Page 42 - Damen Shipyards Group

42 SUSTAINABILITY SPECIAL 43

WITH SKOON, THE FUTURE LOOKS A

LITTLE GREENER. IF THE SWAPPABLE
E AR LY C O N N E C T I O N S
As the Skoon idea grew into a genuine possibility, Peter Paul got to work on BATTERY METHOD CAN HELP SAVE
the concept and studying the market independently. He knew that in order
to get the business off the ground, he wanted a potential partner with an LOGISTICS FIRMS SAVE MONEY OVER
existing product on which to apply his theory and release it in a traditional
marketplace. THE LONG TERM, WHILE KEEPING IN

“Given our aspirations for application and expansion,” he says, “we decided LINE WITH INTERNATIONAL
that Damen was an ideal partner. We could learn a lot from Damen’s
experience and expertise, while Damen ships fitted with Skoonboxes REGULATIONS, THE SKOONBOX
could demonstrate proof-of-concept.” Furthermore, Damen’s seniority in
the market and established reputation could help the company achieve COULD BE THE SILVER LINING IN
exposure, which would create opportunities to grow Skoon’s networks and
stakeholder connections. A TURBULENT FUTURE.
For Damen, the partnership with Skoon creates further opportunity to add
value for the customer in the shape of battery-compatible vessels straight
off the production line, providing an easy way to meet upcoming emissions
regulations and benefit from the clean energy model by future-proofing
shipping operations.

