Piping systems account for nearly half of all detailed engineering time in shipbuilding and exert a dispro- portionate influence on total production costs. In the competitive Engineering-to-Order (ETO) market, where profit margins typically lie between 2 and 6%, labour efficiency during pipe installation repre- sents a far greater cost lever than material savings alone. Yet existing Automated Pipe Routing (APR) algorithms optimise almost exclusively for material reduction (minimising pipe length and the number of bends), while largely neglecting ease of installation as a design objective. This thesis addresses that gap by proposing a combined methodology that integrates production cost drivers directly into the pipe routing and space reservation process during the design phase. The approach proceeds in three stages. First, Value Stream Mapping (VSM) is applied to the pro- duction process at Damen Offshore Specialised Vessels (OSV), identifying installation as the primary bottleneck by non-value-added duration. Second, Fuzzy Logic (calibrated through expert question- naires with ten industry specialists) translates physical clearance distances around pipes into a quan- titative Installability Index (II) and Time Multiplier (TM), bridging the gap between vague engineering descriptions and the crisp numerical inputs required for algorithmic optimisation. Third, these metrics are embedded as penalty terms within an 𝐴∗ pathfinding algorithm that simultaneously enforces Classi- fication Society hard constraints governing hazardous zone separation and vertical routing restrictions. The methodology is tested in a case study on the engine room of the Windcat Amsterdam, a CMB.TECH vessel built by Damen. Rerouting key pipe systems yielded a theoretical 18% reduction in installation time, corresponding to a potential saving of 12,498 man-hours for a single engine room. These results demonstrate that installation-aware routing is a practically achievable and financially meaningful improvement to current design practice. ... Read more

The gap between sustainability reporting and capital allocation in capital-intensive, project-based industries is commonly diagnosed as a measurement problem. This paper argues that, for yard-level investment decisions in custom superyacht shipbuilding, it is instead a decision-logic problem. Reporting standards produce backward-looking information for external accountability. Investment choice instead requires forward-looking deliberation under deep uncertainty about regulation, legitimacy, and client expectations. Existing valuation, indicator-based, and multi-criteria approaches each address part of this problem but none is sufficient alone. The paper develops a modular non-probabilistic framework with four components. A European Sustainability Reporting Standards-grounded indicator basis and a System Dynamics Representation handle indirect and feedback-mediated consequences. AHP-weighted Multi-Attribute Value Theory aggregates non-monetised value, and minimax regret across bounded scenarios supports cross-context comparison. Monte Carlo perturbation of elicited inputs tests framework robustness. The framework is applied to four investments at a custom superyacht shipyard, selected to span scale, impact pathway, and scenario sensitivity. The application demonstrates three results. First, baseline-attractive and robustness-attractive investments diverge. A large strategic investment wins under additive aggregation but carries the highest maximum regret, while a small governance investment minimises regret across scenarios. Second, the System Dynamics Representation surfaces legitimacy and governance pathways that direct expert assessment systematically overlooks. Third, sensitivity concentrates in the consequence layer rather than the valuation layer, locating productive disagreement in empirical rather than normative questions. The framework does not eliminate uncertainty. It disciplines deliberation by making assumptions, trade-offs, and points of disagreement explicit and contestable.
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As maritime regulatory bodies tighten restrictions on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, the shipping industry is forced to reduce emissions with measures such as fuel consumption optimization, reduction of vessel design speed or reducing the installed power safety buffer. This compromises the historically introduced safety buffer of marine power plants, introducing the need to evaluate the propulsion reliability and availability.
Current regulations, specifically SOLAS II-1 26.2 and 26.3, have strict redundancy guidelines that are evenly applied across different configurations. Applying technological neutrality across conventional and complex configurations can penalize optimized power plant designs. Furthermore, existing literature relies heavily on oversimplified, constant failure rate methodologies that fail to capture realistic mechanical wear-out and maintainability.
To bridge these regulatory and methodological gaps, this thesis implements a quantitative combined deterministic-probabilistic framework. Using ReliaSoft BlockSim, four distinct vessel configurations were modelled as Reliability Block Diagrams (RBD): a baseline single-line diesel configuration (Case A1), a twin-engine diesel drive (Case A2), a diesel-electric system with a closed bus tie (Case B1), and a segregated diesel-electric system with an open bus tie (Case B2). Reliability data was extracted from historical databases, technical literature and academic standards, integrating standard exponential laws and time-dependent Weibull distribution models.
The deterministic analysis demonstrated that all redundant configurations exceeded the Case A1 reference baseline (R=0.2199), with Cases A2, B1 and B2 providing reliability gains of 66.2%, 295%, and 280.1% respectively.
Long-term Monte Carlo simulations revealed a critical regulatory inconsistency. The transition from Case B1 to a segregated busbar configuration in Case B2 eliminated a major electrical SPOF, with negligible variation in global availability (98.95% and 98.84%). Importance measures identified propulsion and steering lines and auxiliary systems as the primary bottlenecks, showing an operational importance up to 26.4%.
These findings demonstrate that while physical redundancy is a highly effective method for increasing availability in conventional diesel systems, it forces unconventional diesel-electric vessels into a zone of diminishing returns without delivering meaningful safety improvements. By establishing Case B1 as the ideal equilibrium between financial cost, operational safety, and environmental compliance, this research strongly advocates for a transition toward goal-based availability standards.
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The global maritime sector faces increasing pressure to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, comply with emerging regulatory frameworks, and transition toward more resource-efficient fleet renewal strategies. While vessel refits are frequently promoted as circular alternatives to newbuild vessels, decision-makers lack systematic tools to evaluate the strategic, environmental, and economic impacts of different refit pathways. Existing circular economy assessment frameworks are either too generic, developed for land-based industries, or primarily focused on newbuild vessels. This thesis addresses this gap by developing a structured, KPI-based methodology that supports early-stage decision-making for vessel refits, enabling transparent comparison between repair, refurbish, remanufacture, and newbuild alternatives.

