LNG

French LNG storage technology company GTT Group said its smart shipping unit Ascenz Marorka had been selected to provide advanced weather routing solutions for Monaco-based Greek company Latsco Shipping with a fleet of 36 vessels.

Latsco’s fleet mainly comprises chemical and liquefied petroleum gas vessels.

The accord will equip eight Latsco vessels with the Ascenz Marorka monitoring after a comprehensive market analysis and an extensive one-year testing phase on two of Latsco’s ships.

Optimal routes

Ascenz Marorka explained that the weather routing solution defines optimal shipping routes by integrating multiple operational, economic and environmental variables, while taking into account a wide range of operational and regulatory constraints.

This solution is compatible with various vessel types and propulsion systems, regardless of the fuel source chosen.

Latsco already uses the Ascenz Marorka Sloshield and Smart Shipping solutions to monitor in real time sloshing activity inside LNG cargo tanks by fixed motion sensors as well as boil-off performance of the containment system during operations.

Ascenz Marorka’s platform allows technical operators to monitor the performance of various systems such as the cargo or reliquefaction plants.

It also provides guidance to avoid roll-over when loading LNG of different densities

“We are honoured by the trust that Latsco places in us to support them in their journey towards digitalisation,” said Anouar Kiassi, Managing Director of Ascenz Marorka.

“We are delighted to work hand in hand with a ship-owner who values technology and innovation to achieve major decarbonisation goals,” he added.

Assessment

George Mavrogenis, Marine Manager of Latsco, said the Ascenz Marorka platform's features were thoroughly assessed for deliverables and ease of application.

“We evaluated its operational and safety navigation aspects, confirming it integrates seamlessly into daily practices, ensuring both efficiency and safety in our maritime operations” he stated.

Iasonas Zacharioudakis, Operational Technology and Energy Manager of Latsco, said he was impressed with the structured and thorough evaluation process, developed with Ascenz Marorka, to test new technologies.

“This process aimed to assess accurately the capabilities of this promising technology, considering the significant challenges in modelling ship navigation,” Zacharioudakis explained.

“Our goal is to enhance sustainability, improve environmental operations and optimise our environmental footprint,” he added.

A study involving UK maritime classification society Lloyd’s Register, Shell International Trading and Shipping Co. and French liquefied natural gas storage technology company GGT Group has concluded that inspection intervals for LNG carrier membrane tanks could be safely extended due to monitoring technology and predictive maintenance.

French liquefied natural gas storage technology firm and smart-shipping services supplier, Gaztranzport and Technigaz (GTT), has signed two technical services agreements for ships owned by Jovo Group of China.

June 30 (LNGJ) - Ascenz Marorka, the smart-shipping unit of French LNG gas storage technology firm GTT, has obtained Type Approval certification from European classification society DNV for its advanced Shaft Power Limitation solution to enable cleaner shipping.

   “The solution helps ship-owners and operators comply with the International Maritime Organisation regulations aimed at curbing green-house gas emissions and carbon intensity by 40 percent before 2030,” said Ascenz Marorka. “It monitors propeller shaft power and signals an alert in the wheelhouse if the shaft power exceeds the EEXI calculated maximum power. The system logs the periods where the limit was exceeded and enables crew to give comments,” it added.

French liquefied natural gas storage technology firm Gaztransport and Technigaz (GTT) reported a more than 17 percent increase in first-quarter revenues as the order book continued to build after a record year in 2022 and orders in the first three months for 25 LNG carriers.

Gaztransport and Technigaz (GTT), the French LNG storage technology company for shipping and onshore, has created a new smart-shipping brand from subsidiaries based in Singapore and Iceland.

The brand merger of the units is under the name Ascenz Marorka, taking the name of the Singaporean company Ascenz and the Europe-based Marorka.

GTT acquired Marorka, a smart-shipping company based in Reykjavik with services much sought by the LNG industry, in February 2020.

Marorka was bought from its owners and management team for an undisclosed sum.

The company designs maritime energy monitoring and optimization systems for vessels allowing them to reduce their environmental footprint and also provides other benefits.

The Islandic company’s systems were at the time of its acquisition by GTT installed on more than 600 vessels.

Marorka was purchased as a good technical, commercial and geographical complement to the Far East smart-shipping unit Ascenz.

Ascenz bunkering

One of the initiatives of Ascenz was to launch in 2021 the Electronic Bunker Delivery Note (eBDN) solution to improve the efficiency and transparency of the bunkering process in the Port of Singapore.

“Ascenz Marorka’s mission is to provide ship-owners and charterers around the world with the most comprehensive, innovative and reliable solutions that meet customers’ requirements, by offering a complete range of solutions, from the sensors to the modular software platform, in addition to high-value services provided by the Group’s experts,” explained GTT.

Philippe Berterottière, Chairman and Chief Executive of GTT, said he was proud to announce the launch of the Ascenz Marorka brand as part of a comprehensive digital strategy.

“With Ascenz Marorka, our ambition is to combine the digital expertise of our Group more effectively and to provide even more value to our customers in their journey for efficiency and sustainability,” explained Berterottière.

Anouar Kiassi, Vice-President Digital and Information at GTT, said that thanks to 30 combined years of experience the Ascenz Marorka brand would provide a great service to ship owners.

“The new brand will put us in a stronger position to design and distribute superior solutions to our customers and meet the evolving requirements of the maritime industry,” Kiassi stated.

Gaztransport and Technigaz (GTT), the French designer of LNG storage tanks for ships and for onshore, has been granted approval from UK maritime classification society Lloyds Register for its digital prediction technology for regasification operations involving floating LNG facilities.

French liquefied natural gas storage technology firm Gaztranzport and Technigaz (GTT) has launched a tool for ship-owners, to prepare the voyages of their vessels to reduce overall fuel consumption and to manage boil-off gas in the tanks.

GTT said the new digital “smart shipping” product is called “LNG Optim”.

“For several years, GTT Group has been extending its range of services to support the maritime industry in its digital and energy transformation, with the launch of smart-shipping solutions to optimize the energy performance of ships,” said GTT.

It explained that the “LNG Optim” solution is based on GTT's expertise in studying boil-off gas management.

GTT said “LNG Optim” was developed in collaboration with the group’s subsidiaries, Ascenz, Marorka and OSE Engineering and has already been adopted by major players in the LNG shipping sector.

The firm added that the studies performed to design the product took into account the modelling of complex phenomena such as LNG ageing, the influence of sea states on boil-off gas generation, as well as the impact of active systems like reliquefaction plants and sub-coolers.

“This new technological innovation from GTT, which is the result of joint work between the different teams of the group, marks our ambition in the very promising ‘Smart Shipping’ field,” said Philippe Berterottière, Chairman and Chief Executive.

“Our digital product aims to support ship-owners, charterers and operators in the energy transition, by optimizing the operational and environmental performance of their LNG-fuelled vessels,” added the CEO.

GTT acquired one of its smart-shipping firms, Iceland-based Marorka, in February 2020 to boost its offering to the LNG sector.

GTT bought Marorka from its owners and management team for an undisclosed sum.

The company designs maritime energy monitoring and optimization systems for vessels, allowing them to reduce their environmental footprint.

Its systems were installed on more than 600 vessels when GTT bought the company.

GTT saw Marorka as a good technical, commercial and geographical complement to Ascenz, GTT’s subsidiary based in Singapore. 

Global commodities firm Trafigura and French liquefied natural gas storage technology company Gaztranzport and Technigaz (GTT) have joined forces with Japanese shipping lines to help take the bunkering business into the modern era in the Port of Singapore, the growing Asian LNG hub.