TANKEROperator

APRIL - MAY 2025 [Link]

 piraeus@[Link]
[Link]

April - May 2025 l TANKEROperator

1 International Registries, Inc.
in affiliation with the Marshall Islands
Maritime & Corporate Administrators
Contents
OPENING
15 n evelopments with biofuels and wind - biofuel
D

02 n he best training strategies for SIRE 2.0 - the

T demand did not expand much in 2023, but is
right approach to online training, training for expected to grow due to FuelEU Maritime; wind
SIRE 2.0 inspection, and training in behavioural power does not yet cover its costs fully
competency. We spoke to OTG’s Raal Harris
16 n ombining cargo owner purchasing power - The
C
Zero Emissions Maritime Buyers’ Alliance is a
consortium of cargo owners seeking to get more
market force to get low carbon transport

04 n ow Nigeria’s Dangote refinery will change

H
tanker demand - demand for product tankers set to
grow and high-quality refined products to become
more widespread
18 n eepSea and using AI to predict fuel
D

05 n altic Exchange offering chemical tanker

B
pricing data - covering shipments of chemicals and
consumption - Eastern Pacific Shipping was able
to predict weekly fuel consumption to 0.8 per cent
agricultural oils accuracy

DECARBONISATION 19 n djusting engine propulsion to changes in wind

A
power - easier if it is done automatically. Manta
Marine explains
06 n ortescue wants to convert its bulk carriers to
F
green ammonia power - while also becoming a BALLAST WATER
major green ammonia supplier. To demonstrate, it
converted a service vessel to run on ammonia 20 n allast water treatment system developments
B
- warning about organisms in sediment – a third
09 n etting emissions data in shape - for ETS and
G
FuelEU
of BWMS fail – new record book requirements –
ballast system in a container –

TECHNOLOGY

24 n aking port calls more efficient with a data hub

M
- making vessel scheduling and dock operations
more efficient

10 n NV perspectives on emission reduction -

D
complex decisions shipowners need to make, the
pathway to more sophisticated emissions data
management systems

12 n mission perspectives from Hapag, Prominence,

E
China shipbuilding association - from DNV
Energy Transition Summit

14 n missions regulatory update - IMO planning the

E
next set of GHG regulations; EU is developing a
Sustainable Transport Investment Plan, and will
review FuelEU Maritime in 2026-7

April - May 2025 l TANKEROperator 1

OPENING

Finding the best training

strategies for SIRE 2.0
Tanker companies have a big challenge finding the right approach to online training, finding the best
training for SIRE 2.0 inspection and in behavioural competency. We spoke to OTG’s Raal Harris

W
ith the change in approach of specific proficiencies, leading to being able
SIRE 2.0, increasing regulatory to take on a new role. Or that they are being
complexity and charterers asked to do a course because a specific risk or
requirements, tanker companies opportunity has been observed, and the training
face a challenge working out effective training is designed to help them with that.
strategies with which to best prepare their “It is amazing how many companies get
crew. Whilst technology provides flexible it wrong, you get an email from HR or head
and cost-effective options, there is increasing office saying, ‘you’ve got to do this training,’
recognition that online training, while often with no explanation of the benefit to either the
cheaper, is not always better. individual or the company,” Mr Harris said.
In the latest (Q4 2024) issue of the Seafarer
Happiness Index, there were complaints
from seafarers that they found online training Versions of online training
they were asked to complete “insufficiently Bear in mind that online training can mean
engaging.” many different things, from synchronous
Seafarers said they were asked to complete virtual classroom teaching to asynchronous
online courses involving varying degrees of Raal Harris, chief creative officer of Ocean
the same courses repeatedly without gaining Technologies Group (OTG) and LR OneOcean
new insights and complained that online sophistication.
training was disrupting their rest and family The biggest question is the quality of the online,’” Mr Harris said. “You need to utilise
time. training, not whether or not it is delivered role play and encourage feedback as you would
However, alternative perspectives on online online, he said. Just as it is with face-to-face face to face. But e-learning can help to prime
training were shared in earlier surveys. There training. “There is a perception that face-to- those activities with underpinning knowledge
were comments in the Q1 2024 report that face training is more interactive, but I have as part of a blended approach.”
“seafarers appreciate regular, well-organised, been in classrooms where there has been no
Online training lends itself to theoretical
and comprehensive training” which did not interaction, someone talking and everyone is
learning that can help along the learning
cut into vacation time, and in Q4 2023 there asleep.”
journey setting context, explaining concepts,
were requests for “more realistic, online, and Moving courses online can be cheaper for processes and procedures or functions on a
efficient training methods.” companies to provide, and easier to scale to piece of equipment.
These are all issues which maritime larger audiences and many have jumped to
This can be provided online, alongside hands
e-learning leader Ocean Technologies Group, using video conferences and virtual classrooms
on training. But at some point someone will
now part of Lloyd’s Register, is helping as a cost-effective solution. But if you have
want to train on the actual equipment.
companies tackle. too many people on an online course at once,
and “you don’t have people who understand
how to use the online format well [such as] SIRE 2.0
Explaining the reasons with polls, you are not creating a good quality
Mr Harris is a big enthusiast of SIRE 2.0, in
It is important that shipping companies make experience,” he said.
particular how it is pushing tanker companies
clear to people why they benefit from the “There are things about delivery online that to pay more attention to human factors issues.
training they are being asked to do, says are different, which you’ve got to think about
SIRE 2.0 has been “an incredible
Raal Harris, chief creative officer of Ocean very carefully.”
achievement from OCIMF,” he says. “First
Technologies Group (OTG) and LR OneOcean. In some areas, online training isn’t the their vision and ambition to do it, and [then]
For example, the company should explain complete solution. For example, “I would never to roll it out in the way they have. They
that by taking the course, the seafarer will gain say to anybody. ‘Do all your soft skills training

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2
April - May 2025 l TANKEROperator
 OPENING
have applied a huge amount of emotional Competency management provides a the time, they were not prioritising them, Mr
intelligence to the process. They’ve focussed framework for this more sophisticated approach Harris said. Now, things have changed.
on the right things - they haven’t just dumped and can include a blend of e-learning, and face
it on people but have brought them on the to face activity, and a means of managing the
journey” proficiency. Seafarer pre-voyage testing

SIRE 2.0 sits alongside a broader trend of Behavioural assessments also typically There is a growing trend for companies to test
charterers wanting to know more about ship look at the communications seafarers are seafarers with online tools before accepting
operators and their safety standards, their having between each other, which means that them to work on a ship. OTG has long offered
operational performance, and how they treat command of English is a factor. services here, with an online Crew Evaluation
their seafarers. System (CES) designed to test their technical
knowledge and ability profiling which together
But the shift to human factors-based Competency management systems “reveal the strengths and weaknesses of any
inspection in SIRE 2.0 means that operators given candidate,” Mr Harris says.
must place greater emphasis on crew Tanker companies are increasingly developing
competency, decision-making, communication competency management systems, covering Companies are also increasingly considering
and operational behaviour rather than just multiple “proficiencies” they would like people maritime English language testing, to ensure
equipment, procedures and compliance. This in different roles to have or to develop as they people are able to understand written materials
means companies have an additional incentive progress their careers. and verbal instructions needed to work safely
to support their crew’s development of a range “Proficiencies” can be both behavioural and onboard.
of technical and non-technical soft skills, he technical. Companies sometimes do personality
says. A seafarer may be assessed on both technical profiling for the top four seafarers onboard.
Many companies asked crew to take training and behavioural competencies at once, for This is not a test, because there is not a right
on “Performance Influencing Factors” (PIF), example by doing a real mooring exercise. or wrong answer, but can help the company
so they would better understand human factors understand the candidate and the potential
A company’s competency management dynamics between their team members. It
that may enhance or diminish performance in system can involve multiple competency
the inspection. can also help the individual to understand
standards. Different companies put it together themselves better, know where the ‘rough
in different ways. For example, the SIGTTO edges’ of their personality might be, so they
Behavioural competency competency standards for operating gas tankers may be able to mitigate them.
is a book of detailed rank-based proficiencies,
There is a growing realisation among tanker Mr Harris says.
companies that one of the seafarer skills which Returns on investment
is most vital is what is known as behavioural “You’ve got to have the support of people
competency, defined as ‘skills, behaviours, and that really understand these standards,” Mr Good training requires investment and
attitudes an employee needs to excel in their Harris says. “It is not easy, but it is the right companies want to see evidence that the
role.’ way of doing it. The secret is in starting small spending they make gives them returns. As a
on the core competencies you want to track and provider, OTG would also like to demonstrate
To manage and measure these requires a build from there.” this to potential customers.
means of assessing them, and this is very
difficult because it is subjective. Inspection ‘observations’ is one way
Soft skills companies can evaluate the performance of
To help, INTERTANKO and OCIMF their crew. Whilst inspection performance
developed the Behavioural Competency Along with a greater interest in behaviour is not the only metric that should be used to
Assessment and Verification (BCAV) competency, OTG is seeing growing usage in evaluate a vessel or a company, it may be the
framework. It discusses the importance of its soft skills training courses. best metric available to us, Mr Harris says.
building a company culture where people Tanker companies are seeing that soft skills
are supported in developing competencies. It has been possible to demonstrate from
make a direct contribution to operational inspection data that there is a correlation
The competency management process also performance, Mr Harris says.
encourages crew members to have “the right between inspection and training performance
kind of dialogue, reflecting on performance and Topics covered under soft skills include and companies typically get more inspection
agreeing areas that can be developed further.” leadership, bullying and harassment, observations on areas where they appear to do
communication, managing fatigue and stress, less training.
But it still means that the assessor needs managing crew welfare.
to make many judgements and observations, OTG was acquired by Lloyd’s Register in
something they may not be used to doing, The training can be done onboard or online 2024, joining its “OneOcean” portfolio of
Mr Harris says. And formal appraisals can be before seafarers go onboard. digital services. OneOcean has other software
harder in a ship than in an office. On a ship, It is part of a trend of companies increasingly tools which can provide metrics about vessel
you have to live and work with that person paying attention to cultural dimensions of their performance. OTG would like to see this data
24/7. businesses, the values, the mission, what is tied together with data about the training the
being communicated to people. company has done, so companies can see
To avoid the stress on both sides, “people where they are getting the most returns on
do shy away from difficult conversations and “I think there’s a lot further to go in that training investment.
there can be a temptation to give very vanilla one, I’m looking to see if that’s a trend that
statements.” emerges,” he says. “It gives us a huge amount of data we can
put together to explore the connection between
Behavioural competency is best judged in the 20 years ago, OTG (then known as human, vessel and voyage performance,” he
context of a real or simulated exercise, rather VideoTel) produced a leadership and says.
than asking people to role-play how they would management course covering many soft
act in a certain situation. In this real exercise, skills, and despite great feedback it was
people are deploying both their ‘soft’ (or human) not a commercial success. Although people TO
skills and technical skills, Mr Harris says. recognised the importance of soft skills at

