Nowe Technologie Archive

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Green revolution in shipping. 6.5 thousand alternative fuel ships in 2025

By Marek Grzybowski

The Clarksons Green Technology Tracker study from May indicates that shipowners have committed a significant amount of tonnage investment to low-carbon technologies. Ships with engines adapted to use two or three types of fuel are increasingly ordered by operators and now account for 48% of the total order backlog. This means that operators will launch 843 ships with LNG installations on the market in the near future, according to Clarksons experts.

Ships with LNG systems are still popular with operators. Hence their large share in order portfolios. Shipowners gained experience in their operation, shipyards in the production of ships with gas-powered engines, and ports mastered the procedures for bunkering them from land and water.

A large fleet of ships with LNG systems is already in operation, including several ferries built at Remontowa Shipbuilding for a recipient from Canada and electric ships for Norway, Finland and Iceland from CRIST and Remontowa Shipbuilding. There are 362 ships adapted to use LNG in the seas and oceans.

Clarksons experts estimate that about 5 thousand. various types of technologies to save fuel and reduce emissions of harmful substances have been installed. On the other hand, 48% of the order book includes ships with systems using alternative fuels, with 191 ships equipped with engines adapted to burn ammonia in their contracts.

In Green Technology Tracker Clarksons calculates that by 2025 the share of ships with engines using alternative fuels will reach 6.5%. Today, it is estimated that a total of 5.5% of the merchant fleet is powered by alternative fuels, while in 2017 only about 2.3% of merchant ships used alternative fuels in their engines. It was mainly LNG.

LNG systems on ships dominate
“LNG is characterized by a tried and tested technology, a well-functioning supply chain and interchangeability in other applications,” emphasizes Nicola Contessi, a research fellow at the York Center for Asian Research in Toronto, specializing in shipping and transport, in Maritime Executive. He points out that the reduction of LNG imports by EU countries from Russia has strengthened these benefits.

Nicola Contessi has calculated that LNG fuels 93% of the active fleet using alternative fuel engines and 57.5% of the contracted fleet. As an example of the increase in demand for green fuels, he cites the sale of a bunker in Rotterdam in the second quarter of 2023. Indeed, the port of Rotterdam has seen an increase in demand for green fuels.

The percentage share of sales in Rotterdam of alternative fuel bunkers (including all bio-mixtures, LNG and methanol) increased by 10% in the quarter, compared to 7% in the first quarter. Demand for bunkering biofuels increased significantly in the second quarter of this year, after a drop in demand recorded in the first quarter.

S&P Global notes that “biofuels have become a popular choice among shipowners looking to decarbonise [ships in operation – MG], providing a drop-in solution that requires little or no ship modernization.”

Methanol, ammonia, hydrogen
Methanol is another fuel fleet operators rely on. The fuel can be used after the ship is rebuilt, or even better, when the installation is installed during construction. The solution is not as common as ships with LNG systems.

A limitation in the dissemination of methanol in ship propulsion systems is the poor adaptation of ports to handle this type of vessel. Ships capable of safely bunkering are not widely available at destination ports. The infrastructure that allows methanol to be bunkered from the quay is also not very developed.
Ammonia as a marine fuel still raises numerous concerns and objections. This is due to the fact that bunkering technology has not been extensively practiced and mastered. Therefore, the conditions and procedures for safety and environmental protection are not known.
Hydrogen on large ships is still the melody of the future. We already have the first solutions behind us. Hydrogen-powered ships have been introduced by leading technological countries, but these are still experiments at taxpayers’ expense.

Not (new) technologies
The green revolution on ships is not limited to the search for alternative fuels. Shipowners are looking for ways to save fuel consumption, often introducing several technical improvements.
Clarksons estimates that Energy Saving Technology (EST) has already been applied to more than 6,250 ships, representing 27.3% of the fleet (by deadweight).
The most commonly used are various types of propeller nozzles (>2000), modernized rudders (>1600), Flettner rotors (>20), rigid sails and spinnakers (>12), air lubrication systems for the hull (>350).
Not very new technology, but still not always common. Today, they are used more and more often, when shipowners have chosen to save fuel. Since the “slow steaming” system has already exhausted its possibilities, the time has come to dig up proven technical solutions and introduce new fuels.
The combination of many technical solutions is also a challenge for design offices as well as production and repair shipyards. The course for green ships is already set and the movement to introduce environmentally friendly solutions is accelerating. The green revolution in shipping is a fact and is gaining momentum.

