There are also binding reduction targets for shipping from 2025, for example for the greenhouse gas intensity of the energy used on board or the obligation to use shore-side electricity while in port from 2030. In addition, international shipping is aiming to completely eliminate its greenhouse gas emissions from its balance sheet by 2050. In order to achieve these targets, the industry is dependent on renewable fuels in the short and long term. The most discussed fuel candidates in shipping are syn/bio LNG, methanol and ammonia as well as biofuel components. The innovation focus area on shipping is being worked on jointly by the Chair of Reciprocating Engines and Internal Combustion Engines at the University of Rostock and Rolls-Royce Solutions GmbH.

 

Fields of action:

  • The government regulations and laws specific to maritime transport at national, EU and international level for reducing greenhouse gas and pollutant emissions are examined.
  • In addition, topics relating to sustainability certification and energy tax issues will be discussed.
  • It also analyzes the technical implementation and market ramp-up of sustainable marine fuels (SMF) and their compatibility with the infrastructure and traditional shipping fuels that are widespread on the market.
Schiffstau im Hafen
DLR-Study

Future maritime fuels and their possible import concepts

To the study

NOW factsheet on the EU regulation EUFuel Maritime

The new requirements apply to ships with a gross tonnage of more than 5,000 that enter, leave or stay in ports in the territory of an EU member state, and container and passenger ships will also be required to use shore-side electricity from 2030. The use of synthetic fuels from renewable energies will be specifically promoted for shipping. Read the factsheet from NOW GmbH, which coordinates funding programs in the area of climate-friendly mobility and energy for the German government, here.

Good to know:

 

Based on the current state of the art, dual-fuel engines are particularly suitable for the application of SMF. These have high variability in pilot fuel injection and therefore the necessary degrees of freedom for fuel-adapted ignition initiation.

 

In addition, this offers the basic prerequisite for the development of a multi-fuel engine, which would be significantly less dependent on possible supply bottlenecks or quality fluctuations during the transformation process in the maritime sector by using two to three primary fuels.

 

InoFuels offers the opportunity to derive the development and research requirements necessary for the application of SMF in DF engines and to formulate corresponding project approaches.