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The maritime industry is working towards meeting 2030 and 2050 International Maritime Organization (IMO) emissions goals, as well as localized emissions rules to improve air quality, including those set by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and European Union (EU). Proven clean technology solutions are part of this journey. Available now, e1 Marine’s methanol to hydrogen generator technology makes it possible to convert methanol to fuel-cell grade hydrogen onboard a vessel; when combined with hydrogen fuel cells and battery packs, it can even be used for primary propulsion or auxiliary power. Find out how our solutions can make a tangible impact on shipping’s decarbonization and nearly eradicate other harmful emissions when compared to traditional diesel engines. Download our study, ‘Towards Zero’ co-authored with maritime innovation consultancy, Thetius to understand the potential impact of methanol to hydrogen generators on cleaner shipping operations here:

New environmental regulations are requiring ports to provide cleaner power solutions for their operations and for berthing vessels. In response, demand for shoreside power is rising, but many ports lack the electrical infrastructure to support traditional systems. Not only do ports often share a local grid with neighbouring communities, creating demand surges that cause inconsistent power supply, but this infrastructure can also be vulnerable to extreme weather events. Unreliable ports are uncompetitive ones. It’s essential that port operators can find clean, renewable energy sources that meet both environmental and operational expectations. Achieving this requires developing agile power systems that are free from harmful emissions, and that can be adapted to meet a variety of differing vessel requirements whilst also being accessible across a range of in-port applications. In this The Maritime Executive article, our Managing Director, Robert Schluter, explores the innovations that can be combined to create flexible, affordable sustainable energy solutions in ports and the barriers that need to be overcome to accelerate their uptake. Read his insights in full, here.

M/V Hydrogen One is being developed by Maritime Partners in cooperation with ship design from Elliott Bay Design Group and hardware from e1 Marine and ABB M/V Hydrogen One will be built using proven, efficient technologies that are commercially available today M/V Hydrogen One will be IMO 2030 compliant, meet the USCG’s Subchapter M requirements, and have an operational range of 550 miles before refuelling Vancouver, 30 November 2021 – Maritime Partners in cooperation with Elliott Bay Design Group, e1 Marine, and ABB, today announces that the M/V Hydrogen One, the world’s first methanol-fuelled towboat, will join Maritime Partners’ fleet and become available for charter in 2023 to meet the pressing demand for sustainable towboat operations. Decarbonising the towboat sector poses substantial challenges, particularly due to towboats’ inherent size, space, and weight limitations. Batteries are only suitable if you operate on fixed routes and can recharge daily, and a towboat’s limited storage capacity restricts the use of pressurised or cryogenically stored gases as fuels. There are also very few dockside facilities to load such marine fuels, which severely constrains a vessel’s range and functionality. M/V Hydrogen One will be IMO 2030 compliant, and meet all requirements of the US Coast Guard’s Subchapter M regulations. The ship has been designed by Elliott Bay Design Group using proven, efficient technology throughout, from ABB’s electrical power distribution and automation to e1 Marine’s methanol-to-hydrogen fuel cell, and it will be able to