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Demand for alternative fuels is growing in ports. LNG is making a comeback

   

By Marek Grzybowski

Lower LNG prices have resulted in greater demand for gas in ports. In Rotterdam, LNG sales increased by almost 109% quarter-on-quarter, reaching 266,000 tonnes in the second quarter. m³. In Singapore, shipowners in June bunkered 17.9 thousand. m³, and in July 18.3 thousand. m³ of LNG. It is predicted that there will also be a demand for methanol, which may become the fuel of the future.
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has disrupted global LNG markets and pushed LNG prices to over $2,500 a ton in Rotterdam and over $2,000 a ton for a bunker in Singapore last year. However, prices have dropped significantly since then and LNG has been available at big discounts for several months now. Gas on ships again became more attractive than VLSFO, which was quickly seen in the world’s major ports, where bunker turnover reaches significant volumes.
In Rotterdam, LNG sales amounted to 112,069 m³ in Q2 2022. LNG sales in Q2 were also the highest quarterly sales volume since Q3 2021 (212,719 m³). In the first half of 2023, LNG sales amounted to 265,892 m³. For comparison, in the same period of 2022, 214,648 m³ were fueled on ships. Ship operators or ship management companies were concerned about price volatility and the possibility of using regular gas supplies.

Economic activity and bunker prices
The Port of Rotterdam Authority announced that the total sales volume of the bunker in Rotterdam (excluding lubricants) fell by 10% in the second quarter of 2023. Low sales of VLSFO were decisive.
Demand fell in the second quarter of this year. by 8% to 906,368 tonnes, which is 15% lower than in the previous year. In Q2, traditional marine fuels continued to dominate the demand, as their share reached 38% of total sales.
HSFO sales increased by 5% in the second quarter, and the share of this fuel in sales increased from 30% to 35%. Total sales volume also increased during the year, reaching an 18% increase compared to 2021 levels.

This year, for the first time, owners of dual-fuel LNG ships have an economic justification to benefit from investments in innovative power systems for new types of ship engines.
However, since for most of the 1920s the price of LNG was too high, the vast majority of operators of dual-fuel vessels used traditional marine fuel.

Gasum will reduce carbon dioxide emissions
As soon as gas became cheaper, it was also profitable to introduce a bunker to the market. In June, the tanker Kairos returned to operation as part of Gasum. It is an LNG bunkering vessel owned by Gasum. From October 2022, the shipowner directed it for use on the open market outside the company.

It is assumed that the biogas offered by Gasum will reduce carbon dioxide emissions by an average of 90 percent compared to traditional fossil fuels. “Increasing the use of bio-LNG is one of the concrete actions that will lead the shipping industry towards a low-emission future,” the company said.
“Gasum’s strategic goal is to market seven terawatt hours (7 TWh) of renewable gas annually by 2027. Achieving this goal would mean an annual cumulative reduction of 1.8 million tons of carbon dioxide emissions for Gasum customers,” the company explained.
this summer the operator carried out the first LNG bunkering operation at the port of Reykjavik, Iceland. Coral Energy’s LNG bunker supplied LNG and liquefied biogas (LBG) for the engine room of the PONANT Le Commandant Charcot cruise ship.

Time for a Polish LNG tanker bunker
The introduction of such tankers as Coral Energy and Kairos into operation in Poland was discussed on the occasion of the launch of the LNG terminal in Świnoujście. For many years, dual-fuel engines with the possibility of burning gas began to dominate the portfolios of orders for ships.
According to the latest estimates by the classification society DNV, the number of ships with dual-fuel engines and LNG systems that are in service and on order has exceeded 900 units. Kairos is a good example for a potential operator of a Polish LNG bunker.
The tanker has been designed so that it can deliver LNG to ships of various types and sizes in all possible bunkering locations in North-West Europe. The vessel can deliver LNG at pumping rates from 60 m³ per hour to 1,250 m³ per hour. Perhaps it is time to introduce the Polish LNG bunker to the Baltic market.

