Donal Hickey: Steering the shipping industry towards low-carbon fuels
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New UCC-led research aims to steer the Irish shipping industry away from traditional fuels towards low-carbon alternatives. The pioneering ShipFuel initiative could also have international implications.
Sea-going traffic transports 90% of Ireland’s traded goods — that figure is similar for the world at large. Shipping accounts for 3% of global CO2 emissions. Experts say the maritime industry has been lagging behind in its efforts to move away from fossil fuels.
Ships are getting bigger and using even more energy, with some new vessels more than 400 metres long and carrying more than 14,000 containers. All of this stretches the capacity of some ports to cope, and larger cranes are also needed for loading and unloading.
Indeed, some of these behemoths touch the bottom and glide through silt in some ports, according to Stavros Karamperidis, head of maritime research at the University of Plymouth, in England.
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UCC’s Energy, Climate and Marine Research Centre (MaREI) and Gavin and Doherty Geosolutions (GDG) are research partners in the ShipFuel project.
Professor Jerry Murphy, director of MaREI, said: “Our research aims to deliver a definitive roadmap, leading stakeholders towards a low-carbon, sustainable marine value chain, crucial for our economy and the planet."
ShipFuel will examine potential fuel options like hydrogen, compressed biomethane, methanol, and renewable diesel. It will also look into vessel technologies, including retrofitting fleets, in line with targets for zero emissions from marine traffic by 2050.
The research, funded by Sustainable Energy Ireland and the Department of Transport, comes at a critical time, amid concerns that lack of any real action to date on emissions by the shipping sector poses a significant risk to climate change targets.
GDG managing director Jonathan Bull said the sector had, historically, navigated 'turbulent waters' regarding CO2 emissions: “The launch of this research represents positive progress. It’s not just a response to a growing demand for cleaner shipping, but may (also) provide a proactive blueprint for the future."
ShipFuel would use his company’s global expertise in renewable energy and help develop solutions for cleaner shipping, Mr Bull added. Traditionally, oil-based fuels have met more than 90% of shipping’s energy needs.
Between 50,000 and 60,000 cargo ships ply the world’s oceans, with many transporting coal and natural gas, for example. The vision for the future is that, instead of these fuels, they will be carrying (as well using) cleaner alternatives.
Last year, more than 200 pilot projects on zero emissions technologies for vessels were underway, the Global Maritime Forum reported. Because emissions occur in the open seas, international efforts are needed to clean up the industry, and the UCC research could yet be valuable in that area.