decarbonization – Cargo News Today

ABS Examines Alternative Fuels in Reports for EMSA

admin — Thu, 24 Nov 2022 14:58:31 +0000

An ABS-led consortium, including CE Delft and Arcsilea, published two of up to six reports studying alternative fuels and decarbonization technologies for the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA).

ABS offered a 360-degree view of biofuels and ammonia, the first two fuels to be published by the consortium. Each fuel was analyzed using various criteria such as greenhouse gas (GHG) impact, sustainability, fuel availability, fuel scalability and human needs.

“These two reports are the result of one year of intense activity with our collaborators, EMSA and industry leaders to gather data and conduct three hazard identifications (HAZIDS) for each study. Our analysis is very unique and, in my opinion, what is needed to empower and inform future studies, conversations and decisions,” said Georgios Plevrakis, ABS Vice President, Global Sustainability.

“Biofuels are one of the main available renewable fuels at the moment and the shipping sector needs to move to e-fuels to decarbonize. These two reports provide the most recent information on the availability, sustainability and cost implications of using these fuels,” said Jasper Faber, Director Shipping at CE Delft.

“The ro-ro passenger ship HAZID was a particularly notable example of industry collaboration, where a variety of ropax and cruise operators volunteered valuable time to contribute to the HAZID together, and this will help build much needed technical competence and confidence in alternative fuels,” said Edwin Pang, Founder and Principal Consultant of Arcsilea.

The four-year project began in 2021 with the objective of studying key aspects of the decarbonization of shipping, including alternatives such as biofuels, ammonia, hydrogen, wind-assisted propulsion, and complementary measures such as air lubrication and other promising technologies. The initiative is part of EMSA’s mission to provide technical assistance to the European Commission and Member States in the promotion of sustainable shipping and support the shift to low- and zero-carbon operations.

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From the Science Lab: Clean Energy Projects that Could Impact Maritime

admin — Thu, 17 Feb 2022 11:25:20 +0000

As part of a $175M grant for 68 novel clean energy technology projects from the U.S. Department of Energy, these four offer promise in helping the maritime industry meet its decarbonization goals.

Makai Ocean Engineering – Waimanalo, HI

Remotely Installed Anchorages for Floating Offshore Wind and Other Offshore Renewables Cost Reduction –
$849,951

The Makai Ocean Engineering (Makai) team will develop novel mooring and anchoring methods to reduce the costs of offshore renewable energy. Makai will focus on enabling grid-scale floating offshore wind turbines and marine hydrokinetic systems to be deployed in areas that would otherwise not be accessible or too expensive with current mooring and anchoring technologies. The team’s unique approach to remotely installing micropiles on the seafloor will enable installation of an anchorage strong enough to secure these systems. This approach does not require large and costly equipment and vessels, dramatically reducing the initial installation costs. In addition to reducing costs, Makai’s system will enable offshore renewable deployment where it would otherwise not be feasible.

University of California, Santa Barbara – Santa Barbara, CA

Quantifying the Potential and Risks of Large-Scale Macroalgae Cultivation and Purposeful Sequestration as aViable CO2 Reduction (CDR) Strategy- $2,897,686

The University of California, Santa Barbara-led team will investigate the impacts of removing up to 0.1 Gt CO2/yr from the atmosphere and surface oceans through cultivating and sinking fast-growing macroalgae that would capture carbon and sequester it for more than 100 years at sea. Macroalgae do not require arable land, fresh water, or added fertilizers, and high production can be achieved in the offshore areas of the U.S.
Exclusive Economic Zone. The team will quantify the long-term biogeochemical fates of fixed carbon in macroalgae, assess the sequestration time scales of macroalgal carbon, estimate their environmental impacts on the ocean interior, and evaluate the benefits and risks of these introduced perturbations to natural earth systems.

