Seatrium Limited and Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore) have strengthened their partnership in the pursuit of greener solutions for the Offshore and Marine (O&M) sector.
This commitment was reaffirmed during the renaming ceremony of the former Sembcorp Marine Lab, now known as the Seatrium New Energy Laboratory.
The newly established laboratory will spearhead innovation, focusing on addressing the challenges associated with new energies, offshore renewables, marine decarbonization, and digitalization within the O&M industry.
Research Focus Areas
The collaborative research between Seatrium and NTU Singapore will delve into several key areas:
A data-driven digital twin model will be developed to gain a comprehensive understanding of the evolving energy demands that accompany marine electrification.
The insights gleaned from this model will aid in identifying suitable floating energy solutions, contributing to decarbonization efforts in nearshore and coastal areas.
This research emphasizes a data-centric approach to determine the necessary floating energy infrastructure required to meet the growing energy demands.
The model will be incorporated into a digital platform that optimizes the lifecycle of energy solutions and ensures efficient energy distribution.
Ammonia Safety and Mitigation
Recognizing the potential of ammonia as a marine fuel, the research will thoroughly evaluate safety considerations and mitigation measures associated with its use in O&M applications.
The focus will be on developing strategies for the safe containment and treatment of purged ammonia during normal vessel or plant operations, including loading and unloading procedures.
This will culminate in the creation of a compact, user-friendly, and safe ammonia capture system, ensuring compliance with or surpassing regulatory requirements for final discharge treatment.
MOF-based Carbon Capture
Post-combustion carbon capture is recognized as a critical tool for the O&M sector to achieve the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) revised Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emission reduction targets.
The research will explore innovative carbon capture technology using metal-organic frameworks (MOFs).
The aim is to reduce energy consumption by utilizing waste heat from engines for MOF desorption and achieving a smaller footprint compared to conventional amine-based carbon capture systems.
This will enable the adoption of MOF-based CCS on ships where space and power availability for retrofits are limited.
Workforce Development and Training
In conjunction with the Seatrium New Energy Lab at NTU, both parties are committed to promoting continuous learning and workforce development within Seatrium.
This initiative will enhance skill sets through various courses offered by PaCE@NTU, including the Virtual Learning Series (VLS), Continuing Education & Training (CET), and SkillsFuture-related courses.
Key curriculum areas will encompass artificial intelligence, decarbonization, renewable energy, marine thermal management, robotics, and energy efficiency technologies.