Maritime Energy Transition: Future Fuels and Future Emissions

Abstract

The lifecycle greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions (Well-to-Wake) from maritime transport must be reduced by at least 50% in absolute values by 2050 to contribute to the ambitions of the Paris Agreement (2015). A transition from conventional fuels to alternative fuels with zero or lower GHG emissions is viewed as the most promising avenue to reach the GHG reductions. Whereas GHG and toxic pollutants emitted from the use of fossil fuels (heavy fuel oil (HFO) and marine gas/diesel oil (MGO/MDO)) are generally well understood, the emissions associated with the new fuel options are only now being measured and communicated. This review provides an outlook on fuels that could help shipping respond to the decarbonization effort including Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG), Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG), methanol, ammonia, and hydrogen. A quantification of the pollutants associated from the use of these fuels is provided and challenges and barriers to their uptake are discussed.