Columbia University – New York, NY

High Capacity Electrolyzers Based on Ultrathin Proton-Conducting Oxide Membranes – $3,375,712

Columbia University seeks to lower the production cost of carbon-free, “green hydrogen” through the development of a low-temperature electrolyzer that uses proton-conducting oxide membranes (POM) with the potential to achieve step-change increases in current density and efficiency compared to today’s commercial polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) electrolyzers. The project’s approach of decreasing POM thickness by 2-4 orders of magnitude, and subsequently decreasing its resistance by roughly an order of magnitude, would enable efficient low-temperature water electrolysis at current densities higher than those used by conventional PEM electrolyzers. The production of carbon-free “green hydrogen” from low-temperature (< 100 °C) water electrolysis is a highly attractive approach to enabling large-scale decarbonization across a variety of end-use
sectors.

University of Houston – Houston, TX

Lithium- and Transition Metal-Free High-Energy Fast-Charging Batteries – $3,400,000

The University of Houston seeks to create a class of battery that uses magnesium anodes instead of lithium and organic materials in place of transition metal-based cathodes. Early work has shown very fast reaction kinetics, and power capabilities in excess of 5kW/Kg have been demonstrated. The battery would provide a transportation energy storage solution that could be charged very fast and have a comparable energy density with the state-of-the-art lithium ion. Additionally, given growing market pressures in lithium and transition metals, this alternative could enhance the nation’s energy supply chain security. The project team seeks to advance the technology on multiple fronts including electrode material and electrolyte optimization, cycle life extension, practical cell design, and scaling-up material production and cell fabrication.

Source: www.marinelink.com

Image: www.pexels.com

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Why Should Shipping Come Under the EU’s Carbon Trading System?

admin — Thu, 10 Feb 2022 09:47:54 +0000

The European Commission has proposed adding shipping to the bloc’s carbon market for the first time, in a move that is set to shake up the industry after years of avoiding pollution charges by the bloc.

But already there is disagreement about how it will work given the complexities of the shipping industry and how fast it can decarbonize.

Here is what is known so far about the process ahead.

Why should shipping be included in the ETS?
With about 90% of world trade transported by sea, shipping accounts for nearly 3% of the world’s CO2 emissions.

Environmental campaigners say efforts by the industry to cut emissions are too slow and that including shipping in the European Union Emissions Trading System (ETS) will speed up decarbonization.

What are the proposals at the moment?
Launched in 2005, the ETS compels manufacturers, power companies and airlines to buy permits to cover each tonne of carbon dioxide they emit.

Prices for permits in the scheme are nearing 100 euros ($114.44) a tonne, a level analysts say will spur further investment in low-carbon energy sources.

Last July the European Commission proposed adding shipping to the ETS gradually from 2023 until 2026 when shipowners would need to buy permits covering all their emissions inside the EU and 50% of their emissions from international voyages starting and ending in the EU.

The proposal must be negotiated by the European Parliament and EU countries before it becomes law.

However, the European Parliament wants shipping phased into the ETS earlier, by 2025.

It also wants the entity responsible for decisions affecting CO2 emissions such as buying the fuel to pay, meaning they would need to buy carbon permits. That could be the shipowner, or the commercial charterer or operator of a ship.

In contrast, the Commission has said shipowners should always bear CO2 costs.

Parliament wants the EU to consider extending the ETS to cover all shipping emissions to and from Europe, if regulatory efforts to curb emissions by the UN shipping agency, the International Maritime Organization (IMO), fall short.

If IMO measures cut emissions quickly enough to avert disastrous climate change, the EU could roll back its inclusion of shipping in the carbon market, Parliament’s draft proposal said.

The European Commission’s proposal faces months of discussions. The European Parliament and EU countries can ask for changes to the text and agree on a final version.

How does the shipping industry view the proposals?
There are divergent views within the commercial shipping industry, which is made up of different segments including container, oil tanker and dry bulk.

There is disagreement over who will pick up the bill and whether it falls to the shipowner or the party that hires a ship, known as the charterer.

With millions of dollars in fuel costs for every voyage, the stakes are high.

