RAPALLO (Genoa) – The news comes from a senior executive and, considering the companies involved, it inevitably attracts attention: Sanlorenzo and Lürssen have been collaborating for more than a year and a half on research and development activities across several projects.
The confirmation came from Simone Bruckner, Chief R&D Officer of Sanlorenzo, speaking today in Rapallo during a panel on decarbonisation organised by the Propeller Club of Genoa as part of the national energy forum “Transizione al bivio”, hosted by broadcaster Telenord.
However, it is worth immediately dispelling any further speculation or corporate scenarios that, at least for now, belong more to “fantasy yachting” than reality: first of all, the collaboration between the two shipyards is not formalised and, equally important, concerns only the technical side.
It can be described as a “simple” exchange and sharing of experience and know-how between industry professionals, mainly engineers, but one that has acquired considerable relevance and substance, as demonstrated by the several visits already carried out by Italian delegations to Germany, reciprocated in turn by German counterparts.
The focus of the two R&D teams includes projects related to the use of methanol as a fuel, as well as fuel cells, electrification, yacht hybridisation and other technologies. It is also noteworthy that the collaboration started after Sanlorenzo unveiled “Almax”, the 50-metre superyacht equipped with a green methanol reformer fuel-cell system capable of converting methanol into hydrogen and then into electricity, allowing all onboard hotel services to operate with engines and generators switched off.
“It was the first time an Italian shipyard reached the forefront with a pure technology project,” Bruckner explained, with understandable pride, while retracing the beginning of the relationship with the German company, which had been strongly impressed by the innovation and actively sought contact with Sanlorenzo.
More recently, the relationship has slowed somewhat, partly while awaiting greater certainty regarding IMO regulations, although contacts remain active and have also included simulation projects. The cooperation represents a significant acknowledgement of the innovation capabilities developed by the shipyard founded by Massimo Perotti in a sector such as yachting which, when it comes to decarbonisation, will ultimately have to follow the direction taken by the much larger commercial shipping industry, particularly regarding clean fuels.
“Our green methanol technology is ready; the main issue now concerns infrastructure and regulations,” Bruckner summarised.
On the subject of fuels, Andrea Cogliolo, Senior Director Marine Excellence Centers at RINA, once again underlined the current lack of clarity over which solution will ultimately prevail.
“It is unthinkable today for a marina to equip itself to supply more than one of the new ‘clean’ fuels. Only a few days ago came the news of the first ammonia bunkering operation in South Korea, carried out ship-to-ship for a gas carrier. In commercial shipping, choices are currently leaning mainly towards bio-LNG and LNG, depending on whether the vessel is already in operation or still in the ordering phase,” Cogliolo concluded.
A similarly flexible and technology-neutral approach is being adopted by the Fratelli Cosulich Group, a company generating more than €2 billion in revenue and active across several shipping sectors, particularly trading.
“We act as facilitators for shipowners and suppliers: our bunker vessels are positioned worldwide and we have a global view,” explained Emanuela Franchini, Head of New Fuels at the Genoa-based company, which intends to keep its options open rather than commit to a single pathway.
Particularly interesting is the case of Singapore, where the local port authority MPA, while granting new bunkering licences, required all participants in the public tender to form consortia in order to ensure a complete supply chain and avoid the “gaps” along the logistics chain that many operators fear when making strategic decisions.
Nicole Colla, operator at Axpo, stated that the example set in Genoa, where Italy’s first ship-to-ship LNG bunkering operation took place last December on the ferry GNV Virgo, will be replicated by the end of the month in Naples on a cruise ship, followed later by Civitavecchia. This represents an encouraging sign for the development of LNG infrastructure in Italy.
The Swiss company operates “Green Pearl”, an innovative small-scale LNG carrier and bunkering vessel capable of supplying LNG and bio-LNG through both ship-to-ship and ship-to-truck operations. The latter solution, involving tanker truck refuelling, significantly simplifies bunkering logistics.
“Concertation” and “consensus building” remain essential within IMO decarbonisation policies, recalled Lorenzo Pollicardo, Technical & Environmental Director of SYBAss, who opened the panel discussion.
Riccardo Masnata