April - May 2025 l TANKEROperator 3

OPENING

How Nigeria’s Dangote

refinery will change tanker
demand
The Dangote Refinery near the Port of Lagos is set to reshape tanker demand in West
Africa, with demand for product tankers set to grow and high-quality refined products to
become more widespread
By Navigate PR on behalf of GAC Nigeria

A
s refinery capacity in Nigeria ramps ranks 11th worldwide. As home to 222 of jet fuel, naphtha and fuel oil. Projections
up in 2025, the country looks set million people, it is the group’s most populous suggest the country could export 50,000 barrels
to boost its standing as a serious member. per day (bpd) more gasoil than it imports in
player on the global oil stage. According to the Nigerian Upstream 2025, with volumes expected to triple by 2026.
Many are preparing for a likely redistribution Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) Once fully operational, the refinery will
of tanker demand in West Africa, with product 2023 annual report, the country had nearly have a maximum capacity of 650,000 bpd and
tankers increasingly being sought over crude 37 billion barrels of reserves for oil and is expected to reduce Nigeria’s demand for
carriers. condensate in January 2024. refined products.
The Dangote Refinery near Lagos, in But plentiful resources alone are not enough. According to a report in Financial Nigeria,
particular, promises to present important Despite its mineral riches, Nigeria had to the President of the Dangote Group has stated
opportunity for Nigeria’s economy and import refined products, due to a lack of that the refinery went through ‘effortful’
potentially reshape the global tanker market facilities with the capacity to meet domestic environmental approval processes under the
and its routes. demand. Ministry of Environment.
Historically, Nigeria has been ranked among The company is reported to comply with
the world’s leading crude oil exporters, tapping Dangote refinery World Bank and European Union emission
into vast natural resources which have yet to be standards.
fully explored and exploited. More than a decade after its inception and at a
In 2017, the refinery procured a range of
cost of nearly $20 billion, Dangote Refinery is
It became the first sub-Saharan African equipment from Elessent Clean Technologies
expected to change the balance.
nation to join the Organization of Petroleum (formally known as DuPont Clean
Exporting Countries (OPEC) in 1971. Today, Since starting operations in January 2024, Technologies) to minimise its environmental
it remains Africa’s largest oil producer and it has transformed Nigeria into a net exporter impact.

More refined exports

Nigeria’s gasoline and diesel can now be
locally sourced through Dangote Refinery
rather than imported from other continents,
predominantly Europe and America.
“Before Dangote, Nigeria had to rely on
significant levels of imported refined oil
products,” says Johan Thuresson, Managing
Director of GAC Nigeria.
“But now, the country is set to become a
significant exporter of refined products such
as clean petroleum and fuel oil. That will
boost its role in the global tanker market, it
will energise West Africa’s tanker trade and
create new opportunities for wider logistics and
transportation services.
Dangote “It will reshape the competitive dynamics
refinery of West Africa’s oil market with neighbouring
countries likely to change their import
strategies in response to Nigeria’s increased
refining capacity. That will bring a shift in the

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April - May 2025 l TANKEROperator
 OPENING
region’s trade flows and tanker deployment.” overseas at the Dangote Refinery.” Aging tanker infrastructure
“As a result, the overall tanker market in The positive outlook for Nigeria’s oil and
Imports Nigeria will be much busier, providing a major tanker markets could be challenged by ongoing
boost for the local economy and those involved maintenance issues with related infrastructure
Imports of crude oil from the United States in the sector.” that could limit the potential for additional
for use in the Dangote Refinery are expected refined product exports.
to increase. During the first half of 2024, the
Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation - Overall outlook “Aging pipelines, jetties, and equipment –
which was to supply half the refinery’s crude some of which have been out of operation for
Once the Dangote Refinery is at full capacity, months due to repairs – led to a decline in oil
oil requirements - only delivered about one- the overall outlook for Nigeria’s tanker market
third of the anticipated volumes. exports in 2024,” says Mr Thuresson.
is likely to be mixed. With Nigeria reducing
Despite regulatory efforts to promote local its crude oil exports, demand for VLCC and “Maintenance delays and the lack of
supplies, Dangote has had to look overseas to Suezmax vessels is likely to drop for long-haul consistent upkeep have halved production
secure additional crude oil volumes. voyages. capacity in some areas, creating uncertainty
about the timeline for full restoration.”
“When the refinery was first envisaged, the But on the other hand, more refined product
Nigerian government intended to use domestic exports will increase call in the region for “Pipeline and storage upgrades will be
crude oil to promote local energy security,” Mr medium and low range tankers, with new critical to ensuring the long-term success of
Thuresson says. “But that has now changed, refined product trade routes emerging between Dangote Refinery.”
boosting imports directly from the United Nigeria and Europe, South America and the However, “economic growth is forecast to
States.” rest of Africa. improve as refining operations stabilise and
“Right now, US crude is much cheaper than “Changes in oil flows are likely to shore up improve, prompting greater foreign investment
its higher quality Nigerian equivalent. The competition for shipping services in Nigeria in infrastructure and trade logistics,” he says.
country is now exporting its own crude direct and West Africa,” says Mr Thuresson.
TO
to markets and using cheaper alternatives from

Tanker trends in IDWAL’s

March 2025 “Snapshot”
Ship inspection and survey company IDWAL reports that the average grade for tankers
inspected over Sept 2024-Feb 2025 was 76, the highest was 91 and the lowest was 46.

F
or all vessels, the best scoring was 94 MR, 71.0; small tankers, 63.3. in South Korea; 26.9 per cent were built in
and the worst scoring 34. The biggest changes over the 6 month period China and 24.4 per cent were built in Japan. 3
For tankers under 5 years old, was seen in Handysize / MR under 5 years old, per cent were built in Turkey and 2.2 per cent
VLCCs had an average grade of 91; whose grades declined by 9.1 per cent, and LR2/ were built in Croatia.
Suezmax, 80.7; LR2/Aframax, 88.6; Handysize / Aframax over 20 years old, which declined 7.2 Idwal gives a grade to every vessel it inspects.
MR, 78.4 and small tankers, 80.1. per cent. The biggest improvement was in LR1/ The inspectors follow a standardised inspection
For tankers over 20 years old, VLCCs had Panamax age 10-15 years, which improved 1.8 process, capturing over 500 data points, which
an average grade of 72.8; Suezmax, 73.8; LR2/ per cent. are used to calculate the grade, on a scale 1 to
Aframax, 69; LR1/Panamax, 75.3; Handysize/ 39.1 per cent of tankers inspected were built 100.
TO

April - May 2025 l TANKEROperator 5

OPENING

Baltic Exchange offering

chemical tanker pricing data
The Baltic Exchange has launched chemical tanker freight price assessments, covering
shipments of chemical and agricultural oils
Written by Navigate PR on behalf of the Baltic Exchange