In summer 2018, Skoon and Damen agreed a formal partnership. As Damen
announced the partnership in its network, Skoon immediately felt the benefit. There has been a mixed response to the idea, but now is a good time in the
Companies heard of the initiative and began to approach Peter Paul, curious market to encourage this kind of change. In 2020, new IMO regulations will
about Skoon’s idea and service, and the value it could offer to the shipping come into effect requiring vessels to reduce sulphur emissions from 3.5%
industry. This publicity certainly helped Skoon to gain visibility and contributed to 0.5%. In light of this, the industry is looking for ways to lower emissions
S KOON ’ S C ON C E P T I ON to business opportunities further down the line. in the most cost-effective way. One option is for refineries to blend fuel oil This will be achieved through the use of Skoon’s software platform, which
Skoon’s co-founder, Peter Paul van Voorst tot Voorst, conceived of a model with lower levels of sulphurous components in order to achieve a compliant enables container terminals to organise and track the logistics of Skoonbox
for electrically-powered vessels while working part-time at Damen and N O T P L A I N S A I L I N G fuel oil; an alternative is for ships to install exhaust gas cleaning systems to transfers. The software enables users to keep track of which customers have
studying Marine Technology at the Delft University of Technology. He was The implementation wasn’t without its challenges. Replacing the fossil fuels remove SOx gases after combustion. which hardware, and exactly where each Skoonbox is and where it will be
focused on the perennial problem of designing a future for ships that would market is a significant shift, and the Skoon initiative is the first of its kind – The industry also faces pressure from EU regulations regarding Non-Road needed. This automation of the administrative part of the process is the key
make them cleaner, more comfortable and more efficient in their operation. it’s a completely new idea to use a swappable battery. Mobile Machinery (NRMM), which aim to progressively reduce pollutant to connecting stakeholders to one another, and through these connections,
His challenge was to find a solution to a three-stranded problem: emissions and to phase out equipment with the most polluting engines. forming the routes that allow vessels to exchange batteries at each end.
As Peter Paul explains, “One of our biggest challenges has been to explain Newbuild vessels will need to be fitted with compliant engines, and many
1. The technical issue of how to reduce emissions in the short term while the new system to people in order for them to understand the premise. It existing engines will require emissions filters. E N R O U T E
ensuring the capacity for future improvement requires a new way of thinking.” A bit like the switching of fuel in cars from Looking to the future, success relies on adoption of the system, and Skoon’s
2. The practical issue of introducing a solution that can easily be oil-based to electricity; the car needs charging every day rather than filling Through choice or through compulsion, these stipulations mean many strategy is to grow port by port, incrementally making the connections
incorporated into the daily operation of vessels up the fuel tank every few days. The planning and operations are therefore companies are looking at switching to a ‘greener’ kind of energy, be that that create feasibility of the model. The main focus is to increase Skoon’s
3. The economic issue of how to make such a solution financially different. It took time to explain these differences to the market on a case- from electric power or combined diesel-electric power. Batteries are presence in ports close to densely-populated areas. These locations hold
competitive with current and future alternatives by-case basis. expensive and the rate of technological development in the field could mean the most promise as they rely on a lot of power for many other applications
the hardware quickly depreciates in value, as improvements in efficiency besides marine logistics. This means a higher chance of achieving a simple
Emissions-reducing solutions for shipping include engines powered by make older hardware obsolete much more quickly. connection to a local power grid through which to charge the batteries and
liquefied natural gas or by hydrogen cells, but these are expensive to also the potential of access to nearby onshore applications for the batteries,
implement and at present offer little scope for upgrade once installed. This also means that customers will want to keep up with technological such as the festivals and construction sites mentioned earlier. In this way,
The introduction of a ‘battery box’ would require little imposition on the “GIVEN OUR ASPIRATIONS FOR developments. This is possible through replacing the batteries every five Skoonboxes can become part of the overall infrastructure of the location.
structure and operation of a ship’s propulsion and the removable batteries years in order to ensure optimum performance. The old batteries will be Damen also plays a role here. In the words of Peter Paul, “Every customer
could be replaced following the development of newer, more efficient APPLICATION AND EXPANSION, WE given a second life on land, while the vessel continues with the latest energy Damen talks to in the world has an energy demand. Together, we can help to
methods of energy storage. storage technology. This is good news for battery suppliers, as they can rely find a sustainable solution for their demand. Skoon can analyse the energy
DECIDED THAT DAMEN WAS AN IDEAL on regular business from Skoon – and perhaps similar companies – wanting profile of the Damen customer and determine which type of technology can
As transport ships currently refuel while unloading and loading cargo, an to maintain their stock. best help them to meet their needs.”
alternative power solution would need to seamlessly replace the refueling PARTNER. WE COULD LEARN A
part of this process. While cars can be charged overnight, ships never sleep – S KO O N O N T H E WAT E R They say ‘necessity is the mother of invention’. As the sober reality of climatic
their structure doesn’t feature charging ports, and a static connection would LOT FROM THEIR EXPERIENCE AND The first Skoonbox was ready for logistical tests in January 2019, as Skoon changes forces us to adapt our behaviour, we are driven to find new solutions
hamper their mobility. By providing exchangeable batteries, the ship doesn’t analysed the transfer process to see how the theory compared to its real-life to meet our present and future challenges. With Skoon, the future looks a little
need to wait around while charging, and is free to leave port as soon as the EXPERTISE, WHILE DAMEN SHIPS application. The team followed the Skoonbox from its placement on an greener. If the swappable battery method can help save logistics firms save
cargo is loaded. inland transport vessel in Rotterdam to its deposit in Hengelo. As Peter Paul money over the long term, while keeping in line with international regulations,
FITTED WITHSKOONBOXES COULD reflects, “The test was very positive and gave an opportunity for us to learn the Skoonbox could be the silver lining in a turbulent future.
The development and production of transport-grade shipping batteries is how different stakeholders view the process from different perspectives. For
expensive – the cost must be offset somewhere. The ingenious solution to DEMONSTRATE PROOF-OF-CONCEPT.” example, container terminals look at vessel routes rather than actual vessels,
this challenge is to make these essentially ‘mobile’ batteries compatible and we discovered the Skoonbox had been booked on a different vessel to
with onshore, as well as offshore, applications. Skoon’s swappable batteries the test vessel, which was also headed to Hengelo.” The challenge for Skoon
are also viable for use in land-based applications such as powering music is therefore to make it easy for the terminals to see these systems and how
festivals and construction sites. This variety in application creates the the process works in order for this practice to become scalable.
capacity for batteries to be used while not in demand by marine vessels.