Driving sustainability via pipeline system excellence

Methanol is one of the new and exciting fuels used in the marine industry – with TUI Cruises’ Mein Schiff 7 and RCCL Celebrity’s Edge Series newbuild being among the first methanol fuel capable cruise ships. Currently under construction at shipyards, the environmentallyfriendly cruise ships will be delivered in 2024–2025.

Uwira, an innovative Finnish pipeline
manufacturer, is charged with delivering
the demanding methanol pipeline
solutions to ships under construction. Sales
& Sustainability Director Samuli Kuusisto
says that Uwira has decades of experience
in producing advanced pipeline solutions.

“Now, we are excited to contribute
to key methanol projects.”

Uwira’s modular solutions use double-
walled pipes that guarantee safe transfer
of hazardous fuels, in this case, methanol.

“While the solution features double-
walled pipes, it’s not the same solution that carries LNG. With LNG, you don’t
need high pressure in the pipes.”

SAFETY COMES FIRST

The methanol solution, however, requires
high pressure to work – which, in turn,
requires exacting standards for the
onboard pipes that typically run for 30–50
meters to each engine.

“We have developed our pipeline
solution to deal with high pressure and
pressure fluctuations that come with the
technology. When we visit projects abroad,
we want to point out the importance of
the high-pressure fluctuation issues.” Kuusisto
says, adding that the Finnish company
is really a forerunner in this regard:

Uwira’s double-walled pipes can
withstand pressures of up to 1,800 bar.
The company’s double-walled pipes are
made of materials such as steel, stainless
steel, Duplex, and Super-Duplex Stainless
Steel.

Uwira can handle pipeline prefabrication
as well as installation for methanol
projects. “We have a dedicated team for
installations alone,” says Kuusisto.

MASTERING METHANOL

This expertise, however, did not develop
overnight. As early as 2015, Uwira was
already involved in delivering modular
solutions made of double-walled pipes to
M/S Stena Germanica, which uses methanol
as fuel. Kuusisto remembers that the
vessel – built in Poland – only came to
existence after a lot of groundbreaking
planning.

“We were required to deliver a real
innovative pipeline solution to support
Wärtsilä’s engines and succeeded, thanks
to great collaboration from all parties,”
Kuusisto says, adding that classification
society Lloyd’s was also involved in the
project.

During the years that followed, the
methanol technology onboard Stena Germanica
proved reliable again and again – but it has taken a long time for the technology
to catch on.

Presently, however, the French Chantiers
de l’Atlantique (CdA) shipyard is building
Celebrity Cruises’ new ship, the fifth
vessel in the company’s Edge Series, to feature
methanol-readiness. Celebrity Cruises
is one of the brands of Royal Caribbean.

Fitted with Wärtsilä’s methanol-ready
engines, the new ship is scheduled for
delivery from the yard in 2025.

Kuusisto is happy to see the technology
spread in Europe.

“We firmly believe that methanol
is the next big thing in maritime, even if
there are availability issues right now.”

GREEN LIGHT FOR GREEN
TRANSITION

Going forward, Uwira wants to continue to play a vital role in the green transition
by supplying pipeline solutions, modules,
and pressure vessels for new, more environmentally
friendly fuels. Thomas Hägglund,
Uwira Director of Development,
says that finding sustainable solutions is a
major issue for the entire industry.

“We are enabling this transition
and making way for a more sustainable
future,” says Hägglund.

Methanol is only one part of Uwira’s
sustainable arsenal: ammonia and hydrogen
are also in play. In fact, Uwira is
involved in a marine hydrogen fuel cell
system project, which enables vessels to
sustain zero-emission operations for longer
periods of time than would be possible
using battery power alone.