T
he Baltic Exchange has launched Americas. “With regulatory shifts and evolving panellists in the sector to truly understand what is
chemical tanker freight price fuel markets, reliable freight data is essential for happening in the market.”
assessments, covering shipments of informed decision making.”
chemical and agricultural oils, called The industry’s transformation is not limited Accuracy and integrity
BCAA (Baltic Chemical and Agricultural Oil to cargo types. Trade disruptions, such as those Seven leading brokerage firms in the chemical
Assessments). caused by conflicts in the Red Sea and Ukraine, tanker space contribute to the BCAA, ensuring its
They are designed to provide owners, and last year’s drought in Panama, have forced credibility and market relevance.
charterers, brokers, and traders with accurate, shipowners to reroute vessels, leading to higher
These panellists provide independent
independent freight pricing data to help them fuel, insurance, and operational costs.
assessments based on real market transactions,
navigate a complex and often volatile market. Extended transit times and increased security ensuring that the data reflects actual trading
The chemical tanker industry presents unique risks have further complicated freight rate conditions rather than theoretical estimates.
challenges, with cargoes that require specialised calculations.
To maintain impartiality, Baltic Exchange does
handling and stowage. At the same time, expanding domestic not assign specific rates to individual brokers,
Unlike the crude and clean petroleum markets, chemical production in China and the Middle preserving the integrity of the assessments.
where freight benchmarks are well-established, East, and the United States’ focus on low-cost
“[The] Baltic Exchange’s reputation as a
chemical and agri-oil shipping has lacked ethylene exports, are reshaping global supply
trusted provider of freight benchmarks is built on
consistent, independent price assessments. chains.
its commitment to transparency and accuracy,”
Historically, freight pricing for chemicals has As suppliers adjust to these changing trade Mr Mazzarulli says.
been negotiated with limited visibility on rate dynamics, accurate freight data is more critical
“Market participants in the tanker space
trends and market fluctuations. than ever to maintaining competitive market
have relied on its assessments, not only for
The BCAA aims to fill this gap by offering positioning.
spot chartering decisions but also for long-term
pricing data based on specific shipment sizes, contract negotiations, risk management, and
creating a clear reference point for market Tanker market complexity financial planning.
participants. The tightening supply of chemical tankers is also “The BCAA is our latest step to bring our
By focusing on high traffic shipping corridors, adding to the sector’s challenges. With an aging renowned expertise and global perspective
including the US Gulf, the Far East, the Middle fleet and rising newbuild costs, shipowners and to a chemical tanker market that is becoming
East Gulf and Northwest Europe, the BCAA charterers are looking to optimise their operations increasingly important and complex.”
is designed to reflect the maturing nature of carefully.
the chartering market for parcel tankers. It will New environmental regulations, such as the Further developments
also offer valuable insights into global chemical International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) While the current assessments are published
carrier price movements. Carbon Intensity Indicator (CII), are also weekly, the Baltic Exchange is exploring ways to
influencing fleet renewal strategies. The rising expand coverage and refine reporting frequency
New requirements for pricing data cost of compliance with decarbonisation targets of these chemical tanker assessments.
Chemical tanker freight rates are increasingly means that many older vessels are being phased As market demand evolves, it will look for
influenced by a range of global factors. out, reducing available tonnage in an already opportunities to provide more frequent updates or
Regulatory changes, alternative fuels, and shifting constrained market. include additional vessel sizes and cargo types in
trade flows are reshaping the market. With the launch of the BCAA, owners can take the assessments.
For instance, as methanol gains traction a more data-driven approach to fleet management, “We’re always evaluating whether to introduce
as a marine fuel, the need for precise freight helping them to assess freight trends and make new routes, adjust existing ones, or adapt to
assessments grows. strategic investment decisions. shifting trade patterns to ensure our benchmarks
The maritime industry is also under pressure to By providing a standardised benchmark, these remain relevant,” he says.
comply with emissions reduction targets, which assessments enable operators to compare rates, “We will see how the market evolves over the
has led to increased investment in low-carbon identify cost-saving opportunities, and plan more coming year to decide whether we increase the
alternatives. effectively for fleet deployment. frequency or change the route network.”
Governments worldwide are pushing for “With methanol demand increasing, companies The Baltic Exchange is also looking to widen
biofuel adoption, altering demand patterns and are scaling up production, developing new its engagement with market stakeholders to refine
increasing the need for reliable cost benchmarks chemical products, and investing in alternative the BCAA methodology.
for tankers critical to transporting these fuel technologies,” Mr Mazzarulli says.
By working closely with owners, charterers,
alternative fuel options. “Access to precise freight data supports better and brokers, the Baltic Exchange aims to ensure
“The cargoes that chemical tankers transport decision making in everything from vessel that its benchmarks remain aligned with industry
are becoming more complex each year,” says chartering to asset investments. That is why we needs and that the BCAA remains fit for purpose.
Paul Mazzarulli, Head of Baltic Exchange launched the BCAA and work with key Baltic TO

6
April - May 2025 l TANKEROperator
DECARBONISATION

Fortescue, green ammonia

and a converted service vessel
Australian mining giant Fortescue wants to convert its bulk carriers to green ammonia
power, while also becoming a major green ammonia supplier. To demonstrate, it converted
a service vessel to run on ammonia

A
ustralian mining giant Fortescue The first ammonia bunkering trial was done at automatic shutdowns set to 30 ppm ammonia
wants to stop using fossil diesel an ammonia facility on Jurong Island, in the Port level. US regulatory (OSHA) guidelines state
in all of its mining and shipping of Singapore in March 2024. that exposure of 50 ppm over 8 hours is a
operations by 2030. It sees the The vessel had bunkered with ammonia fuel permissible limit and 300ppm is immediately
pathway forward being the use of green twice by March 2025. It is using hydrogenated dangerous to health.
ammonia fuel (made by renewable electricity), vegetable oil (HVO) instead of fossil diesel. Flue from the engine is passed through
and plans to become a major supplier itself. a scrubber where nitrous oxides and any
The vessel is managed by Anglo Eastern Ship
To illustrate that ammonia fuel can work Management. un-combusted ammonia can be washed out.
on ships, it converted a 75m industrial service Any purge gases can also be sent through this
vessel, now called “Green Pioneer”, to run The vessel does not have any new technology scrubber.
on a diesel-ammonia blend (up to 30 per cent on it, Fortescue says, just known technology put
together in new ways. The vessel was provided with class and
ammonia). statutory certificates by DNV in April 2024.
DNV has been involved in the project since
Green Pioneer Safety of ammonia 2021, when Fortescue engaged it to work on the
Andrew Forrest, CEO of Fortescue, believes feasibility study and ammonia notation for the
The Green Pioneer has a 20 tonne C-type tank
“ammonia is a perfectly safe shipping fuel.” vessel’s conversion.
holding liquid ammonia on its deck.
“I’m very happy with the safety. I consider it DNV’s Technology Qualification process
It has four conventional Cummins four stroke
new, not unsafe,” he says. provided the framework for the qualification and
diesel engines, two of which have been adapted
assurance of the engine modifications, where
to combust a diesel-ammonia blend of up to 30 Given a choice of conventional fuels or industry rules were yet to be developed.
per cent ammonia. ammonia, “I’m not sure which one is worse [for
safety].” DNV’s Gas Fuelled Ammonia notation set out
It is a diesel-electric vessel, so the engines are
the requirements for the ship’s fuel system, fuel
generating power for an electric motor to run the Gas will ignite with a match, but ammonia bunkering connection and piping through to the
propulsion, rather than driving it directly. doesn’t, he points out. fuel consumers.
The work to convert the engine to run on When crew connect the ammonia pipeline With no IMO regulations covering the
ammonia was done at Fortescue’s land-based for bunkering, after making the connection they specific use of ammonia, DNV and Fortescue
testing facility in Perth, Western Australia. It has check it is gas tight using nitrogen. Then they used the SOLAS provision for Alternative
also been trialled at a 50 per cent blend. leave the manifold and control the bunkering Design Arrangements (ADA) with the backing
The vessel was converted to run on ammonia remotely from the bridge. The pipelines are all of the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore,
at the Seatrium yard in Singapore. double walled. particularly around fire and evacuation risks.
The vessel is fitted with alarms and
Fortescue
Fortescue is one of the world’s largest mining
companies. CEO Andrew Forrest says that
together with Rio Tinto, it ships more goods
than any other company in the world by weight.
Fortescue’s website says that each year the
company loads 970 iron ore carriers from Port
Hedland, Australia, with 190m tonnes shipped
every year. It is a major supplier of iron ore to
the Chinese steel industry.
Fortescue is a major developer of green
hydrogen projects, made by renewable
electricity.
It is involved in green hydrogen projects in
Morocco, Michigan, Colorado, Arizona, Oman,
Jordan, Egypt, Gladstone (Australia), Hemnes
(Norway), Holmaneset (Norway), Pecem
Green Pioneer industrial service vessel, which is capable of running on an ammonia fuel blend, (Brazil) and Pampas (Argentina).
arrives in London

8
April - May 2025 l TANKEROperator
 DECARBONISATION
implementing a carbon tax and says that a tax of [but] we are in a different position. Our
Green hydrogen and ammonia just $100 a tonne would make green ammonia customers say, ‘we don’t want anything killing
fuel competitive with conventional fuels. the planet.’ Maersk are slightly insulated from
Green ammonia is made from green hydrogen,
He thinks that IMO should not be set up to that pressure.”
which is made with renewable electricity. So its
availability and cost is linked to the availability make agreements by consensus. “I can’t even
and cost of renewables. Mr Forrest believes that get my family to agree,” he said. Forget offsets
there is no need for concern about that. The company is “very confident” that Mr Forrest is very sceptical about the use of
“Our ability to make electrons is enormous. ammonia propulsion can be “put in a bulk offsets in calculating carbon emissions. “Offsets
The scale is infinite - never running out,” he carrier before the end of the decade. don’t work,” he said.
says. “Technology is becoming better and better, The company chooses ammonia after asking A common estimate is that only 25 per cent
and cheaper and cheaper.” the question, “where are the sources of fuel that of offsets are real, he says. So, using offsets is
“In 1 year, 3 years, we’ll have this technology can do more for me than greenwash,” he says. equivalent to relying on a medicine with only a
everywhere.” “Any fuel with carbon - organics, biofuel - 25 per cent chance of success.
Mr Forrest is very sceptical that methane can you compete directly with food.” “The world ‘net’ in ‘net zero’ has been
be a transition fuel, since there are still large Asked when green ammonia will be available dangerous,” he says. It allows mining companies
amounts of methane leaked to the atmosphere for shipping, Mr Forrest replies, “I am whipping to avoid taking action. “’Net’ means you will
over the production and combustion chain. my team every day. Give us a couple of years.” greenwash your way out. ‘Net’ means no change
Calling it a transition fuel is “untrue, fake at all,” he says.
news,” he says. Asked for his view on Maersk orientating
towards biofuels, he replies, “we love Maersk, Instead, Fortescue prefers the term “real
TO
Mr Forrest is a strong proponent of IMO zero”.