A Design Science Research approach is applied to derive a two-step framework. The first step identifies feasible circular strategies based on vessel and component characteristics, regulatory requirements, and intervention depth. The second step evaluates each strategy using 32 Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), synthesised from an initial database of 87 indicators derived from literature, regulatory documents, and industry sources. The final KPI set spans three impact areas, strategic, environmental, and economic, and is organised across seven themes: design and modularity, material circularity, cost and economic viability, lead times and availability, quality and performance, environmental impact reduction, and regulation and standardisation. System boundaries align with maritime assessment practices, applying cradle-to-gate for capital emissions, tank-to-wake for operational emissions, and excluding maintenance, transport, and end-of-life phases where data is insufficient or inconsistent.

The framework is demonstrated using a case study on a 20-year-old Damen ASD 3110 tug. Three refit strategies, refurbish (conventional diesel), remanufacture to hybrid propulsion, and remanufacture to full electric, are compared with representative newbuild vessels of equivalent concepts. Results show that all refit strategies significantly reduce project lead time (10–14 months vs. ~24 months), capital expenditures, and hull-related embodied emissions (saving 535–633 tonnes of CO₂ compared to newbuilds). Environmental performance diverges by propulsion type: refurbishing yields the lowest capital emissions but highest operational emissions, whereas electric remanufacture achieves zero operational emissions but the highest total cost of ownership. Hybrid remanufacture offers a balanced profile, reducing operational emissions by approximately 40% while maintaining economic competitiveness with refurbish strategies over a 20-year horizon. Sensitivity analyses indicate that relative performance depends strongly on energy prices, vessel lifetime assumptions, and regulatory context.

The study concludes that refits can serve as robust, circular alternatives to newbuilds for workboat-type vessels, provided that intervention scope, component availability, and operational profiles are appropriately matched. The proposed framework enables consistent evaluation of trade-offs and supports alignment with the EU Taxonomy and sustainable financing mechanisms. Recommendations include expanding environmental boundaries to well-to-wake analysis, improving data availability through digital product passports, refining economic KPIs, and validating the methodology across additional vessel types and shipyards.
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The maritime energy transition, characterised by the shift toward alternative fuels to reduce emissions, presents the maritime industry with a complex and uncertain decision-making problem. It is complicated by multiple external factors, including the uncertain development of emission-reduction regulations, the performance of emission-reduction measures, and the availability of necessary infrastructural- and economic support. Further challenges arise from maritime industry-specific characteristics, such as the capital-intensive nature, long lifecycles, differences in operational requirements and the technical complexity of ships.

From the perspective of the vessel-level decision-maker, these interdependent and continuously evolving factors create deep uncertainty in emission-reduction decisions. For many, this resulted in a decision paralysis that is reflected in postponed fleet renewal investments, and the ageing of the global fleet. Consequently, the main research question this thesis addresses is: How can decision-making in the maritime energy transition be supported to enable timely ship design- and retrofit decisions under deep uncertainty? To address the deep uncertainty in the maritime energy transition, this thesis explores how to enable the use of changeability as a strategic response. This shifts the perspective from reactive compliance to strategic preparation, increasing awareness of when, what, and how to adopt emission-reduction measures.

