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allow their widespread use beyond
small vessels and short-sea shipping.
As expected, there is competition
among industrial sectors, especially
those facing difficulties adopting the
proposed solutions. In our case, bio-
fuels are a potentially feasible and
advantageous solution to mitigate
the carbon footprint for shipping and
aviation (both are “hard-to-abate” sec-
tors). Considering both industries, and
by comparing grams of CO₂ emitted
per transport work unit will prioritise
aviation.
Financially wise, all proposed solutions
become relatively competitive due to
political decisions, national and inter-
national regulations, and market-based
measures that penalise fossil fuel use
and GHG emissions or incentivise car-
bon-free energy use. However, their
substantial “extra cost” negatively
impacts production and the supply
chain, and can potentially lead to eco-
nomic recession. In addition, tangible
results based on facts and figures are
required for the civic society to be con-
vinced by the narratives of the Green
Deal and Green Growth.
Consequently, shipping’s deep decar-
bonisation now requires that the
global shipping community reviews and
rationalises its priorities and objectives
and focuses its efforts on facilitating
the effective implementation of solu-
tions, taking into account the limita-
tions arising from the shipping sector’s
characteristics and its comparatively
small contribution to greenhouse gas
emissions (less than 3% on a global tainable future through an equitable and
scale). Otherwise, we will continue to integrated approach to mitigation and
see extreme paradoxes like ships paying adaptation efforts at all scales.
carbon taxes to transport coal (one end
of the paradox) and electric cars, solar Regarding our contribution, the CMMI
panels, and wind turbine blades (the team is conducting research aiming to:
other end). • Develop solutions for vessel per-
The scientific community continuously formance optimisation (including
monitors the global warming phenome- digital twinning).
non, measuring the average global tem- • Design and build small zero-emis-
perature and recording the effects of sions vessels.
the climate crisis on human and natural • Combine shore-side electric-
systems while observing and highlight- ity applications with alternative
ing their capacity, vulnerabilities, and fuels.
limitations to adapt to climate change. • Develop carbon capture technol-
In parallel, research teams worldwide ogies, synthetic fuels, and waste
are looking at options for creating a sus- heat recovery systems.
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