Tag Archives: Newcastlemax

BHP achieves shipping first as it extends funding for steelmaking decarbonisation

Environmental, Mining services, Steel and iron ore, Sustainable mining, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

BHP has welcomed the arrival of MV Mt. Tourmaline – the world’s first LNG-fuelled Newcastlemax bulk carrier – that will transport iron ore between Western Australia and Asia from 2022.

The mining company has chartered five LNG-fuelled Newcastlemax bulk carriers from Eastern Pacific Shipping (EPS) for five years and awarded the LNG fuel contract to Shell.

On her maiden voyage, the vessel arrived at Jurong Port in Singapore for her first LNG bunkering operation (the process of fuelling ships with LNG) which will take place through the first LNG bunker vessel in Singapore, the FueLNG Bellina. FueLNG, a joint venture between Shell Eastern Petroleum and Keppel Offshore & Marine, operates the bunker vessel.

After LNG bunkering, the 209,000-deadweight tonne vessel will leave for Port Hedland in Western Australia for iron ore loading operations.

BHP Chief Commercial Officer, Vandita Pant, said: “BHP works with our suppliers to embed innovative and sustainable solutions in our supply chain. This vessel delivers significant improvements to energy efficiency and emissions intensity, as well as reduced overall GHG emissions in our value chain. These achievements demonstrate BHP, EPS and Shell’s shared commitment to social value through innovative emissions reduction initiatives.

“These LNG-fuelled vessels are expected to reduce GHG emissions intensity by more than 30% on a per voyage basis compared to a conventional fuelled voyage and will contribute towards our 2030 goal to support 40% emissions intensity reduction of BHP-chartered shipping of our products.”

EPS CEO, Cyril Ducau, said: “Today’s historic LNG bunkering is further evidence that the industry’s energy transition is in full swing. These dual-fuel LNG Newcastlemax vessels are a world’s first, but more importantly, they represent a culture shift in shipping and mining.”

In a separate announcement, BHP confirmed it would extend its partnership with the Centre for Ironmaking Materials Research (CIMR) at the University of Newcastle with a further A$10 million ($7 million) in funding to support ongoing research into decarbonising steelmaking.

The expanded research program will focus on low carbon iron and steelmaking using BHP’s iron ore and metallurgical coal, including conventional blast furnace ironmaking with the addition of hydrogen, and emerging alternative low carbon ironmaking technologies.

The collaboration, with funding from BHP’s $400 million Climate Investment Program, will last five years and help train the next generation of PhD researchers and engineers.

Dr Rod Dukino, BHP VP Sales & Marketing Iron Ore, said: “Greenhouse gas emissions from steelmaking represent around 7-10% of global total estimated emissions and the industry remains one of the most difficult sectors in the world to abate. Research and innovation have a critical role to play in accelerating the industry’s transition to a low carbon future.

“The expanded research program with the University of Newcastle complements BHP’s existing partnerships with our key steelmaking customers in China, Japan and South Korea. We are pursuing the long-term goal of net zero Scope 3 greenhouse gas emissions by 20501. Recognising the particular challenge of a net zero pathway for this hard-to-abate sector, we are continuing to partner with customers and others in the steel value chain to seek to accelerate the transition to carbon neutral steelmaking.”

Shell to supply BHP’s LNG-fuelled Newcastlemax bulk carriers

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BHP says it has awarded its first LNG supply agreement for five LNG-fuelled Newcastlemax bulk carriers, which will transport iron ore between Western Australia and China from 2022.

Shell has been awarded the contract to fuel the vessels, which BHP will charter from Eastern Pacific Shipping for a five-year term as part of a previously announced arrangement confirmed in September.

BHP Chief Commercial Officer, Vandita Pant, said: “The LNG bunkering contract marks a significant step in how BHP is working with our suppliers to reduce emissions across the maritime supply chain.

