Ammonia-fuelled gas carriers could compete effectively by 2026

Posted on September 2, 2023 by | Leave a comment

The Copenhagen-based Global Maritime Forum (GMF) has completed a study that concludes ammonia-powered gas carriers could compete effectively as soon as 2026.

The findings are based on a route from the US Gulf Coast to northwestern Europe. The route has been approved in principle by DNV, a classification society and expert in assurance and risk management. The ship would fuel only in the US, and make the most of subsidies from the US government via the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), and the EU’s Fit for 55 measures. So, not subsidy-free!

The design is completed and could be used for a shipyard tender.

Gas carriers are important today because of the Ukraine War sanctions and actions by the EU to eliminate gas imported from Russia. The EU is now a prominent destination for US export gas.

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Paul Bartlett | Sep 01, 2023

Ammonia-fuelled gas carriers could compete effectively by 2026

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Ship queue grows at both ends of Panama Canal

Posted on August 14, 2023 by | Leave a comment

The drought in Panama has reduced water in the canal. Panama has imposed draft limits on ships. Large container ships sometimes need to offload cargo on one side and have it sent by rail to the other side.

Waiting lines of ships have built on each side of the canal, waiting to traverse it. The delays can be up to 5 days at present, according to the data from eeSea, a forecasting and scheduling company based in Copenhagen, Denmark.

These delays are already causing ships to avoid the canal by using the Suez Canal or even sailing around the Cape of Good Hope to get to Asia. These are much longer routes, but do not have delays. If the issues continue, cargoes will begin to be diverted at the start. That will be bad news for East Coast US ports.

Update: the second article below indicates that ships waiting are in the hundreds, but not as high as some have reported. It’s still a big loss of business for the Panama Canal.

Destine Ozuygur, head of operations, eeSea 14/08/2023

Ship queue grows at both ends of Panama Canal and congestion builds

Sam Chambers August 23, 2023

Panama Canal Authority sets the record straight on congestion figures

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EU states agree to expand EV-charging station network

Posted on August 13, 2023 by | Leave a comment

It’s clear that the EV ‘supply chain’ of charging stations has to expand to make EVs a success. So far, it takes longer to charge than to fill up with a liquid fuel, and the charging stations are not common enough. Couple that with a lack of standards for charging ‘nozzles’, and we see help is needed.

The European Union (EU) took a big step forward by passing a law that would greatly increase the number of EV charging stations. Every country in the EU now has to provide charging stations every 60km along roadways. Hydrogen stations also have to be provided every 200km. The number of stations is tied to the number of EVs sold in the countries.

By 2025, that would make about 600,000 charging stations in the EU, according to an estimate. There are 450,000 stations now. It’s not so many.

The new law is an example of how the EU leads the world in emissions control rules and intentions. Other nations need to step up.

By Jonathan Packroff | EURACTIV.de | translated by Daniel Eck

EU states agree to expand bloc’s EV-charging station network

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