A literature review categorises decision-making challenges and proposes a theoretical framework that subdivides the decision space into a context space, object space, and value space, including the mappings between them. Within these spaces, two primary challenge categories are identified: complexity and uncertainty. Although conceptually distinct, their interaction can result in deep uncertainty, reinforcing decision paralysis. Building upon this foundation, the Framework for Exploration of Adaptive Robustness (FEAR) was developed to support vessel-level decision-makers. The framework structures the decision problem into three interconnected modules: What, How, and When, which are used to iteratively explore the integration of emission-reduction systems.

The What-module investigates alternative emission-reduction measures and the required modifications to the ship system architecture. System representations are constructed using models from a system library, and system architecture evolution is analysed using graph and set theory to compare alternatives qualitatively and quantitatively. The How-module addresses the integration of system architectures and their changeability within the constraints of ship design. An automated ship layout methodology has been developed that explicitly incorporates system changeability considerations. This method quantifies the trade-offs between preparatory investments and adaptation costs, and identifies investments that reduce future retrofit expenditures.

The When-module evaluates emission-reduction pathways under uncertainty using adaptive robust optimisation. The optimisation is used to investigate which initial and retrofit selections of emission reduction measures remain robust under uncertain fuel costs and emission taxation, thereby providing insight into the value of changeability throughout the ship design lifecycle.
The modules are combined into the FEAR framework, which can be used to iteratively explore alternative system architectures and changeability during the concept design phase. As new technologies and information become available, the framework can be reapplied, enabling continuous evaluation of emission-reduction strategies and previously integrated change enablers. The practical use of the framework is investigated through a case study.

Incorporating change enablers during the initial design phase resulted in approximately 20-46% reduction in relative material and labour retrofit costs compared to a design without future preparation. This reduction is further influenced when accounting for lost revenue, retrofit timing, and additional yard costs. The results from the case study were discussed in an interview with expert designers, they agreed that it offers valuable tools to explore alternative emission-reduction measures and system- and ship-level preparations. The FEAR was found to be mainly beneficial to support decision argumentation. However, they also noted that the current form is not yet applicable in practice, as it requires a dedicated interface and further validation across multiple vessel types and system architectures.

In conclusion, FEAR provides a theoretically substantiated, practical framework for structuring decision-making under deep uncertainty. By integrating considerations of existing alternatives, how they can be prepared for, and when they should be implemented, the framework enables proactive and adaptive decision-making in the maritime energy transition. ... Read more

International maritime shipping is essential to global trade yet remains one of the most challenging sectors to decarbonize. Its dependence on fossil fuels, long asset lifetimes and competition with other industries for clean energy carriers create deep structural barriers. At the same time, the sector’s emissions sit at the intersection of global and sectoral regulation, which means that climate policy can affect shipping both directly and indirectly. Because of these features, understanding how shipping transitions under different policy and technology conditions requires a framework that links trade, energy systems and the global economy in a consistent way.... ... Read more

The maritime sector faces mounting pressure to decarbonise in alignment with global climate objectives and regional frameworks such as the EU Fit-for-55 package and the IMO net-zero targets. For fleet operators such as the Port of Rotterdam, which aims to reduce Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 90% in 2030 and sail emissions-free from 2035, this involves navigating complex trade-offs between sustainability, cost-efficiency, and operational readiness. This thesis investigates how the Port of Rotterdam can optimise its fleet renewal strategy to minimise total polluting emissions and transition costs while maintaining functional capacity.

To address this challenge, a hybrid decision-support framework was developed, combining multi -objective optimisation with multi-criteria decision analysis. The optimisation model produced Pareto optimal strategies, using the ε-constraint method, that balance lifecycle CO2 emissions, total cost of ownership, and local air pollution. Multi-criteria decision analysis, using TOPSIS, enabled inclusion of stakeholder preferences in the classification of different transition schedules under varying assumptions about fuel types, material choice, and production location. Scenario analyses were performed to assess the robustness of the combined framework against various economic outlooks and environmental choices, such as fuel type, hull material, and production location.

