Spanish oil company Moeve has signed a contract with Norwegian tanker owner, RFOcean for a series of ultra-efficient low-emission chemical tankers.
The vessels, which are due for delivery between 2025 and 2026, will be among the most modern chemical tankers built. This new generation of 6,600 dwt IMO2 tankers will be equipped with stainless steel cargo tanks and methanol-ready notation. The main propulsion system in this series of ships will be an electric motor powered by generators instead of a conventional main engine. This creates the flexibility for a wide range of operating speeds, and also possibilities for multi-fuel propulsion including the use of biofuels. In addition, the design has the potential for exchanging diesel generators with fuel cells or battery driven generators. The series will be about 30% more fuel efficient compared to the ageing fleet and have Ice Class 1A for maximum trading flexibility.
Alice Acuña, EVP Trading, Moeve, said: “We are glad to partner with RFOcean and bring these advanced vessels into our fleet. These state-of-the-art, truly fuel-flexible vessels will be at the forefront of the maritime industry’s continued steps to reduce its environmental impact and advance cleaner energy alternatives. This move is fully aligned with Moeve’s strategy to reduce its carbon emissions and those of its customers, and to become a leading provider of clean marine solutions this decade”.
Moeve is a prominent supplier of marine fuel including biofuels, with a current production capacity of over 1m tonnes and plans to more than double its biofuels production capacity to 2.5m tonnes by 2030 as it increases its second-generation biofuels capacity in southern Spain. It is developing two large-scale green hydrogen plants with a total equivalent production capacity of 2GW as part of the Andalusian Green Hydrogen Valley that will include production facilities for green ammonia and green methanol. As a recent member of the World Economic Forum’s ‘First Movers Coalition’, Moeve says it is fully committed to helping to develop both the low-carbon fuels and the vessels that will be required to decarbonise global shipping.
Frederik Rye-Florentz, CEO RFOcean, said: “We are striving to provide our clients with the best innovations, while putting an emphasis on developing more sustainable solutions for the shipping industry. As part of this commitment, we are very pleased to work closely with Moeve as these vessels will offer cleaner fuel alternatives and bring us a step closer towards decarbonisation and the 2050 net zero emissions targets.”
Image: RF Ocean’s fuel-flexible chemical tanker (source: Moeve)
