UK-based design and engineering consultancy Houlder has released conceptual design images of a new 10,000 cubic meter methanol bunkering vessel. The vessel is being developed by Houlder as part of the SPINE project, which aims to establish an interface between ships, remote control centers, port operating systems, and national energy infrastructure to address the challenges of maritime decarbonization and autonomy.
The methanol bunkering vessel design includes a semi-automated crane system to supply methanol to other vessels of various sizes, including cruise ships and large container ships. Houlder sought to optimize the vessel’s layout for maximum efficiency and compliance.
Using methanol as both cargo and fuel poses unique spatial considerations given its lower density compared to traditional fuels, the different regulatory requirements for its storage and use as cargo or fuel, and the associated handling spaces. Houlder’s design team considered allocating space within the hull to balance these requirements within a vessel comparable in size to existing small tankers, while adhering to strict safety regulations.
Holder said that extensive consideration was given to location options for propellant tanks and other critical spaces to ensure operational efficiency without compromising safety, performance or vessel size. An electric powertrain architecture will also be incorporated to allow for future upgrades to fuel cell technology, with the added environmental benefit of reduced noise pollution.
To optimize vessel efficiency, Houlder utilised the latest digital twin technology to create a virtual world that was used to analyse adjustments to existing vessel operations or design entirely new vessels, outlining different ways to save fuel and reduce associated GHG emissions on specific voyages or for all operations. During this process, innovative CFD was deployed to explore different solutions such as twin propeller configurations and bulbous bow designs.
The impact of the minimum ballast philosophy on the design was also evaluated, for example on the propeller size and associated thrust requirements. This enabled Houlder to analyze the trade-off between propeller size and number and fuel efficiency across a range of operational profiles, both fully loaded and ballast, resulting in a large number of design variants, ready to best balance OPEX and CAPEX for specific operational routes and take into account owner preferences.