New ETI report highlights three technologies that can help to cut carbon emissions and reduce fuel consumption in shipping by up to 30%

• Eliminating fossil-fuels for shipping does not appear credible in the next few decades so the best potential to achieve substantial CO2 reduction is through reducing fuel consumption
• The ETI believes a 30% fleet fuel consumption reduction can be achieved by using innovative technologies with an economic payback of around two years
• ETI  intends to fund development opportunities in flettner rotors, waste heat recovery and high efficiency propulsion systems

The International Maritime Organisation have stated that maritime emissions could rise by up to 250% by 2050 compared to 2011 levels unless action is taken. The greatest CO2 emissions come from tankers, bulk carriers and container ships and, as it does not appear credible to eliminate fossil-fuels for shipping, the best potential to achieve substantial CO2 reduction in the next few decades will be through reducing fuel consumption.

Ocean-going ships have the biggest impacts on CO2 emissions due to the length and speed of their voyages and the current calculation method under-plays the UK’s share of international shipping carbon emissions.

The ETI report “HDV Marine Insights” analyses the UK shipping fleet, the potential opportunities for ship owners and operators and identifies the most promising technologies that could reduce fuel consumption economically. It states 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.

An earlier project in the ETI’s Heavy Duty Vehicle Marine programme undertaken with Rolls-Royce and UCL produced a validated, full-scale shipping model that focused on vessels involved in the UK fleet activity. This model is central to understanding ship trading, technology and the potential for emissions reductions and improvements in fuel consumption.

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. The ETI is pursuing a series of at sea demonstration of new technologies over the next three years

Stuart Bradley, ETI Strategy Manager and the report’s author said:

“Shipping emits significant amounts of CO2 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 CO2 reductions is by reducing fuel consumption.

Our work to date has shown that using innovative technologies could reduce fuel consumption by up to 30% with an economic payback period of around two years but the technology needs to be demonstrated to give confidence to stakeholders and overcome market barriers.

This is why we are working towards demonstrating advancements in flettner rotors, high efficiency propulsion systems and waste heat recovery systems and further details on these individual projects will be announced shortly.”

The report can be found at http://www.eti.co.uk/insights/targeting-a-30-improvement-in-fuel-efficiency-for-marine-vessels and further details on the ETI’s work in its HDV Marine Programme can be found at http://www.eti.co.uk/programmes/transport-hdv

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