perform at standard operational speeds for up to 550 miles before it needs to refuel. Methanol is a common towboat cargo, and it is available in 88 of the world’s top 100 ports. This availability enables you to refuel safely almost anywhere without the need for costly diversions. The M/V Hydrogen One’s use of e1 Marine’s reformer technology generates hydrogen from methanol on-demand, which also makes it considerably safer than transferring and storing hydrogen directly, and the ship’s crew will require minimal additional training to use the technology. Austin Sperry, Co-Founder and Chief Operating Officer at Maritime Partners commented, “Shipowners have been understandably reluctant to commit to low carbon fuels until the infrastructure is available to refuel their vessels. The M/V Hydrogen One solves that problem by using methanol, which is safe and readily available worldwide. When the M/V Hydrogen One joins our fleet of 1,600 vessels, it will not only provide excellent emissions reduction capabilities but highly functional, reliable, and cost-effective operations.” Dave Lee at ABB Marine & Ports, commented, “The US towboat market is one of the most traditional in the world, so it’s important to recognise what this represents: the first step in a shift from diesel electric to methanol electric, and a major advancement towards zero emissions. Governed by ABB’s power management and distribution technology, the system consumes methanol fuel on-demand. This philosophy is much more efficient than a traditional towboat, where you need both main engines as well as a generator online at all times. Through this design and our technology we’re enabling not only huge operational and cost efficiencies, but making the most environmentally friendly mode of transport even more sustainable.” Robert Schluter, Managing Director at e1 Marine, commented, “Converting methanol to hydrogen reduces the CO2 output and our reformer technology eliminates the complexities of direct fuelling and storage of gas marine fuels. By producing hydrogen at the point of consumption from a mixture of methanol and water, e1 Marine’s system enables the safe, efficient, and economic use of hydrogen as a marine fuel. The technology is ideal for anything that requires continuous power over extended periods, including work boats and medium-range passenger vessels, or to provide backup power in ports and harbours.” Mike Complita, Principal and Vice President of Strategic Expansion at Elliott Bay Design Group, commented, “M/V Hydrogen One is the model for what is likely to be the only practical and commercially available technology that will enable smaller vessels to run for multiple days on a single fuel load and without the need for dedicated refuelling facilities. Our naval architects have optimised the balance between reformers, fuel cells and batteries to maximise range and power while minimising operational costs. This design and the technologies it uses can be easily scaled to suit any vessel with a similar need to operate on variable routes with multiple-day transit times, and further enhances Elliott Bay Design Group’s market-leading expertise in this growing sector.” [1] ABB will be providing the electrical propulsion plant for the vessel. This includes ABB Onboard DC GridTM, Z-drives, transformers, fuel cells, and the Power and Energy Management System. [1] The e1 Marine hydrogen generator solution is cost-effective today because it consumes 35% less energy than diesel-generators, and even while running on standard methanol the hydrogen generator / fuel cell set produces zero particulates, zero NOX, zero SOX emissions, and 28% less CO2 than a diesel generator. It is currently available in power outputs ranging from 50KW to 2 MW. Click here for more information

