A new perspective on alternative fuels: DNV GL launches Alternative Fuels Insight (AFI) platform

The rapidly approaching 2020 fuel sulphur cap and newly announced IMO greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction strategy have put the spotlight onto alternative fuels for shipping. DNV GL’s new AFI platform offers a comprehensive and continually updated overview of alternative fuel projects, bunkering infrastructure, suppliers, and technologies.

“Alternative fuels and propulsion technologies should be on the radar of every shipowner, especially those in the market for a newbuilding in the near future,” says Knut Ørbeck-Nilssen, CEO of DNV GL – Maritime. “The AFI platform has been developed to provide a clear picture not only of the fuels and the surrounding infrastructure, but to build links between suppliers and owners and charterers. The knowledge collected on the platform is expanding into a 360-degree view of the sector, allowing all stakeholders to make informed decisions.”

The AFI platform builds on DNV GL’s well received LNGi portal, but with an expanded focus that covers LNG, LPG and methanol, as well as emission reducing technologies such as scrubbers and batteries. The platform consolidates a wealth of detailed technical information on these fuels and technologies, including their bunkering infrastructure, and examines their capabilities and limitations, as well as giving practical insights into their implementation and operation. With much of the information free to access, the AFI platform is a valuable resource for owners and operators needing to research and keep up to date in this rapidly moving sector. In addition, through the Fuel Finder tool shipowners and charterers can submit requests for bunkering, specifying fuel type, location, volume and from which date they would like to bunker. DNV GL validates these requests and then makes them available to suppliers. 

“The Fuel Finder tool makes it easy for owners and charterers to see how their decision to move to an alternative fuel could work out in practice,” says Martin Wold, head of the AFI platform at DNV GL – Maritime. “With one request, they can see how the operational profile of their projects match the capability of multiple suppliers. We have also been working with several leading suppliers and equipment makers who have signed on as supporters of the portal and we have opened the portal to user contributions, so that we continually expand the platform by adding bunkering and infrastructure projects.”

With interactive maps and data visualizations, it is easy for users to see where infrastructure already exists or will shortly be developed, alongside the growing alternative fuelled fleet. And new tools let users dig deeper into the data to analyse trends and screen the feasibility of their alternative fuel projects based on based on CAPEX, OPEX and fuel prices.

You can find out more about the AFI platform and sign up at www.dnvgl.com/afi