efficiency, and further reductions in emissions and costs
- Demonstrating the complete supply chain from renewable methanol producers to ship bunkering, including setting up bunkering procedures for safe and efficient bunkering
- Working with regulatory agencies to develop rules & regulation for methanol as a fuel
- Developing a training programme for crews, gaining experience with the FASTWATER demo-cases and formulating best practices for use beyond FASTWATER
- Assessing life cycle performance to analyse investment costs, CO2 savings and pollutant reductions
In the 1st project period, most of the work towards meeting these objectives has started. Design work for the methanol-fuelled harbour tug was completed, and a tendering process was launched for getting offers for the vessel conversion. The pilot boat conversion to methanol operation was completed ahead of schedule (with the launch event happening right after the end of the 1st project period). Preparatory work was done for the coast guard vessel conversion, and design work is underway for the river cruise vessel.
A crucial component for the retrofit kit of medium speed engines, i.e. a methanol fuel injector, was developed and tested. The design and construction of new components for the methanol version of the medium speed engine were completed, and the prototype engine assembled and mounted on test bench. A high speed compression ignition methanol engine was developed, tested and certified for IMO Tier III. It is now commercially offered. Another high speed engine, to be converted to dual fuel methanol operation, has been installed on test bench. Work on the next generation methanol engines has started, with a high speed engine test bench having been prepared and initial tests having been run; a medium speed engine simulation model was constructed and combustion sub-models were partly validated.
Initial pollutant and CO2 results are available, and are even better than expected. Training material is being developed for ship and on-shore crew. The first FASTWATER bunkering of a methanol vessel with renewable methanol has been demonstrated (pilot boat on biomethanol). A lot of effort has gone into obtaining permission for the 1st methanol fueled vessel operating in inland waterways; and preparatory work has started on collecting the data necessary for the life cycle performance assessments of the demonstrators.
A crucial component for the retrofit kit of medium speed engines, i.e. a methanol fuel injector, was developed and tested. The design and construction of new components for the methanol version of the medium speed engine were completed, and the prototype engine assembled and mounted on test bench. A high speed compression ignition methanol engine was developed, tested and certified for IMO Tier III. It is now commercially offered. Another high speed engine, to be converted to dual fuel methanol operation, has been installed on test bench. Work on the next generation methanol engines has started, with a high speed engine test bench having been prepared and initial tests having been run; a medium speed engine simulation model was constructed and combustion sub-models were partly validated.
Initial pollutant and CO2 results are available, and are even better than expected. Training material is being developed for ship and on-shore crew. The first FASTWATER bunkering of a methanol vessel with renewable methanol has been demonstrated (pilot boat on biomethanol). A lot of effort has gone into obtaining permission for the 1st methanol fueled vessel operating in inland waterways; and preparatory work has started on collecting the data necessary for the life cycle performance assessments of the demonstrators.
A high speed methanol engine certified for IMO Tier III without any need for aftertreatment is now commercially available. The pilot boat on methanol that will be in regular operation in 2022 is also a world-first.
At the end of the project, other world-firsts will join these: the first methanol-fuelled vessel operating in inland waterways, the first harbour tug in regular service sailing on methanol, the first coast guard vessel on methanol. These will have sailed many hours, gaining valuable experience with bunkering of methanol and operating on it, and assessing durability.
A range of medium speed engines on methanol will be commercially available. A complete design of a river cruise vessel on methanol will be ready for implementation; and the first retrofit kits will be commercially available for converting ship engines to methanol use. Training material will have been tested and will be ready for educating ship and shore crew.
All of this will contribute to drastically reducing the greenhouse and pollutant emissions from shipping.
At the end of the project, other world-firsts will join these: the first methanol-fuelled vessel operating in inland waterways, the first harbour tug in regular service sailing on methanol, the first coast guard vessel on methanol. These will have sailed many hours, gaining valuable experience with bunkering of methanol and operating on it, and assessing durability.
A range of medium speed engines on methanol will be commercially available. A complete design of a river cruise vessel on methanol will be ready for implementation; and the first retrofit kits will be commercially available for converting ship engines to methanol use. Training material will have been tested and will be ready for educating ship and shore crew.
All of this will contribute to drastically reducing the greenhouse and pollutant emissions from shipping.