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The hydrogen era of waterborne transport is getting nearer day by day at the Orkney Islands.

Zero carbon powered waterborne transport can reduce carbon emissions significantly.

Approximately 2.1 billion people use ferries every year, putting the industry on a par with commercial airlines in terms of annual users worldwide. To many cities and their citizens, travelling the waterways lies at the heart of everyday life.

While some cities have mandated the switch to ‘fossil-free’ biodiesel, these vessels are still omitting harmful particles that cause numerous health issues to citizens. Despite a widespread push to reduce emissions, ferries have long been neglected in the drive to create cleaner, greener public transport in cities.

The European Commission has set out its vision to establish 100 climate-neutral smart cities by 2030, but this cannot be achieved without investing in new emission-free waterborne transport solutions.

The hydrogen era of waterborne transport is getting nearer day by day. But the switch from conventional ferry transport to Zero Carbon ferries raises a demand for training the seafarers.

At the Orkney islands the very first cohort of seafarers has been trained to work on hydrogen powered vessels have passed exams on a new hydrogen course.

Seven crew members from Orkney Ferries have completed the course, equipping them with the necessary skills to work onboard ferries powered by hydrogen, a zero-carbon fuel.

This follows on from an earlier course completed by the crew which focused solely on the handling of hydrogen as a cargo.

“It all went well, and everybody passed exam. The feedback on the training was good and the training made the crew feel secure operating a ferry powered by hydrogen,” said David Hibbert, Technical Superintendent Orkney Islands Council – Harbour Authority.

The hydrogen seafarer course, believed to be the first of its kind in the world, was developed and delivered in Orkney by Orkney College UHI’s Maritime Studies department in collaboration with Orkney Ferries and the European Marine Energy Centre.

The course covered a range of theoretical and practical aspects relating to the use of hydrogen fuel on board vessels. This included storage under pressure, safe working practice around hydrogen gas, bunkering, firefighting as well as operational and safety management procedures specific to the hydrogen equipment installed on the MV Shapinsay.

“The crew members have been very engaged in the training being very open for innovative solutions and changes in the way you operate a ferry. These changes are a part of the green transition, and the seafarer are very openminded for this change,” said David Hibbert.

The firefighting training took place at one of the Orkney ferries and the crewmembers were trained in how to detect hydrogen fires which are almost invisible to the naked eye by using thermal imaging, as well as the very specific ways in which fires are fought when hydrogen is present.

“The firefighting training simulated a fire in the engine room on the ferry. We did that by heating the engine room to simulate that it was on fire and the crew members initiated the fire fighting. It worked quite well,” said David Hibbert.

The new training will be a requirement in UK waters for working on vessels using hydrogen as a fuel and is an addition to existing international requirements under the IGF code (International Code of Safety for Ships using Gases or other Low-flashpoint Fuels).

“Now we have a starting point of a conversion course to be implemented in the future, when crew members on traditional powered ferries will shift from operating conventional ferries to the Hydrogen powered ferries,” said David Hibbert.

New design of Hydrogen ferry

A new design of a hydrogen powered ferry is in the making. It’s planned to be put into commercial operation in 2023. The designs of a hydrogen vessel that will operate between Kirkwall and Shapinsay was revealed back in October 2021 and is awaiting final approval later this spring.

The Orkney islands produce more hydrogen than they can use, so the next logical step is needs so the logical step is to make transport fuel with this in the form of hydrogen. This potentially opens a significant new market for fuel cells, in the first instance the small lifeline ferries that serve remote islands and coastal regions which may also have similar renewable energy resources.

Facts – Port of Orkney – Ferry services

• 9 vessels
• 74 routes
• 13 islands served
• 20.000 sailings per year

Facts on Hydrogen

Hydrogen can be produced by electrolysis of water (H2O) by using an electric current to split water into its component parts of Hydrogen (H2) and Oxygen (O2).

Production of hydrogen uses renewable energy to power to the electrolysis of water.

