The need to reduce emissions in the global economy also affects shipping, which remains one of the most emission-intensive sectors, generating more pollution than road transport. Several exciting projects have recently been announced to use hydrogen and fuel cells to decarbonize shipping.
According to experts at the Institute of Fluid-Flow Machinery of the Polish Academy of Sciences, up to 85-90% of international trade currently takes place by the sea. The associated consumption of conventional fuels in diesel engines and gas and steam turbines can account for up to 15% of total NOx emissions, 3-7% of SOx, 2.5-4% of greenhouse gases, and 3-8% of particulate matter in the form of soot. And although maritime transport does not manifest itself as strongly as road transport, making it felt mainly in larger clusters and ports, pollution reduction in its area has been identified as essential since the 1950s.
Maritime transport and European Union goals
Along with the EU’s headline goal of achieving climate neutrality by 2050, decarbonization targets in individual segments are increasing. Unfortunately, emissions from aviation and shipping have steadily increased over the years. In the Fit for 55 package of legislative proposals announced last year, the European Commission strengthened provisions for both sectors. In the case of aviation, the Emissions Trading Scheme (EU-ETS), covers all flights within the European Economic Area, which includes EU countries as well as Norway, Iceland, and Liechtenstein.
For shipping, the 2020 vote indicated the need to include it in the ETS from 2022 and to increase requirements for shipping companies to reduce CO2 emissions by at least 40% by 2030. According to MEPs, the EC’s original ambitions for ships were not sufficient to meet decarbonization targets. In April 2021, they reiterated the shipping industry’s need to reduce emissions and identified several measures to achieve this, including:
– phasing out heavy fuel oils with compensation in the form of tax exemptions on alternative fuels,
– decarbonization, digitization, and automation of European ports,
– regulated access to EU ports for the most polluting ships,
– technical improvements such as ship speed optimization, innovations in hydrodynamics, and new propulsion systems.
In response, manufacturers and transportation companies have focused on developing and implementing clean technologies for marine transportation. One of the more frequently mentioned is renewable hydrogen fuel cells. The deployment of the “fuel of the future” is expected to ensure that climate targets are met and minimize the rising costs of permits and conventional fuels for transportation companies.
HAV Hydrogen containerized hydrogen energy system
Norwegian company HAV Hydrogen has announced the planned launch of an onboard containerized hydrogen energy system for ships, to enable the commercial use of hydrogen as ship fuel.
The solution proposed by HAV Hydrogen is a scalable power supply, based on 200 kW hydrogen fuel cell modules, including support and safety and power management systems. Installing larger containers or combining several will realize power systems with greater capacity. As the manufacturer points out, the solution can be used for main propulsion systems or as an additional power source on board a ship. The goal is to optimize power for specific applications and ship types while maintaining zero emissions. The hydrogen required for power generation is to be stored in liquid form in special tanks below the deck.
MSC Group fuel cell cruise ships
Another recently announced project is the potential use of fuel cells in MSC Group’s commercial cruises. In cooperation with one of the world’s largest shipbuilding groups, Fincantieri, it is to develop two hydrogen-powered luxury cruise ships to power the Explora Journeys fleet. The fleet will consist of six ships, the rest of which will be powered by LNG.
According to the announcement, the Explora V and VI ships will be equipped with a new generation of LNG engines and industry-first environmental technologies and solutions, including a system that operates on liquid hydrogen. The hydrogen fuel will power 6 MW of cells, generating emission-free energy to run the passenger ship and operate in port with engines off. The models are scheduled to enter service in 2027 and 2028.
The luxury fleet will be equipped with state-of-the-art emissions-reduction technologies, including selective catalytic reduction technology to reduce nitrogen oxide emissions by 90%. In addition, the ships will have a range of energy-efficient onboard equipment.
Hydrogen – will it be the future of maritime transportation?
The search for an alternative that would effectively replace conventional fuels in maritime transportation is not straightforward. Hydrogen realistically demonstrates such a possibility, with the understanding that for it to be widely used further dynamic development of the technology and an increase in the cost-effectiveness of producing and purchasing renewable hydrogen is necessary. Opportunities for this are growing.
According to research agency Transparency Market Research, the global hydrogen market is expected to grow by 50% year-on-year over the next decade, with the size of the market growing from the current €2.10 billion to €133.58 billion in 2031. Along with economies of scale, the price of the fuel will decrease, and the frequency of its use, including in maritime transportation, will increase.
