Page 130 - ΝΑΥΤΙΚΑ ΧΡΟΝΙΚΑ - ΜΑΙΟΣ 2023

GREEN TRANSITION

DEEP

DECARBONISATION

IN SHIPPING

Achieving the deep decarbonisation required for retrofits, and what fleet
of the shipping sector necessitates renewal involves, always keeping in
the revision of the Fit for 55 provisions mind that the need for transport work
for 2030 and the IMO provisions for is inelastic and will probably increase
2050 relating to the size of the indus- in the coming decades.
try, the global fleet, the corresponding The proposed marine fuel alterna-
transport work they perform, and the tives (hydrogen, ammonia, methanol,
radical changes required to achieve syngas, gaseous and liquid biofuels)
these over-ambitious goals within the look promising when conducting a
framework of global economic activ- tank-to-wake analysis; however, the
ity. It is perhaps the right time we results are refuted when the well-to-
reviewed much of what we have taken tank part of the supply chain is also
for granted, which derives from sim- considered. Although the most critical
ulations, scenarios, and predictions indicator in alternative fuels evaluation
developed to serve visions, missions, is their carbon footprint, additional
and aspirations. It is now vital to cap- criteria need to be included, such as
italise on the enhanced knowledge the availability of sufficient quantities,
and experience gained in this long worldwide distribution, and the tech-
journey towards carbon neutrality. nologies’ maturity for a safe and effec-
tive implementation, also considering
Why should we step out of our ‘com- space, weight, and other limitations.
fort zone’ and think ‘outside the box’? E-fuels are a distant and possibly
uncertain solution if we consider (a)
Well, this includes several reasons, the capital that must be invested and
such as: the raw materials that should be used
Slow steaming seems a viable solu- to secure sufficient electric power
tion; however, it forces existing marine from renewable energy sources, (b) the
propulsion engines to operate in energy conversions required, which
conditions they are not designed for; reduce a vessel’s overall efficiency,
therefore, this measure worsens their and (c) its life cycle analysis. Moreover,
by Prof. Elias Yfantis, performance. Nevertheless, we can energy storage systems that support
Senior Scientist, apply slow steaming on newbuildings electric propulsion show the same dis-
Cyprus Marine
and Maritime Institute or appropriately re-designed ships advantages as e-fuels and, in addition,
given their life cycle analysis, the time have practical limitations that do not

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