According to a study carried out by the Maritime Oslofjord Alliance and funded by Oslo Maritime Foundation and Oslo Shipowners’ Association, significant emissions reductions can be achieved through operational and technical measures for the existing fleet.
Namely, the report “Energy Transition in Shipping – Facts and Timeline,” notes that operational and technical measures are the most feasible route to reduce emissions and achieve compliance for the existing fleet of tankers, bulkers and containerships.
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Specifically, the three segments of vessels above 5000 tonnes deadweight account for about 80% of the GHG emissions from the world fleet of around 94,000 vessels. Some 19,000 vessels of more than 25,000 gross registered tons, or 21% of the global fleet, consume 65% of all fuel used in shipping.
The study also indicated that only about 15%, which translates to 2700 tankers, bulkers and containerships, are outfitted with electronically controlled main engines that make them viable for conversion to alternative fuels, thus being able to reduce emissions by 100 million tonnes per year.
Need for speed reduction
The report highlights that slowing ship speed is “the most powerful way to cut emissions”, citing an estimated reduction of 50% in fuel consumption and emissions by reducing speed from 15 to 12 knots.
In addition, a 10% reduction in speed for a typical merchant ship is estimated to cut emissions by 27%. Another operational measure to reduce emissions is using drop-in biofuels or e-fuels into the existing fuel.
Fuel efficiency changes
According to the report author Svein Helge Guldteig, “slow steaming has formerly been used sporadically over the past five decades to save fuel costs in periods with high fuel prices and adverse market conditions”.
In recent years slow steaming has been applied in many shipping segments, and reduction of emissions of existing ships beyond the current level will require even lower speed and/or other technical and operational measures applied in the future
Mr. Guldteig explains, adding that “digitalisation can now play an important role in supporting operational measures and realising potential savings from fuel optimisation that were not possible only a few years back.”
However, the report also reports negative regarding fuel conversions related to cost, regulatory compliance, energy density and fuel tank space requirement that can negatively affect commercial operations.
Lack of availability
As the report mentions:
Scarce availability of alternative fuels and most likely limited shipyard capacity will limit the readiness to adapt quickly for the large vessel shipping segment
For this reason, heavy investments will be necessary to drive global supply infrastructure for green and blue fuels, which is not expected to be in place until 2035-40 at the earliest.
FIND MORE INFO AT THE REPORT ON FUEL CONSUMPTION