The very first cohort of seafarers to be trained to work on hydrogen powered vessels have been put through their paces on a new course in Orkney.

Five crew members from Orkney Ferries’ MV Shapinsay completed the course, equipping them with the necessary skills to work onboard the ferry when hydrogen, a zero-emission fuel, is used in the vessel’s system.

This follows on from an earlier course completed by the crew which focused solely on the handling of hydrogen as a cargo.

The new course, believed to be the first of its kind in the world, was developed and delivered in Orkney by Orkney College UHI’s Maritime Studies department in collaboration with Orkney Ferries and the European Marine Energy Centre.

Delivery of the course was supervised virtually by Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) assessors who have now recommended the course and content for official recognition.

The world-leading course is the latest milestone in the HyDIME project – an Innovate UK funded project that will integrate hydrogen storage onboard the ferry operating between Shapinsay and Kirkwall, and trial hydrogen as a fuel in one of the vessel’s auxiliary engines.

The four-day course covered a range of theoretical and practical aspects relating to the use of hydrogen fuel on board vessels. This included storage under pressure, safe working practice around hydrogen gas, refuelling (also known as a bunkering), firefighting as well as operational and safety management procedures specific to the hydrogen equipment installed on the MV Shapinsay.

The last day, dedicated to practical training, saw the cohort take part in several practice drills for hydrogen bunkering and fire safety. Each crew member completed a hydrogen bunkering simulation using the training rig facility owned and operated by EMEC at the Kirkwall Pier Fuel Cell with additional support from Northwards, a local haulage company experienced in hydrogen transportation.

Crew members were also trained in how to detect hydrogen fires which are almost invisible to the naked eye by using thermal imaging, as well as the very specific ways in which fires are fought when hydrogen is present.

The new training will be a requirement in UK waters for working on vessels using hydrogen as a fuel and is an addition to existing international requirements under the IGF code (International Code of Safety for Ships using Gases or other Low-flashpoint Fuels).

Commenting on the new course, Mark Shiner from the Maritime Studies Department of Orkney College UHI, said: “This has been a great piece of local teamwork between the Maritime Studies department, Orkney Ferries and EMEC.

“According to the Zero Emissions Ship Technology Association this is a world first and we have cause to be very proud of that indeed.

“We’ve received some very encouraging messages from hydrogen organisations at home and abroad and enquiries from other European hydrogen vessel projects who are considering using our training.

“There is huge potential in hydrogen training, not only for seafarers but maintenance technicians, heating engineers, automotive engineers and others. I am looking forward to Orkney College UHI taking this agenda forward, building on what we have done so far.”

Working with a wide variety of partners from the rest of Scotland, UK and Europe, Orkney is playing a pivotal role in the development of green hydrogen technologies through a variety of projects including HyDIME, Surf N Turf and BigHIT, which will help in meeting carbon reduction targets and supporting the further development of renewable energy technologies.

Councillor Graham Sinclair is Chair of Orkney Islands Council’s Development and Infrastructure Committee. He said: “Orkney has a proud history of leading the charge to find innovative solutions to meet our energy needs – and here we see Orkney leading the way again with the approval of the hydrogen training course.

“While it is impossible to look into the future with any certainty, Orkney will continue to influence the low carbon energy landscape of tomorrow by demonstrating that it is possible to deliver positive outcomes with technology that exists today.

“Key to Orkney’s success in the energy industry is the ability for the public and private sectors to bring knowledge and experience together locally to reach a shared goal – and this project is a great example of that. I congratulate all involved.”

Notes to editors

HyDIME is focused on the use of hydrogen as a fuel in marine transport. The project will also gain the necessary marine licences and regulatory approvals for hydrogen to be used as a fuel in a marine environment which will have a significant impact on future hydrogen marine projects across the rest of the UK.

Hydrogen can be produced by electrolysis of water (H2O) by using an electric current to split water into its component parts of Hydrogen (H2) and Oxygen (O2).  Production of ‘green’ hydrogen uses renewable energy to power to the electrolysis of water.

