Feature 1
vessels of this type around European
waters. Further afield there some 10,000
The man behind B9 Energy coastal bulk carriers in the world that
would be capable of using B9s technology
and that makes the vessel an exportable
David Surplus graduated from the University of newcastle-Upon-Tyne in 1980 technology.
as a Marine engineer. After a brief two year spell at sea in the merchant navy “We would sell the blueprints for
to gain practical engineering experience he joined lloyd’s register as an building the vessels abroad and local
engineer surveyor. operators would then build the vessels
During his 10 year career with lloyd’s register, which involved both marine locally to meet their own needs,” said Mr
and offshore inspection work, David carried out private research into the Surplus.
subject of climate change. This progressed to his appointment as co-ordinator Currently B9 has partnerships in place
of the lloyd’s register research project to establish rules and regulations to with MGT the power supplier and Corus
govern the standard of construction of wind turbines. which has agreed to provide the steel for
in 1992 David returned to northern ireland and formed the B9 energy the first vessel and it will produce the
group of companies which have now developed 10 wind farm projects, plating for any subsequent vessel orders.
gained contracts to operate and maintain 650 wind turbines on 45 wind farms, The company has bought “an off the
developed the world’s first fully shelf solution” from Rolls Royce which
automated small scale down draft will supply the spark ignition engines.
gasification wood fuelled combined Furthermore, there is a tentative agreement
heat and power plant, developed with Graig Shipping in Cardiff, Wales,
fourth generation enhanced who will manage the building programme
anaerobic digestion technology and should the company finally achieve its
became the first wind farm operation goals and get the design accepted by the
company in the world to achieve UK authorities.
accreditation to iSo14001, iSo9001 An initial order of 50 ships is planned
and ohSAS18001. if the ROCs are introduced and the
B9 energy has partnered with UK Government gives its backing to
StatKraft to develop tidal projects the project.
in northern ireland and David is a Effectively the company will initially
director of Wavebob from Dublin, one need to have the ROC subsidies in place
of the worlds leading wave energy to support the vessels through their
technology companies. development phase, those subsidies could
then be phased out as the ships become
used on a wider scale.
David Suplus If governments are serious about
reducing carbon emissions from shipping
then there is likely to be more than one
solution to the problem. B9 Shipping’s
obligation to source an increasing amount day in addition to US$954/day acquired vessel design is a strong contender
of energy from renewable sources and through emissions trading and US$2000/ for offering a part of the reduction to
those companies that achieve those targets day in fuel cost savings. These comparisons shipping’s carbon emissions.
are issued with renewable obligation were calculated using a 3000dwt bulk Larger versions of the ship, extended to
certificates (ROC) which are valued at carrier operating with a 1.5MW maximum 5000dwt, can be built, according to David
4.5p/kwh. continuous rating engine burning five Surplus, who sees this project as a major
B9 has lobbied the UK’s Department for tonnes of MGO/day and with fuel costs development for his company. As an
Transport to introduce a similar system in set at US$600/tonne. ex-Lloyd’s Register man he understands
the transport sector. With wind and biogas Total cost advantages of the B9 sailing the shipping industry and wants to see it
attracting double ROC payments in the ship over the conventional 3000dwt move on to leaner and greener times.
energy generation sector the company coaster would be US$8954/day, excluding In an effort to make that happen three
expects that if the UK Government were any small penalties for NOx and SOx wind power shipping companies B9,
to introduce a similar system for transport emissions, according to B9’s calculations. Greenwave and Skysails are considering
it would also receive double ROCs giving If these calculations are correct then an association to lobby government and
it a subsidy of 9p/kwh. the ship would be a very interesting the EU for funding for cleaner technology
Such a system would give the operator proposition to coastal bulk carrier in transport. The message from David
of the B9 vessel an income of US$6000/ operators, who manage 1800 conventional Surplus then is ‘watch this space’. NA
The Naval Architect January 2010 53
NA Jan 10 - p52+53.indd 53 12/01/2010 10:03:59
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