Anglo American announces the
award of a ten-year charter contract for four LNG fuelled capesize+
vessels, introducing LNG into its chartered fleet for the first time.
The new build LNG vessels offer significant environmental benefits,
including a c.35% cut in CO2 emissions compared to standard marine fuel,
while also using new technology to eliminate the release of unburnt
methane, or so-called “methane slip”.
Peter Whitcutt, CEO of Anglo
American’s Marketing business, said: “Anglo American is committed to
reducing emissions from its ocean freight operations and to playing a
leading role in shaping a more sustainable future for the maritime
industry. Today’s agreement is aligned with Anglo American’s goal to be
carbon neutral across our operations by 2040 – as we work to reduce
emissions not only at our production sites but also along our entire
value chain – and builds on our track record of implementing concrete
actions to deliver on the targets set by the International Maritime
Organisation’s 2018 strategy.
“LNG is a readily available,
commercially viable, lower emission solution which, combined with
innovative technology designed to eliminate unburnt methane, will allow
these new builds to provide a much improved environmental and more
efficient performance.”
LNG marine fuel offers
significant environmental advantages over heavy fuel oil – the most
widely used fuel by vessels operating along sea trade routes – and is
abundantly available through an established global network of existing
infrastructure. Compared to conventional fuel options, the use of LNG
eliminates sulphur oxides, considerably reduces nitrogen oxides and
particulate matter from vessel exhausts and cuts CO2 emissions by
approximately 35%.
Designed to be larger than, but
remain as flexible as, a conventional capesize vessel, the new builds
will optimise cargo transport by increasing load and improving overall
cost effectiveness. U-Ming Marine Transport will own the newly designed
190,000-deadweight tonne LNG fuelled bulk carriers. The fleet will be
built by Shanghai Waigaoqiao Shipbuilding in China and is expected to be
delivered in 2023.
The fleet is expected to carry
up to five million tonnes of product per annum, transporting iron ore
from Anglo American’s operations in Brazil and South Africa to the
company’s global customer base. The new builds will be flagged and
registered in Singapore, which will also serve as prime bunkering port,
thereby avoiding deviations from trading routes for refuelling purposes.
Shaping a more sustainable
future for the maritime industry
Earlier in October 2020, Anglo
American was among the founding signatories of the Sea Cargo Charter –
created by some of the world’s largest energy, agriculture, mining, and
commodity trading companies, with the aim of establishing a standard
methodology and reporting framework to allow charterers to measure and
align their emissions from ocean transportation activities.
In September 2019, Anglo
American joined the Getting to Zero Coalition, an alliance committed to
getting commercially viable deep sea zero emission vessels powered by
zero emission fuels into operation by 2030.
Anglo American is also a partner
of the Global Maritime Forum.
Source: Anglo American |