The world's first methanol ­fueled towboat is set to join the fleet of Metairic, La.-based Maritime Partners LLC and become available for charter in 2023 to meet the pressing demand for sus­tainable towboat operations. The vessel, the M/V Hydrogen One, will be IMO 2030 compliant, meet the USCG's Subchapter M requirements, and have an operational range of 550 miles before refueling. Maritime Partners, in cooper­ation with Elliott Bay Design Group, CL Marine, and ABB, are developing it. Decarbonizing Towboats Decarbonizing the towboat sector poses substantial challenges, particularly due to the inherent size, space, and weight limi­tations of towboats. Batteries are only suitable for boats that operate on fixed routes and can recharge daily, and a towboat's limited storage capacity restricts the use- of pressurized or cryogenically stored gases as fuels. There are also very few dockside facilities to load such marine fuels, which severely con­strains a vessel's range and functionality. Elliott Bay Design Group, Seattle, Wash., using proven, efficient technol­ogy throughout, from ABB's electrical power distribution and automation to CL Marine's methanol-to-hydrogen fuel cell, has designed the boat. Methanol to Hydrogen Methanol is a common towboat cargo, and it is available in 88 of the world's top 100 ports. This availability enables a vessel to refuel safely almost anywhere without the need for costly diversions. Thc M/V Hydrogen One's use of CL Marine's reformer technology generates hydrogen from methanol on-demand, which also makes it considerably safer than transferring and storing hydrogen directly, and the vessel's crew will require minimal additional training to use the technology. "Shipowners have been understand­ably reluctant to commit to low carbon fuels until the infrastructure is available to refuel their vessels," said Austin Sperry, co-founder and chief operating officer at Maritime Partners. "'The M/V Hydrogen One solves that problem by using meth­anol, which is safe and readily available worldwide. When the M/V Hydrogen One joins our fleet of 1,600 vessels, it will not only provide excellent emissions reduc­tion capabilities but highly functional, reliable, and cost-effective operations." Breaking With Tradition "The U.S. towboat market is one of the most traditional in the world, so it's important to recognize what this represents: the first step in a shift from diesel electric to methanol electric, and a major advancement towards zero emissions;" said Dave lee at ABB Marine & Ports. Governed by ABB's power management and distribution technology, the system consumes methanol fuel on ­demand. This philosophy is much more efficient than a traditional towboat, where you need both main engines as well as a generator on line at all times. "Through this design and our tech­nology we're enabling not only huge operational and cost efficiencies, but making the most environmentally friendly mode of transport even more sustainable," he added. "Converting methanol to hydrogen reduces the CO2 output and our reformer technology eliminates the complexities of direct fueling and storage of gas marine fuels," said Robert Schluter, managing director at CL Marine. "By producing hydrogen at the point of consumption from a mixture of methanol and water, e1 Marine's system enables the safe efficient, and economic use of hydrogen as a marine fuel. The technology is ideal for anything that requires continuous power over extended periods, including work boats and medium-range passenger vessels, or to provide backup power in ports and harbors." "M/V Hydrogen One is the model for what is likely to be the only practical and commercially available technology that will enable smaller vessels to run for multiple days on a single fuel load and without the need for dedicated re-fueling facilities" said Mike Complita, principal and vice-presi­dent of strategic expansion at Elliott Bay Design Group. "Our naval architects have optimized the balance between reformers, fuel cells and batteries to maximize range and power while minimizing operational costs. This design and the technologies it uses can be easily scaled to suit any vessel with a similar need to operate on variable routes with multiple-day transit times, and further enhances Elliott Bay Design Group's market-leading expertise in this growing sector." TTB 2022 Complita will be speaking more about the Hydrogen One Towboat at Marine Log's Tugs, Towboats & Barges (TTB) 2022 event in Mobile, Ala., on March 29-30. The event will take place at the Renais­sance Mobile Riverview Plaza hotel in partnership with The American Water­ways Operators (AWO). The theme and focus will be on "Readying the fleet and workforce for the future." In addition to two days of in-person discussions and dynamic Q&A sessions. the event will feature ample opportu­nities for networking. Visit marinelog. com/tugs for more info. Click here to view the original article