“LNG fuelled vessels are forecast to help BHP reduce CO2-e emissions by 30% on a per voyage basis compared to a conventional fuelled voyage between Western Australia and China, and contribute to our 2030 goal to support 40% emissions intensity reduction of BHP-chartered shipping of our products.”

Steve Hill, Executive Vice President, Shell Energy, said: “I would like to congratulate BHP on reducing emissions in their maritime supply chain with the world’s first LNG-fuelled Newcastlemax bulk carriers. Decarbonisation of the shipping industry must begin today and LNG is the cleanest fuel currently available in meaningful volumes.

“This LNG bunkering contract strengthens the bunkering market in the region and we look forward to working with BHP and other customers in the maritime sector on their journey to a net-zero emissions future.”

The contract is the result of a tender process that included potential suppliers across several geographies. Technical capability, available infrastructure and cost competitiveness were among the stringent criteria.

LNG bunkering – the process of fuelling ships with LNG – will take place through the first LNG bunker vessel in Singapore, ‘FueLNG Bellina’. The vessel is operated by FueLNG, a joint venture between Shell Eastern Petroleum and Keppel Offshore & Marine. The bunker vessel will be able to bunker fuel at a rate of 100-1,000 cu.m/h.

“The LNG bunkering contract will enable BHP to manage fuel supply risk, build LNG operational capability internally, and also help to strengthen the emerging LNG bunkering market in the region,” Pant said. “This contract is expected to form up to 10% of forecasted Asian LNG bunker demand in FY2023 (financial year 2023).”

BHP weighs trolley assist and IPCC as part of decarbonisation efforts

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BHP has provided an update on its progress on climate action, new climate commitments and how it integrates climate change into corporate strategy and portfolio decisions in a new report.

The company’s climate change approach focuses on reducing operational greenhouse gas emissions, investing in low emissions technologies, promoting product stewardship, managing climate-related risk and opportunity, and partnering with others to enhance the global policy and market response, it says.

“BHP supports the aim of the Paris Agreement to limit global warming to well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels, and pursue efforts to limit warming to 1.5°C,” the company clarified.

It explained: “BHP has been active in addressing climate risks for more than two decades, and has already established its long-term goal of achieving net zero operational (Scope 1 and 2) emissions by 2050 and its short-term target of maintaining operational emissions at or below financial year (FY) 2017 levels by FY2022, using carbon offsets as required.”

In the past year, BHP has made progress on this aim, announcing that the Escondida and Spence copper mines in Chile will move to 100% renewable energy by the mid-2020s, and, last week, awarding new renewable energy contracts for its Queensland coal assets, and the world’s first LNG-fuelled Newcastlemax bulk carrier tender.

BHP’s climate change briefing and 2020 climate change report outline how the company will accelerate its own actions and help others to do the same, it said. Today’s update sets out:

  • A medium-term target to reduce operational greenhouse gas emissions by at least 30% from adjusted FY2020 levels by FY2030;
  • Scope 3 actions to contribute to decarbonisation in its value chain. This includes supporting the steelmaking industry to develop technologies and pathways capable of 30% emissions intensity reduction with widespread adoption expected post-2030 and, in terms of transportation, supporting emissions intensity reduction of 40% in BHP-chartered shipping of products;
  • Strengthened linking of executive remuneration to delivery of BHP’s climate plan; and
  • Insight into the performance of BHP’s portfolio in a transition to a 1.5°C scenario.

The report also outlined some examples of emission reduction projects the miner is considering, which will be weighed as part of the maintenance capital category of its capital allocation framework. This includes solar power installations; alternative material movement technologies such as overland conveyors and in-pit crush and convey solutions; and trolley assist to displace diesel for haul trucks.

The company expanded on this in its report: “The path to electrification of mining equipment will likely include solutions such as trolley assist, in-pit crush and convey, overland conveyors and battery solutions.

“Diesel displacement represents a higher risk, higher capital step towards decarbonisation, so a phased approach to execution is proposed with particular emphasis on Minerals Americas-operated assets that are further advanced on the decarbonisation journey. Taking a transitional approach to electrification provides flexibility to allow for the potential for rapid development of emerging technologies and to resolve the complexities of integrating these technologies into existing operations.

