Maritime industry: Key strategies to reduce emissions

Each time you make a purchase, there is a good chance that it is transported via a cargo or container ship. This because around 90 percent of the international logistics happens via goods that are shipped through sea, with more than 70 percent shipped as containerized cargo. Now, despite shipping being deemed as being a cost-effective and least-carbon intensive mode of international transport, it still has a considerable environmental footprint with much scope for improvement.

To put things into perspective, as per estimates, the amount of pollution produced by one container ship is equivalent to 50 million cars. Also, the pollution from all the cars in the world can be matched by just 15 mega container ships, which is mind boggling.

Source: Lloyd Register, NDV, Assessment of IMO Mandated Energy Efficiency measures for International Shipping

Today, of the world’s global greenhouse gas emissions, 2.5 % comes from maritime transport. If commensurate steps are not taken to address the problem then by 2030 these emissions could increase significantly and undermine the goals of the Paris Agreement.  Worldwide, there are more than 90 thousand global cargo ships.  Based on insights, let’s look at some of the strategies that can be used to reduce emissions.

Focus on cleaner sources of fuel

As per this article, Maersk has stated that its dual-fuelled ship will use either sustainable bio-methanol or e-methanol.  From then on Maersk intends to have commercially viable carbon neutral vehicles by 2030. Maersk is the largest container shipping company and has set a precedent for others to follow. However, Maersk is not the first to launch vehicles with sustainable sources of energy. As per BBC, the world’s first hydrogen powered passenger vehicle called Hydroville was launched by  CMB Technologies three years ago. Many other such Hydrogen powered boats are also in the pipeline including an 80-person ferry that is being built for Japan this year.

Ostensibly, for shipping to fully de-carbonize it needs to find pragmatic and sustainable renewable energy solutions. The demand for biofuel powered ships is increasing and it is set to soon replace the emission-heavy bunker fuel driven ships for transportation.

Wind power to the rescue

Akin to the first sailing ships that took to the seas, a new generation of propulsion technologies are harnessing wind to power ships in a cheaper and cleaner manner:  The foray of innovative wind powered sails, kites and novel hull designs as well deck mounted wings could play a role in shaping the maritime industry’s wind-powered future. Oceanbird, developed by a Swedish consortium, is a vessel that can transport 7,000 cars using 80 meter sails across the Atlantic.  To manoeuvre the ship between difficult areas like harbors, small engines will still be used. Emissions by ships like the Oceanbird are brought down by 90 percent, according to its designers. The ship is scheduled to be launched sometime in 2024. However, the ship’s slower travel speed could act as a major drawback. It remains to be seen if its environmental benefits outweight its cons. Soft-sail systems are considered among the biggest innovations in wind-powered shipping technologies.

Utilize Battery Storage

While electric cars have become mainstream, further enhancing battery technology can have a significant impact on the shipping industry’s greenhouse gas emissions as well.  For instance, a novel 600-kilowatt hour battery, was placed by Maersk on one of its key cargo ships. The battery is the size of a shipping container. Maersk’s initiative can pave the way for utilizing battery technologies on ships that want to leverage low-carbon solutions achieve its carbon neutral goals by 2050. Apart from Maersk, the world’s first all-electric cargo ship shall transport products around Norway while eliminating the need for diesel trucks to make 40,000 trips to cover the same distance.  Today, batteries are being by small ships for short distance travel. As battery storage technologies evolves, so too will the use cases.

Future outlook

Electrofuels, cleaner sources of energy, battery storage, and other innovative solutions can enable the maritime industry to achieve a zero-carbon future by 2050.  The technology today exists to make this possible and all that is needed is a collaborative effort by the respective world government’s and the maritime industry at large.