COMMENTARY: GUIDELINES FOR COAL FIRING

The Re-emergence of coal as a viable alternative to fuel oil for marine propulsion has stimulated Det norske Veitas to work out guideline proposals for coal-fired ships. We reported (The Motor Ship, December 1979 and February 1980) that various studies indicate the favourable economincs of coal firing, technical solutions are readily available and some owners--mainly Australian--have already put out designs for tender. A survey by the Japanese Ministry of Transport showed that a coal-fired 120,000 tonne d.w. coal carrier would offer bunker cost savings equivalent to almost $2 million a year compared with oil-fired carriers in the same class. The coal-fired 120,000 tonner would cost 22-23 per cent more than its oil-fired equivalent but this would be offset within five years by the bunker cost saving. The study assumed that fuel oil will rise by an average of 8 per cent per year and steam coal by $10 a ton, with the loan interest at 8 per cent per annum. Both pulverised and lump coal fuelling were examined for a vessel powered by a 23,500 shp turbine for a speed of 15.2 knots transporting coal between Australia and Japan. The thermal efficiency of such a ship would be 50 per cent below that of a diesel vessel, and about $44 worth of coal would be required to generate the same amount of heat as a ton of fuel oil, assuming respective Far East prices of $28 ad $160 per ton. Thus a $66 per ton bunker saving (or 40 per cent) is offered by the coal-fired ship. Assuming the ship operates on a 30-day road voyage for 11 months a year, the annual bunker cost saving would be $1.79 million using pulverised coal and $1.73 million with lump coal. The DnV guidelines--which cover general arrangement, systems and component design, fire protection and automation--have been sent out to various sectors of the industry for comments. The economics become particularly attractive when the shipowner also owns the coal source--hence the Australian interest.

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• Corporate Authors:

  IPC Industrial Press Limited

  Dorset House, Stamford Street
  London SE1 9LU,   England 

  IPC Industrial Press Limited

  Quadrant House, The Quadrant
  Sutton, Surrey,   England 
• Publication Date: 1980-4

Media Info

• Pagination: p. 7
• Serial:
  • Motor Ship
  • Volume: 61
  • Issue Number: 717
  • Publisher: Blohm + Goss GMBH
  • Serial URL: http://www.hhc.co/uk/motorship

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Alternate fuels; Bulk carriers; Coal fuels; Costs; Economic analysis; Fuel conservation; Fuel consumption; Fuels; High speed rail; Propulsion; Vehicle design
• Uncontrolled Terms: Fuel costs
• Old TRIS Terms: Advanced propulsion; Economic analysis (Fuels)
• Subject Areas: Design; Economics; Energy; Finance; Marine Transportation;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00311633
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Jun 26 1980 12:00AM