The Union of Greek Shipowners, representing dry bulk, and tanker association INTERTANKO welcomed the inclusion of charterers saying those responsible for and benefiting from transporting cargo are responsible for emissions.

In contrast, the World Shipping Council (WSC) – representing container lines – says shipowners should share responsibility for decarbonization and that the proposed definition of a responsible entity “would corrupt the ETS”.

“Ship greenhouse gas emissions result from the combination of design technology, fuel consumed, and operational practice,” said WSC Chief Executive John Butler.

“A regional EU ETS carbon price must apply to all parties who have a role in GHG reductions – shipowners and operators.”

Pressure is building on the regulatory side too.

The IMO’s goal is to reduce overall GHG emissions from ships by 50% from 2008 levels by 2050, below targets set by countries such as the United States which have pushed for the agency to adopt a zero emissions target by 2050.

The IMO has said concrete progress was made in 2021 to combat climate change including new regulations to improve the energy efficiency of the world fleet, adding that it would work this year on revising its GHG strategy and finalize it in 2023.

The IMO has said regulations should come through the agency and be global in contrast to the EU’s approach, adding that regional legislation would not favor the concerns of developing countries.

Source: www.marinelink.com

Image: www.pexels.com

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Collaboration Crucial for Decarbonization -MSC CEO

admin — Thu, 27 Jan 2022 08:21:12 +0000

The CEO of container shipping giant MSC highlighted the importance of working together to achieve net decarbonization in a digital keynote speech at DNV’s ‘Fuel of the Future Conference’ on January 11, as part of the annual Nor-Shipping convention.

In his speech, Soren Toft explained MSC’s views on the status of decarbonization in the container shipping sector, summarized how the company is approaching this challenge and commented on how everyone must move forward together in collaboration to tackle climate change.

As shipping volumes have grown over the years, so have the environmental emissions produced as a by-product of delivering goods around the world. Container lines such as MSC must continue to do their part to help mitigate the impact of climate change while continuing to operate responsibly in meeting the ever-increasing demand for global trade, Toft said, “It is critical that our priority this year is not only to respond to the huge demand we are experiencing in the very complex, congested markets that emerged amid COVID, but also to ensure that we do not decouple this from our efforts to decarbonize.”

Toft said collaboration is key to achieving the decarbonization goals set out by the shipping industry, and noted MSC already fosters industry-wide, as well as cross-sector collaboration to enable the massive required investments. While the company continues to invest in low-carbon technologies and explore different fuel options, carriers in general continue to struggle from a lack of solutions available at scale, the CEO said.

With the total cost of decarbonizing shipping estimated into the trillions of dollars, carriers must make expensive capital decisions that will live on for decades. Urgent investment and a better understanding of how business and society will share the cost burden is also required, Toft said.

Soft emphasized that “the transition to a low-carbon economy requires broad collective action and productive partnerships with our stakeholders across and beyond shipping.”

“By cooperating and collaborating with others, we will capitalize and build on the interdependencies between ocean-going and inland logistics as well as other sectors providing fuels, distribution systems and infrastructure,” he concluded.

Source: www.marinelink.com

Image: www.pixabay.com

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The Push for “Green” Ships will Keep Ocean Freight Costs High

admin — Wed, 29 Dec 2021 11:39:28 +0000

Ocean freight costs are likely to remain high in 2022 as investors and regulators scramble to accelerate decarbonization of the shipping industry and companies grapple with green financing, sources say.

Shipping, which transports about 90% of world trade and accounts for nearly 3% of the world’s CO2 emissions, is under growing pressure from environmentalists to deliver more concrete action including a carbon levy.

The International Maritime Organization (IMO), the UN’s specialist shipping agency, has said it has made progress on short-term greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction measures.

But that timeline is not seen as fast enough by environmentalists and a number of the IMO’s 175 member countries.

“At the MEPC (IMO committee) meeting in June next year there will be a lot of heat and pressure on regulators to ensure that they come prepared to negotiate a solution rather than kicking the can down the road because of misalignment or negotiation tactics. It is really not acceptable,” said Christian Michael Ingerslev, chief executive of Maersk Tankers.

