Choice of fuel system for the offshore support fleet

Abstract

The stringent requirements of the IMO's emission regulations call for alternative fuels and new ways of powering ships. However, the IMO predicts that technology which could reduce ship emission to zero, will either not be available, nor cost-efficient over the next 40 years. However, technological innovations in ship power & propulsion systems; such as duel-fuel LNG engines, and the utilization of energy storage technology in the form of lithium-ion batteries have been found to reduce harmful emissions; and are already utilized to quite some extent in the offshore support fleet. This paper elaborates on the reliability and sustainability of newer ship power technologies, where equal to existing levels of reliability are expected as a minimum.