It is currently used for various applications such as chemical production, fertilisers for agriculture, rocket fuel and food production.

One of HyDIME’s goals is the design and physical integration of a hydrogen injection system on a commercial passenger and vehicle ferry which will be the first of its kind worldwide.

The hydrogen used in the HyDIME project will be cleanly produced from renewable energy. Excess energy generated from Orkney’s abundance of wind and tidal power will be used to produce hydrogen via electrolysis, resulting in carbon free, ’green’ hydrogen.

Looking to the future beyond the project, HyDIME will conduct a scale-up analysis, addressing key questions such as, “How much hydrogen and renewable energy would be required to fuel the Shapinsay ferry PLUS a fleet of hydrogen vehicles in Orkney?” and “Can this project be replicated in other areas of Scotland and the rest of the UK?”.

The HyDIME project will provide a stepping stone to accelerate and de-risk future hydrogen marine projects and will contribute towards growing the hydrogen economy in the UK.

More details – https://hydime.co.uk/

A course developed in Orkney to prepare local seafarers for working on and alongside hydrogen powered vessels has been approved by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA).

The approval represents a significant milestone in the Innovate UK funded HyDIME (Hydrogen Diesel Injection in a Marine Environment) project.

The HyDIME project is focused on demonstrating the use of hydrogen as a fuel in marine transport and will see the integration and trial of hydrogen/diesel injection technology on board the MV Shapinsay to power the auxiliary units of the vessel.

The course was developed by Orkney College UHI’s Maritime Studies department, based at the ‘Nav School’ in Stromness and covers such subjects as the specific characteristics of hydrogen and the design and use of the safety features required for storage, transport and consumption of the fuel.

The course, which follows on from an earlier training programme focused solely on handling of hydrogen, will be jointly delivered by both Orkney College and Orkney Ferries staff, providing a credible mix of theoretical and industry input for the best possible outcome.

The transition to zero-emission shipping is part of the UK Government’s Clean Maritime Plan.  Work undertaken through the HyDIME project to gain the necessary marine licences and regulatory approvals for hydrogen to be used as a fuel in a marine environment supports this, helping to pave the way for future marine hydrogen projects across the rest of the UK.

Green hydrogen is produced using renewable electricity via electrolysis of water (H2O), splitting water into its component parts of Hydrogen (H2) and Oxygen (O2).

The hydrogen can then be used as a fuel for various end uses, helping to decarbonise across heat, power and transport.

Working with a wide variety of partners from the rest of Scotland, UK and Europe, Orkney is playing a pivotal role in the demonstration of green hydrogen technologies through a variety of projects including Surf N Turf and BigHIT, which will help in meeting carbon reduction targets and supporting the further development of renewable energy technologies.

Councillor Graham Sinclair is Chair of the Council’s Development and Infrastructure Committee. He said: “Once again, we see Orkney punching above its weight at the cutting edge of renewables. This latest development means that we now have the resources and expertise here in Orkney, not only to deliver the crews, vessels and local project management but also high-quality certificated training.

“It is significant that this training will potentially be rolled out nationally, based on the projects being developed right here.

“I congratulate our staff on the work they have put in to meet the very exacting requirements set by the MCA.”

Principal of Orkney College UHI, Eddie Abbot-Halpin, said: “Orkney College is pleased to be working in partnership with Orkney Ferries in delivering this innovative project, which contributes to keeping Orkney at the leading edge of development.”

The Orkney College UHI Maritime Studies Department, on its own pier in Stromness, has been training seafarers for over 50 years and works closely with the local renewables fleet and the industry around it. The department offers a range of short courses to meet the needs of the fishing and merchant-marine sectors and the latest regulations. The department also provides land and marine based engineering training, incorporating the College’s Engineering Department.

Many of the college instructors are currently serving at sea as well as providing training at the department when on shore providing the department with a team who are right up to date, highly motivated and aware of modern training needs.