Last month countries including the United States at the COP 26 climate summit pushed for the IMO to adopt a zero emissions target by 2050.
So far, its goal is to reduce overall GHG emissions from ships by 50% from 2008 levels by 2050.

“As far as the IMO is concerned, the negotiations process in 2022 will likely be very slow and onerous,” said Faig Abbasov with green group Transport & Environment.

“The problem is in the very belief that a U.N. organisation with 175 members can come together and take tough decisions to decarbonise an entire economic sector.”

The IMO said concrete progress was made in 2021 on combating climate change including new regulations to improve the energy efficiency of the world fleet, adding that it would “work very hard” next year on the development of a revised GHG strategy, which will be finalised in 2023.
“Where this is willingness to act, then processes can move faster,” said Roel Hoenders, head, air pollution and energy efficiency with the IMO.
A proposal submitted at the IMO to create a $5 billion research and development fund to find the right technology to meet the targets is still under discussion with further talks kicked forward to next year.

Underscoring the challenges ahead will be the impact on poorer countries such as Pakistan.

While the country was a small carbon emitter, climate change had “directly impacted us hard”, Pakistan’s Federal Minister of Maritime Affairs Ali Haider Zaidi said.

“Developing countries cannot afford to spend on the type of infrastructure needed and therefore, developed countries must support the process at the IMO,” he told Reuters referring to the R&D fund.

Financing the path ahead is another hurdle. Shipping will need $2.4 trillion to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050, with around $500 billion required by 2030, according analyst estimates.

“Certainly, the European banks at least and not far behind the American banks will have to meet criteria that satisfy sustainable finance,” said Tony Foster, chief executive of specialist asset manager Marine Capital.

“When it comes to new assets it is going to be increasingly difficult to fund anything that does not quite qualify and the same will be true, perhaps even more so, with existing assets.”

Darren Maupin, founder of leading fund manager Pilgrim Global, said companies in the shipping sector were grappling with how to secure finance with more ESG pressure.

“Capital is afraid – how do you invest in a 25-year asset when you have no idea what the IMO is going to do in five years,” Maupin said.
“The industry has a far reduced ability to build ships and limited capital available to do so. Simple supply-demand suggests rates are going to be higher and the industry is going to have to generate more capital to fund itself.”

Source: www.marinelink.com

Image: www.pexels.com

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Climate-neutral maritime transport – a business choice or a survival strategy?

Rolands Petersons — Wed, 01 Dec 2021 09:13:32 +0000

In recent years, more and more haulers have started to look at environmentally friendly transport and are moving towards the goal of becoming climate-neutral, or at least reducing the negative environmental impact of their operations. Company marketing teams are working hard to show their concern for the future and to highlight this as a noble step. But is it? Is reducing CO2 emissions a free choice for maritime freight carriers, or is it a strategic plan for survival?

According to the latest UN estimate, cargo ships carry 10.7 billion tones of cargo in the oceans each year. Almost all carriers have so far used fossil fuels, which currently account for 2% -3% of global carbon dioxide emissions. This means that if the shipping industry were a country, it would be the sixth largest emitter of carbon in the world. If shipping companies do not take additional measures to reduce emissions in the coming years, the sector’s CO2 emissions are projected to increase by 50-250% by 2050.

Carbon emissions are one of the main causes of adverse climate change, including rising average air temperatures and increasing rainfall, which in turn is accelerating the melting of ice, increasing salinity and water levels in water bodies, and increasing coastal erosion.

To prevent the world from reaching a climate crisis, many industries, including logistics, are looking for effective ways to reduce their negative impact on nature.

The goal is to become a carbon neutral industry

At present, maritime freight companies are ambitiously moving towards the goal of becoming a carbon-neutral industry. However, this is not a one-day issue, and carbon emissions need to be reduced gradually to reach this goal. The International Maritime Organization (IMO) has set a target of reducing total international GHG emissions from international shipping by at least 50% by 2050 compared to 2008.

