Biofuels and ammonia offer alternatives to fossil fuels for Europe’s shipping fleet, the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) says.
Reports published by EMSA say biofuels could replace conventional fossil fuels without substantial engine modification.
Maritime transport produces 13.5% of all greenhouse gas emissions from transport in the EU, according to the European Maritime Transport Environmental Report, issued by EMSA and the European Environment Agency,
In 2020, ships of more than 5,000 GT calling at EU and EEA ports emitted 126 million tonnes of CO2, according to an EMSA database.
The first report finds that many of the existing maritime regulations can be transferred from fossil fuels to biofuels, and the safety risks are “broadly similar”.
However, the research notes that “the future availability of sustainable biofuels may be in question, given the size of any potential demand from the maritime sector”.
Ammonia could transition to a marine fuel and offer a zero or “near zero” carbon solution, the second report says.
“Despite the maritime sector’s extensive experience in handling ammonia as cargo, there is currently little accumulated industry knowledge in its use as a fuel, indicating a need for further understanding of the potential safety-related risks and other challenges it poses,” EMSA says.
“In addition, the study has identified a number of barriers to the widespread deployment of ammonia, including access to renewable electricity for its green production, and technology and regulatory gaps which could prevent its immediate application,”it says.
EMSA executive director Maja Markovčić Kostelac said the reports are “just a first step in our research into the potential of different alternative fuels and power solutions, and form part of the support we provide at this critical moment in the maritime sector’s voyage towards decarbonisation”.
“Throughout our work, we keep the safety aspect of alternative fuels firmly in our focus, as the transition to true maritime sustainability can never be complete without the safety dimension,” Kostelac said.
The reports were published at a high-level workshop on alternative fuels and power solutions for shipping and ports at EMSA’s headquarters in Lisbon and online this week.
Read the Update on the Potential of Biofuels for Shipping report
