How to cut shipping emissions by up to 30%

It is possible to substantially reduce carbon emissions from shipping, by cutting fuel consumption – according to new work by the public-private sector research partnership, the Energy Technologies Institute (ETI).

In a new report, HDV Marine Insights, the ETI highlights what it calls affordable measures and technologies that could be taken to reduce the fuel consumption and carbon emissions from shipping. It analyses the UK shipping fleet and the potential opportunities for ship owners and operators; and identifies the most promising technologies that could reduce fuel consumption economically. It suggests that a 30% fleet fuel consumption reduction can be achieved by using a combination of innovative technologies with an economic payback of around two years.

However, because introducing new technology is challenging, costly and risky, it needs to be demonstrated to give investors and the diverse range of stakeholders in the shipping industry confidence, says the ETI, which is pursuing a series of at-sea demonstrations of new technologies over the next three years. The ETI is working towards demonstrating advancements in flettner rotors, high efficiency propulsion systems and waste heat recovery systems.

Stuart Bradley, ETI Strategy Manager and the report’s author said: ‘Shipping emits significant amounts of carbon dioxide which, without significant intervention, will rise as a proportion of our national emissions as we become less carbon dependent in other industry sectors. Unlike the power and heat sectors and other forms of transport, there does not seem to be a credible alternative to fossil fuels to power vessels, so in the medium to long term, the best potential to achieve substantial carbon dioxide reductions is by reducing fuel consumption.’