The decarbonization of the shipping industry will not only help reduce the sector’s negative impact on the environment but will also help to achieve other climate-related goals, such as the switch to renewable fuels by 2050. The Environmental Defence Fund estimates that this could boost up to $ 6 trillion in renewable energy infrastructure worldwide.

The first steps towards the goal

The Danish freight company Maersk has taken the first serious step towards decarbonization. The company has announced the purchase of eight cargo ships that will run on methanol, reducing CO2 emissions by 1 million tones. This decision follows the carrier’s commitment to become a fully climate-neutral company by 2050.

Maersk is not the only industry to start realizing its ambitions to become an environmentally friendly company. Similar decisions have been made by other companies, such as DHL and UPS, which offer their customers the option of delivering orders using sustainable fuels for a fee. Amazon, meanwhile, signed a commitment in October with companies such as Ikea and Unilever to make sure that by 2040 they could only transport goods on carbon-free ships.

Choice or necessity?

Over the last five years, the number of players in the logistics, freight and shipping sectors that are moving towards a greener future is growing, and the above companies are just some of the players in the logistics sector who have already made their first choice in favor of decarbonization. That, of course, is to be welcomed, but before companies are praised and put on the podium, it would be important to understand their motivation. Here are some facts that can help you find the answer to this question!

A study on corporate social responsibility conducted in 2017 found that consumers today increasingly choose companies that adhere to the principles of sustainable business. 87% of people are more positive about companies trying to reduce the environmental impact of their industry in various ways. In turn, 88% of respondents trust service providers to contribute to the fight against social and environmental issues. The research data show that the position of companies on environmental issues is especially important for the younger generation of adults and millennials. This means that promoting an environmental awareness plan is an effective strategy to increase customer purchases, gain trust and maintain loyalty.

Account must also be taken of the fact that the goal of making shipping an environmentally friendly industry is being set not only by companies or leading associations, but also by countries. For example, from 2030, Norway has committed to purchase only those cargo ships that will have access to zero-emission technologies. Norway’s climate strategy also provides for an international ban on the use of non-climate-neutral fuels from 2050 onwards. This, in turn, could mean that the demand for water transport that is not fueled by this type of fuel will fall sharply over the years.

Under the EU Emissions Trading Scheme, which will be phased starting 2023, the European Union (EU) will also start regulating shipping emissions. In addition, legislation is being proposed requiring shipping companies to pay for the carbon dioxide emissions they emit when traveling to, from and between EU ports.

These are just some of the facts that make it clear that the noble step towards climate-neutral action is not only a free choice of companies, but also a strategic step in gaining customer loyalty and surviving at a time when tackling the climate crisis is a top priority. As the Latvian poet Rainis wrote: “Only that which remains in constant change, shall persist!”

Author: Roland Peterson, logistics expert

Image: www.pexel.com

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OpEd: Why We Must Assess Shipping’s Route to Decarbonization

admin — Sun, 14 Nov 2021 18:53:21 +0000

Despite transporting roughly 90% of the world’s cargo, the shipping industry has so far been underrepresented in the global decarbonization discussion. This rhetoric is however changing. For the first time in history, shipping was officially on the agenda at the UN climate change conference, COP26. Likewise, the recent United Nations General Assembly saw leaders from the U.S., Australia, India, and Japan place shipping at the top of a list of pledges, with plans to form a “Green-Shipping Network”.

The inclusion of shipping at government driven conferences—typically outside of the industry sphere—reflects the turning of the dial, with the increased publicity set to lead to stricter and additional enforcement of environmental regulation.

It also reflects new consumer demand, with retailers under similar pressure to set ambitious green targets that outpace competitors and consumers waking up to ‘green washing’ campaigns. The decarbonization of the shipping industry is set to be guided by a new stakeholder.

