Weaving the Basket of Solutions

This week at MarineLink…

Two reports released this week, one on the upscaling of green hydrogen production, the other on upscaling CCUS, both point to a lack of government initiatives as hindering investment. Without the establishment of regulations and multi-lateral frameworks, big projects are floundering.

DNV’s latest Maritime Forecast to 2050 estimates that shipping’s demand for carbon-neutral fuels will be between 9 and 55 Mtoe in 2030 while the global cross-sector production volume of carbon-neutral fuel will be between 44 and 62 Mtoe.

Clearly, it will be nearly impossible for shipping to secure its share.

Like the availability for green fuels and CO2 sequestration sites, some of the prospects for improving ships’ operational efficiency are also dependent on forces outside shipping’s control. Another report released this week outlines how port delays are adversely impacting emissions. It predicts that optimizing port arrivals could reduce voyage emissions by up to 25%.

To meet the expectations of the 2023 IMO GHG Strategy, the IMO says a basket of candidate measures should be developed. Perhaps shipping will have to weave its own basket before it can add those measures to it.

The Blue Visby project is an example of how the industry is building a new structural framework for change. It aims to reduce GHG emissions by mitigating the effects of the established Sail Fast Then Wait voyage planning strategy. In November, the project released results of optimizing 40 voyages undertaken by 16 LPG tankers. The trial involved monitoring the operational status of some 919 vessels on a 24/7 basis to ensure that the LPG tankers, sailing slower to reduce emissions, would not be beaten to port by non-participating vessels. GHG savings averaged around 29%.

As for CCS, some onboard systems are aiming to create new, independent revenue pathways for shipowners by producing output that doesn’t involve sequestering liquified CO2 through major landside value chains. Langh Tech has developed an onboard carbon capture system that produces a saleable byproduct - sodium carbonate - which is used in glass making and detergents.

And this week, Hycamite TCD Technologies signed an MoU promoting the application of methane-splitting for onboard power generation. With Hycamite’s technology, LNG-fueled ships can convert methane into hydrogen as they sail, with a solid carbon byproduct produced.

The December issue of Maritime Reporter magazine features great ships and boats of 2024, showcasing a variety of innovative reduced-emissions designs pushing the industry forward.

Meanwhile, shipping leaders are pushing for governments to take action. A team of over 60 partners, led by DNV, has published a roadmap for the Nordic region that is designed to overcome the challenges associated with the switch to green fuels. The report specifies 20 specific actions for governments and industry stakeholders to work on.

“We call on Nordic governments to act swiftly on the urgent measures identified in the Fuel Transition Roadmap for Nordic Shipping. Doing so will give the industry confidence to invest in ships capable of running on zero-emission fuels and the fuel infrastructure needed to support them,” said Knut Ørbeck-Nilssen, CEO Maritime, DNV.

“Cross border and value chain collaboration will be crucial in enabling the industry to overcome key barriers and to meet the ambitious decarbonization targets.”