Page 188 - Technology Roadmap Transportation

TECHNOLOGY VISION 2035

gas treatment or use of natural gas. Exhaust gas above 500 gross tonnage that install low flash point
treatment can be utilized but the space and fuel systems. Implementation of IGF Code will
maintenance requirements are daunting. The ship facilitate wider use of LNG as fuel on board ships
operators view installing exhaust gas treatment trading in International waters
systems as a last resort when nothing else is
possible. LNG, therefore, becomes the preferred Presently, India is the 4 largest importer and 13
th
th
choice. largest consumer of LNG in the world. As can be
seen in the figure given below, opportunities for
Presently gas engine dual-fuel (DF) technology is developing bunkering infrastructure is available
being applied for Marine applications. Modern DF around the coastline which needs to be augmented
engines are reliable and can burn gas and oil at any / developed for short sea shipping. Development of
ratio depending upon availability and cost. coastal shipping will definitely get a boost once the
LNG bunkering infrastructure is available around
• Challenges for LNG: the coastline since short sea shipping will provide
a cheaper and cleaner means of transporting
goods than by road transport. Development
of coastal shipping in India must be treated as a
The biggest challenge preventing national priority as road transport costs are high
widespread use of LNG as fuel in as compared to shipping and gets added to the
international shipping is lack of cost of the product, rendering them uncompetitive
worldwide availability of internationally and expensive nationally.
bunkering infrastructure to to
ensure supply of LNG of (c) Nuclear energy as an alternative fuel: Nuclear
appropriate & consistent quality. power has been there for quite some time
powering vessels at sea but mostly these have
been for naval applications. Following are some
facts about marine application of nuclear power:
Presently the cost of installing a DF
engine plus fuel tanks is estimated to 1. Nuclear power is particularly suitable for
be around twice that of a conventional vessels that need to be at sea for long
diesel engine and its fuel tanks. periods without refuelling or for powerful
submarine propulsion.
2. Some 140 vessels have been powered
LNG is predominantly methane, which is a substantially by more than 180 small nuclear reactors
worse greenhouse gas than CO Probability of and more than 12000 reactor years of
2.
methane slip i.e. release of unburned natural gas either marine operations have been accumulated.
through the engine exhaust or during bunkering or Most of these vessels are submarines, but
uses otherwise is a cause of concern and needs to be icebreakers and aircraft carriers are also
addressed as the GHG effect of 1 Kg of methane included.
discharged to the atmosphere is the equivalent of
21 Kg of CO being emitted. 3. Nuclear ships are currently the
2.
responsibility of their owner countries but
none are involved in International Trade.
From the foregoing, it can be inferred that LNG
as fuel is a viable option for international shipping
provided bunkering infrastructure becomes • Civil applications: Nuclear propulsion has
available globally. Short sea shipping is the most proven technically and economically essential
in the Russian Arctic where operating
obvious area to start with. Price difference conditions are beyond the capability of
between fuel oil and LNG will be the deciding conventional icebreakers. The power levels
factor for LNG to appear soon as an alternative
fuel in international shipping. required for breaking ice up to 3 meters thick,
coupled with refuelling difficulties for other
types of vessels, require nuclear propulsion.
IMO has adopted a global regulation for gas-fuelled
ships on June 11, 2015, “The International Code
of Safety for ships using Gases or other Low- • Future prospects: With increasing attention
being given to GHG emissions arising from
flashpoint Fuels (IGF Code)”. When it enters into burning fossil fuels for international marine
force on January 1, 2017, it will apply to all vessels
transport and the excellent safety record of

186 WATERWAYS