New Short Film: Pathways to Greenhouse Gas-Neutral Shipping
Copyright: PtX Lab Lausitz / Creative Commons Attribution – No Derivatives 4.0 International (CC BY-ND 4.0)
The new explanatory film from PtX Lab Lausitz shows how international shipping can become greenhouse gas-neutral – and what role Power-to-X fuels play in this.
International shipping accounts for around 90 per cent of global trade and is responsible for almost three per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions.
Against this backdrop, the International Maritime Organization has set the target of making shipping climate-neutral by 2050. Furthermore, five to ten per cent of the energy used in shipping is to be renewable by 2030. At the same time, the EU is stepping up the pace. The transition must therefore begin now.
The PtX Lab Lausitz addresses this challenge in a new, 2-minute 30-second explanatory film. The film shows which technological and regulatory steps are necessary to initiate the transformation in the maritime sector.
Major Challenges and Uncertainties
The path to greenhouse gas-neutral shipping is complex. To date, there is a lack of uniform regulatory frameworks worldwide, leading to uncertainty among key stakeholders – from shipping companies to firms manufacturing fuels, engines and ships, right through to ports.
At the same time, investment decisions are long-term: a ship has a service life of up to 30 years. Decisions made today will therefore shape emissions trends well beyond 2050.
This makes future-proof solutions that are both technologically and economically viable all the more important. To make a ship future-proof, energy-optimised designs in shipbuilding are required, along with fuels that are safe to use, globally available and climate-neutral throughout their entire life cycle.
Power-to-X as a Key Component
The film presents Power-to-X (PtX) fuels as a key option for climate-neutral shipping. These fuels are produced from renewable electricity and green hydrogen and can replace fossil fuels. The most important options include:
- Green hydrogen as a feedstock
- Green ammonia, which may be cost-effective in the long term but poses high safety requirements
- Green methanol, which is already being tested in pilot projects and is comparatively easy to handle
Synthetic fuels based on green hydrogen are considered crucial for sustainably reducing greenhouse gas emissions in maritime transport.
Technological Flexibility and Infrastructure Development
In addition to choosing the right fuel, technological flexibility also plays an important role. The use of dual- or tri-fuel engines makes it possible to use different fuels in parallel, thereby reducing risks.
At the same time, establishing globally available production and supply structures for renewable fuels takes time. The film makes it clear: to ensure that PtX fuels are available in sufficient quantities in the future, investments and the necessary political framework must be put in place today.
Joint Action by Politics and Industry
The transformation of shipping can only succeed if politics and industry work closely together. The PtX Lab Lausitz sees itself as an interface and a catalyst: it supports the market ramp-up of climate-neutral fuels through analyses, dialogue formats and knowledge transfer.
The new explanatory film contributes to this by presenting key interrelationships in an accessible way and highlighting the most important areas for action.
Contact
Anita Demuth
Head of Section PtX Mobility
+49 152 28 400 735
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