Marine log Article – Written by Heather Ervin Read the full article here

SYNOPSIS Previous energy revolutions, as we have moved from rowing to sails to steam and to diesel, have taken centuries and decades to affect. However, we do not have the option of waiting that long now. This paper demonstrates why methanol reforming for hydrogen generation presents the most economically and environmentally plausible decarbonisation pathway for the tugboat and inland waterways sectors. To view the full whitepaper please click here

As the maritime industry’s 2022 calendar of events ramps up, e1 Marine was out in force at this year’s Electric and Hybrid Expo. Held in Amsterdam from 21st to 23rd June, the event brought together a breadth of representatives from ship owners to naval architects with a shared interest in understanding the latest, next generation electric and hybrid marine charging and propulsion technologies, components and solutions. Maite Klarup, Global Commercial Director at e1 Marine, joined a line up of 40 international experts to present a session as part of the conference programme, titled “MV Hydrogen One: the world’s first ultra-low-emission methanol-fueled towboat”. Her presentation demonstrated the potential for e1 Marine’s methanol-to-hydrogen M2H2 technology and shared with the audience, the design and specifications of the world’s first methanol-hydrogen fuel cell towboat, MV Hydrogen One, which is to be launched in 2023. Maite also discussed the applications of e1 Marine’s technology and how it will enable the maritime industry to transition from low carbon to carbon neutrality. “To meet IMO’s carbon reduction target by 2050, hydrogen fuel cell technology is a solution that can bring significant carbon reduction while addressing the need for power, range and duration in the maritime sector. As commercial and regulatory pressures to decarbonize shipping intensify, alternative fuels are a critical part of the solution. While there is a basket of fuels being considered by operators, cost, availability and infrastructure are key factors that will determine which fuels are most sustainable – environmentally, operationally and financially. “M/V Hydrogen One is the world's first methanol ­fueled towboat which will be IMO 2030 compliant and in operation in 2023. It is a milestone for the towboat industry, but also the shipping industry as a whole. Many low carbon fuels just aren’t easily accessible today, however methanol is available in 88 of the world's top 100 ports and the current infrastructure and availability enables a vessel to refuel safely almost anywhere without the need for costly diversions. Methanol, which is already an approved fuel type currently in use in the marine industry, has cost advantages that apply today, even in comparison with current diesel generators and before considering any new regulation or carbon tax. “At e1 Marine, with methanol being a safe and cost-effective carrying medium for hydrogen, we see hydrogen as the solution to achieve the target of net-zero in the maritime sector. M/V Hydrogen One is the model for what short sea shipping could look like in the very near term.” For more information on e1 Marine’s technology, please click here.

e1 Marine is pleased to announce that PowerCell Sweden AB will be providing several PowerCellution Marine System 200 fuel cells to power M/V Hydrogen One, the world’s first methanol-fueled towboat. Hydrogen One was developed by Maritime Partners LLC, using our methanol-to-hydrogen generator technology. This marks a further step in establishing a commercially viable solution to transform short sea shipping with the ultimate goal of decarbonizing towboat operations and eventually, the wider shipping industry. Within the Hydrogen One project, fuel cells running on hydrogen produced by on-board reforming of methanol will provide continuous power to the towboat over extended periods. The system will comprise of several PowerCellution Marine System 200 fuel cells with a total effect of multiple megawatts. The agreement also includes co-operation on delivering related services, including installation, class approval and commissioning support. Robert Schluter, Managing Director of e1 Marine said: “Methanol is a common fuel within the marine industry and is available in 88 of the top 100 ports worldwide. As it has a high energy density, M/V Hydrogen One has an expected range of 550 miles. Formalizing our agreement with PowerCell accelerates the launch of this innovative and progressive towboat. It was really important for us to source a fuel cell system which lowers the environmental impact from energy generation and this is another significant step forward to transforming the way vessels power their operations, especially within short sea shipping at this stage.” Richard Berkling, CEO of PowerCell Sweden commented: “The order is proof that we have developed a leading fuel cell technology which we have managed to industrialize for large and demanding applications. Successful industrialization of this technology will be decisive for future opportunities within the technology shift towards increased sustainability that is starting to take place and must take place.” “Batteries are not suitable for a decarbonization of the towboat sector due to the restrictions they put on range, operation areas and uptime. Fuel cells running on reformed methanol is a commercially viable solution as it provides the boat with the same operating characteristics as a traditional propulsion system but in a much more sustainable way”, said Austin Sperry, President at Maritime Partners. M/V Hydrogen One will be compliant with the International Maritime Organization’s IMO 2030 requirements. IMO 2030 targets a reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by 40 percent up to 2030. Other project participants include ABB, Elliot Bay Design Group and e1 Marine. For more information on Hydrogen One, please click here.