Getting emissions data in

shape for ETS and FuelEU By OceanScore

S
hipping companies are seeing their (monitoring, reporting and verification) obligations are met by purchasing EUAs, whilst
first EU emissions data being verified purposes, which covers the period between one FuelEU Maritime obligations may be met by
over the first half of 2025. berthing and the next. joining a pool.
If verifiers determine discrepancies The data may not include commercial and There are exchange rates to consider, if the
in the data, there could be increased costs. There technical off-hires, when emissions costs are vessel is chartered in dollars but buys EUAs in
may be disputes between stakeholders about paid for by the shipowner. Euros.
who is paying them. So companies may not be accurately The burden of data generation from
Meanwhile, the costs of buying EUAs is predicting their own emissions related costs. companies with large numbers of vessels,
increasing and FuelEU Maritime adds another In EU ETS, the shipowner is designated the different operating models and multiple
layer of complexity. responsible party but can delegate this role to charterers with different clauses will quickly
The best way to manage the risks is to get the Document of Compliance (DOC) holder. overwhelm Excel-based and other traditional
better transparency of the data, so you know This is typically the ship manager, or whoever tracking tools, Mr Grell says.
about your emissions all the time, says Albrecht is responsible for vessel safety under the ISM Instead, companies should adopt an Enterprise
Grell, Managing Director of OceanScore. code. Resource Planning (ERP) type solution that
Some tracking portals provided by verification In EU ETS, the costs of allowances for charter integrates operational and financial transparency.
companies fall short in several areas, he says. periods must be covered by the charterer in line “In the initial phase, running a parallel system
Some systems do not recognise that the with the ‘polluter pays’ principle. to existing accounting software may seem
definition of “voyage” for commercial purposes However under FuelEU Maritime, the DOC excessive,” Mr Grell notes. “However, as the
may be different to the definition for MRV holder is held solely responsible. The charterer number of vessels to be monitored increases and
only covers costs if that is agreed in the contract. regulations evolve, the benefits in efficiency and
transparency far outweigh the costs.”
Spot market operations further complicate
matters as compliance costs are often embedded OceanScore produces an ERP style
in freight rates. compliance manager software tool, which can
automate the work of compliance tracking. It
Standard accounting and reporting systems helps companies maintain complete and accurate
lack the capability to handle these complex vessel operational data. It helps companies put
inter-stakeholder relationships and compliance EU ETS and FuelEU clauses in charter party
structures, OceanScore says. contracts, and make the correct invoicing.
Offhire emission data is typically not available Companies using it include MSC, V-Ships,
from a verifier’s report. Tsakos, Döhle Group, Norbulk, and Nordic
Albrecht Grell, managing director, OceanScore The data gets very complicated. EU ETS Shipmanagement. TO

April - May 2025 l TANKEROperator 9

DECARBONISATION

DNV perspectives on
emission reduction
DNV experts shared perspectives on the complex decisions shipowners need to make about
emissions, and the pathway to more sophisticated emissions data management systems

W
hile IMO emission regulations Must keep moving The data
do not yet have enforcement “As we continue to push forward with our infrastructure
in place, the European Union decarbonisation efforts it is important to becomes
legislation is putting a price acknowledge that progress may not always increasingly
on emissions, driving much bigger efforts to come in straight lines,” he said. important, he
manage them, said Knut Ørbeck-Nilssen, CEO said.
“There are numerous challenges which
Maritime, DNV.
may slow down the pace - technological Better
He was immaturity, regulatory hurdles, economic emissions data
speaking at constraints, geopolitics,” he said. also helps
the DNV’s
“It is crucial shipowners
Maritime Energy
we never lose assess the best
Transition
sight of our solution for
Summit held Line Dahl, Head of
goals. It is like their fleets and
online on Customer Success and
riding a bicycle. for each voyage
February 6. Onboarding with DNV,
To keep balance speaks at DNV’s Maritime
IMO may route, he said.
we must keep Energy Transition Event
bring in prices moving. We
Knut Ørbeck-Nilssen, CEO
on emissions in must remain Emissions data ecosystem
Maritime, DNV, speaks at 2027 if member committed to With the data requirement of the EU
DNV’s Maritime Energy states can agree, our vision of a Emission Trading Scheme, “It’s no longer
Transition Summit he said. sustainable and enough to check in with data once a year, we
And cargo owners, financiers and wider Jason Stefanatos, Global carbon neutral
need continuous oversight,” said Line Dahl,
society are also pushing for decarbonisation. Decarbonization Director maritime
with DNV Head of Customer Success and Onboarding
Shipping companies have complex decisions industry.”
with DNV.
to make, including determining which
The Fuel EU Maritime regulation allows
alternative fuels to adapt their fleets to, and if Emissions data
there will be enough supply of them. the bringing of data together from multiple
Fuel EU maritime and ETS have been “game vessels, but this is only possible if you have
They need to determine what energy changers” in the way shipping deals with data, “good control over operational data,” she
efficiency measures to implement, and how Mr Ørbeck-Nilssen said. “For both, verified
said.
effective they will be. They need to work out data is a vital element extending beyond
what role data plays, and how to integrate this compliance. It is also crucial for maintaining To do it, you need an “emission data
into operations. operational and commercial integrity across ecosystem”, tracking data from its source to
Shipping companies need to decide whether the maritime value chain.” where it is used.
to be a “first mover, fast follower, or slow “Shipowners, managers and charterers now “A single reliable source of emissions data
adapter.” depend on reliable, standardised data related can transform your operations.”
It is hard for shipowners to find the best to emissions compliance. Doing this well Many shipping companies use multiple
combination of technologies, and “the instils trust between parties, paving the way
systems for emission reporting which do
effectiveness of many measures is still to be for efficient decision making and smooth
not integrate well, which makes this very
validated.” commercial elements.”
difficult, she said.
“These are not questions with simple When the EU’s Monitoring, Reporting and
Verification regulations first kicked in, in DNV has been developing an “operational
answers,” he said.
2018, the majority of the fleet was reporting data standard” which brings clarity and
While yard space remains tight and newbuild interoperability to emissions data, she said.
costs are high, it is hard to invest in newbuilds in an “old fashioned way,” such as with
spreadsheets, said Jason Stefanatos, Global It enables companies to gather emission
and retrofits. Then there is the factor of limited
Decarbonization Director with DNV. data from ships around the world, submit
supply and high costs of future fuels.
Since then, “there was a big transition to it to statutory services, and enable it to be
Yet we have just seen another record year of verified.
new orders for ‘new fuelled’ vessels, he said. more advanced reporting systems.” TO

An optimal combination of energy efficiency As regulatory complexity increases, “I

expect to have a maybe even bigger transition The video of DNV’s Maritime Energy
measures can deliver fuel savings up to about Transition Summit (METS) 2025 is online
16 per cent. This could contribute to the bulk to more advanced reporting systems.”
at [Link]
of reductions required to meet the 2030 goal, When you implement energy efficiency
webinars-and-videos/on-demand-
while supply of alternative fuels is developed. measures on your fleet, you need monitoring
webinars/
with KPIs so you can see if it is working.

10
April - May 2025 l TANKEROperator
April - May 2025 l TANKEROperator 11
DECARBONISATION

Emission perspectives from

Hapag, Prominence, China
Hapag Lloyd, Prominence Maritime and China shipbuilding association CANSI shared
perspectives on emissions data and decarbonisation at the DNV Energy Transition Summit

C
ustomers of container shipping line There will be a growing requirement for are not available in the scale we hope,” she
Hapag Lloyd expect data “in good automated data sharing in the industry, she said.
quality in the form they need.” said. And the industry is far from being able “It would be risky to abandon fossil fuel
This means within 1 per cent to do that. “We need to be able to combine prematurely [when] there’s no technology to
accuracy, said Dorina Schwartz, Director Fleet data sources wherever they come from.” replace fossil fuels.”
Energy Efficiency, Hapag-Lloyd.
Running a vessel on green fuels (from
Prominence Maritime renewable energy) will be particularly
expensive. Ms Procopiou calculates that
a large container ship running on green
methanol would need 36 wind turbines
dedicated to producing electricity to make the
green methanol. The total cost of this would
be $100k a day. “The numbers we are talking
are insane.”
With the challenges of both price and
Dorina Schwartz, Director Fleet Energy availability, “for a pure tramp operator, I
Efficiency, Hapag-Lloyd (left) speaks to think it’s going to be almost impossible.”
Line Dahl, Head of Customer Success and
Onboarding with DNV, at DNV’s Maritime Energy
Transition Event China shipbuilding
The Chinese shipbuilding industry now “has
She was speaking at DNV’s Maritime Ioanna Procopiou, CEO, Prominence Maritime,
speaking at the DNV Maritime Energy Transition a two thirds market share”, claimed Li Yan
Energy Transition Summit held online on
event Qing, General Secretary, CANSI (China
February 6.
Association of the National Shipbuilding
The company has varying data requirements “Ships built today are 25-30 per cent more Industry).
in its fleet. efficient than ships built 15 years ago,” “[The] China shipbuilding industry has a
For vessels it owns and manages, “we really said Ioanna Procopiou, CEO, Prominence great achievement. We can say China is in
need to be on top of the data by the minute to Maritime, which manages 6 bulk carriers. the leading place for the global shipbuilding
take care of issues,” she said. “When considering retrofits, you have industry. “The global maritime industry has
For vessels managed by ship managers, it to consider the remaining useful life of the high expectations from Chinese shipyards.”
needs to do due diligence on the data. ship. You need to do analysis to see what the Most shipyards have formulated or
For vessels it charters into its fleet operated benefit is going to be.” published green development strategies, he
by other companies, Hapag Lloyd pays for However the company uses silicon paints said. ““Most Chinese shipyards will consider
the EUAs (emission allowances), so has to on all ships when they go to dry dock no different compositions. Air lubrication
ensure that data is correct and it is purchasing matter the age. “We’ve seen much better systems, high efficiency propellers, other
sufficient EUAs. performance,” she said. technical measures together,” he said.
Sometimes data is available from multiple “We put ducts in some cases.” There are many debates in China about
sources, and it can be compared as a means of The regulations create a lot of work keeping what the future fuel will be, although people
spotting errors, she said. track of emissions, she said. And Europe’s often base their arguments on where they are
It is important that all parties involved emissions related costs are “going to make employed, he said.
have a common understanding of the data trading with Europe quite expensive.” “If you come from ICE [internal
requirement, she said. “The shipowner is not going to subsidise combustion engine] factories, it defines your
Hapag Lloyd uses DNV’s emissions data the trade.” technical position.
management service. “Unless there are tangible outcomes of “If you come from battery products, or
This provides the company with the this payment system, it’s going to be an duel-fuel producers, you will say in the future,
data foundation it needs to implement uneconomic burden to everyone. ‘all electrical driving vessels.’”
the necessary solutions, manage the risks The regulations seek to make use of fossil China already has much experience with
associated with regulatory compliance, and fuels more expensive, to make alternative electrical vehicles, with so many electric car
increase competitive advantage, she said. fuels more attractive. “But alternative fuels companies, he said. TO

