Page 25: of Maritime Reporter Magazine (December 2024)

SAMEER KALRA, PRESIDENT, MARINE, ALFA LAVAL “We are doing a lot of cool stuff … wind propulsion, air lubrication, etc. … but none of this is a pro? t pool ... it’s what we have that is funding the future. Much of my energy goes into making sure that what we have is competitive and relevant [so] ship owners can sail and say: ‘This is future- proof [regardless of the future fuel mix].

I know Alfa Laval has solutions to make sure I can transition to the new fuel.’ – Sameer Kalra

President, Marine, Alfa Laval lubrication, etc. … but none of this is a pro? t pool that can their charterers are sending underwater drones whenever the fund itself today; it’s what we have that is funding the future,” ship stops to check that the hull is clean … Who dreamt of this said Kalra. “Much of my energy goes into making sure that even two years ago?” And while clean hulls are the physical what we have is competitive, relevant, and it is something that manifestation, the real end is information shared in real-time, can make sure that the ship owners can sail and say: ‘This is globally, seamlessly, whether it’s in regards the shape of a hull future-proof [regardless of the future fuel mix]. I know Alfa or the load and run-time of an auxiliary engine.

Laval has solutions to make sure I can transition to the new “Now what we start to see in the charter party, we are hav- fuel.’ This is what we are built on, this is what we are famous ing customers saying to the liner operators and the ones who for.” Alfa Laval’s foray into wind propulsion is one example, manage it, ‘You need to make sure your ship is capable of “this is not something we had on our radar three years ago,” sending high frequency data back.’ said Kalra. “But we decided if energy ef? ciency is going to be This, in turn, will put the onus on the full spectrum of important, clean energy is going to be important, so why not OEMs to deliver high-frequency data for more immediate develop a technology area which will stay relevant 10 years operational course corrections. “I think what we are seeing from today, 20 years from today and maybe even 100 years now is the next-generation of energy ef? ciency where op- from today.” With that, for ? rst time in its history, it recruited erational behavior, operational practice start to change,” said an engineer who had been trained in aeronautical engineering. Kalra. “We can see our StormGeo business, the digital busi-

When talk turns to shipowner demands, in the area of fu- ness [playing a big and growing role],” helping people report els the narrative has changed. “Two years ago, everyone was in an ef? cient manner. “Two years ago, if you supplied some clamoring for solutions around methanol and ammonia. But equipment, we wanted to have our own ? eld gateways, we today, everyone recognizes that in the short- to medium-term, wanted to have our own cloud,” said Kalra. “Imagine [that clean fuels; green methanol, green ammonia, are not available today]: 20 suppliers having their own cloud and their own at scale.” The industrial supply chain behind ammonia is not ? eld gateways: you would say, ‘forget about it’.” Today he ready. And the narrative has shifted back to LNG as a fuel. sees the opportunity and action for OEMs to work together, to

Bigger picture, the chatter today transcends the fuel itself, share data on alternate platforms, with all eyes on delivering and Kalra says that in terms of decarbonization, “all the easy a seamless solution to the owner/operators. “We should not to stuff around energy ef? ciency is done. People worked with be the one determining which platform is running. So we are their wallets, with hull forms and mavis ducts and propellers a good dialogue with the MANs [for example] … They don’t and rudders and the like. Now they are starting to look at op- compete with us. They have similar interests to see how can erational measures too.” we make sure that in the end it should be the customer, what is

Enter connectivity and digital solutions … or for Alfa La- best for the customer, not singularly best for yourself. So you val: the StormGeo acquisition. “People are suddenly about need to be a bit more collaborative. You need to be a bit more keeping their hulls clean from fouling,” said Kalra. “I was partnership oriented and you’d need to have a bit more of an speaking to one of the customers the other day and they said open arm rather than closed hands.” www.marinelink.com 25

MR #12 (18-33).indd 25 12/4/2024 2:03:28 PM