Jeffersonville, Ind.-headquartered marine transportation company American Commercial Barge Line (ACBL) is expected to operate Hydrogen One, a first-of-its-kind towboat that will run on emissions-reducing methanol-to-hydrogen generator technology—without diesel propulsion. The groundbreaking vessel is being developed by Louisiana-based Maritime Partners, the U.S.' largest lessor of marine equipment, and will be built by Intracoastal Iron Works in Bourg, La. for launch in 2023 as the maritime industry continues to plot its course toward cleaner vessel operations. “Our industry must be diligent and innovative to keep our standing as the most efficient mode of cargo transportation for our customer base,” ACBL's CEO, Mike Ellis told Marine News. “We are excited to be a key player in developing a more sustainable reduced carbon footprint supply chain for our customers and all of our stakeholders through our partnership with Maritime Partners on this project.” Hydrogen One's propulsion system, which relies on e1 Marine's reformer technology to essentially convert bunkered methanol into pure hydrogen on demand, will emit no nitrogen oxide (NOx), sulfur oxide (SOx) or particulate matter (PM) pollution. The hydrogen will run through fuel cells, creating electricity for the vessel’s motors, which drive dual L-drive azimuth thrusters. While pure hydrogen can be difficult to carry in quantity and get distance, methanol—which is readily available and routinely carried on U.S. inland waterways—is very similar to fueling conventional diesel, said Mike Complita, principal in charge and VP of strategic expansion at Elliott Bay Design Group (EBDG), the Seattle-based firm that designed the vessel. "Methanol, in my opinion, is probably the safest alternative fuel to transfer to the vessel beyond diesel and biodiesel," Complita said. "You bunker it from a truck or a terminal through a hose. It does not take any special permitting, unlike hydrogen and ammonia and some other alternative fuels." RIX Industries has been tapped to manufacture Hyrdogen One's M18 reformers and PowerCell Sweden AB will supply the PowerCellution Marine System 200 fuel cells. The vessel will also be equipped with batteries that provide additional power when needed, both while underway and for hotel power. Equipped with ABB’s electrical power distribution and automation technology, Hydrogen One will be able to perform at standard operational speeds for up to 550 miles before it needs to refuel. It will meet the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) 2030 goals, which target 40% reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions relative to 2008. The vessel will also meet all requirements of the U.S. Coast Guard’s Subchapter M regulations. Once Hydrogen One is completed, ACBL will likely use the towboat to move petroleum products in and around Louisiana and Texas. Increasingly, barging customers are seeking ways to remove emissions from their supply chains. “This project aligns with our strategy and ESG goals and initiatives,” Ellis said. “We have to find more sustainable solutions to meet our customer demands.” Read the rest of the article in the August edition of Marine News magazine.

Rarely does a vessel come along with the potential to radically change the way an industry operates, but one such vessel is set to hit the water in 2023. This new vessel, a towboat named Hydrogen One, is being developed by Louisiana-based Maritime Partners, the largest lessor of marine equipment in the U.S. It will be the first of its kind globally to run on emissions-reducing methanol-to-hydrogen generator technology—no diesel propulsion on board—as the maritime industry continues to plot its course toward cleaner vessel operations. The groundbreaking towboat was designed by Seattle-based Elliott Bay Design Group (EBDG) and will be built at Intracoastal Iron Works in Bourg, La. Other key partners in the project include technology providers e1 Marine, based in Bend, Ore., and multinational ABB. Once completed, the vessel will be operated by Jeffersonville, Ind.-headquartered marine transportation company American Commercial Barge Line (ACBL), likely to move petroleum products in and around Louisiana and Texas. To read the full article click here

Methanol-to-Hydrogen Tech Enables Energy Transition Hydrogen is the ideal future fuel for decarbonizing the maritime industry if we can solve the significant challenges related to its transportation, storage and cost. These challenges can be resolved by changing our mindset and considering methanol as a “hydrogen carrier” and using methanol-reforming technology to unlock the hydrogen within methanol. For the marine operator, methanol and methanol-to-hydrogen generation provides a safe, reliable and cost-efficient solution. As we have moved from rowing to sails to steam and to diesel, previous maritime energy revolutions have taken centuries and decades to take effect. We do not have that luxury for the next revolution—decarbonization—but, thankfully, we already have a path forward... Our Managing Director, Robert Schluter explores how methanol-to-hydrogen tech enables the energy transition in his piece for Sea Technology. Read the full article below: .