Further details on projects:

HyDIME

HyDIME is focused on the use of hydrogen as a fuel in marine transport and will see the design and integration of a hydrogen/diesel dual fuel conversion system on a commercial ferry operating between Kirkwall and Shapinsay.

The project will also gain the necessary marine licences and regulatory approvals for hydrogen to be used as a fuel in a marine environment which will have a significant impact on future hydrogen marine projects across the rest of the UK.

More details – HyDIME project website

HySEASIII

HySeas III is the final part of a three part research program that began in 2013 looking into the theory of hydrogen powered vessels (HySeas I), followed by a detailed technical and commercial study to design a hydrogen fuel cell powered vessel (Hyseas II 2014-2015). Several stakeholders has been involved in the project including the Interreg North Sea Region project DUAL Ports and Orkney College.

HySeas III builds on the first two parts by aiming to demonstrate that fuel cells may be successfully integrated with a proven marine hybrid electric drive system (electric propulsion, control gear, batteries, etc), along with the associated hydrogen storage and bunkering arrangements. The project will do this by developing, constructing, testing and validating a full-sized drive train on land. Should this test be successful, Scottish Transport have agreed to fund the building of a roll-on roll-off passenger ferry which will integrate the entire hydrogen/electric drive train which will be subject to extensive monitoring and testing. The chosen route for this innovative vessel will be Kirkwall to Shapinsay in the Orkney Islands.

More details – HySEASIII project website

BIG HIT

The BIG HIT project was initiated in Orkney in Spring 2016. The project was designed to expand upon the concepts as developed by the Surf ‘n’ Turf project.

BIG HIT saw the installation of a 1MW hydrogen electrolyser on the Orkney Islands of Shapinsay, collocated with a 900kW curtailed community wind turbine.

Renewable electricity generated on the islands of Eday and Shapinsay is used by electrolysers to produce hydrogen, by electrolysis of water. This hydrogen is then stored as high-pressure gas in the tube trailers, which can be transported to mainland Orkney.

BIG HIT uses two state-of-the-art proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrolysers. The Shapinsay electrolyser is 1MW capacity and Eday electrolyser is 0.5MW capacity, both located close to the renewable generation assets. The hydrogen acts as an energy-storage medium which can later be converted back into heat and power for buildings and vessels in Kirkwall harbour, as well as the fuel for the operation of zero-emission hydrogen vehicles in and around Kirkwall.

More details – BIG HIT project website

Surf N Turf

Tidal power devices located at the European Marine Energy Centre test site at the Fall of Warness, in the sea just west of the island of Eday, and the Eday Renewable Energy community-owned onshore wind turbine, route their surplus electricity to a 500kW electrolyser, which generates hydrogen by splitting water.

The hydrogen is stored as compressed gas then transported on a trailer by road and sea to Kirkwall, the capital of Orkney. There it powers a fuel cell to generate clean electricity on demand.

Source: https://www.orkney.gov.uk/OIC-News/New-hydrogen-course-developed-in-Orkney-approved-by-MCA.htm 

A team of DUAL Ports partners and hydrogen-interested professionals went on a Fact Finding Trip to several different companies investing in hydrogen technologies now and in the future. 

Hydrogen has become an even greater interesting opportunity for ports to utilize sustainable energy. Many port’s surroundings provide an optimal position of strong ressources from nature that can help produce green energy, e.g. wind, wave and solar energy. The green energy may not only be used to power homes and business but also to create an alternative to fossil fuels for vessels, ferries, cars, busses among others.

At the end of June 2020, a team of Dual Ports partners participated in a fact-finding tour through Denmark, where they visited several companies involved in the hydrogen industry.

Today, green hydrogen is promoted as one of newer CO2-friendly fuels to be implemented in the shipping industry. More and more different types of ships are considering hydrogen propulsion or the installation of hydrogen fuel cells. From a port perspective, working with this new type of fuel is a challenge but also an opportunity to create new businesses, whereby the ports can play a multiple role. Not only can the port become a storage and bunkering station for green hydrogen, but it can also take up a role in the distribution of green hydrogen and in the production, insofar renewable energy sources are availabe in the neighbourhood.

