New Sulphur rules a worry for the shipping industry

 

New legislation designed to help reduce CO2 emissions comes into force next year, and it looks like causing a headache for the shipping industry. The 0.1 percent sulphur in fuel requirements in Emission Control Areas regulation will come into effect on 1 January 2015.

The maximum sulphur content in bunker fuel permitted in ECA zones will reduce from 1 per cent to 0.1 per cent, which means that ship operators will be forced to switch to tanks of distillate fuel, which is around 50 per cent more expensive.

The International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) estimates that total greenhouse gas emissions from global maritime transport have already reduced by around 20 per cent between 2007 and 2012, but the sector is still looking at the implementation of mandatory global regulations for CO2 emissions, which are targeted at reducing CO2 in the future.

International Chamber of Shipping Secretary general Peter Hinchliffe said,

"The shipping industry fully recognises that governments expect even greater CO2 efficiency improvements in the future. Given the very high cost of fuel which is soon set to increase by around 50% due to separate new rules on sulphur the industry already has every incentive to deliver this,"

The introduction of these strict regulations is problematic for the shipping industry, with regulations banning ships from burning sulphur port in due to the environmental impact. This is likely to have an even greater effect on large vessels with more 4000 containers.

 Some ships are finding fuelling to be a big problem already; there have been reports of vessels actually plugging into power sources when arrive at shore – this also proves to be an expensive option so it’s not a viable solution. Other ships have been turning to LPG instead of diesel in order to cut costs, or other fuels, but this is only possible when a ship runs on a line - there is no guarantee that alternative fuels will be available at all ports.

On top of this, there are even greater worries ahead about availability of fuel, and the impact of legislation on the cost, with a  0.5 percent global cap on sulphur due to take effect in 2020. Experts believe that an increase from the shipping industry in the demand for diesel grade fuel could even have an impact on land based industry .

MV Windsor Castle now in Leith

We're excited to be shipping agents for the iconic ship MV Windsor Castle, which has recently been bought by the Royal Yacht Britannia.

The beautiful ship came to Leith all the way from Falmouth and the RYB has some exciting plans for the ship – the company has said that they plan to invest almost £1 million to turn the classically designed ship into a 25 bedroom floating luxury hotel which will sit alongside Britannia and will be permanently berthed in Edinburgh's historic port of Leith.

The 239 feet long vessel is almost two-thirds of the size of Britannia, which has been Scotland’s top visitor attraction for nine years, and the UK’s No.1 attraction (according to TripAdvisor 2014.)

The MV Windsor Castle was previously berthed in the River Fal.

Launched in August 1963, she was the last ship to have been built by Glasgow’s Blythswood Shipbuilding Company and was previously the Northern Lighthouse Board's (NLB) tender Fingal.

The ship spent 30 years working out of Oban for NLB, and was then moved to Stromness, Orkney, where she stayed for six years.  The vessel was then sold to Tamahine Shipping and has been very well maintained at her berth on the River Fal ever since.

The ship arrived in Leith at the end of August where she will now undergo an 18-month conversion, and the ‘boatique’ style hotel scheduled to open in spring 2016.

Britannia's chief executive Bob Downie said,

 "After many years of searching for the right ship, we are delighted that we have been able to acquire this iconic vessel and look forward to opening Scotland's first 'boatique' hotel. As a youngster growing up in Oban I have very fond memories of seeing the Fingal and I am delighted that the long-term future of another much-loved classic vessel has been secured."

Railway sleepers for raised flower beds

If you’re looking for an attractive and inexpensive way to spruce up your garden, have you thought about creating raised flower and plant beds using railway sleepers? We have a stock of used railway sleepers that could well be ideal for your gardening projects.

Creating a raised bed out of railways sleepers is becoming popular – probably due to the fact that a well-made bed made from sleepers is strong, will last you a long time, and looks lovely and natural in any sized garden.

Our sleepers are Sleepers are 8'6" x 10" x 6" and weigh about 80kgs each, and they can be used horizontally, or cut them lengthways and lay them as if they were timber posts. Either way they’ll be ideal.

When you’re building your raised beds, remember that railway sleepers are wide, so you will have to reach across them to get to the soil in your beds. For this reason, some people also lay them on their edge. They are easy to use and will only cost you £22 + VAT per sleeper.

Some of the advantages of using railway sleepers are:

• They look great
• They last a long time – sometimes up to 15 years.
• The extra width gives you somewhere else to sit!

You do need to remember that:
If you use them lengthways, you can only make square or rectangular beds
They can be heavy – ask a friend to help!
If you’re interested in getting hold of some sleepers, we can deliver (costs vary depending on your location). If you prefer, you can also collect them from our storage facility in Cowdenbeath, Fife.

Creosote
Our treated sleepers are treated with creosote which means that they shouldn’t be used anywhere there is risk of constant skin contact. Don’t use them inside buildings on playgrounds, or to make toys, garden furniture or picnic tables.
This video is really helpful if you want ideas about how to make your own raised flower beds with railway sleepers.

Rossiter’s Avalon rowers reach Seychelles in record breaking time

An intrepid British-led crew has broken two world records for the fastest-ever crossing of the Indian Ocean in a rowing boat. The crew of the Rossiter’s Avalon achieved the longest rowing record after arriving in the Seychelles at 14:58 GMT (18:58 local time) on Thursday 7th August.

