By Larry Claasen
TRANSNET National Ports Authority (TNPA) has published a Request for Information (RFI) for a strategic pilot project to use green and cleaner fuels for its selected diesel-operated tugboat fleet.
The project aligns with Transnet’s commitment to bolster South Africa’s just transition journey to a low carbon-economy focused on cleaner, renewable and green fuels.
TNPA noted in the RFI: “In the South African context of the global decarbonisation drive, TNPA is the key gatekeeper of the ocean-land interface in terms of marine traffic and cargo movements at a national scale.
Energy costs
According to an internal energy audit conducted by TNPA, it was found there was a “strong need to stabilise energy costs and availability into the future.”
The audit said there was also a need for TNPA to reduce its carbon footprint related to its marine fleet predominantly from diesel consumption and promote its Desired End State (DES) objectives of smart ports and a cleaner/sustainable environment.
The RFI has invited interested parties to submit proposals for the technical assessment on the diesel tugboats.
The scope of work includes information regarding assessing the condition of the existing tugboats, evaluating components such as the diesel engines and inspecting the mechanical and structural compartments for potential new components or modifications.
This initiative is a pilot project to retrofit existing tugboats to utilise alternative fuels including Liquefied Natural Gas, Biodiesel, Hydrogen and Methanol.
Upon the success of the retrofitting pilot phase, the tugboats will be restored to optimal operational performance and efficiency, enabling them to service the ports using improved fuel and sustainable environmental impact.
The refit will be on 10 of TNPA’s tugboats that are over 35 years old, which are all based in Durban, East London, Cape Town and Saldanha Bay. The oldest one is Marcus, which was built in 1976 and based in Saldanha Bay, and the youngest is the Duban based Umvot, which was built in 1983.
“The plans to retrofit TNPA’s tugboat fleet with low-to-no carbon fuel is a significant step towards decarbonising shipping and reducing the carbon footprint of our marine craft.”
“This project stems from TNPA’s energy mix initiatives, which respond to the Ports Authority’s objectives of operating an environmentally sustainable port system,” said TNPA acting chief executive, Phyllis Difeto.
Uncertainty over supply
The RFI said another reason why it wanted to refit the tugs was concerns over whether it will be able to source fuel to power them.
“Global oil’s longer-term outlook is uncertain because of challenges from alternative fuels and the automotive industry. Oil use for transportation is expected to go into a decline by 2026-2030, while oil’s role as a key ingredient in plastics and other chemicals will continue to drive global consumption.”
A briefing on the RFI took place on 6 November 2024, and the closing date is 29 November 2024.