The fact-finding tour was launched at the port of Hvide Sande. Considering the different sources of renewable energy that are available within the port (wind, solar, wave), the port and the District Heating company are to use the surplus energy for the production of green hydrogen within the scope of grid balancing. Next to the port and the district heating is also the Hvide Sande shipyard committed to build a hydrogen-powered dredging vessel that can be used within the port of Hvide Sande in order to guarantee the maritime accessibility.

The next stop on the tour was the Hy-balance plant in Hobro, a production plant for green hydrogen, that has been realized with European funding. The plant is the result of a cooperation between Hydrogen Valley, Air Liquide, Hydrogenics, Ludwig-Bölkow-Systemtechnik and Centrica. The plant manager gave the delegation a clear insight in the whole value chain of production, storage and distribution of green hydrogen. As to electrolyser, PEM (Polymer electrolyte membrane) technology is used. The whole plant is monitored 24h/24h and 7/7. The fragility of some of the components causes a lot of headaches for the plant manager.

From Hobro, the delegation drove up to Aalborg, where the operation of the hydrogen fuelling station for busses was explained by the project managers, active at the university of Aalborg. The city of Aalborg took 3 hydrogen-powered busses into service in March 2020. The use of these busses will save approximately 60,000 liters of diesel per year and reduce the CO2-emissions by 131 tons annually. In order to produce the necessary green hydrogen, an alkaline electrolyser is used in the plant. Also this pilot project is partly financed by the European Union.

The next was Blue World Technologies, situated at the port of Aalborg. Blue World Technologies is a Danish-Chinese joint venture, where methanol fuel cells are produced in order to replace the traditional combustion engines in cars. Fossil free methanol can be produced through a synthesis of green hydrogen and CO2. According to the managers of the company, the use of methanol fuel cells has a lot of advantages: contrary to electric cars, it can execute a normal travelling range of 1000 kilometers; the refuelling time is very quick, there is a significant fuel cost saving (30% and more) and there are zero harmful emissions. Also the storage of liquid methanol is much easier than the storage of hydrogen. For the production of the hydrogen, PEM technology is used.

The last stop before returning to Copenhagen was the enterprise Green Hydrogen Systems in Kolding. The focus of this company lies on the production of electrolysers, based upon pressurised alkaline technology. According to the CEO of the company, this type of electrolysers have many advantages in comparison with the PEM technology. High efficiency and high durability are 2 selling-points. But surprisingly, this type of alkaline electrolyser is able to handle dynamic operations with variable energy loads. Green Hydrogen Systems is one of  the most advanced electrolyser producers in Europe.

About the future of hydrogen in Hvide Sande

Port of Hvide Sande and Hvide Sande District Heating (located on the port area) are looking into the opportunities to create hydrogren from surplus production from their three offshore windmills – and transfer the heat from hydrogen production to Hvide Sande District Heating. Within DUAL Ports, Hvide Sande District Heating is working on the HEAT-pilot and they expect to be 94% CO2 neutral in their energy production with help from a new heat pump.

However, hydrogen is an additional step to reduce the port’s environmental footprints and gain optimal use of green energy. 200 days a year, a dredger works on removing sand from the harbour, so the water depth does not affect the port’s and business’s activities. Hvide Sande Shipyard is working on developing a hydrogen-powered vessel. Negotiations with the Danish Coast Directorate will, however, be crucial for the plans between Port of Hvide Sande, Hvide Sande District Heating and Hvide Sande Shipyard.