The results show that lifecycle emissions are largely shaped by design decisions such as material and energy source, whereas local pollutants are very sensitive to the replacement schedule. The total cost of ownership shows limited sensitivity to scheduling (1–2% variation), while battery production and dismantling emerge as the dominant drivers of greenhouse gas emissions and financial impact. The inclusion of CO2 emission depreciation significantly altered the schedules of optimal results, raising ethical and policy considerations. Certain vessel classes demonstrated robust scheduling behaviour, in various strategic choices and economic scenarios, identifying them as low regret alternatives. Other classes were more sensitive to changes in the strategic choices or stakeholder preferences.

The framework successfully supported trade-off navigation, revealing how rankings changed under varying stakeholder preferences and scenario assumptions. However, several simplifications remain. The decoupled class structure limited the ability to model shared infrastructure and battery packs. The cost structures did not reflect strategic procurement differences, and the lifecycle assessment focused solely on CO2-equivalent emissions, excluding other impact categories such as toxicity or resource depletion. These limitations suggest that future extensions should integrate infrastructure co-optimisation, procurement variation, and broader environmental metrics to fully capture the system-level implications
of fleet renewal.

This research contributes a replicable, stakeholder-aligned methodology for sustainable fleet transition planning. It provides the Port of Rotterdam with a transparent and data-driven tool to align its environmental commitments with long-term operational and financial viability, providing critical insights for fleet operators pursuing low-emission transitions. ... Read more

Abstract─ Indonesia’s container port sector is economically vital but contributes significantly to national greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Emissions reduction planning remains fragmented, especially for small and medium-sized terminals. This study develops a standardized, scalable framework for quantifying emissions, forecasting trends, and assessing the cost-effectiveness of decarbonization measures across Indonesian container terminals. Using operational data from five terminals, large (TPS, BJTI, TTL), medium (Palembang), and small (Jambi), an activity-based inventory was built for Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions. Future emissions were projected under business-as-usual (BAU) and mitigation scenarios, and five decarbonization strategies were evaluated using Marginal Abatement Cost Curve (MACC) analysis. In 2024, carbon intensity ranged from 20.1 to 34.2 kgCO₂e/TEU, with higher values driven by vessel hoteling and carbon-intensive grids rather than terminal size. Without intervention, emission intensity is projected to decrease by 20% and increasing up to 11% by 2050. Operational measures like layout optimization (as low as €0.1/tCO₂) and operator training (€7.3/tCO₂) offer immediate, low-cost reductions. Structural options such as onshore power supply (OPS) and equipment electrification yield larger abatement but are only cost-effective with a cleaner electricity grid. Solar PV offers moderate reductions and energy resilience, becoming viable at carbon prices above €40/t. Most structural measures are economically attractive between €0–50/t. The findings support a phased strategy: prioritize operational efficiency first, implement OPS and solar PV as the grid decarbonizes, and phase in electrification during asset renewal cycles to support sustainable port development.
Index Terms─ Container Port Decarbonization, CO2 Emissions, Marginal Abatement Cost Curve (MACC)
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This research investigates the value of transport mode flexibility in OCCUS supply chains, particularly under uncertain CO2 supply during the early phases of CCUS development. This study aims to develop a strategic decision support model that quantifies the economic and environmental benefits of transport flexibility within the supply chain.
The literature review provides two key insights. First, it identifies the essential steps in the CO2 sup- ply chain: CO2 is captured onboard ships, temporarily stored onboard in solvent, and transported to onshore facilities for regeneration and liquefaction, after which the liquefied CO2 is transported to per- manent underground storage. Second, the review reveals that no comprehensive studies currently model the full OCCUS supply chain while incorporating uncertainty in CO2 supply. Consequently, no established approaches exist to address transport flexibility under such uncertainty within this context. However, real options analysis has been successfully applied in land-based CCUS projects to value in- vestment and operational flexibility under uncertainty. Building on this proven methodology, the present research adopts a real options approach to quantify the value of the option to switch between transport modes.

This research applies the developed real options model to a case study centered on the Port of Rotter- dam. The supply chain model follows the Value Maritime approach: CO2 is captured onboard ships, stored in CO2 -rich solvent and offloaded at the Maasvlakte terminal. Transport from the port to the re- generation and liquefaction facility is done with containerized trucks, with the option to switch to barges. Two barge types are considered: the smaller CEMT-IVa and the larger CEMT-Va or a combination of the two. The LCO2 is subsequently transported by truck to an underground storage site. The model evaluates scenarios under both a fixed average CO2 price (€136/t) and a variable CO2 price increasing over time based on market forecasts.

