Page 60 - North American Clean Energy July/August 2019 Issue

energy storage
Charging the Marine Industry for Tomorrow’s Demand
by Ed Schwarz
THE DEMAND FOR SUSTAINABLE SOLUTIONS
is a relatively new concept in the maritime and shipping industry. Historically, the marine and shipping market segment has fallen
under the radar on policy discussions regarding carbon footprint reduction, but there has been a recent internal and external push on the industry to nd ways to rectify their environmental impact. Maritime activity accounts for approximately 3 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions annually. e International Maritime Organization, a United Nations agency responsible for regulating shipping, has set a global target to cut annual emissions by at least 50 percent by 2050, from
2008 levels. Vessel electri cation is widely considered to have a strong potential to signi cantly reduce this gure.
Environmental and cost bene ts of emission-free, electric vessels compel many marine vessel owners to seek electri cation solutions for both new ship builds and existing diesel vessels. However, this recent in ux in electric ships entering the market highlights a series of unique challenges for marine chargers at port.
Compared to other transportation market segments, maritime has
an exceptionally broad operational pro le – from long-distance large container ships, to small passenger vessels that ferry short distances. ere is no one-size- ts-all solution when it comes to marine chargers. ese demands vary throughout the entire industry, and can even di er within segments of the industry.
For instance, the degree of electri cation can vary from ship to ship based on the level of equipment conversion the owner opted for (from retro tted systems to full teardown and replacements). e conversion market has become one of the largest growing sectors in the industry as a large majority of owners are looking for quick, easy ways to electrify vessels operating today.
Building a new vessel is another option available to owners. In North America, vessels typically have a 35- to 40-year lifespan; it’s worth noting that if you’re considering a new-build project, it might take a couple years from concept to delivery of the vessel. is is why it’s important for owners to make sure the vessel not only meets the regulatory and operational demands for today, but also for tomorrow. Many owners prefer to update their existing equipment, which may require custom chargers to meet their vessel’s speci c electrical demands.
One of the biggest challenges for these chargers stems from the short connection issue within the design. While docked, ships remain mobile on the water, continuously moving in three di erent directions, which makes it di cult to establish
a secure shore-to-ship power connection. is tedious connection process can be detrimental for cargo and passenger ships, both of which have imposed strict time limitations at each port. Vessel owners often spend more time with electri cation companies discussing how their vessel will achieve that shore-to-ship power connection, than any other part of the design.
Some standards have already been established for these marine chargers, and the connection itself could eventually become standardized. In the United States, many marine chargers use industry- approved IEC standards. However, most ships require customized connection solutions due to reasons such as the vessel mission, conditions
of operations, environmental impact, and more. Additionally, the US Coast Guard subjects
chargers to additional approvals, on top of local municipality requirements that can uctuate from city to city. ere are a lot of di ering opinions on the current state of marine charging standards. Some may think they’re a little loose, but this provides opportunities to develop custom designs to t the owner’s unique vessel needs.
In the past, most of the demands in the maritime industry involved bringing down the costs of transportation of goods and, more recently, improving safety. Now, we’re starting to see a push for sustainable solutions to curb carbon dioxide emissions and reduce the potential for other forms of environmental contamination.
In addition to environmental concerns, conventional vessels have associated maintenance and operational costs that can be mitigated through electri cation. Converting to electric could result in signi cant cost savings for large cargo eets. Electri cation also liberates much of vessel’s storage of petroleum products, reducing the weight of the vessel for further cost savings.
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