During two days, the group visited the following companies (in Denmark)

Port of Hvide Sande
Hvide Sande District Heating
Hvide Sande Shipyard
Hydrogen Valley / Hy Balance
Hydrogen Fuelling Station
Blue World Technologies
GreenHydrogen

The following attended on the Fact Finding Trip

Wim Stubbe, Lead partner of DUAL Ports
Jens Møller, Front Officer of DUAL Ports
Josephine Petersen, Communication Officer of DUAL Ports
Jens Damgaard, Business Development Manager at Business Vordingborg, Partner of DUAL Ports
Bent Haumann, Business Development Manager af Port of Vordingborg, Partner of DUAL Ports
Martin Halkjær Kristensen, Operations Manager at Hvide Sande District Heating, Partner of DUAL Ports
Kasper Teilmann, Consultant at GEMBA Seafood Consulting, Partner of DUAL Ports
Torben Falholt, on behalf of MEQ

Photo-series of the Hydrogen Fact Finding Trip

Dual Ports partner: ITM Power

 ITM Power manufactures integrated hydrogen energy solutions to enhance the utilization of renewable energy that would otherwise be wasted. As a DUAL Ports partner, ITM Power uses its skills in hydrogen technologies for their work in the hydrogen pilot at Orkney Islands.

ITM Power has been strengthening its position in the marine fuel bunkering market by offering the go-to green hydrogen production technology for large scale adoption of hydrogen fuel bunkering for the maritime industry. Its proven electrolyser platform architecture is designed to be scalable.

ITM is preparing itself for the second phase of the GIGASTACK project, a renewable hydrogen project that will be realized in the Humber region.  The GIGASTACK project, led by ITM Power, Orsted, Phillips 66 Limited Humber Refinery and Element Energy (consulting) will show how renewable hydrogen, derived from offshore wind (Hornsea wind park) can support the net zero greenhouse gas emission target in the UK in 2050. During the first phase of this project, ITM Power has developed designs for a low-cost modular 5-Megawatt electrolyser stack, whereby Orsted has investigated the potential synergies with offshore wind farms. During the second phase, the partners will detail the actual design of a hydrogen production system, connected to an offshore wind farm and an industrial off-taker, utilizing ITM Power electrolyser stack technology.

 

The continuing innovation in ITM Power’s technology, the scale of products alongside the improvements in manufacturing and production volume, position ITM Power to offer products that  provide its clients with the best opportunity to make renewable green hydrogen. This green hydrogen will be able to compete on cost with fossil fuel derived hydrogen, and even natural gas by 2050, as forecast by Platts, Bloomberg New Energy, The Hydrogen Council, and Hydrogen Europe. Therefore, it is essential to meet the large-scale green hydrogen production and cost targets that will be essential for shipping.

   

Renewable, circular energy was the topic at the workshop hosted by Port of Hvide Sande and Hvide Sande District Heating.

We have collected presentations from the speakers of the workshop WAVE/HYDROGEN/HEAT workshop, so you have the opportunity to refresh your memory or obtain the knowledge and experiences from the many presentations.

You can also read the conclusions of the workshop by Wim Stubbe, lead partner of the Interreg-project DUAL Ports here.

Presentations

Welcome to Hvide Sande and the Port of Hvide Sande,
By Mr. Steen Davidsen, CEO, Port of Hvide Sande, DK

Information about North Sea Region Program and what we can expect in next period,
By Mr. Christian Byrith, CEO, Interreg North Sea Region Secretariat Viborg, DK

DUAL Ports HEAT Pilot – Wave, Solar, Wind, Heat and Hydrogen – making Hvide Sande to a zero-emission city – How we will utilize our position at the coast!
By Mr. Martin Halkjær, Director, Hvide Sande Heat System, Denmark

Windfarms at the west coast of Jutland – Case of wind energy development in the North Sea
By Mr. Arne Rahbek, Director for Communication, Vattenfall, Denmark

DUAL Ports WAVE Pilot – Technology and potential
Case of wave energy development in the North Sea
By Mrs. Irina Temiz, PhD Senior lecturer, Renewable Electricity Production, Division of Electricity, Uppsala University, Sweden

The Wave sector in Northern Europe – Outlook, practical experiences and news.
By Mr. Jens Peter Kofoed, Head of Division, Associated Professor, Department of Civil Engineering, University of Aalborg, Denmark