12
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DECARBONISATION

Emissions regulatory update

IMO is planning the next set of GHG regulations; EU is developing a Sustainable Transport
Investment Plan, and will review FuelEU Maritime in 2026-7; some regulatory developments
discussed at DNV’s event

I
n the emissions regulatory space, “the Making things easier?
pace has really picked up,” said Eirik Ms Ioannidou was asked if any of the
Nyhus, Director, Environment, DNV. reporting burdens might be reviewed
He was speaking at DNV’s Maritime in 2026-27, following the European
Energy Transition Summit held online on Commission’s stated aim to reduce reporting
February 6. obligation for business by 25 per cent.
She replied that efforts have been made to
minimise inconsistencies between ETS and
Fuel EU Maritime. Operators are allowed to
use the same data for their monitoring plans.
Further improvements are possible. For
example the ‘responsible entity’ for ETS and
Fuel EU are different companies, and they
Fotini Ioannidou, Director of the EU
could be aligned.
Commission’s Directorate-General for Mobility Ms Ioannidou was asked if there was
and Transport, speaks at DNV’s Maritime Energy
Transition Summit
a possibility any regulations might be
‘sunsetted’ or changed to be more in
alignment with IMO regulations.
European Union interview “That’s another difficult question,” she
Eirik Nyhus, Director, Environment, DNV, speaks Fotini Ioannidou, Director of the EU replied.
at DNV’s Maritime Energy Transition Summit Commission’s Directorate-General for Both FuelEU Maritime and EU ETS
Mobility and Transport, was asked what regulations include a requirement for
IMO is “on the cusp” of adopting a set development we might see from the EU in the European Commission to assess
of greenhouse gas regulations which “will terms of further regulation or evolution of complementarity with IMO global measures.
be very significant in creating drivers for existing regulation, EU ETS and Fuel EU
While EU would like to have alignment
alternative fuels.” Maritime.
between EU and IMO measures, it would
But there are some very difficult political “Our focus for the coming years will be to also need to take into account the level
questions to resolve, and technical design effectively implement these two regulations,” of ambition, scope and integrity of IMO
features to fix first. she replied. measures, and determine if IMO rules would
It needs to be done by the MEPC 83 “They are complex, they are first in its kind be a replacement. The first priority is for
meeting which takes place on April 7-11, he for the sector.” EU to have its own “sound and ambitious
said. framework.”
“We will continue to work with industry
In the European Union, there are still to support industry verifiers, also national
further clarifications being made on issues authorities, in their efforts to comply with Alternative fuels
relating to ETS and Fuel EU Maritime, and these regulations.”
Ms Ioannidou was asked what EU is doing to
perhaps amendments in the “not too distant
“We will listen to their practical concerns encourage the supply of alternative fuels.
future”.
and experiences regarding implementation.”
She replied that EU is doing work with
The UK is looking at setting up its own
In 2026-27 the Commission will prepare a the Renewable and Low-Carbon Fuels Value
emission trading scheme from January 2026.
comprehensive report about FuelEU Maritime Chain Industrial Alliance which facilitates
Mr Nyhus said that CII is “up for review” reviewing its effectiveness, administration collaboration with many stakeholders to
in 2025, but the IMO correspondence group burden and impact on competitiveness. accelerate adoption of sustainable fuels.
has concluded that all issues identified with Proposals for amendments may be submitted
EU will release a “sustainable transport
CII have been pushed into the future (beyond at this point.
investment plan, probably around summer.”
2025). “For those you hope we will fix some
When IMO has made the decision on
flaws in the system you have to hold your This will “provide an industrial strategy
its measures in April, EU will make an
breath a bit longer.” framework with roadmaps for each mode of
assessment of “complementarity”, comparing
transport and fuel type” and “will discuss
IMO is expected to put its “Global Fuel IMO’s measures with its own.
how we expend EU funding mechanisms
Standard (GFS)” or “Greenhouse Gas Fuel
In 2025, EU will also put together a to make sure that the price gap between
Intensity (GFI)” standard into regulation in
Sustainable Transport Investment Plan, a renewable and fossil fuels is closed.”
2027, and it may come into force any time
Maritime Industrial Strategy and a EU Port
between 2027 and 2029.
Strategy. TO

14
April - May 2025 l TANKEROperator
 DECARBONISATION

Developments with biofuels

and wind
Biofuel demand from shipping did not expand much in 2023, but is expected to grow now due to
FuelEU Maritime; wind power does not yet cover its costs fully, but that may change. Discussions
at a DNV event

B
iofuels is proving the most popular to improve CII data. But it did not see much Wind
solution for FuelEU Maritime growth in demand because “there’s no penalty Agricultural products trading company Cargill
compliance, said Øyvind Sekkesæter, from CII.” was an early pioneer of sails. It first started
Consultant in Maritime Environmental So at that point, demand was mainly driven planning to fit an MR tanker with sails in
Technology, DNV. by the voluntary market, companies seeking summer 2020, following a study which it started
He was speaking at DNV’s Maritime Energy to meet internal sustainability targets or make in 2017, together with DNV, looking at different
Transition Summit held online on February 6. claims that cargoes were being transported decarbonisation options.
They are available today, and many have a sustainably. It took this early interest in wind because it
“drop in capability” allowing them to be used This year, FuelEU Maritime is driving wanted to find out what was possible and have
without any engine modifications. demand for biofuels, with more shipping a role in decarbonisation, said Chris Hughes,
The global supply of liquid biofuels, including companies becoming buyers, he said. Decarbonisation Specialist, Cargill International.
FAME, HVO and ethanol is 111m tonnes a year The company believes there are risks of a Wind stood out as a way to achieve more
of oil equivalent. There is a further 41m tonnes decline in demand in future, which would mean than 10 percent fuel savings, he said. The initial
of oil equivalent of biogas being produced. it does not get returns from its investment in modelling “showed it could be competitive from
The maritime industry is only taking 0.6 biofuel infrastructure. “If we had consistent a cost perspective.”
per cent of this, with most of it going to road legislation we [would] know that demand will Wind propulsion does of course need a big
transport. be there,” he said. upfront investment. Cargill seeks to focus its
Bunker sales data from Singapore and “We have seen legislation at national / attention on the return on investment, not the
Rotterdam shows “significant” growth in bio- international level is not always consistent, and amount of upfront capital required, he says. But
blended bunker fuels (a mixture of biofuels and demand is fluctuating. That is ‘killing’ for fuel it is keen to find ways to reduce installation
conventional fuels), he said. suppliers.” costs.
“On the legislative side I don’t expect much There is still uncertainty about the savings in
change over the next 5 years,” he said. “The operating cost which can be achieved. “These
target of FuelEU remains 2 per cent until 2029.” technologies are still pretty new, we’ve got a fair
“ETS costs will go up a bit for shipping bit to learn.”
companies, so the [cost] spread between bio and “Where we are today, we see the payback
fossil gets smaller, but not enough to cover the periods on a tramping bulk carrier are too long,”
gap.” he said. This means that companies are unlikely
Not much is known about further regulations, to want to install wind assisted propulsion
such as more ‘force’ behind CII or a global fuel purely for fuel saving reasons.
standard or carbon levy, he said. So, wind is only viable with the help of
There may be a growth in voluntary markets, regulations. This could change if costs come
where shipping companies can make emission down. There could be a ‘tipping point’ when
Johannes Schürmann, Commercial Director, cuts and “sell” them to someone who wants every shipping company wants to use wind.
FincoEnergies, speaking at the DNV event
to take credit for them. These are normally “What we’re finding through the work
only possible for emission cuts in addition to we’ve done so far, today, it is doable to put
those required by regulation. The rules for how wind propulsion on a bulk carrier with modest
FincoEnergies
they are calculated are not harmonised among saving.”
There are three types of biofuel products used companies, he said. There can be limits to how much wind power
by shipping, FAME, HVO and biomethanol,
you can install on a ship, he said.
said Johannes Schürmann, Commercial Director,
FincoEnergies, a physical supplier of biofuels If the engine is run at minimum load, the
to marine market in the Antwerp-Rotterdam- engine is less efficient. Using wind power may
Amsterdam (ARA) region. mean you need big angles of the rudder, which
creates drag.
FAME is the biofuel shipping companies are
most familiar with. Finco first provided it in It is also difficult to install sails on the deck
2018. HVO has the highest quality. Finco also of bulk carriers in a way which still allows hatch
has a license to supply biomethanol, but seeing covers to be opened.
“quite low” demand for it. If you use bigger sails, you get more wind
They are all supplied at 30 per cent blend force, but are more likely to run into problems
with conventional fuels. with port infrastructure, such as bridges and
cranes, he said.
Finco had expected a growing demand in Chris Hughes, Decarbonisation Specialist,
2023 from companies seeking to use biofuels Cargill International, speaks at the DNV event
“We don’t want to expect supply chains to