It was an eventful journey; after setting out from Geraldton, Australia on June 11, the crew, who originated from Britain, Australia, South Africa and Iceland, covered a distance of over 4,200 miles to the Seychelles in just 57 days. They managed this despite capsizing three times, losing equipment, colliding with a whale, and the evacuation of a crewman. They also dealt with hurricanes, broaching, broken oars, auto-helm failure and huge waves…

The way forward for this determined team was old fashioned manual helming for the majority of the voyage, which meant reducing the crew to five - and when a remaining crew member became injured the crew was reduced even further.

The Victoria Port Authority was on hand to welcome the Avalon, and make preparations for landfall. Family & friends of crew members went out on a pilot boat to meet Rossiters’s Avalon.

At the quayside, the crew’s amazing achievement was celebrated with champagne, and the ‘ORE’ team were formally welcomed to the Seychelles by the British High Commissioner, Mrs Lindsay Skoll and Prof Rolph Payet, Minister for Environment in the Seychelles.

The seven rowers raised thousands of pounds for their chosen charities, including Save the Elephants (to help in their ongoing battle against the ivory trade) and Multiple Sclerosis Research Australia.

Naturally, the event called for a few beers, after which everyone was off for a much deserved hot shower and slap up meal.  It was great to hear that the eventful expedition had ended so successfully, and everyone at t ward would like to congratulate the determined skipper and crew!

Shipping the best choice for the Commonwealth Games

Limiting the carbon footprint and being as sustainable as possible was one of the key aims of the organisers of Glasgow 2014, so when the organisers had to decide on the best way to get their furniture, fittings and equipment (FFE) from where it had been in storage at Tilbury, South East England to Grangemouth, they decided to check out the environmental impact of each option before making a decision.

The team used state of the art carbon footprint calculation software to compare the carbon cost of sea, rail and road transportation and estimate the potential CO2 emissions for delivery. The CO2 emission assessment results showed that moving everything by sea would work out almost three times as environmentally friendly than shifting it by rail would have done and a hefty six times more eco-friendly than transporting it via road.

The decision was made! The Organising Committee went ahead and shipped 260,000 items of Furniture, Fittings and Equipment from the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games all the way to Scotland for use in the Athlete’s Village. It took a total of 350 shipping containers to move everything from the London Container Terminal in Tilbury to the Port of Grangemouth.

The containers, which were first used in the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, were enough to hold all the FFE for the Games, and after a successful, eco-friendly journey, they made their way to the Games ready for the opening ceremony in July.

For more information on shipping, or to find out about our shipping containers for sale, contact t.ward…

Scottish renewable energy figures are impressive!

We have a keen interest in renewable energy at t. ward, so we were really pleased to read that Scotland’s renewable electricity output is looking so impressive – the nation’s overall output hit record levels during the first three months of 2014.

The figures, which were released by the Department of Energy and Climate Change at the end of June, revealed that Scotland generated a record 6,678 GWh of renewable electricity in the first quarter of 2014, partly as a result of a record quarter of hydro output. Hydro power output was 9.2 per cent higher than it was at the end of 2011, when we saw the previous record. It’s not just hydro – wind generated power is performing exceptionally well too and output is at record levels, four per cent higher than previous records.
Scottish Energy Minister Fergus Ewing said:

“The record high hydro output shows that we are contributing to a balanced mix of energy generation across Scotland which could see hydro power account for up to a quarter of Scotland’s generating capacity in the next decade.”

The good news was revealed at the same time that the Renewable Energy Association (REA) called on David Cameron and other EU leaders to recognise the importance of national 2030 renewable energy targets in maintaining energy security.

The REA said that putting in place national targets for increasing home-grown renewable energy by 2030 would help reduce the risk of Scotland being affected by any potential volatility in energy markets, and that renewables were also the best option for reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Both of these are excellent reasons to keep up the good work with renewable energy and recyclates, something that we’re happy to be a part of at t.ward.

Demolition in progress at Cockenzie Site

ScottishPower carried on with the restructuring of the old Cockenzie Power Station site in June, with the demolition of two more steel ‘Precipitator’ structures by controlled explosion. The demolition was a big project; the 300 tonne structures were 34 metres high with a width of 10 metres by 12.5 metres.

The removal of the steel structures was managed by Brown and Mason, and ScottishPower worked closely with East Lothian Council and Police Scotland to make sure that no road closures were needed during the demolition.

The structures were located on the seaward side of the main building, and members of the public watched the demolition from the Greenhills. This demolition is another chapter in the ongoing story of Cockenzie, which looks likely to be transformed into a vast renewable energy park involved with the construction of offshore wind turbines.

At t. ward we’re very much looking forward to finding out about the plans for the proposed development – if they go ahead they will create a modern industrial landscape between Prestonpans and Port Seton, complete with giant turbines being manufactured 24 hours a day, seven days a week. This can only be an advantage for the area, not simply because of the possibility of job creation, but also because the generation and consumption of renewable energy is something Scotland should be rightly proud of; Figures published last month showed that Scotland generated a very impressive 6,678 GWh of renewable electricity in the first quarter of 2014, which represents an increase of over 50 per cent on the same quarter in 2013 and is also 10.4 per cent higher than the previous record.

A deep water port in the area is also likely to encourage additional investment to the area, and there are even rumours that a cruise ship terminal is being proposed for the site.

We’ll keep you up to date on any news about the development.