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ATINER: “Artificial Intelligence and Labor Market Effects”

  

Inspired by a paper recently released by the Macdonald-Laurier Institute (20230831_Artificial-Intelligence-Cross_PAPER.pdf (macdonaldlaurier.ca), ATINER would like to organize a roundtable discussion on “Artificial Intelligence and Labor Market Effects“. This roundtable discussion will be organized by ATINER’s Business, Economics and Law Division (www.atiner.gr/blrd) (Director: Dr. Michael P. Malloy, Distinguished Professor & Scholar, University of the Pacific, USA) as part of the 17th Annual International Conference on Global Studies: Business, Economic, Political, Social and Cultural Aspects (18-21 December 2023), Athens, Greece (www.atiner.gr/cbc).

Dr. Gregory T. Papanikos, President, Athens Institute for Education and Research (ATINER)

Artificial intelligence (AI) is emerging as the most discussed technological, social, and economic phenomenon of 2023. But many people are concerned that if it proves to be an improvement over human intelligence, AI will significantly reduce the demand for labour, especially for middle-class jobs.

This paper looks at the possible economic impacts of AI. It makes no attempt to forecast how AI will evolve and does not address broader concerns about whether
the capabilities of AI will outrun the ability of humans to understand and manage this technology. Rather, it examines the economic impact of AI so far and compares its evolution with past forecasts of how technological change would affect workers. It cautions against a rush to increase government regulations and spending based on as yet unfounded concerns about the impact of AI on jobs.

Machine automation has been feared for its impact on human jobs since the Industrial Revolution began. Earlier eras of automation disrupted employment patterns in farming and factories, but overall job growth actually accelerated as higher incomes drove the expansion of other industries. Despite that experience, there are numerous forecasts that the deployment of AI will lead to widespread job losses.

Compounding the anxiety of potential job losses is the fear that AI will displace  middle-class jobs and that the rewards from the widespread deployment of AI will accrue to a small number of people who own the capital and will thereby increase inequality.

The reality is that recent developments in the labour market are the exact opposite of these gloomy predictions. Employment rates are at an all-time high. The main difficulty of employers is finding workers in a labour market where unemployment is near historic lows. While AI technology was predicted to be a unique threat to white collar jobs, white collar employment in Canada, the US, and Britain continues to increase steadily. This raises the possibility that AI will be deployed to help workers do their jobs better – not to get rid of employees.

More: Philip Cross,Artificial Intelligence”

Atiner Conferences

 

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ESG – trend or necessity? Shipping, ports, offshore and shipyards under the pressure of innovators

By Marek Grzybowski

An ESG guidance for shipping was published this summer,. The implementation of an ESG strategy in shipping has implications throughout the ship supply and operation chain, from design through manufacturing, operation and port service.
The guide, developed jointly by Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller Center for Zero Carbon Shipping experts together with Boston Consulting Group analysts, is intended to help companies operating in maritime transport implement comprehensive ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) strategies. The essence of ESG was explained during a special webinar by Tanja Dalgaard, Chief Strategy & Operations Officer, Anne Katrine Bjerregaard Head of Strategy & Sustainability Office, Mikkel Krogsgaard Managing Director & Partner, BCG Peter Jameson Partner, BCG.
– In the world of maritime business, as in other industries, ESG reporting covers topics such as recycling, greenhouse gas emissions, other types of air pollution, environmental impact, business ethics, employee health and safety, as well as safety management and prevention accidents, explain DNV experts.
Remi Eriksen, Group President and CEO, DNV and Knut Ørbeck-Nilssen, CEO of DNV GL, pointed out the need for a comprehensive approach to the implementation of the ESG strategy during the presentation of the “Energy Transition Outlook 2023” and “Maritime safety trends” reports during Nor Shipping 2023.

