Maritime transport
Future maritime fuels
There are several emerging options for alternative maritime fuels, each with their distinct characteristics and pros and cons. In the Fuel Pathway Maturity Map, the MMMCZCS describes how different fuels have different levels of maturity.
Shipping lines will need to evaluate and decide on what alternative fuel that is the most feasible, depending on – among else – type and size of the fleet, type of operation and annual energy consumption. Similarly, each port that serves as a bunker-hub, will need to evaluate, and decide on what alternative fuels that are the most relevant be offered in the port in the future.
The transition from fossil to sustainable maritime fuels are needed to significantly reduce emissions from the maritime sector, a rapid uptake of renewable fuels will be key. The environmental benefits will be considerable, such as substantial reductions of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, sulphur, and nitrous oxide (SOx and NOx) emissions and in particulate matter (PM).
According to DNV’s Alternative Fuels Insight (AFI), in the last few years, and for container ships in particular, methanol has emerged as an alternative fuel of growing interest. By early 2023 about 20 percent of all container ships on alternative fuel were built for methanol. In September 2023, Danish shipping line Maersk introduced Laura Maersk, which will be the first container ship to run entirely on green methanol.
Also, hydrogen is expected soon to be in operation as alternative fuel. The HySeas III project intends to bring to market the world’s first zero emission, sea-going ferry that will be powered by hydrogen from renewable sources.
For shipping lines, it will be a matter of retrofitting existing vessels or build new vessels. Also, it will be a matter of the level of ambition and the willingness to invest and be a frontrunner in the energy transition. For these fuels, the port needs to make preparatory work to be ready with safety regulations and port infrastructure. Also, storage facilities and bunker infrastructure (e.g. pipelines or bunker barges) must be in place to make bunkering of alternative fuels happen.
At the Port of Gothenburg, the largest bunker hub in the region, methanol from truck was bunkered already in 2015 and in the same year LNG was first bunkered. LBG was first bunkered in 2018. Then, in January 2023, the first ever ship-to-ship bunker operation of methanol took place.
From a Port of Gothenburg perspective, and apart from LNG, preparations and estimations are done for when production and supply of various sustainable fuels will be in place for fuel to be scaled up on the European market. For LBG the estimation is by 2025-2030 and for e-methanol by 2030-2035. Next to come is expected to be green ammonia, by 2035-2040
For sustainable maritime fuels to become readily available, requires the establishment of entire value chains; from production, distribution and storage to port infrastructure and safety regulations, bunker barges and shipping lines with vessels ready for using sustainable fuels.
Hence, sustainable maritime fuels will involve significant investments (CAPEX), but also significantly higher fuel costs (OPEX) as compared to conventional, fossil fuels.
A major challenge is how to scale up production and supply sustainable maritime fuels, at a point in time when demand is low and uncertain. A clear situation of the chicken and the hen may occur. Strategic partnerships with the ambition to establish green shipping corridors may be an enabler for introducing sustainable maritime fuels on a specific transport relation, i.e. between two specific ports. In such a partnership, the cargo owners’, or transport buyers’ willingness to pay will be challenged. To support and accelerate this transition, even if there is a willingness to pay, state funding will probably be needed. Primarily, shipping lines will need to drive the transition to sustainable maritime fuels.
Carbon capture
OCCS, or Onboard Carbon Capture Systems, entails the installation of carbon capture systems on ships, integrating them into the vessel's fuel systems. Two primary methods are employed for capturing carbon onboard ships: pre-combustion, involving the conversion of the ship's fuel into a gas with CO2 capture before combustion, and post-combustion, which captures CO2 from the ship's exhaust using various methods. The captured CO2 is stored on the vessel, either as a liquid in high-pressure tanks or as a solid in mineral form like limestone.
Ultimately, the stored CO2 onboard needs to be pumped out and transferred to a storage facility, such as a port. In the subsequent stages, it can be utilized for industrial purposes, such as in greenhouses or by synthetic fuel producers, or permanently stored.
Implementing carbon capture technology on maritime vessels offers a measurable reduction in carbon dioxide emissions. South Korean company Hanwha estimates the potential to decrease tank-to-wake emissions (resulting from burning fuel in the tank of a vessel) by 75-80%. Additionally, Dutch company Value Maritime has developed the Filtree system, incorporating a carbon capture and storage module capable of capturing up to 40% of CO2 emissions from the vessel's main and auxiliary engines.
In February 2023, Dutch company Value Maritime achieved a milestone by installing a fully integrated carbon capture solution on the M/T Pacific Cobalt, a tanker operated by Eastern Pacific Shipping. This groundbreaking project, the first of its kind for ocean-going vessels, demonstrated the tank's capacity to capture over 200 tonnes of CO2 in a single voyage.
Subsequently, in September 2023, Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering and Gaslog, a Greek LNG carrier manufacturer, announced a collaboration to design and install onboard carbon capture and storage technology (OCCS) on four LNG carriers, scheduled for delivery in 2024 and 2025.
Scaling up OCCS implementation requires ship owners' willingness to invest, considering the need for retrofitting vessels to accommodate the carbon capture system, storage tanks, and additional energy supply systems. Establishing a complete value chain, including infrastructure for pumping out and storing captured CO2 in ports, is essential.
