HANSA 04-2024

TECH-INNOVATION POWERED BY VDMA - MARINE EQUIPMENT AND SYSTEMS
SKF
A strategic approach for more sustainability
Due to the company SKF commitment to sustainability begins
with maximizing the lifespan of maritime equipment. Therefore,
SKF offers an array of condition monitoring and conditionsbased
maintenance solutions such as the SKF Microlog Analyzer
GX, collecting vibration data from machinery including ballast
pumps, fuel oil or lube oil purifiers, and shaft generators to give
and early indication of possible problems and maximize the lifespan
of critical and auxiliary machinery. The data is displayed in
analytical reports in the SKF One Global Cloud, ensuring information
is always available to ship operators.
Another way of overcoming environmental hurdles is adopting
practices of a circular economy where you would see lubricants and
components – like bearings, engine parts, chains, and other manufactured
systems – being reused, remanufactured, recycled, and repurposed.
SKF already creates a number of industrial bearings that
can be retooled and sent right back into the supply chain reducing
the carbon footprint compared to a new bearing by up to 90%.
With 96% in CO 2 reduction SKF’s RecondOil Box shows even
better results. The product features Double Separation Technology
(DST), which removes nano-sized impurities from an oil
and then returning the oil back into circulation. As the oil is in a
closed loop, it’s kept at a highly clean state continuously
Of course, using no oil at all would even be better, SKF says.
Historically, the maritime sector has heavily relied on oil-based
fuels and lubricants. However, goals such as UN sustainability
targets and regulations set by the International Maritime Organization
or US Environmental Protection Agency (VGP 2013)
require ship owners and operators to focus on and investing in
cleaner technologies.
One eco-friendly solution for cleaner oceans is SKF’s Simplex
BlueRun sterntube systems. Complying with VGP 2013 and Polar
With products like »Simplex BlueRun« SKF wants his clients to become
more sustainable
Code the system uses water as a lubricant thereby not only helping
to reduce the carbon footprint and the risk of oil spills. It also
eliminates the need for storage, handling, and disposal, which is
costly and time-consuming.
According to SKF another non-oil-based solution to become
more sustainable is to switch to electrification. While using batteries
as an alternative to fossil fuels in the maritime sector might
still seem challenging, electrifying critical applications can be a
good start. While most fin stabilizers for example are operated
electro-hydraulically, SKF offers completely electric-powered fin
stabilizers for yachts. Besides the environmental and cost-saving
advantages the also offer a quieter, more comfortable onboard experience
for passengers and crew, SKF says.
© SKF
ZEPPELIN POWER SYSTEMS
Solutions for less emissions
Against the background of decarbo -
nisation Zeppelin Power Systems is constantly
expanding its range of sustainable
drive and energy systems for the maritime
sector: While almost all Caterpillar
marine engines, from the Cat C2.2 to the
Cat C280, can be equipped with an SCR
system for exhaust gas aftertreatment and
thus meet the IMO Tier III and EPA
Tier 4 emission regulations, selected engines
are even available with the EU-V
emission standard (SCR/DPF).
All diesel engines from Zeppelin
Power Systems are available as hybrid
solutions and most of them can be operated
with alternative fuels in future, the
company says. In addition to biodiesel
and renewable diesel, this also includes
HVO and, in future, methanol.
Furthermore, Caterpillar, partner of
Zeppelin Power Systems, sees marine
batteries and shore-side charging as key
components in reducing emissions in the
maritime industry.
Also methanol is considered a key fuel
for the decarbonization of the shipping
industry. By reducing nitrogen oxides
and sulphur oxides as well as carbon
emissions, methanol is an attractive fuel
alternative to diesel. Due to its relatively
high energy density, methanol is also easier
to store on ships than other fuels.
However, methanol is much more difficult
to ignite than diesel, for example.
That‘s why Caterpillar is working to
identify, develop and test hardware configurations
and operating strategies that
can maximize the use of methanol in
retrofitted engines. As early as 2022, the
company announced that Cat 3500E
Series marine engines can be modified to
run on methanol fuel in the future. The
use of methanol in four-stroke marine internal
combustion engines is currently
being investigated.
Cat 3512E can be modified for methanol
© Caterpillar
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