This has been evidenced by Maersk, who recently ordered eight container vessels that can be fueled by green methanol, as well as traditional bunker fuel. The order made headlines not only because of the vessel design but in the catalyst being Maersk’s biggest customers looking to green their entire supply chains.

The potential for implementing harsher environmental regulation, considering COP26, is already underscored by new energy efficiency requirements announced earlier this year. The IMO’s Energy Efficiency Existing Ship Index (EEXI) seeks to make ships more efficient, while the Carbon Intensity Indicator (CII) will force owners and operators to operate them more efficiently.

While the motive for change is therefore already in place, the pace is comparably slow. As it stands, and as estimated by Simpson Spence Young, less than 25% of bulkers and tankers currently comply with EEXI, coming to force in 2023. And, with a global fleet set to be in operation for years to come, and the enforcement of stricter energy efficiency requirements on the horizon, the uptake of economically and environmentally viable solutions needs to happen sooner rather than later.

Importance of operation
The conversation on identifying shipping’s route to meet new energy efficiency requirements has so far focused on three predominant solutions. These include slow steaming and limiting engine power, retrofitting ships with clean technologies, and implementing low- or zero-carbon fuels.
Although these routes can all be effective in meeting energy efficiency requirements, if the industry fails to consider the sustainability of the voyage operation, it risks any consequent efficiency gains becoming less effective.

An example of this is shipping’s “rush to wait” phenomenon—an example of how misaligned industry objectives can fail to prioritize emissions output. Factors like minimum speed warranties in charter party contracts and ports serving with a first-come, first-served principle have led to most ships operating with fixed speeds and arrival times. This means that even when ports are hugely delayed and congested—an issue that is not set to improve any time soon—vessels will still be potentially sailing with fixed speeds across the ocean to meet arrival times that are no longer relevant.

Assessing the why, as well as the how
So, when considering how to improve voyage efficiency, should we not start by looking at why vessels are missing these efficiencies in the first place?

If the shipping industry’s current infrastructure favored fuel efficiency and environmental performance, instead of incentivizing keeping above a minimum speed and arriving at the specified time to then queue at the port, ships could voluntarily sail with more balanced speeds. On the other hand, if regulations fail to address the reasons why these inefficiencies exist, the market will seek workarounds. Even the risk of increasing the size of the fleet and shipping’s consequent emissions output is real.

This is where voyage optimization shows its worth. As a collaborative technology, it enables all voyage stakeholders to view real-time weather updates, accurate fuel consumption and arrival time estimates based on vessel-specific performance modelling, and important routing factors, like Emission Control Areas (ECAs). Intelligent routing enables users to calculate the most fuel-efficient and safest route based on real-time and historical data.

From our research, we have found huge efficiencies that vessels could make with simple changes to routing behavior. For example, we have found that most vessels tend to stick to a default route, despite alternative routes enabling owners and operators to take advantage of better weather, sea currents or other routing considerations. This means huge safety, cost and environmental savings are being lost every day.

For example, in a retro-optimization study conducted on 47 medium-range tanker voyages sailing between Central Europe and the U.S. East Coast, the routing was only adjusted in extreme weather conditions. Considering the weather forecasts available at the time of sailing, using voyage optimization technology could have reduced fuel consumption and CO2 emissions by 15.9%. Not only this, but the tankers could have reduced the time spent in winds above BF4 by 9.8%—proving the value of voyage optimization in achieving safer and more efficient voyage routing.

We must wave goodbye to default voyage routing
Default voyage routing reflects a bygone era. What the industry needs to drive for its decarbonization over the next decade are transparency and collaboration. Although voyage optimization technology will not single-handedly solve shipping’s decarbonization challenge, it does offer a widely available platform to bring owners and charterers onto the same page and can help alleviate port congestion. It also helps users optimize routing, increasing profit and safety for crew and reducing shipping emissions.

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Spanish/ German decarbonisation partnership

admin — Mon, 18 Oct 2021 07:49:14 +0000

The president of the Port Authority of Valencia Aurelio Martínez, has held a working meeting with the president of the Hamburg Port Authority Jens Meier.

