(Commonwealth Union)_Even if the ultimate objective of carbon-free shipping is still a long way off, the marine sector can close the gap with short- and long-term fixes.
Using liquefied natural gas (LNG) and biofuels as marine fuels and investing in the development of carbon capture technology are two examples of how industry players can use currently available resources and technology to reduce the sector’s emission levels, according to Lynn Loo, director of the Global Centre for Maritime Decarbonization (GCMD). According to her, this will give time to develop longer-term solutions including infrastructure, standards, and legislation for zero-carbon fuels and transportation.
We need short, medium and long-term solutions since the energy shift will take some time. Improving energy efficiency, lowering fuel consumption, and decreasing emissions as much as possible in the short term are the main priorities. It is also developing longer-term solutions to get the sector ready for the switch to carbon-free fuels.
Despite ongoing supply issues, the center is now researching the possibility of green ammonia as a bunker fuel. Ammonia has long been promoted as a desirable replacement for fossil fuels and is currently sold and transported as a commodity on a worldwide scale. However, for it to be a practical maritime fuel, safety concerns must be resolved.
In addition to suggesting suitable locations for ammonia bunkering in Singapore, the research will create criteria for the safe handling of ammonia as a fuel for boats and equipment. The establishment of a regulatory sandbox to conduct ammonia bunkering trials in Singapore will be guided by the study’s findings. Jacob Sterling, Senior Director and Head of Decarbonisation Innovation & Business Development at Maersk, estimated that only 30,000 tonnes of green methanol are now generated annually an interview with British broadcaster BBC. To operate Maersk’s new ships by itself, at least 15 times that amount is required. “This chicken-and-egg conundrum has arisen. We believe that doing this will enable the scalability that is required,” he told BBC.
