Author Archives: just2bruce

EU’s Black Sea Maritime Safety Hub: A Strategic Initiative

Posted on June 1, 2025 | Leave a comment

The EU is planning to create a Black Sea Maritime Safety Hub.

It’s important because of the adversarial maritime climate there. The Black Sea is used by Ukraine, Russia, Turkey, and other nations as a port to the world. It’s busy, and there is danger of interference or attacks due to the war in Ukraine.

“The EU is committed to help turn the Black Sea into a mine-free sea basin through enhanced cooperation with its member states, the Black Sea partners, like-minded countries, and partner organizations,” it declares.

The plan does not propose a specific location for the hub but outlines a role in building maritime situational awareness through monitoring efforts. It would include a focus on submarine cables and offshore assets including gas and wind energy infrastructure. It would also focus on the dangers created by the shadow fleet of tankers involved in the Russian oil trade.

These are all useful functions for international trade in the area. Kudos to the EU for stepping up.

Published May 28, 2025 2:03 PM by The Maritime Executive

https://www.maritime-executive.com/article/eu-plans-black-sea-maritime-safety-hub-seeking-to-build-regional-relations

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Posted in Leadership, Logistics, maritime, Shipping, Strategy, Supply Chains

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A “radically simplified” solution for SAF

Posted on June 1, 2025 | Leave a comment

I don’t usually write about air, but in this case I have two connections.

First, Aether Fuels is a new Chicago-based concern with an innovative approach to the Fischer-Tropsch process for making fuel from waste. When I was in Chicago, I participated in some of the planning for the South Chicago airport, which sparked my interest in airport development. If you’ve flown through O’Hare, you have some idea of how jammed-up air transport is in Chicago, and why new venues are needed, especially for freight.

Second, I’m interested in new technologies for sustainable fuels. What caught my eye here is the point at the end. The process can also be used to produce sustainable marine fuel! That really caught my eye.

The company is called Aether; they are well-funded by big corporate names. The article discusses a bit about the process, which is being developed now. A pilot plant is in the offing, maybe in the next couple of years.

One of the advantages of their process is its ability to use carbon-capture output as a feedstock. One of the big problems of carbon capture technologies is what to do with the output. Bury it? Crazy and costly! Another use for CO2 would be useful.

The article mentions that while the company’s goal is SAF fuel for airplanes now, the process could also make fuel for maritime transport. That’s a huge market, with a present-day need. There’s a risk that air carriers might have to compete for sustainable fuels with the maritime transport industry.

We can use all the sustainable fuels production we can get. It’s nice to see a startup that’s not “AI” or software, that can acquire funds to move a worthwhile effort ahead.

Dirk Singer Jun 01, 2025

https://open.substack.com/pub/simpliflying/p/how-aether-fuels-saf-conor-madigan

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Posted in Air, Investing, Logistics, Supply Chains, Sustainability

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Is Ammonia cheapest long-term for IMO carbon rules?

Posted on May 30, 2025 | Leave a comment

University College London has published a new study considering in detail how shipowners can comply with the IMO rules for carbon emission compliance. It’s very detailed and takes into account not only the different technologies available, such as methanol and LNG, but also the timing of implementing the various regulations. One has to consider all these factors over the 25 or so years of the lifetime of a ship.

Granted, new technologies and availability of different fuel choices can change from what we can see now, but this impartial study favors ammonia-powered ships over the longer time frame. They suggest dual-fuel ammonia ships might be the best bet for investors in new shipping.

“Although there are significant complexities and uncertainties in what was agreed [at IMO MEPC 83] in April, even conservative projections of how remaining policy details will be finalised results in a ‘no brainer’ choice for shipowners in dual fuel ammonia,” said Dr. Tristan Smith, Professor of Energy and Transport at the UCL Energy Institute. 

The report is available here.

This figure from the report indicates when different fuel choices become cheapest in terms of abatement cost. It seems that e-ammonia never outcompetes blue ammonia before 2050. And LNG remains viable for quite a while, especially with integrated carbon capture.

There are a lot of assumptions in any such study, and the IMO could change the rules in the meantime. But shipowners should be thinking hard about ammonia, and so should international bunker fuel providers.

Published May 29, 2025 9:08 PM by The Maritime Executive

https://www.maritime-executive.com/article/ucl-ammonia-is-the-cheapest-compliance-option-for-new-imo-carbon-rules

Update 6/5/2025: Fortescue is jumping on the dual-fuel ammonia bandwagon, and has some not-so-polite comments about others in shipping sticking with LNG.

Sam Chambers June 5, 2025

https://splash247.com/fortescues-mission-to-champion-ammonia-goes-global/

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Posted in maritime, Sustainability

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