April - May 2025 l TANKEROperator 15

DECARBONISATION

change to serve our wind ships.” 20-30 per cent [fuel saving], plus maximum be put on a voyage which is particularly good
Cargill charters two vessels with sails: 32 per cent [when] we got some really good for wind.
the Pixys Ocean bulk carrier, which has conditions.” “What we really want to do is validate the
“WindWings” sails, and the TR Lady, which has A typical Kamsarsmax bulk carrier (230m models we are using in our simulations,” he
rotor sails. length) with sails should be able to save 3 said. This would enable the company to put
“Straight out of the shipyard, we got a tonnes of fuel a day. And perhaps the vessel can more trust into them. TO

Combining cargo owner

purchasing power
The Zero Emissions Maritime Buyers’ Alliance is a consortium of cargo owners seeking to
combine their purchasing power to get more market force to get low carbon transport

T
he Zero Emissions Maritime such as retail chains, and face consumer and claim” approach, where fuels can be paid
Buyers’ Alliance (ZEMBA) is demands to decarbonise. for by one company, but used on another
a consortium of cargo owners There has been “expression of interest” in company’s shipments. This enables more
seeking to combine their getting involved from charterers and owners flexibility.
purchasing power to get more market clout to of tankers, ro-ro vessels and other segments. Otherwise, it could only work if (for
make it viable for shipowners to provide them example) all of the shippers using a certain
with low carbon transport. They may be included in the third round.
“We’re keen to hear from leaders in the container ship wanted to pay extra for the low
To illustrate, in February 2025 it announced industry to see how this could work for carbon fuel, and the fuel was available for
its second round tender, for a shipping them,” she said. that voyage. “To align all of that is virtually
company or consortium able to provide 86 impossible,” she said.
billion tonne nautical miles of e-fuel-powered “Book and claim” requires comprehensive
shipping to be deployed starting in 2027. Finding the right path auditing /verification, to make sure the low
This equates to 1.5 million twenty-foot ZEMBA seeks to be “as fuel and technology carbon fuels were actually used and only paid
containers transported from Shanghai to Los neutral as possible,” although the second for once, she said.
Angeles. tender was specifically for e-fuels (made with
Some shipping companies offer shipments
renewable electricity).
Ingrid Irigoyen, CEO, and president of with low carbon fuels but do not necessarily
ZEMBA, explained more about how it It is interested in exploring ways to give move the cargo of the actual buying customer
works, speaking at DNV’s Maritime Energy business to ships with wind propulsion or using low carbon fuel. So it is similar to
Transition Summit held online on February 6. batteries. “book and claim”, but done internally.
The size of its tenders should make it easier “This is not about getting decarbonisation ZEMBA calls this the “mass balance
for shipping companies, fuel providers, ports, credits tomorrow, this is about setting the approach.”
investors, and others to commit to providing industry on a path to achieving its goals in
the fuels and the technologies. The provision 2040 and 2050,” she said.
Do we need regulation?
of low carbon fuels may only be viable when ZEMBA is a big supporter of the “book Ms Irigoyen was asked how far voluntary
they are made on a large scale. So a large
measures could go in decarbonisation.
scale purchase should help get this started.
“Voluntary corporate action is
Cargo owners want low carbon
tremendously important for sending the
transportation so they can “live up to public
right signals and getting new signals in the
commitments they’ve made to be good
market,” she said.
stewards of this planet,” she said.
“But it is really a start. It is really [only] the
Cargo owners also want to ensure that the
leaders that are doing this voluntarily.”
shipping industry does not get ‘stuck’ with
so-called transition fuels (such as LNG), “If you think about the many companies
which “can’t achieve the lifecycle reductions around the world that use maritime transport,
they are looking for.” we cannot expect a majority of those to be
willing to pay a premium. Not all companies
They do not want fuels with an “obvious
are able to do that. They do not have cash
ceiling for scalability” because they will
on hand for that flexibility. So, policy is
always be available in limited amounts, such
absolutely essential.”
as certain biofuels, she said.
ZEMBA hopes that voluntary action by
The first cargo owners to take an interest in
its members will “give policy makers some
pooling purchasing were buyers of container
insights,” she said. They will be able to see
shipping, she said. Their greater interest may
that zero-emission fuels can work.
be because they are often consumer facing, Ingrid Irigoyen, CEO, and president of ZEMBA TO
(screenshot from webinar)

16
April - May 2025 l TANKEROperator
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DECARBONISATION

DeepSea and using AI to

predict fuel consumption
Eastern Pacific Shipping was able to predict weekly fuel consumption to 0.8 per cent accuracy
with models built by DeepSea. They explained how it works and what the business benefits are

E
astern Pacific Shipping (EPS) of performance worse. They can better understand from arriving later at the destination, the vessel
Singapore was able to predict its the factors which drive performance. They can may carry less cargo over a year.
weekly fuel consumption to within 0.8 plan hull cleaning at the best time. The factors can be compared by calculating
per cent of actual consumption, using You can set the fuel consumption to the right “Time Charter Equivalent,” a measure of the
models developed by DeepSea of Athens. level for the vessel to arrive at its time slot in the average daily revenue performance of a vessel.
The models are trained by being provided berth, so minimise waiting time. If the vessel is being paid by voyage, then
with data for a number of previous voyages, You can use it to detect fuel consumption the longer the voyage takes, the less the daily
including the vessel’s route, speed, loading, suddenly rising from normal patterns, which earnings.
weather conditions, draft, trim, fouling and other may indicate an equipment fault. Need for good data
factors, and what the fuel consumption was.
You can make plans for the year, such as The biggest limiting factor for shipping
DeepSea and EPS spent 6 months during the best way to reach CII targets, or the best companies in their ability to build predictive
2024 building a separate predictive model for commercial performance. models is now availability and quality of data,
each vessel. There are 140 vessels in EPS’ fleet, says Dr. Kyriakopoulos. “The more data you
Then there are tools for optimising voyages
including 20 LPG vessels, 14 car carriers, 52 have, the better model you can create.”
in real time, adjusting vessel speed, making
tankers, 30 bulkers and 35 container ships.
decisions between reducing fuel costs or EPS decided to make further investment in its
Models are tested to see how much the maintaining the number of voyages. sensor data as a means of further improving the
prediction compares to actual fuel consumption quality of the models.
The models can also determine the extent of
in subsequent voyages. They are also
hull fouling, which is very useful since it usually Sensor data from ships has varying levels of
statistically tested to see how they would
be measured directly. If you have two identical noise. Data can have up to 10 per cent noise,
perform in operational conditions which have
(sister) vessels, but one has more fouling, the which is considered “poor quality”. But data
not been seen.
model can compare the data to work out how rated “excellent quality” can include 3 per cent
In the model testing, DeepSea also seeks to much fouling is affecting performance. noise, he says.
evaluate the level of uncertainty in the model.
If the vessels are not identical, the AI can While DeepSea does support vessels which
DeepSea now describes modelling speed/fuel work out the extent of fouling by transferring only have noon day report data, typically noon
consumption as “now largely a solved problem.” certain insights from one vessel and day reports are not enough to build a high-
recalibrating them for the hull and engine of the resolution model.
Benefits second vessel High resolution models can factor in how
Shipping companies normally use fuel tables to wind direction and currents are changing from
make these predictions, but the AI model can About EPS hour to hour, something which cannot be done
make predictions with much more accuracy. with readings taken just once a day.
DeepSea has developed and tested models for
AI models can consider more factors, such as many other shipping companies, although EPS If you are trying to train a model on average
gradually increasing fouling on the hull. was the first to agree to publishing data about data over the past 24 hours, such as average
the model accuracy. Many DeepSea customers speed or average RPM, you can get into
The model can be used to inform voyage
have much smaller fleets than EPS, such as problems, perhaps half the time you had a strong
planners how much fuel the vessel would need
10-30 vessels. tail wind, half the time you had strong trail
for the planned route and required arrival time.
wind, so the average is zero, he says.
This information can then be used to make Pavlos Karagiannidis, Fleet Optimisation
business decisions, such as whether a slower Manager at Eastern Pacific Shipping is “It is not that expensive - to install a torque
speed and later arrival time is beneficial. “absolutely brilliant,” says Dr. Konstantinos meter and a data logger.
With more accurate fuel predictions, shipping Kyriakopoulos, CEO and Co-founder of It is a one-off cost which brings value in the
companies can DeepSea Technologies. “He has a grand vision long run.”
provide more for what he wants to do at EPS.”
reliable speed and EPS brings all of its fleet performance data to Building the models
fuel consumption a central control room, where different software
The models are not built from a standing
warranties to tools are used for different aspects of vessel
start. DeepSea has collected data of fuel
their customers performance.
consumption and operations by the minute
(charterers).
from around five hundred vessels altogether,
They can Financial modelling counting for 800 years of sailing (not including
also better time in port).
DeepSea developed a tool together with
manage vessel
Ardmore Shipping to bring vessel performance This gives it an understanding of the fuel
performance,
data together with vessel day rates. consumption characteristics of different vessel
Dr. Konstantinos reacting faster to
Kyriakopoulos, CEO and If the vessel goes slower, you reduce fuel types and engines.
problems which
Co-founder of DeepSea consumption but also incur an opportunity cost This enables it to build new models of a
make vessel
Technologies

