The plan is already ready in Hanstholm harbor to produce methanol directly at the harbor, which will supply the local fishing fleet with one of the green fuels of the future. Jesper Pedersen, the second-generation owner of Hanstholm Skibssmedie, has traveled to Randers to find out more about the engine that he will most likely convert the Hanstholm fishing fleet to. His immediate reaction is positive.
- What surprises me most is that the efficiency is so good. It is just as high as with diesel. And I can't hear the difference between the methanol engine and a diesel engine, Jesper Pedersen states.
That's not the only thing he can see advantages in.
- It's actually only the ventilation, the alarm and the tank capacity that need to be changed to comply with the Danish Maritime Authority's requirements, he says, nodding approvingly at the new engine.
However, there are also a number of challenges that need to be solved before he sees a major replacement.
- Small and medium-sized enterprises are lagging behind in this area. We need to have some subsidy schemes before a major replacement is made, otherwise you can forget about it, says Jesper Pedersen honestly and adds:
- It has to make sense for the wallet, or nothing will happen.
On a technical level, there is also a challenge that will make him make demands before he buys the first methanol engine for a customer.
- Methanol does not have the same lubricating ability as diesel, so I need some kind of guarantee that the engine will be lubricated well enough with the additives that are added to the methanol to lubricate. But if the lubrication is in order, then there is no doubt that it is an engine that can last much longer than a diesel. There is no soot formation here, and therefore it can last longer, says Jesper Pedersen.
Of the other innovations being shown at Nordhavn Power Solutions, there are several that impress him.
- I can see an advantage in power packs that are powered by methanol. They can be placed next to the ships in the port and supply electricity. Here is the opportunity for the port to guarantee that there is green electricity, and the power grid in the port is not burdened, says Jesper Pedersen about a power pack that is powered by methanol and supplies electricity like a regular generator.
A Scania electric motor will also be shown at Nordhavn Power Solutions in Randers, and it can even contribute to increased safety at sea, says Jesper Pedersen.
- I can see several advantages here. It can either be used in ports where the ship is not allowed to sail on diesel, or if the diesel engine breaks down. It would be an extra safety feature, he says of a solution that can be installed now with a diesel engine or with a methanol engine when the time comes.
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