Both institutions have drawn up a common roadmap to work in a coordinated manner in key areas for the port system such as the fight against climate change and decarbonisation, the use of renewable energy, digital transformation, mobility and equality plans.

Jens Meier, who has travelled expressly to Valencia to get to know the activity and projects of Valenciaport, and Aurelio Martínez have shown their mutual commitment to work together on the present and future challenges of maritime transport and the logistics sector. A firm objective between two complementary ports such as the main ports in the North and South of Europe to carry out initiatives aimed at positioning their respective enclosures as benchmarks in sustainability and digitisation, advancing in the 2030 commitments of the European agenda.

In this sense, the president of the Hamburg Port Authority has known first-hand key projects of Valenciaport for the coming years to consolidate its position as a strategic hub of the Mediterranean as the north container terminal, the new multipurpose terminal of Sagunto or the public passenger terminal of the Port of Valencia. In addition, the initiatives being developed by Valenciaport in its 2030 objective, zero emissions, such as the installation of photovoltaic or wind energy, the construction of the electrical substation or the hydrogen projects, among others, were explained to him.

The Port of Hamburg is one of the most important ports in Northern Europe which has handled more than 4.3 million containers in the first six months of the year, 5% more than in 2020. It is the third European port in terms of container movement, while València is in fifth position, two complementary ports with great potential for developing joint actions.

Source: www.maritimejournal.com

Image: www.pexels.com

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Hydrogen central to Orkney’s bold decarbonisation plan

admin — Fri, 17 Sep 2021 07:13:36 +0000

The £2.2 million HIMET (Hydrogen in an Integrated Maritime Energy Transition) project in Orkney will explore solutions for decarbonising ferries as well as shore-side activities.

It is one of 55 projects selected for funding under the Department for Transport’s flagship Clean Maritime Demonstration Competition, delivered in partnership with Innovate UK.

Led by EMEC Hydrogen in Orkney, HIMET will progress an ambitious programme of activities centred on the decarbonisation of two key local maritime sectors: ferry services and cruise terminal operations.

To decarbonise ferries, various solutions will be designed and demonstrated including hydrogen storage specifically intended for use on board a vessel, and the supply of on-board auxiliary power using a hydrogen fuel cell. A conventional ferry propulsion engine will also be tested running on pure hydrogen.

To develop resilient shore-side power for the maritime sector a hydrogen engine will be deployed at Hatston to power crew welfare facilities at the cruise terminal, and microgrid solutions will be explored to consider future power requirements for ferry terminals.

In parallel, HIMET will carry out research and stakeholder engagement activities to establish how decarbonised fuels (hydrogen and ammonia) coupled with technology innovations can best inform the broader maritime energy transition and help overcome regulatory barriers.

HIMET draws upon leading energy system and maritime expertise locally in Orkney and is strengthened by the involvement of leading technology developers and sector experts drawn from across the UK. The consortium includes Aquatera, EMEC Hydrogen, Eneus Energy, OakTec, Orcades Marine Management Consultants, Orkney Islands Council, Ricardo, RINA, Schneider Electric, ULEMCo, and Urban Foresight.

Once project demonstration activities are complete, HIMET partners will help facilitate uptake across the UK and further afield, demonstrating the maritime working practices of the future.

Grant Schapps MP, Secretary of State for Transport said: “As a proud island nation built on our maritime prowess, it is only right that we lead by example when it comes to decarbonising the sector and building back greener.

“The projects announced today showcase the best of British innovation, revolutionising existing technology and infrastructure to slash emissions, create jobs and get us another step closer to our decarbonisation targets.”

James Walker, EMEC’s Hydrogen Development Manager said: “EMEC foresees significant opportunities in maritime innovation, with hydrogen and hydrogen derivative fuels expected to play a vital role in decarbonising the sector.”

Source: hwww.maritimejournal.com

Image: www.pixabay.com

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