The Norwegian Ministry of Climate and Environment has awarded DNV and its partners a contract to develop a roadmap for the introduction of sustainable zero-carbon fuels across the Nordic region.
The “Nordic Roadmap” aims to accelerate the transition to zero carbon fuels by reducing the key barriers to their uptake and creating a platform for cooperation across the region.
Working together with DNV on the development of the Nordic Roadmap are Chalmers, IVL, MAN Energy Solutions, Menon, and Litehauz.
The Nordic Roadmap looks to drive acceleration in the region through identifying and reducing the key barriers to sustainable zero-carbon fuels, examining the onboard, onshore and market barriers and setting out concrete action that can be taken to overcome them.
This is a project that takes co-operation for green shipping in the Nordic region several steps further and will make an operational contribution to the roll-out of sustainable zero-emission fuels in the Nordic region
said Minister of Climate and Environment Espen Barth Eide.
According to Tuva Flagstad-Andersen, Regional Manager Region North Europe, DNV, the Nordic Roadmap is a significant project because it signals the intent of the region to take the initiative on zero-carbon fuels and drive the energy transition forward.
The Nordic Roadmap is centred around the establishment of a Nordic Cooperation platform to facilitate knowledge sharing, alongside the launch of pilot projects and studies that will build experience in new fuels, to establish “green corridors” and the enabling infrastructure.
The focus of the project is on “sustainable zero-carbon fuels” from a Well-to-Wake perspective. The project uses a Fuel Scorecard, where zero-carbon fuels such as ammonia and hydrogen will be evaluated by applying a variety of KPIs for performance and sustainability, conducting a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), and assessing the regulatory and safety challenges.
In addition, the sea traffic in the region will be analysed through AIS mapping, as well as possible bunkering and infrastructure possibilities and challenges, leading to the creation of an infrastructure development plan to supply vessels across the region.
By focusing on accelerating the uptake of alternative fuels, knowledge-sharing and establishing green corridors the Nordic roadmap project can play an important role in fuelling the green shift in shipping in which the Nordic countries already play a key role
said Harald Solberg, CEO of the Norwegian Shipowners’ Association.
The Nordic Roadmap has already received support from many maritime companies and stakeholders in the region, including Wärtsilä, the Norwegian Shipowner’s Association, DFDS, and Yara.
The Nordic Roadmap project has been funded by the Nordic Council of Ministers and will run for four years.
