Feadship has received a second approval in principle (AiP) by Lloyd’s Register for its compact multi-fuel system design. The system design is engineered for the next generation of yachts that has to be flexible to adapt to the changing shipping fuel production and supply chain.
This design is the result of long lasting R&D and industry cooperation, and underpins a milestone on Feadship’s energy transition roadmap. It is the starting point for several Feadship new-build projects under development.
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The main challenge was to identify all aspects associated with the containment and handling of low-flashpoint fuels and to engineer a fuel system that is both compact, remaining resilient for various fuels and foremost secures safety. The system design is engineered with the philosophy in mind, that the next generation of yachts has to be flexible to adept to the changing shipping fuel production and supply chain.
Driven by shipping’s most predominant sectors and emission taxation regimes, vast investments are made into the construction of over already more than 120 large merchant ships and the required fuel production and supply chain. The fuel of choice across the global seagoing shipping board is “methanol”, leaving only the question “how to adapt to this transition the next decade(s)?”
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Feadship’s multi-fuel design lives up to this challenge and will provide the possibility to operate on these new fuels while maintaining compatibility with current (non-)fossil fuels to allow for global operation and range. While being capable to store methanol as a fuel, further expansion of methanol based fuel cells is unlocked. It has a great potential to significantly improve the energy conversion efficiencies and completely omit the emission of pollutants.
Mattes Kruize, Director Projects Feadship/Royal Van Lent Shipyard: ‘For Feadship this is a significant step that coninues on the path that we have chartered out. To confirm the safe and also viable design principles that fit the use and design of a superyacht de-risks the projects that we are starting.’
‘This system has the potential to revolutionise the yacht industry by offering a sustainable and clean alternative to traditional fuels,’ comments Engel-Jan de Boer, Global Yacht Segment Director, Lloyd’s Register. ‘Our AiP provides confidence to yacht owners and operators that the system meets the necessary safety and performance requirements.’
Picture: Mattes Kruize (left) receives the AiP from Lloyd’s Engel-Jan de Boer (right).
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