ESG sets standards
According to DNV, ESG reports and sustainability reports are intended to reveal the achievement of parameters in all three areas that are important for the functioning of a modern company. Reporting these parameters is intended to meet the expectations of stakeholders cooperating with the partner.
It’s about being transparent in assessing corporate responsibility. The report makes it possible to publish information that a business partner has rules, initiatives and strategies for managing under risk conditions and the ability to take advantage of the opportunities offered by management that takes into account ESG requirements.
In maritime industries, reports are published by leading companies operating both in the shipbuilding industry and maritime transport, in ports and offshore, in fishing and tourism, as well as companies operating in the vicinity of these industries.

ESG in ports

“Cargo operators recognize the role of ports [in implementing the ESG strategy] and will favor those who act according to the requirements,” noted Mark Nailer, head of the maritime division at Midstream in an article for Hellenic’s “Shipping News Worldwide”. In his opinion, “the adverse impact of the global port and terminal sector on [substances and CO2 – MG] emissions and local communities is significant.
Emissions and air pollution account for a large part of this impact, while the safety of workers [ports – MG] is another major concern. It is estimated that reducing port emissions could directly improve the health of more than 3.5 billion people by reducing air and water pollution – and indirectly improve health and well-being by helping to mitigate climate change, Nailer points to the UNCTAD report.

ESG in the shipbuilding industry
In many cases, it has already been said that shipyards should be hybrid, i.e. ensuring production and repairs taking into account environmental, social and ethical requirements.
One of the leading shipyards in implementing ESG is the Hyundai Heavy Industries Group (HHI). Already at the beginning of 2021, it adopted an ESG strategy. Within the five companies operating in the HHI Group, committees have been established for environmental protection, shaping social responsibility and implementing ethical management practices. The five participating companies are: Hyundai Mipo Dockyard Co., Hyundai Construction Equipment Co., Hyundai Electric Energy Systems Co., Hyundai Heavy Industries Co. and Hyundai Samho Heavy Industries Co.

Why (not only) Shipping Companies Don’t Have an ESG Plan
Increasingly, however, many shippers and logistics companies, as well as final recipients, demand information about the comprehensive carbon footprint related to the transport of goods between ports, and often from the producer to the consumer. High demands are placed on sea tourism and ferry operators. This is increasingly required of fish and seafood producers and processors as well as logisticians operating in this industry.
Offshore oil and gas operators and wind farm builders pay attention to sustainable development. It can be expected that the ESG strategy will soon become the flagship of every company that intends to operate in the maritime industry. On the other hand, the ESG standard will determine the level of involvement of shipowners and ports, offshore operators and fish producers in the sustainable development of our globe.

More: BSSC

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Organizations today face ten significant shifts. Here’s what to do about them

 

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Business leaders around the world are currently addressing not only economic volatility, geopolitical instability, and the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic but also a range of organizational shifts that have significant implications for structures, processes, and people. The shifts include complex questions about how to organize for speed to shore up resilience, find the right balance between in-person and remote work models, address employees’ declining mental health,1 and build new institutional capabilities at a time of rapid technological change, among others.

To help CEOs and their leadership teams consider such questions, we have launched McKinsey’s The State of Organizations 2023 report. The report is an account of an ongoing research initiative that seeks both to pinpoint the most important shifts that organizations are grappling with and to provide some ideas and suggestions about how to approach them.

As part of the research, we conducted a survey of more than 2,500 business leaders around the world.2 Only half say their organizations are well prepared to anticipate and react to external shocks, and two-thirds see their organizations as overly complex and inefficient. We also spoke with business leaders to gather inspiring stories and best practices from beacons—organizations that have been able to adapt to recent economic and operational disruptions and forge new paths. Finally, we developed four points to consider in addressing the ten organizational shifts, leveraging the survey results, the quantitative research with executives, and insights from our work in the field and through existing McKinsey research.

The ten most significant shifts facing organizations today

Through the State of Organizations Survey, conversations with CEOs and their teams, and the findings of recent McKinsey research, we have identified ten of the most important organizational shifts that businesses need to address today. These shifts are both challenging and harbingers of opportunity, depending on how organizations address them.

1. Increasing speed, strengthening resilience.

2. ‘True hybrid’: The new balance of in-person and remote work.

3. Making way for applied AI

More: Full Report (92 pages)

Authors:  Patrick GuggenbergerDana MaorMichael Park, and Patrick Simon