18
April - May 2025 l TANKEROperator
 DECARBONISATION

vessel just from being given noon day report The digital structure voyage optimisation software, some use only
data. Although if you have per minute data, The models are created on DeepSea’s AI driven DeepSea’s models and connect it to their own
you can build a more accurate model. platform, “Cassandra”, which runs on the cloud. voyage optimisation software.
The more data you have from the vessel The model is fed real time sensor data from In future, the systems may be further
being modelled, the less you need data from vessels. developed to incorporate knowledge of
other vessels, Dr Kyriakopoulos says. company domain experts, such as specific
Shipping companies have options in how
issues with how the vessel performs in certain
they use the models. Some use DeepSea’s own
situations. TO

Automatically adjusting
propulsion to changes in
wind power
If you are using wind propulsion together with mechanical propulsion, it may help if you can
adjust mechanical propulsion automatically as wind power increases and decreases. Daniel Koch
of Manta Marine explains how this can be done
By Daniel Koch, Head of Vessel Optimisation, Manta Marine Technologies

W
ith wind assisted propulsion operators to transform wind energy from a their decarbonisation strategies.
well-established as a proven, supplementary resource into a dependable and
scalable solution for reducing integral component of their energy mix.
carbon emissions, operators Controlling engine blowers
By dynamically balancing wind-assisted
have now turned to opportunities to maximise When slow steaming or harvesting the power
propulsion with mechanical thrust to achieve a
fuel savings. from the wind, the vessel’s propulsion power
set speed, FuelOpt can ensure that a constant
can at times be reduced to an extent where
This requires that the usage of wind power speed and propulsive power is maintained
auxiliary blowers start (supporting the turbo
is seamlessly integrated with a vessel’s fuel — a factor that is often vital for smooth
charger).
propulsion systems. commercial operations.
This may trigger the vessel to start an extra
Operators must ensure that propulsion is On a longer timescale, the returns on
auxiliary engine to support the extra power
dynamically optimised, without adding to maximised fuel savings from the integration
load of the blowers. This causes higher fuel
costs via greater manning requirements or a of wind propulsion and FuelOpt can support
consumption and can trigger a black out.
significantly higher administrative burden. operators with greater cost efficiency as the
industry moves to more expensive alternative With FuelOpt, dynamic power limits allow
Technologies like Manta Marine’s FuelOpt
fuels. the regulation of propulsive power to harvest
can automatically adjust engine settings
as much power from the wind while ensuring
in real-time, ensuring vessels operate at Other benefits
safe and controlled blower operation.
maximum efficiency and wind energy is used FuelOpt is transferable between vessels,
to its maximum potential. as operators choose where to deploy wind-
It independently monitors engine speed, assisted propulsion. Wind on tankers
propeller pitch, and thrust from wind power. This will be valuable if wind-assisted Various wind solutions have been deployed
Those inputs are used to dynamically control solutions are taken from one vessel and on tankers including hard sails, rotor sails,
the vessel in order to maintain a target state retrofitted to another, for example. So suction wings, soft sails, and kites. The
chosen by the crew, whether that be a specific investments in wind propulsion and transition toward wind propulsion gained
fuel consumption, speed, or engine power, optimisation solutions are not necessarily speed over 2024.
all while using minimal fuel and allowing the confined to the lifecycle of a single ship. The systems offer either increased sailing
bridge crew to have direct control of the ship.
FuelOpt can be integrated to provide data speeds with no additional fuel cost, or the
This eliminates the need for crew members regarding ship performance and emissions in opportunity to maintain sailing speeds with
to constantly monitor and manually adjust real-time via performance support systems, reduced fuel costs.
settings. So it reduces operational complexity such as MMT’s Fleet Analytics. In the tanker sector, Maersk Tankers has
and enhances safety.
The data gathered can document gains from announced plans to deploy suction sails
The system responds instantly to changes the use of wind assisted propulsion onboard, on some of their medium-range tankers,
in environmental conditions, delivering support improvements to the Ship Energy representing one of the largest-scale rollouts
predictable power output and maintaining Efficiency Management Plan (SEEMP), as of the technology to date. Union Maritime
consistent operational efficiency. well as contribute to ambitious fleet-wide Limited has committed to installing hard sails
This real-time optimisation allows improvements for operators keen to advance on 34 of its newbuild vessels. TO

April - May 2025 l TANKEROperator 19

BALLAST WATER

Ballast water treatment

system developments
Warning about organisms in sediment – a third of BWMS fail – ERMA FIRST acquires Ecochlor
- new record book requirements – an electronic logbook – ballast system in a container – West
Canada rules clarification

I
f shipping companies are treating ballast treated water. of Greece announced it had acquired ballast
water when they are loading it onto 95 per cent of these systems tested had water treatment system company Ecochlor.
the vessel (discharging cargo), but the passed commissioning tests, Global TestNet Ecochlor’s speciality is a ballast water
pipework and tanks are not completely said, so the systems were thought to be treatment system using chlorine dioxide. The
clean of sediment, organisms from this compliant. water to be treated is supplied with a low
sediment can enter the water and multiply, dose of a chlorine dioxide solution, called
so the water does not pass the ballast water Global TestNet is an association of ballast
water testing organisations set up in 2010. EcoBlue.
standard when you reach the destination.
It said that the most common reasons for Ecochlor provides two versions of its
It is a point which is easy to understand but “EcoOne” ballast water treatment system.
is commonly overlooked by people planning having too many live organisms were mixing
treated and untreated waters; improperly One has no filter and uses only chlorine
or regulating ballast water treatment, says dioxide, consuming 10-20 KW of power.
ballast water expert Mark Riggio. opening or closing valves; insufficient /
infrequent cleaning of ballast water tanks; The second uses a two-step filtration together
The same point also applies to ballast and crew having “insufficient system with chlorine dioxide treatment.
water exchange. Pumping out your untreated knowledge”. It guarantees regulatory compliance for
ballast water mid ocean and replacing it with every operation, to both IMO and USCG
seawater is better than not treating ballast at Operators should note that even if
organisms are removed with high efficacy standards.
all. But it does not mean you are ridding the
ship of organisms from your departure port, (99.9 per cent), the discharge may not meet ERMA FIRST will continue to provide
he says, because they can still live in the the standard, because there may already be service to Ecochlor customers, subject to
sediment. organisms in the tank which can multiply. verification that they have only used original
“If bypassing cleaning procedures for spare parts and the EcoBlue solution.
Canadian researchers have found that
ballast water exchange may need to be done ballast tanks occurs frequently, non-
up to five times before the water meets the compliance will be unavoidable,” said New record book requirements
D-2 standard at the arrival port, which is very Charlène Ceresola, BWT project manager
costly and time consuming. with BIO-UV Group. In September 2024, IMO announced new
requirements for hard copy and electronic
Canada subsequently requested guidelines BIO-UV adds that IMO may change the ballast water record books (Resolution
at IMO MEPC that ships must exchange ballast water regulations at the end of 2026 MEPC.369(80)). They apply from February
ballast water 5 times if they are using ballast with requirements for maintenance and 2025 (form of ballast water record book or
water exchange. Other IMO members did not training. BWRB) and October 2025 (use of electronic
accept this proposal, fortunately for tanker record books).
operators, Mr Riggio says.
Growth in orders for system The first requirement sets information
Treating ballast water when loading replacement which must be included. Useful guidance on
may only makes sense if you have never completion of BWRB entries can be found in
loaded untreated ballast water onboard or Alfa Laval reported in September 2024
that it had received an order to replace 18 BWM.2/Circ.80 (Guidance on ballast water
done perhaps five ballast water loads and record-keeping and reporting).
discharges since you did, to flush out all the ballast water treatment systems for a single
sediment, he says. European shipowner. BWRB entries must be available onboard
Over the previous two years, Alfa Laval for at least 2 years from the date of the latest
had replaced more than 250 systems from 30 entry, and available from the company for a
A third of BWMS fail different manufacturers, and the orderbook further 3 years.
Testing in October 2024 by Global TestNet for replacement continues to grow. The second requirement says that
found that 29 to 44 per cent of operational “Many suppliers have reduced their electronic BWRBs must meet the IMO
ballast water management systems are failing commitment to customers or exited the performance standard. There must be a
to remove invasive species of size above 50 market entirely, leading to a lack of declaration onboard confirming this, issued
micrometres in port state control inspections, support and upgrade options as regulations by the flag administration or by class
a requirement of the D-2 standard. evolve,” Alfa Laval said. “This is especially where authorised by the flag, following an
challenging when the systems purchased are installation survey onboard. The installation
More specifically, the regulation states that survey will include checks that entries can
ships may only discharge ballast water with not functioning properly.”
be made, countersigned and printed. Ships
fewer than 10 viable organisms per cubic that use an electronic BWRB need this by 1
metre which are over 50 micrometres in October 2025.
size. The testing “routinely” found over 100 ERMA FIRST acquires Ecochlor
organisms of this size in every cubic metre of In November 2024 ERMA FIRST GROUP