Wave technology and possibilities – dual or multi tech solutions.
By Mrs. Marcelle Askew, VP Projects, Seabased ab, Sweden

Hydrogen technology and green technology. How do we combine different sources of energy?
By Mrs. Kristina Fløche Juelsgaard, Business Development Director, Ballard Power, Denmark

Hydrogen introduction in Port of Hvide Sande – How we plan to implement hydrogen to ships.
By Mr. Carl Erik Kristensen; CEO, Hvide Sande Ship Yard

DUAL Ports HYDROGEN Pilot experiences. The Orkney island case – how we use green surplus energy and how we are training in the field of Hydrogen.
By Mr. David Hibbert, Technical Superintendent, Development & Infrastructure – Marine Services, Scapa – Orkney, Scotland.

Port and City – How to combine different energy forms in port areas. Renewable Energy Cluster – Norway, The Trondheim Case
By Mr. Ole Svendgård, Fornybarklyngen – Cluster leader, Norway

How we run the Blue-Green development in our part of the world – The GRO case
By Mr. Lars Korsgaard Jørgensen and Mrs. Susanne Trip Nielsen, Ringkøbing-Skjern Erhvervsråd, Denmark

How to create a better environment in Ringkøbing Fjord – The Biomass production Case
By Mr. Kim Iversen, Biologist at Denmarks Center for Wild Salmon, Denmark

DUAL Ports partner Madadh MacLaine of Fair Winds Trust has been on the road, participating in different conferences on propulsion and future fuels, promoting DUAL Ports and the use of hydrogen and wind propulsion in commercial shipping.

3^rd International Conference on Marine Renewable Energy and Maritime Hydrogen Technology Florø, Norway

At the International Conference on Marine Renewable Energy and Maritime Hydrogen Technology in October, focus was on providing the latest updates on technology, policies, projects and business cases within the subsea, marine renewable energy and maritime hydrogen industries. DUAL Ports was mentioned at the conference by a sister project, HySeas III, presented by the energy provider company Ballard. Madadh MacLaine participated in the conference representing DUAL Ports, and was met by interest from other ports and potential stakeholders, who were interested in learning more about the project.

IBIA Annual convention Copenhagen, Denmark 2018

IBIA stands for the International Bunker Industry Association who had their annual conference in the beginning of November. At this conference Madadh MacLaine and DUAL Ports had been invited to speak about future proof fuels. As lead partner of the SAIL pilot and as Business Development Manager at ITM Power, Madadh MacLaine presented on hydrogen as a marine fuel and participated in a Q&A with the interest of promoting the use of wind propulsion in commercial shipping. People from the fuel industry showed great interest in alternatives to conventional fuels, and are open to discuss the possibility of using hydrogen and other more sustainable fuels for future shipping.

The Motorship Propulsion & Future fuels conference Hamburg, Germany 2018 

Hydrogen, when produced from renewable energy, is truly a zero-emission fuel. At the Motorship Propulsion and Future Fuels conference, Madadh MacLaine presented the possibilities for using Hydrogen in the future fuel mix. Hydrogen can be used in fuel cells, as a direct fuel or as a mix with diesel for co-combustion. MacLaine also took part in a Q&A session on the safety of future fuels, along with DNV GL, an international risk management company working with safety in the maritime sector, oil and gas, and energy.

 

 

The scene was set in June at the northern isles of Scotland – The Orkney Islands. The agenda was the progress of the DUAL Ports Hydrogen Pilot.

Winds were raising, but the sun was high, when the DUAL Ports partnership met in Kirkwall, Orkney, to explore the possibilities of wave, tide and wind energy, and the production and bunkering of hydrogen for ferry vessels. The partnership was welcomed in Scapa, Orkney, by Technical Superintendent David Hibbert, who gave an introduction to the islands and the Orkney Islands Council Marine Services.

The initial point of the Hydrogen pilot, within DUAL Ports, was to develop a business case, where hydrogen for use in cars and shore site operations would be applied to a bunkering system for moving vessels. A hydrogen ferry was a hypothetic idea, at the beginning of the project.

