Chartwell Marine wins £320k Innovate UK Smart Grant to explore methanol fuelled


Photo credit: IMCA


Safety critical equipment should always be inspected before use


The International Marine Contractors Association (IMCA) has given notice about a near-miss incident. A pilot ladder had not been weight tested and could have failed while it was being climbed.


During pilot boarding operations in the hours of darkness, a side rope on the pilot ladder parted when it was weight tested by the pilot. The pilot was not injured; however, if the ladder had not been weight tested, it could have failed while it was being climbed, resulting in a fall from a height into the sea.


Lessons learned


- The pilot ladder had not gone through a 30-month strength test because the requirement to do so had not been uploaded into the vessel’s planned maintenance system;


- It was known that the pilot ladder was in poor condition, but it was decided to continue to use the ladder beyond its operational life knowing that the vessel would soon be decommissioned;


- The vessel did not carry a spare/second ladder.


Considerations - A pilot ladder is essential safety equipment and should always be serviceable/available for use;


- Safety critical equipment should be inspected before use and any deficiencies found should be reported and rectified;


- The defective pilot ladder was replaced with a new ladder;


- Carry a minimum of two pilot ladders and replace them every two years;


- Ensure vessel planned maintenance systems are up to date and include


everything that should be included.


vessel design The grant will enable UK based Chartwell Marine and consortium partners — Boat Electric & Electronics and Engineered Marine Systems — to develop and test the feasibility of a market-first methanol-fuelled vessel design, with applications in the offshore wind, commercial workboat and leisure sectors.


Methanol fuel presents a significant opportunity to decarbonise in a maritime industry which is confronted with the debate over sustainable fuel alternatives, as it can be produced from biomass and can carry a near- zero carbon footprint. Whereas ammonia has sparked concerns about its toxicity to wildlife and pure hydrogen presents continued feasibility challenges, methanol can be stored safely and effectively in standard atmospheric conditions, and spills have little adverse effect on the local aquatic environment.


Andy Page, Director at Chartwell Marine, said: “That gives us a great starting point to take methanol forward in a meaningful way and cut through some of the challenges we’ve seen in the development of alternative fuels, which may be a long time from full viability. There are still hurdles to overcome with methanol, of course: a lack of refuelling infrastructure onshore, weight issues, and fully efficient conversion to energy, to name some.”


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