RINA announces the signing of a JDP with Maran Dry Management Inc. and SDARI for an liquified natural gas (LNG) and H₂ powered 210,000 metric tons of deadweight bulk carrier. The project will be based on a propulsion arrangement which reduces the running machinery at sea and combines the ship’s fuel (LNG) with steam to produce H₂ and CO₂. The project sees the design, which was launched earlier this year for an MR tanker, in its first application for a bulk carrier.

“Maran Dry Management is committed to embracing the energy transition and working towards net zero shipping solutions,” said Captain Babis Kouvakas, Managing Director at Maran Dry Management (MDM) Inc. “Working with RINA and SDARI, this JDP agreement will give us a highly competitive bulk carrier design that will exceed IMO’s current 2050 targets and ultimately get to near-zero emissions. The project demonstrates our strong commitment and active role in the decarbonization goals set by IMO, providing a pioneering concept, unique to the bulk carriers segment (newcastlemax) and the shipping industry as a whole, setting a leading example to exceed the current and projected emissions reduction targets, while demonstrating an innovative sustainable path for the future of shipping. The design will allow us to run the vessel on increasing percentages of hydrogen, lowering emissions over time, to meet the increasingly stringent rating thresholds towards 2050.”

Paolo Moretti, CEO at RINA Services, said, “The concept was conceived to be used on a wide range of vessel sizes. We have already approved its feasibility on a MR tanker, this joint development project will show how a Newcastlemax bulk carrier design can benefit from the LNG and hydrogen solution. We are privileged and very happy to be working with Maran Dry Management and SDARI, supporting their pioneering point of view on decarbonization.”

The design is based on a pre-combustion carbon capture principle: the CO₂ is captured from splitting the LNG molecules before the combustion in the engine takes place, rather than from exhaust gas emissions. This involves lower mass flows, therefore a reduced space required, and scalable installation to progressively keep up with the pace of the emissions reduction requirements up to 2050. The vessel can be built as an ordinary dual fuel ship, and the extra equipment installed once regulations incentivize the investment.

The solution addresses existing LNG bunkering facilities and requires no onshore H₂ infrastructure and no need for supply and storage of H₂ on board. It will also aim to reduce the resistance of the ship to increase overall operational efficiency.

As the Class Society, RINA will review calculation and design drawings submitted by SDARI to ensure they meet the latest statutory and RINA Classification Rules and Regulations, using the experience already gained on this innovative fuel solution.