The results indicate that while the average CO2 price is insufficient to achieve economic viability at any time and outcome, incorporating the option to switch from truck to barge transport adds value if CO2 supply grows. The option to switch to the smaller CEMT-IVa (€630345) barge shows greater economic benefits compared to the larger CEMT-Va (€131555), mainly due to its better alignment with expected supply volumes during the early implementation phase. The combined switching option (€632010) only yields a marginal additional value, as the larger barge is only required at the highest and least probable supply scenario.

Under the variable CO2 price scenario, the truck-only strategy reaches a positive total value by 2031 with a 30% probability. Introducing the option to switch to the smaller CEMT-IVa barge accelerates this to 2029 with a 55% probability, reflecting earlier and more frequent switching. The larger CEMT-Va barge lags behind, with switching and positive value only occurring from 2030 onward and at a lower 11% probability, indicating less frequent and delayed use.

The break-even price for the truck-only transport strategy is €184.21/tCO2 . The inclusion of switch- ing options reduces this threshold across all configurations: the CEMT-IVa barge option achieves a 4.35% reduction to €176.19/tCO2 , while the CEMT-Va barge provides a modest 0.92% reduction to €182.52/tCO2 . The combined strategy yields the largest reduction of 4.36%, lowering the break-even price to €176.17/tCO2 . ... Read more

Offshore construction vessels produce significant greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, which led to the need to understand how operational decisions can mitigate their environmental impact. This thesis investigates the link between operational decision making and vessel emissions, focussing on Jumbo Maritime’s offshore installation projects. A mixed methods approach was adopted, which combined quantitative analysis of vessel operational data with qualitative insights from stakeholder interviews. Detailed analysis of daily progress reports, energy system models, and fuel consumption records allowed the quantification of emissions for each operational activity. Meanwhile, interviews with on- and offshore managers showed how factors such as contract requirements and project complexity influence decision-making in practice.
The results identify which activities drive the highest emissions and why. Dynamic positioning (DP) during offshore operations and transits emerged as the major contributor to fuel use and emissions, whereas periods at anchor or in port resulted in minimal fuel consumption. Unplanned downtime, especially waiting on weather and technical breakdowns, contributed substantially to emissions.
Crucially, the study found that certain operational strategies can noticeably reduce emissions without compromising project performance. Key recommendations include using anchoring instead of continuous DP whenever conditions allow, and implementing proactive maintenance programmes to minimise breakdowns and associated downtime. In addition, it is recommended to align contractual terms and planning processes with emission reduction goals to empower crews to choose more sustainable operating modes. By linking day-to-day operational choices with their emission outcomes, this research provides practical guidelines for offshore vessel operators to reduce their carbon footprint while maintaining efficiency and safety. ... Read more

This thesis explores the persistent misalignment between formal managerial processes and actual operational practices within shipyard production environments. The central aim is to investigate how a socio-technical approach can enhance the alignment of work systems in shipbuilding, ultimately improving operational effectiveness and productivity. To achieve this, the study applies the functional resonance analysis method (FRAM), enriched with an abstraction hierarchy, to systematically compare work as imagined (WAI) with work as done (WAD) in a case study for an abstracted major European shipyard.
The research is grounded in the observation that the shipbuilding industry is facing significant challenges due to market volatility, technological complexity, labor shortages, and an increasing dependence on subcontractors. Shipyards operate under engineering-to-order (ETO) conditions, characterized by concurrent engineering (CE), bespoke vessels, and high variability. These factors result in a dynamic environment in which formalized processes frequently fall short of capturing the real work performed on the production floor.
A core finding of this study is the clash between top-down control mechanisms and bottom-up operational flexibility. While managerial systems aim for standardization, traceability, and efficiency through techno-centric tools like enterprise resource planning systems (ERP) and manufacturing execution systems (MES), the reality is that production relies heavily on tacit knowledge, informal coordination, and ad hoc decision-making. This misalignment contributes to inefficiencies such as rework, delayed feedback, and ineffective implementation of innovations.
The methodological contribution of the thesis is the development of a novel framework that uses FRAM in combination with an abstraction hierarchy to model and analyze WAI and WAD. Through detailed data collection, formal process documents for WAI and field observations combined with informal interviews for WAD, the method enables multi-level analysis of work functions, their interdependencies, and emergent variability. The comparative analysis reveals that WAD involves more functions and connections, including multiple feedback loops, absent in the WAI, indicating a richer and more adaptive operational reality.
Two specific discrepancies exemplify the misalignment: the absence of explicit operational management functions and proactive material expediting from WAI. Their omission implies that critical functions are informally performed yet formally unrecognized, leading to a lack of support in digital systems and inadequate performance monitoring.
This thesis offers actionable recommendations for both shipyards and software providers like Floorganise. For shipyards, these include formalizing operational management roles, adopting socio-technical frameworks such as the plan-do-check-act (PDCA) cycle and Hale’s rule management model, and improving knowledge transfer through the socialization, externalization, combination, internalization (SECI) model. For Floorganise, the research recommends tailoring tooling to reflect WAD, supporting adaptive planning practices, and expanding consultancy services to help clients integrate socio-technical considerations.
In conclusion, the study demonstrates that sustainable productivity improvements in shipbuilding require bridging the gap between WAI and WAD. By adopting a socio-technical lens and systematically modeling operational realities, shipyards can better align managerial intentions with shop floor execution. The proposed method and findings extend the application of FRAM beyond safety domains into general industrial operations, offering a replicable approach for tackling similar challenges in other complex production settings. ... Read more