However, Orkney Islands Council are working on different hydrogen projects, and as things develop a hydrogen ferry is now planned to be developed through another project (HySeas III), to be launched in 2020. Therefore, a bunkering system for this vessel has now become a reality and the Hydrogen pilot in DUAL Ports is no longer ‘just a paper project’. ITM Power will be working with Orkney Islands Council Marine Services to assess a number of bunkering options, as well as providing green hydrogen to the ferry, that will result in a ground breaking development for marine transport.

“Within two years’ time, we will have the need for an actual bunkering system, for this new hydrogen vessel. The HySeas III project will develop the world’s first renewables-powered hydrogen ferry, marking a paradigm shift towards entirely emissions-free marine transport,” says David Hibbert, Technical Superintendent of Development and Infrastructure, Orkney Islands Council Marine Services.

Why Hydrogen?

Orkney is an island group north of Scotland, that consists of 70 different islands. The position of the islands make for perfect weather conditions and the islands are self-sufficient in renewable energy due to massive tides going in and out of the North Sea, and preferable wind conditions. In fact, the islands produce more energy than can be consumed, and even more than can be exported to the mainland and the national electricity grid – therefore, efforts are being made investigating and researching how to use the excess amounts of renewable energy on the islands, in order not to waste it.

 

For the third time the partners participating in the European project DUAL Ports met to discuss the possibilities of transforming ports into more environmentally friendly ones. At the partner-meeting in Emden this week, the project managers reported on the current state of their particular DUAL Ports projects and the progresses already made. During the three days in Emden and Leer, the challenges that still have to be overcome were discussed together. “We all face the same challenges. We want to benefit from the experience of our partners and work together to develop larger solutions”, explains Dr. Matthäus Wuczkowski, Sustainability Manager at Niedersachsen Ports.

Exchange with the project MariGreen

Moreover, the participants of the DUAL Ports met with the MariGreen project in order to share knowledge and exchange experiences. The MariGreen project also deals with the possibilities of making the maritime economy more environmentally friendly. However, the DUAL Ports project primarily concentrates on finding solutions for port authorities, while the MariGreen project is mainly focused on the development of concepts for shipping companies. At the meeting, experts from both sides were able to discuss within small groups the potential and current challenges of LNG, hydrogen and sail cargo. All participants agreed that there will be a variety of environmentally friendly fuels in the maritime economy in the future. However, which low-emission fuels will ultimately prevail, is largely dependent on medium-term legislation, on the incentive mechanisms of the market and on the awareness of society.

“In order to work efficiently on these issues in the future, greater cooperation between ports and the maritime sector is necessary”, stresses Wuczkowski. “For this reason, we are also planning to promote a close exchange between the two projects in the future.”, Katja Baumann, managing director of MARIKO GmbH, agreed.

Click to learn more about the MariGreen project

The DUAL Ports project

The European project DUAL Ports, launched in 2015 and financed by the EU and the Interreg North Sea Region Programme, brings together ports, businesses and scientific institutions from Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands, Denmark and Scotland. The aim of the cooperation is to jointly develop solutions for the long-term reduction of CO₂ emissions and environmental pollution caused by the activities of the port industry. Through the exchange of knowledge between the partners and the emerging synergies, the development and implementation of sustainability innovations in ports should be promoted and facilitated.

During the next Partnership Meeting held in Germany, the DUAL Ports partners will participate in a workshop, sharing and discussing knowledge with another Interreg project, MariGreen. 

On October 24, DUAL Ports and MariGreen will come together in a joint workshop in Leer, Germany. The workshop will include an introduction of both projects, presentations of the three common pilots; SAIL, HYDROGEN and LNG, as well as discussions on development, progress and results.

You can read more about MariGreen here.

 

Dual Ports is co-founded by
The North See Region Programm 2014-2020;
Eco-innovation priority.
www.northsearegion.eu/dual-ports
J-No: 38-2-7-15