Page 28: of Maritime Reporter Magazine (January 2024)

MEET THE CTO emission target.

“We decided it’s better to have 3 vessels with dual

For the largest ships in the CMB fuel than to have one zero-emission vessel [with ? eet, the focus is on ammonia, as it is no market]. [A zero-emission vessel is] often a cheapest from a production point of white elephant, it’s too expensive, it’s too dif? cult view and the ship point of view, with maintain, to obtain the molecule with great bunkering technology in place plus it doesn’t come with the storage issues security of supply … it’s crazy.” inherent with hydrogen, particularly in large quantities.

but [for example] not many people company’s vessels – regardless of sec- “So we started designing our cargo know the cost of a [hydrogen] compres- tor – can ful? ll their contracts. vessels and we decided, ‘OK, let’s sor; how it works; how you maintain it “That’s the beauty of a dual fuel start building ammonia ready ships,’” … what are the hiccups of the technol- system; you can easily mix hydrogen said Campe. The hurdle here, of ogy?,” said Campe. “You need to prac- into the engine, saving up to 80% of course, being that the dual fuel am- tice it. I’m driving a hydrogen car and I the emissions, but still having your monia engine is still in development, know zero emission technology is fun. fallback, still having an affordable plat- so CMB entered into an agreement

But I also know that my car has been in form which you can build, which you with WinGD to develop the ammonia the repair garage for 5 months [due to can ? nd customers for,” said Campe. two-stroke large scale marine engines. the lack of a technician that knows how “But if you build a zero emission ship “Until these are ready, our ships will be to ? x it], and I know I have to calculate with hydrogen technology that comes built as ammonia-ready,” said Campe. in my weekends how far can I drive on in at twice the cost, a higher charter “Once that engine is ready they will be hydrogen so I can get back to refuel. I rate and maintenance costs Custom- ammonia-? tted [all of the extra ammo- don’t want to do that as a company. Ev- ers are happy to pay a bit extra on the nia technology, like tanks and piping, erything that comes into a port, that’s hydrogen cost, but they can’t afford will be ? tted] and then you really have going to be our business.” the full costs, because hydrogen is still a zero-emission platform, and we think more expensive than diesel making it there are customers today willing to dif? cult to make a business case.”

The Path to Zero - or Not pay for it. But even if there is no one

It’s important to stress again that In the end, Campe and CMB.TECH’s willing to pay for it, we still have a ship

Campe’s view on new technology is vision can best be described as ‘evolu- which is 30% better [in fuel ef? ciency] not simply for the sake of technology, tion’ rather than ‘revolution.’ than 10 years ago.” rather melding emerging technology “You have to do it gradually, and

Through all of the incessant chat- that makes business sense. So when we see that for the money invested, ter of future fuels, dual fuels and talk turned to zero emissions, Campe we are going to have more users of zero emissions, Campe and his team offers an argument against. “For me, that hydrogen fuel, thereby saving maintain both a solid technical and a zero emission is that step too big that more emissions, making an easier business compass, as he knows that nobody is willing to take it, or if they business case for the hydrogen pro- while news of ‘world ? rsts’ and ‘fuel do it’s to get subsidies. Subsidies are duction, the hydrogen off-take. That’s transition’ are nice PR fodder, but in the not scalable; they typically are for our philosophy.” end the technology must work lest it a one-off project, which [tends to] At the same time, CMB’s clients, and the company wither and fad.

make it a very complex project,” said too, are being pressed to reduce their

And while the focus in this context is

Campe. “We decided it’s better to have emission footprint, and while Campe the fuel, the full scope of Campe’s team 3 vessels with dual fuel than to have reasons that it might take some time work includes everything from stem to one zero-emission vessel [with no today to ? nd customers willing to pay stern, from new engines to new designs market]. [A zero-emission vessel is] the hydrogen premium, in the long run and new propellers … anything that a white elephant, it’s too expensive, the emissions savings realized – and can help the company be more ef? cient it’s too dif? cult maintain, to obtain the conferred to the client’s CO2 balance while maintaining reliability.

molecule with great security of supply sheet – will pay off.

Campe sees the CMB way of putting … it’s crazy.” “The decade will come where our technology to the test, on the water,

Dual fuel is the clear path said customers have their CO2 reporting, working, as the very best means to ac-

Campe, a step evolution that mixes we’re seeing it already with the truck- tually learn about a particular technol- signi? cant emissions reduction with ing companies. They’ll say, ‘Roy, I’m ogy’s ins and out, plusses and minuses. the security of having well-proven fuel going to use your technology because “There’s an over? ow of information, solutions onboard to ensure that the I need to reduce 10%. I don’t need to 28 Maritime Reporter & Engineering News • January 2024

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