The increasing number of international maritime regulations has significantly impacted the workload of ship surveyors. As compliance requirements grow, surveyors face higher levels of stress, which can lead to human errors and missed deficiencies during inspections. This study explores the potential quality improvement in the survey process by evaluating alternatives for the survey checklist. Using he CREAM (HRA) method, human error classifications and influencing factors were analyzed to identify critical points in the inspection process. Quantifying the human errors in the survey process is done by the use of a python simulation. Besides, four error reduction techniques are implemented to find the potential quality improvement in ship surveys. ... Read more

This report presents a conceptual masterplan for a green ammonia export terminal at Punta Quilla, integrating renewable power generation, ammonia synthesis, storage, and maritime logistics. The project responds to Argentina’s ambition to develop new export industries based on renewable resources while creating local economic opportunities in a remote and underdeveloped region. While Argentina’s Santa Cruz region holds world-class wind energy potential, it lacks large-scale infrastructure to connect these to global markets. The goal of this research is to determine whether, and under what conditions, the Santa Cruz region can harness its exceptional renewable energy potential to develop a technically, financially, and institutionally viable green ammonia export hub in estuary Rio Santa Cruz region that creates both national value and local socio-economic opportunities. A systems-of-systems approach, integrating environmental, social, institutional, and technical perspectives, was applied. Using the context analysis and the requirements analysis, a morphological chart was created. Two alternatives arose from the morphological chart: a Greenfield jetty in the Port of Punta Quilla and an Offshore Monobuoy System offshore outside of the estuary. A multi-criteria analysis (MCA) was used to evaluate these two terminal layout alternatives, assessing their safety, cost, scalability, and environmental performance. Stakeholder interviews with local authorities, landowners, and port officials informed the governance and social impact considerations. A jetty-based terminal emerged as the preferred option over a monobuoy due to its stronger long-term perspective. Although the monobuoy offers lower CAPEX and easier integration with the Port Authorities, the greenfield jetty solution scores higher on all other criteria: productivity rate, scalability, constructability, robustness, flexibility, and environmental footprint. The proposed layout includes two storage tanks linked by insulated pipelines to the head of the jetty, enabling safe and continuous loading operations. Prefabrication of key elements, such as jetty modules, pipe racks, and tank sections. This can further reduce local labor demands, reduce initial capital expenses and accelerate delivery. However, successful implementation depends not only on engineering choices but also on social and institutional readiness. Santa Cruz faces constraints in housing, healthcare, education, and skilled labor. Without parallel investment in these sectors, the project risks over-reliance on imported contractors, raising costs and weakening local ownership. Therefore, active engagement with authorities, unions, and landowners is critical to building legitimacy, while clear governance and risk management are needed to attract investors and maintain confidence. The study concludes that a green ammonia export terminal at the Port of Punta Quilla is technically feasible but economically sensitive to production costs, market prices, and institutional capacity. While Argentina’s ex- ceptional wind resources provide a strong natural advantage, long-term competitiveness will depend on stable policy frameworks, infrastructure development, and coordinated governance between public and private actors. If these enabling conditions are met, the project can anchor Santa Cruz as a key player in Argentina’s renewable export economy. The selected jetty configuration offers a robust and scalable foundation for phased development, integrates well with existing port infrastructure and minimizes environmental risks. Beyond its technical merits, the terminal could catalyze socio-economic growth by creating employment, stimulating local supply chains, and strengthening regional institutions. Ultimately, the Punta Quilla project can become a cornerstone of both industrial and social development, transforming Patagonia’s renewable potential into lasting economic value and positioning Santa Cruz as a pioneering region in Argentina’s green hydrogen and ammonia transition.F ... Read more

