HOW TAXONOMIES LEAD TO FUEL PATHWAYS
T
he owners of internationally trading ships are facing increasingly complex investment decisions as they try to identify the optimum course to the low-carbon future mandated by the International Maritime Organization (IMO).
A number of new technologies are being developed in response to the need to decarbonize, but their practical viability may have limitations at this point in time. The same holds for some prospective fuels, even if they have the strongest potential to reduce the carbon footprint of future vessels. All enabling technologies and fuels will need to be assessed in part on their technological readiness, their potential for large scale commercialization, and their ability to reduce the carbon footprints of vessels in the short, medium and long term. Identifying the optimum specifications of each vessel for different types of applications can be a challenging task, since the range of available technical solutions is wide. However, by examining the onboard technologies in whole — engines, as well as fuel containment, storage, and supply systems — common taxonomies can be identified to simplify the decision-making process. The available fuel options can be categorized into three pathways that can propel the maritime industry to 2030 and beyond: (i) The light gas pathway, (ii) The heavy gas and alcohol pathway, and (iii) The bio/synthetic fuel pathway The first two categories include fuels, such as liquefied natural gas (LNG) and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), which are already commercially used to reduce the carbon footprint of vessels. Practical carbon-neutral and zero-carbon solutions, however, are still under development. The selection of the fuel pathway and the associated onboard technologies should be based on two foundational criteria: the type of vessel and its operating profile in terms of trading route and cargo.
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11 | SETTING THE COURSE TO LOW CARBON SHIPPING | ABS
