VESSEL REVIEW | Marine Charge – Vitol places new hybrid bunkering ship in service

Dutch energy company Vitol, through its Singapore-based bunker operations company V-Bunkers, has taken delivery of its first electric-hybrid bunker tanker. Classed by Bureau Veritas, the aptly named Marine Charge features advanced energy storage and charging technologies that will help curb greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) from port operations in Singapore.

V-Bunkers placed an order for two bunkering vessels in 2021. The second tanker, Marine Dynamo, is scheduled for delivery in the second quarter of this year. Marine Charge and Marine Dynamo were built by Chinese shipyard Zhejiang Shenzhou Sunshine Heavy Industry and were designed by a Singapore-based marine engineering firm.

The newbuild has an LOA of 103 metres, a beam of 19 metres, a draught of 4.8 metres, and a propulsion system that delivers a maximum speed of 12.5 knots and an operational speed of 9.9 knots.

Both ships have been granted BV’s Electric-Hybrid notation and feature advanced energy storage systems (ESS) comprising lithium-ion batteries and a highly automated power management system (PMS) to achieve an estimated 10 per cent reduction in GHG emissions. The design configuration enables the auxiliary engines to operate at the most optimal specific fuel oil consumption (SFOC), while the ESS performs peak shaving during low power consumption periods for usage of stored energy during high consumption periods.

The ESS has recharging capabilities, and while onshore power supply is currently unavailable, the bunker tankers are ready for when charging infrastructure and facilities become available in Singapore.