“During FY2021, we will seek to collaborate further with International Council on Mining and Metals members, industry and original equipment manufacturers to progress research and development to reduce costs and assess any potential impacts from electrified mining equipment solutions to replace current diesel options.”

BHP Chief Executive Officer, Mike Henry, said of the report: “I’m pleased today to show how we are accelerating our own actions and helping others to do the same in addressing climate change. We see ourselves as accountable to take action. We recognise that our investors, our people and the communities and nations who host our operations or buy our products have increasing expectations of us – and are responsive to these.

“Our approach to climate change is defined by a number of key requirements. Our actions must be of substance. They must be real, tangible actions to drive emissions down. We must focus on what we can control inside our business, and work with others to help them reduce emissions from the things that they control. To create long-term value and returns over generations, we must continue to generate value and returns within the strong portfolio we have today, while shaping our portfolio over time to benefit from the megatrends playing out in the world including decarbonisation and electrification.

“Our portfolio is well positioned to support the transition to a lower carbon world aligned with the Paris Agreement. Our commodities are essential for global economic growth and the world’s ability to transition to and thrive in a low carbon future. Climate change action makes good economic sense for BHP and enables us to create further value.”

BHP to cut iron ore freight emissions with world first LNG-fuelled bulk carrier contract

Bulk handling, Environmental, Mining services, Steel and iron ore, Sustainable mining, , , , , , , , ,

BHP has awarded what it says is the world’s first LNG-fuelled Newcastlemax bulk carrier tender, with the aim of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by more than 30% per voyage.

Eastern Pacific Shipping (EPS) has been awarded the five-year time charter contract for five 209,000 DWT LNG-fuelled Newcastlemax bulk carriers to carry iron ore between Western Australia and China from 2022, BHP said. The LNG bunkering supply contract is expected to be awarded in October.

BHP Chief Commercial Officer, Vandita Pant, said the LNG-fuelled vessels would virtually eliminate SOx (sulphur oxide) emissions and significantly reduce CO2 and NOx (nitrogen oxide) emissions.

“As one of the largest dry bulk charterers in the world, BHP recognises the role we play in working with our suppliers and customers to drive actionable reductions in GHG emissions across the maritime supply chain,” Pant said.

“The tender marks a progressive shift for BHP and the broader mining and shipping industry and is a significant step toward lowering GHG emissions in the 1.5 billion tonne iron ore seaborne market.

“We expect the introduction of LNG-fuelled vessels will result in more than 30% lower CO2-e emissions on a per voyage basis compared to conventional fuel along the Western Australia to China route.”

BHP released the LNG-fuelled bulk carrier tender in July 2019 and says it completed a rigorous due diligence process to identify and short list tenderers. Safety, technical and economic factors, as well as a clear demonstration to make a sustainable positive change for the industry, were among the criteria.

Pant said EPS offered a competitive bid and an efficient vessel design with superior fuel efficiency and GHG emissions reductions. The EPS management team displayed a significant alignment of values with BHP, she added.

Pant said: “The LNG bunkering time charter contract, with a total cost of ownership less than a conventionally fuelled Newcastlemax, will enable BHP to manage the fuel supply risk, build LNG operations capability internally and capture operating expenditure benefits through optimisation of voyage operations and fuel utilisation.

“As an established provider of marine transportation to the energy market for 60 years, EPS shares BHP’s commitment to lowering emissions in the maritime supply chain and we look forward to working with them to align with the GHG goals of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO).”

EPS CEO, Cyril Ducau, said: “With aligned values and sustainability agendas, we are thrilled to work with BHP on this project. BHP’s commitment to making a positive change for the industry resonated with our decarbonisation mission and our culture of environmental protection. When these vessels deliver in 2022, they will be the cleanest and most efficient in the entire dry bulk shipping fleet and will be IMO 2030 compliant, eight years ahead of schedule.”