The consequences of climate change are becoming more and more visible. A significant cause of this is CO2 emissions; the shipping sector is responsible for 3% of global CO2 emissions. As a result, the Fourth IMO GHG Study 2020 presents pathways to reduce the GHG emission of the shipping industry by 50% by 2050. Recent IMO goals have overtaken this to reduce net emissions to zero by that year.

As a result, research in renewable energy sources has grown in significant interest, offering a wide range of potential solutions. Recently, (green) ammonia (NH3) has been added to these pools, as it is carbon-free and has a higher storage density than liquid or pressurized hydrogen. However, when comparing ammonia to the current conservative fuels, its energy density is still not at the same level, and more fuel volume would be required to deliver the same amount of energy. There are two ways to address this challenge. More frequent bunkering or larger volumes for the fuel tanks on board at the cost of cargo space and thus income. This is a difficult choice to make in the pre-design as it depends on the choices of other owners as well.

This report investigates the impact of a fuel switch to ammonia on the ship design and bunkering pattern based on the current operational profile of 1025 seagoing ships. A mixed integer linear programming model will establish the optimal fuel tank volume and bunkering strategy for each vessel. This model considers rerouting for trips that are not feasible and two approaches for the bunker strategy. Besides, a port model will establish the ammonia bunker pricing based on the resulting demand in each port. The estimated ammonia bunker prices are implemented in the bunker strategy model. This is repeated till a balance is found. The two models represent an Ammonia Powered Shipping Network considering a homogeneous shipping market. The report presents the results and key factors influencing the balance between the fuel tank volume and the sailing range. The simulated bunker strategies show different possibilities for finding this balance and reducing the operational impact caused by the transition to ammonia. ... Read more

One of the greatest challenges of the 21st century is the reduction of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The shipping industry accounts for 2.9% of global GHG emissions and faces increasing pressure to meet the climate goals set by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and the European Union, as part of the broader global effort to limit temperature rise to 1.5°C under the Paris Agreement. Al- though the shift towards various forms of alternative fuels in the new-build market is clearly evident, 30% of the global fleet is expected to be non-compliant with the prevailing regulations within the next three years (2023-2026). Replacing all non-compliant vessels with new-builds within this timeframe is not feasible due to the limited capacity of the shipbuilding industry. This presents a critical challenge for the maritime sector, making retrofitting existing vessels a potential, and perhaps even necessary, solution.

Methanol, a cleaner alternative fuel, shows significant promise in reducing GHG emissions, especially when produced from renewable sources, such as Green-methanol or E-methanol. The initial signs of methanol adoption in new-building market appear to be successful, and the retrofitting of existing ships is seems to be feasible both in theory and practice. However, the conversion of an existing ship to methanol propulsion presents challenges, primarily due to the fuel’s lower energy density and its toxic- ity. These factors make the costs for methanol storage in the vessel and operational fuel consumption notably more dominant. Consequently, the potential cost savings from Energy-Saving Devices (ESDs), which can be installed during a vessel conversion, become more relevant.

The main objective of this thesis is to gain deeper insight into which retrofit strategies, in terms of methanol tank volume and the inclusion of ESDs, can provide a feasible option for retrofitting existing vessels to methanol, achieving the intermediate GHG reduction goals. A refit indicator model is devel- oped to evaluate various retrofit strategies, focusing on financial and regulatory performance, given a scenario of price trends and regulatory developments. The model incorporates key operational factors such as trip distance, sailing speed, and bunkering intervals. In a case study, a single base-case vessel was converted into several conversion cases, differing in methanol storage capacity and the inclusion of ESDs, and their performance was assessed under various potential future scenarios.

