Not all alternatives are optimised for all owners or trades but represent promising short and medium-term “bridge fuels” to comply with tightening IMO mandates on GHG emissions until zero-emissions solutions can be developed.
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LNG is considered a mature alternative fuel option. However, there are some technology choices that need to be made depending on specific vessel design and operational requirements.
LPG, which is any mixture of propane and butane in liquid form, is a widely available fuel that has recently been introduced as a marine fuel.
Methanol is the simplest alcohol with the lowest carbon content and highest hydrogen content of any liquid fuel. Methanol can be made available through existing infrastructure in more than 100 ports globally.
Biofuel is a collective term for a range of energy carriers produced by converting primary biomass or biomass residues into liquid or gaseous fuels. While the number of vessels running on biofuels today is relatively small, DNV has identified sustainable biofuels as one of few options available for deep-sea shipping, especially for existing vessels, to achieve the IMO targets.
Because biofuels are derived from organic materials, fuel quality can be compromised by microbial growth and oxygen degradation. Also, some liquid biofuels can have poor flow properties in low temperatures. Biofuels are also solvents, so during conversions, operators must flush the fuel system when switching from diesel to biofuel to avoid deposits or clogged filters. Managing these challenges is important to ensure trouble-free operations.
Batteries (and hybrid power plants) represent a transformation in the way energy is used and distributed on board vessels. While not yet a viable replacement to FO for deep sea transportation, batteries are increasingly being used for ferries and short sea shipping.
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Watch the video recording – together with a group of experts, we discussed the latest findings on alternative and emerging fuels
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Environmental performance, market uptake, technologies, services and more
An open platform that provides the shipping industry with insights to evaluate the use of alternative fuels and technologies
A fully digital and collaborative tool for LNG fuel suppliers and ship owners which allows to plan, execute and communicate about LNG bunkering operations