Page 119 - ΝΑΥΤΙΚΑ ΧΡΟΝΙΚΑ - ΜΑΙΟΣ 2023

Will we see purely electric-powered oceangoing vessels, or do you believe
that batteries will only be established as a supplementary emission-reduction
technology for the long term?
I don’t think we will see fully electric-powered ocean-going vessels,
at least not in the near future. We have just published a guide
that compares onboard storage requirements for a number of
alternative fuelling options that would help meet decarbonisation
goals, including battery implementation. In a case of a cruise ship
using batteries exclusively, that ship would sink if it was ever built.

Would using batteries be enough to ensure a vessel’s compliance with
the upcoming emission reduction schemes (CII, EEXI, etc.) or should it be
combined with other emission reduction technologies/measures?
The CII is directly linked with a ship’s fuel consumption and the
nautical miles travelled per year, so having a hydrodynamically
efficient hull is a main priority. We can also advise on making
changes to the ship’s propellers or to other features to reduce
fuel consumption. Ship performance is also highly reliant on crew
competence, operating conditions and the level of technology
used on board. Batteries are a good supplementary tool to help
a vessel comply with emissions reduction regulations, depending
on the vessel type, but if we need to charge them with combustion
engines their impact may be limited. Therefore, the main focus to
encourage the contribution to decarbonisation of this technology
should be on charging stations in ports. For example, in the EU,
shore power is considered zero emission. Whatever you can
charge from port or land infrastructure can lead to direct benefits
regarding the CII requirements but will probably not help to
achieve EEXI goals.

Is the service/supply network today sufficient to support the widespread use
of battery systems onboard seagoing vessels?
The supply network exists if you are only looking at the battery aspect,
although most battery suppliers would tell you that the delivery time
is at least one year - so, delivery times are quite long. Then you have
alternative suppliers saying they can provide batteries within 24

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