20
April - May 2025 l TANKEROperator
 SIMPLIFYING BALLAST
WATER COMPLIANCE, WHILE
REDUCING DOWNTIME

We understand the challenges of meeting stringent ballast water regulations. That is why we
make compliance as hassle-free as possible. With our efficient and cost-effective portable BWT
containers. A high flow rate, plug-and-play system with no filters. Ensuring compliance and pro-
viding peace of mind for crew and port authorities. Contact us for more info on info@[Link]
[Link]
April - May 2025 l TANKEROperator 21
 code so putting theory into practice will not
BALLAST WATER
2012 (US$/Day)
be easy.
Anschütz electronic For years
logbook the evidence has been mounting electrochlorination or dosed from bulk
that the market was adopting new operating storage.
Anschütz of Kiel, Germany, announced that
its electronic logbook hasparameters.
been developedThis tohas been bolstered by vetting Dosing is continued until the required TRO
comply with upcoming Ballast and technical requirements combined with
Water Record (Total Residual Oxidant) level is reached.
e TCE required for 10% ROE swollen inventories from past orderbooks. Dosing then moves to the next ballast tank.
Book regulations.
15-year Life | US$ 48.800/Day The TRO level is further checked during the
The logbook has type andHowever, even if these elevated deletions
class approval
20-year Life | US$ 45.200/Day
from “major flags”. occur, further restraint will still be required. If voyage. The treatment reports can be viewed
25-year Life | US$ 43.300/Day by crew and regulators.
available
It meets IMO’s new structure andtonnage
data is trimmed and rates rise as
entry guidelines for BWRBs, ensuring that transit speeds will be
forecast, increasing The TRO sensor measures the amount of
records are correctly formatted and However,
easily free chlorine or chlorine compounds present
tempting. speeding up vessels would
verifiable. in the ballast water after it has been treated
eliminate some of the gains by raising tonnage by the Ballast Water Treatment System
Normal Curve Distribution
Data entered in earlier availability
versions of the through reduced voyage times. (BWTS).
system can be automaticallyAlthough carried over.
the 10% solution will result in It is a measure of how effective the
There are tools to validatedearer transportation
data. The system costs, charterers should treatment has been in killing harmful
117.5
122.5
127.5
132.5
137.5
142.5
147.5
152.5
157.5
162.5
167.5

uses blockchain to keep ballast water records

also support this move, as it will allay any organisms and pathogens. If it is too low, it
unalterable. Data can be reviewed
concerns remotely.
regarding owners cutting corners to means that the oxidant dose may have been
y)
save on operating costs. insufficient; if it is too high, it indicates over-
Source: McQuilling Services.
dosing, leading to environmental and safety
Ballast system in Sending a container a 15-year old vessel to the breakers concerns.
3). Scienco/FAST and UniBallast in isolation will accomplish nothing, meaning
have launched The Uniballast system fitted inside a box
n for thisalies in the
ballast effect
water of in collective
system a 20-foot boxaction is required. Coaxing
container
sh flowscontainer.
over time. The cash collective action, such as that discussed in this West Canada clarification
The system is called “InTankFITT
years of theIt project make
is suitable vesselsreport
forfar up to requires
50,000 DWT, true leadership and our industry
Container.” Canadian regulators have issued a
han thosehandling from years.
in the early 500 to 5,000m3 of ballast
has a long history of producing leaders. clarification about ballast water regulations,
It is Uniballast’s third system fitted in reports West of England P+I Club. It
economic water in one
impact of go. “Will anyone step up atocontainer.
the task?”The first two use a different
follows enquiries from industry stakeholders
not as severe is basedMcQuilling
sel’s life isScienco/FAST in Fulshear,asked.
Texas, system, from TeamTech TO Senza.
including INTERTANKO.
ted and UniBallast is based in Rotterdam.
Since the system The clarification is about which ports are
or is based in a required to adhere to more stringent ballast
rent PROF. LECH KOBYLINSKI container, it can water exchange and treatment protocols.
ed be shared between
FOUNDATION FOR SAFETY vessels which do not The regulations say this is required for
vessels heading to “designated freshwater
OF NAVIGATION need regular ballast
water treatment, ports”.
nt such as project The clarification states that it applies to
nd vessels or barges. the ports of Kitimat, Stewart, and ports along
The container can the Fraser River. It does not apply to ports in
be mounted on deck Vancouver city, specifically West of Mitchell
or on a temporary Island and Tilbury Island, and Westridge
platform. Marine Terminal in the Burnaby region of
It can be Vancouver.
ove
connected to a port-
als based ballast water
cost LNG carrier tank design
reception barge.
and GTT has developed a design for a 30,000m3
The system
ing LNG carrier with special ballast tanks
is provided by
enabling it to eliminate filling limits.
UniBallast both
Our Training Centre offers you: It has an approval in principle from
as a product for
SPECIALIZED COURSES IN HANDLING OF purchase, and a ClassNK.
hat
LARGE TANKERS! service (with a It is for LNG carriers with membrane
like
• Two fully equipped manned models representing system for hire). tanks, where the tank is part of the vessel.
ker tankers of capacity 150 000 DWT and 280 000 DWT It is a version of These vessels often have filling limits, based
erate are available; on an assessment of how much the LNG
the Scienco/FAST’s
• STS operations, approaching SBM and FPSO are filterless Ballast might ‘slosh’ in the tank and add too much
included in the programme; Water Treatment load on the steel.
• Harbour manoeuvres are supported by manned System “InTank.” With the GTT design, the ballast tank
models of large ASD and tractor tugs. It uses chemical itself reduces sloshing in the tank, by being
injection (sodium positioned higher up the side of the vessel.
For further information please contact: hypochlorite This leads to improved stability of the ship,
Prof. Lech Kobylinski Foundation for Safety of Navigation or bleach) and reduced rolling, reduced sloshing loads and

”
Ilawa, Poland recirculation. removes the need for the filling limit.
tel./fax: +48 89 648 74 90 or +48 58 341 59 19 The bleach The ballast tank is designed with separate
e-mail: office@[Link] can be produced upper and lower sections, and the upper
[Link] onboard using section is filled first. TO

22
05 April - May 2025 l TANKEROperator
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23
TECHNOLOGY

Making port calls more

efficient with a data hub
Terminal operators are learning that meeting their efficiency goals requires changes in how they
handle vessel scheduling and dock operations. A central ‘marine data hub’ can make it easier
By Robert Kessler, Product Manager, Marine Terminal Operations, with MIS Marine

C
onsistently measuring vessel stakeholders must have access to the relevant The second use case is the ISGOTT Ship/
arrival, mooring, and departure information in a centralized location. Shore Safety Checklist for oil tankers. This
performance isn’t enough for This prevents delays and inefficiencies checklist consists of four main sections plus
today’s terminal operators to meet caused by issues like incomplete data in a several sub-sections. The sub-sections are
their throughput and utilization goals. pre-arrival questionnaire, mismatched Ship- dedicated to different aspects of the proposed
They must also understand and address the Shore safety checklists between stakeholders, operation for the tanker, the terminal, and
many external factors that pose risks to port- and scheduling misunderstandings with cargo both.
call efficiency. surveyors. The vessel and the terminal must complete
This requires more information and Another problem is the use of email for all ISGOTT checks before any transfer
collaboration with third parties on a more stakeholder communications. It has often led begins. In some cases, checks occur in
comprehensive risk-management and process- to information overload. locations where internet access is unreliable.
optimization process. These and other port-call efficiency In these cases, representatives from both
Vessel calls now involve a broad challenges can be solved by merging risk the terminal and the vessel must be able
community of interdependent maritime management and dock scheduling at the ship/ to enter and access information offline.
supply-chain stakeholders. shore interface. They also must sign and retain the required
electronic signatures, and store completed
Terminal operators do not work alone This enhances all terminal operations checklists with the overall vessel/terminal
with a single set of port data. Nor can port activities by integrating data-driven methods call records. This allows stakeholders to view
stakeholders achieve their efficiency goals with vessel-call collaboration. and understand these checklists in the context
without a shared information source that can The result: terminal operators can drive of the entire operation.
be accessed by other stakeholders involved meaningful efficiency improvements
in each vessel call operation. Collaboration is as they reduce the risks of delays and
essential. miscommunication that often hinder dock Using a Marine Data Hub
During the pre-arrival period there must be operations. A key element of successful collaboration
timely and accurate communication between is a central repository for sharing
the vessel, terminal, surveyors, and other vessel certificates, answering terminal
stakeholders. Each stakeholder needs to know Two major use cases questionnaires, and managing joint checklists.
when and where to find the information it There are two key use cases where terminal The Marine Data Hub, a collaborative
needs. operators are seeing the biggest benefits from venture headed by MIS Marine (www.
It is impractical for any one stakeholder this approach to port-call optimization with a [Link]) performs this function.
to hold all this information. Instead, all data hub. It accurately collects requests from
The first use case is the pre-arrival multiple terminals and categorizes them by
questionnaire. Terminals require vessels to responsible group.
provide extensive information before the This gives vessel operators a single
terminal clears the ship to enter the terminal. location for all communications with each
This ensures that the terminal handbook terminal and charterer, and an ecosystem for
has been read and all necessary questions sharing data in a controlled manner. Each
have been answered to facilitate a safe and stakeholder has a single reference point for
efficient vessel call. every vessel call, regardless of the other
This process involves the terminal and stakeholders involved.
vessel, the Ship’s Technical Operator, the Vessels and terminals are enhancing their
Vessel Agent, and the Charterer’s Marine terminal-call efficiency initiatives through
Terminal Advisor. data-driven approaches. When they add
During this process, the terminal digital collaboration into their vessel call
may request additional information or management strategy, they can work more
clarifications that stakeholders can only effectively with each other and the larger
understand if they know the previous community of port stakeholders.
dialogue related to the vessel call. They can better address scheduling
The information must also stay with the conflicts, poor communication, and other
vessel call record in the terminal’s scheduling challenges that disrupt terminal operations.
system. None of this can be effectively They also can more quickly and easily
Robert Kessler, Product Manager, Marine
Terminal Operations, MIS Marine managed with emails, alone. resolve these obstacles, ensuring a smooth
workflow. TO

24
April - May 2025 l TANKEROperator
April - May 2025 l TANKEROperator 25
#Future-Proof

[Link]

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Important
Maritime Week
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April - May 2025 l TANKEROperator