CASE STUDIES
Planning sea trials for a new type of marine fuel

Client: Marine South East Ltd.

THE CHALLENGE

Marine South East wanted to compare all of the pathways that were available to secure practical sea-trials for a novel marine fuel produced by Recycling Technologies, which is produced from mixed plastic waste.

THE OUTCOME

CLT prioritised the target vessel types for sea trials by determining their regulatory compliance and certification drivers, comparing fuel price sensitivity and fuel production capacity and distribution routes, considering vessel modifications, and identifying reliability and maintenance impacts from using the new fuel.

CLT prioritised the most promising vessels for trialling at sea Recycling Technologies’ new marine fuel by first segmenting the marine vessel market into five broad categories, primarily defined by vessel size and function, including large and small commercial passenger ships, large and small commercial cargo ships, and specialist vessels.

Each category of vessel was assessed according to several factors. Emissions regulations for sulphur, NOx and CO2 were determined for each vessel type with consideration given the vessel’s legal jurisdiction. Fuel price sensitivity was assessed, and the production capacity, distribution and storage methods for standard fuels types was considered. CLT also reviewed the new fuel’s potential impact on maintenance requirements for different vessel types, and how it might affect their operational reliability. Additionally, the likely engine and vessel modifications that may be needed to accommodate the new fuel was compared for different ship types.

CLT integrated all factors into a matrix to determine how attractive the benefits of the new fuel would be for particular vessel types. While there was no single vessel type that was ideal for trialling the new marine fuel, CLT qualified its analysis with insights from its research that led Marine South East to recommend a receptive trial partner to Recycling Technologies.