The latest Nor-Shipping was the busiest ever, with a record number of delegates in Oslo. Engaging new ocean actors to the fair has turned out a success
Almost 50,000 people participated in Nor-Shipping 2019 official events between 3 and 7 June – a 34% increase over 2017[ds_preview] figures, the organizers state. Although it has been operating for the past 54 years, this was the first time organizers extended its remit to encompass ocean industry businesses as well as a traditional audience. As such, the event week which welcomed exhibitors from 47 countries and visitors from over 85 nations was rebranded as »Your Arena for Ocean Solutions«.
It was a move that Nor-Shipping Director Per Martin Tanggaard says appears to have paid off. »There is huge growth potential for commercial activity within the ocean space, and maritime is in a prime position to exploit that, profit from it and serve the needs of a growing global population. Nor-Shipping 2019 sought to deliver value for its core shipping audience by engaging new ocean actors – and providing unique, high-level expertise and insight – to enable the co-operation that will allow maritime to prosper in the future. It seems to be a strategy that has worked well, for us and, most importantly of all, for our audience.«
In total, 30,200 unique visitors came through the doors at Nor-Shipping’s 22,500m2 exhibition space at Lillestrøm, interacting with 846 exhibiting companies. This was the first time the entire floor space at the halls was filled, with stands selling out with two weeks to go before opening. 300 high-level speakers participated across more than 220 conferences and events, delivering valuable takeaways on subjects as varied as cyber security, collaboration, decarbonisation, green financing, alternative fuels, renewables, digitalisation, gender equality and evolving ocean regulations, amongst other key issues.
Sowing ZEEDS
The social scene at Nor-Shipping 2019 was equally as vibrant, with 2,500 industry decision makers attending the BBQ at DNV GL’s headquarters, countless networking opportunities and a lively party atmosphere in the evenings on Festival Street in Oslo city centre.
The power of collaboration was one of the big takeaways for representatives of the Six Nordic partners who have been beavering away since January on an initiative to address the critical need to cut CO2 emissions from the industry. The partners settled on the ZEEDS (Zero Emission Energy Distribution at Sea) concept for green fuel bunkering infrastructure in Northern Europe, which was presented in detail during various events at Nor-Shipping. Wärtsilä is leading the effort joined by Aker Solutions, Equinor, Kvaerner and on the shipping side by DFDS and shipowner Grieg Star. ZEEDS is eager to plug the expertise gap by pulling in new partners across the value chain – including politicians, class, academia and financing institutions.
The concept envisages an »ecosystem« of offshore clean energy hubs strategically located close to Northern Europe’s busiest shipping corridors capable of producing, storing and distributing renewable fuels. »Fuel stations placed in a highly trafficated area such as outside Bornholm or in Skagerak would become the infrastructure,« said Kvaerner’s Kenneth Simonsen, senior vice-president Strategy and M&A. It could of course be scaled up to serve global trade lanes. The vision was to look beyond just ships, says Wärtsilä’s Andrea Morgante, vice president, Strategy and Business Development. »We realised there was a lot of value to be captured in the logistics chain.«
The hubs are designed as gravity-based structures in shallow regions and potentially semi-submersible floaters in deeper water, with bunkering buoys either cemented to the seabed or floating in deep water. Clean energy for topside fuel production would be supplied by 75 big wind turbines. Solar and wave technologies are also potentially available.
ZEEDS’ focus is on green ammonia as a feasible zero-emission fuel, given that it can be used on existing LNG-powered vessels without major modifications. Multiple fuels including hydrogen could also be utilized. Storage for ammonia is either internal or in seabed tanks. Data calculations show each hub could potentially produce sufficient ammonia to supply 65 vessels per day. Hydrogen production and storage could be accommodated on an under-deck.
Distribution features ship-to-ship (STS) bunkering at sea that eliminates the need for clean-powered vessels to make frequent shore deviations to refuel. Bunkering is performed by autonomous units dubbed energy providing vessels (EPVs), powered by offtake from their own cargo and with a range of 50 nm. The full STS transfer is designed to take two hours. Drones airlift a pilot cable from the EPV.
All involved stress the knowledge sharing but getting mindsets in synch was not plain sailing. »But we very soon overcame our diverse angles and focused in on ideas,« said Wärtsilä’s Morgante. All agree the process has been eye-opening. Equinor’s project manager Silje Malmstrøm rejected suggestions of her company’s involvement as »greenwashing«. Their challenge is to satisfy growing demand amid energy future uncertainty. »We have a clear ambition to grow our new energy portfolio to 15% to 20% of capex by 2030,« she said. From a science perspective, Anders Valland of research organisation SINTEF said ammonia is interesting as it could also sustain longer-range shipping. He cautions hydrogen is light and requires a lot of storage space and high energy input in production.
Regarding funding, Thina Saltvedt of Nordea said investor appetite for climate-friendly projects is increasing amid a clear trend from silos to collaboration. She also stresses the need for closer dialogue with governments to share risk.