Ship owners must lead investment decisions for OCCS implementation, necessitating strategic collaboration with ports to ensure the development of a sustainable business model and the necessary value chain components, such as storage facilities.
Alternative ship propulsion
Innovative Swedish technology makes it possible to power even the largest vessels by wind. AlfaWall Oceanbird have announced that the first vessel with a full-scale wing sail prototype will be sailing in 2024, with the aim to sail the first vessel with a full set (6) of Oceanbird wing sails in 2027.
For smaller vessels and shorter distances, electric vessels may be a feasible option. Asko Maritime, Norway’s largest grocery distributor, has invested in unmanned electric barges to cross the Oslo fjord in an innovative and low carbon way. The zero-emission vessels, both battery-driven, will have the capacity to carry 16 trailers of cargo, each with a maximum capacity of 29 tons.
(Photo: Oceanbird)
Digital Port Call
A vessel's entire port call, from open sea to unloading at the quay and out to sea again, involves around 20 different contact points that must be coordinated to get an overview of the situation. Digital port call makes relevant information immediately available, in a single service, to the parties involved, making it easier to make decisions, increasing predictability, and security.
Up to 36 hours before departure, everyone – from the captain and pilot to the boatmen and crane operators – knows where and when the ship needs something. Thanks to the virtual arrival communication in the platform, the captain can adjust the speed to avoid anchoring while waiting for a berth. This means lower fuel consumption and greener transport. Once at the dock, everything is synchronized and prepared for the best possible service because all parties already know when their tasks are to be performed. The goods are handled more efficiently and move on to the customer more quickly, at the same time the ship's time at the quay is reduced.
Digital port call is an important step in the work to digitize the entire logistics chain, so that it becomes more efficient, more predictable and with a reduced climate impact. In June 2021, the world’s first digitally controlled port arrival was achieved at the Port of Tanger Med, when the container vessel Kobe Express docking safely and on time at the Moroccan port, using the Wärtsilä Navi-Port system. Since then, the port of Gävle has launched the Port Activity App™, a digital solution used by port operators to exchange real-time information prior to and during a vessel’s call. At the Port of Gothenburg, with about 6 000 vessel calls per year, a digital port call solution is planned to be launched during the first half of 2024.
Requirements for increased adoption include willingness from port authorities to invest in a digital port call solution and willingness from other relevant stakeholders to share information. Port authorities are the best-suited initiators for ensuring its use.
For more information, you can watch The Port of Gothenburg's Digital Port Call video on YouTube.
Alternative propultion for service vessels
Service vessels around the port, such as pilot boats, tugboats, sludge vessels, and bunker barges, play vital roles. Shifting these vessels to alternative fuels is crucial for sustainable port activities. Electrification or hybrid solutions may be more feasible for service vessels compared to the alternative fuels mentioned in Action 15.
The transition from fossil fuels to sustainable options is pivotal for reducing emissions from port activities. In December 2021, the Swedish Maritime Administration launched the world's first methanol-fueled pilot boat, showcasing a favorable emissions profile with minimal environmental impact. Similarly, in August 2023, Svitzer announced plans to construct the world's first methanol hybrid fuel cell tug, set to operate at the Port of Gothenburg by 2025.
Owners' and operators' willingness to invest is key to increasing the use of service vessels with alternative propulsion. Collaboration with port authorities is essential for securing adequate charging infrastructure or fuel supply. Owners and operators, in particular, must drive the design and construction of vessels using alternative technologies.
Autonomous vessel
Advancements in self-driving technology are currently undergoing tests and field trials within the maritime industry. However, as with many other applications of autonomous driving, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) emphasizes the need for robust regulations to ensure the safety and security of the environment, cargo, vessels, and personnel (onboard or ashore). Consequently, the IMO is actively working on a regulatory framework called MASS (Maritime Autonomous Surface Ships) to keep pace with rapid technological advancements in this area.
The use of autonomous vessels promises gains in several areas. The cost of personnel onboard could be substantially reduced or eliminated (if fully autonomous), lowering operational costs and enhancing the competitiveness of maritime transport. Additionally, vessels designed for autonomous driving would not require features such as bridges and crew cabins, reducing the cost of constructing new vessels. Thirdly, with reduced or no manning costs, vessel dimensions could be smaller, allowing for a fleet of smaller vessels to replace large ones. This could increase service levels at ports globally, with higher call frequency and more flexible routing and optimization of vessel movements. Smaller ports might also benefit as depth considerations become less critical.
A quick survey reveals various examples of pilot projects on autonomous vessels and a few commercial applications. The Yara Birkeland, an autonomous container vessel delivered in 2022, is an example. Although initially manned, the vessel is expected to transition gradually to autonomous service, according to Yara. There are also applications on smaller vessels, such as the M/F Estelle, an autonomous commuter vessel introduced in Stockholm in 2023. While Swedish law mandates a supervising captain onboard, the boat operates without human intervention during ordinary operations.
As with all concepts of autonomous driving (and sailing), there are different levels of automation. These range from 'master-slave systems,' envisioning one manned vessel leading a fleet of unmanned vessels (similar to platooning in road transportation), to 'captain-on-land,' where running and navigation are conducted remotely from land, and finally, fully autonomous operations where no human interference is required.
Image: Yara International ASA