The results of this study suggest that significant reductions in GHG emissions can be achieved. Pro- vided that renewable methanol is used, it is possible for a methanol-converted vessel to meet the intermediate GHG reduction goals. The regulatory performance of many methanol vessel conversion strategies is also favorable, particularly when a methanol conversion is combined with one or more ESDs. The results showed that, in such cases, vessels can remain compliant for 15 to 20 years longer compared to their non-converted base-case. An important finding is that the shift from a tank-to-wake to a well-to-wake regulatory perspective is a key factor in the success of methanol retrofits. From a financial view, it can be concluded that the strategy of converting to a limited methanol tank volume, combined with a number of highly fuel-efficient ESDs, appears to be the most effective solution for the medium to long term. ... Read more

With space constraints onshore, strong renewable resources available far offshore and growing green hydrogen demand, far offshore green hydrogen production may be an attractive option. To assess this potential, a literature review was conducted to identify the relevant technologies to be considered and suitable modelling methods. Next, a mixed integer quadratically constraint programming (MIQCP) optimization model was set up. The far offshore green hydrogen supply chain was optimized for various scenarios with this model and the results were analyzed. It was found that far offshore green hydrogen costs are in the same order of magnitude as the costs of its alternatives. Far offshore green hydrogen may be considered marginally competitive with these alternatives from 2035 onwards in the analyzed scenarios when taking into account the considerable advantages of far offshore production, such as avoidance of scarce land usage in crowded areas and certain geopolitical considerations. ... Read more

The global awareness of the environmental and economic advantages of the circular economy (CE) concept has grown significantly. In order to implement this concept into company practices, a vital starting point is the adoption of a measurement framework. In the past years, the evolution of CE metrics resulted in maturity and practical applicability. However, no method exists able to quantify CE performance specific to a project-based organization. The Material Circularity Indicator (MCI) is one of the most ambiguous methods, which captures circularity with mass as the measurement unit. Alternatively, the Material Circularity Indicator based on economic value (MCI’) is developed as a solution for the reliance of the MCI on mass flow, by using cost-based economic value as the measurement unit. However, existing economic value indicators — as accounts for the MCI’ — are criticized for not including all significant and relevant life cycle cost factors. To solve these implications, both methods are adapted to indicate the CE performance on the levels of interest for a project-based organization: the project, product, and company level. To work from level to level, a bottom-up approach is taken, aggregating using a weighted sum. Additionally, the MCI’ is enhanced by including more life cycle cost factors. The results show that the enhanced MCI’ gives a more accurate estimate of cost-based economic value. Furthermore, the aggregation from the project level to the product and company level, gives valuable insights into the CE performance of project-based organizations. ... Read more

Strict regulations for carbon emissions from ships are introduced by the IMO and the EU. Various emission mitigation measures and low-emission fuel strategies provide solutions to reduce carbon emissions. This paper compares emission mitigation measures and low-emission fuel strategies for short-sea ships, within the constraints of regulatory compliance. Furthermore, cost sensitivity of measures to fuel, EU ETS and TCE price are compared. The results support shipowners and financiers in making robust investment decisions, and provide insight into the effects of regulatory incentives to regulators. ... Read more

The maritime industry faces a lot of uncertainty, and the energy transition has only increased this uncertainty. Ships will probably have to be converted to an alternative fuel during their lifetime and methanol seems to be the fuel with the most potential for offshore ships. By preparing for this, Design-for-Conversion to methanol, the costs of changes can be significantly reduced with only minor investments during the new building phase. The added design preparations pay for themselves only if they are being used in the future. However, due to large uncertainties, it is unclear whether a ship is actually converted to methanol in the future. Therefore, an answer had to be found to the main research question: How to determine the value of Design-for-Changeability under uncertainty to find the optimal DFC level when preparing for conversion to methanol?

From the literature is concluded that Design-for-Changeability principles can help to deal with uncertainty during a ship's lifetime. Moreover, Real Options Analysis is selected from the literature, as a method to deal with decisions and uncertainty when designing for conversion to methanol. By means of a combination of these methods, a methodology is established which is used in a case study.

In the case study, it was found that waiting with the execution of conversion to methanol results in decreasing added value of Design-for-Conversion. Moreover, it was found that the Discount Rate used for Net Present Value calculation significantly impacts the choice of whether to prepare a ship for methanol. It can be concluded that an instigator is needed so that ships are converted to methanol. Two instigators have been researched, a carbon pricing measure and a ban on harmful emissions. It can be concluded that a carbon pricing measure is only effective if the right price is established, while a carbon ban is highly effective as ships are converted instantly.

The combination of methods, the Design-for-Changeability principles together with a Real Options Decision Tree, provides a suitable framework to quantify the impact of Design-for-Conversion to methanol under uncertainty. ... Read more