The Environmental Age: What Will Power Future Ships?

What will power the future shipping fleet? What will the future fuel mix be? These questions are being asked with greater frequency in the wake of the Global 2020 Sulphur Cap ruling agreed at the International Maritime Organization and other tightening regulations around air pollution and emissions from shipping operations. The need to take action is, in turn, driving the development and application of innovative alternative power and propulsion technology for ships.

 

From January 1, 2020, the current global limit for sulphur content of ships’ fuel oil of 3.50 percent m/m (mass by mass) will drop to 0.50 percent m/m. This has consequences for fuel use by existing ships and newbuilds, for marine engine performance optimisation and maintenance, and for vessel monitoring. The IMO’s EEDI (Energy Efficiency Design Index) and its tiered requirements for ship efficiency will also influence power and propulsion options, as will its relationship to the EU’s regional Monitoring Reporting and Verification, which comes into effect this year.

 

With both cost and environmental imperatives on the line, making the right selection among the alternative energy source options available to ships presents one of the industry’s most pressing challenges.

 

For visitors to Europort this year, RINA’s conference on ‘Power & Propulsion Alternatives for Ships’ on November 8 will provide critical insight into alternative fuel options, including the cutting-edge solutions that broaden choice and the technologies enabling renewable energy sources.

 

Also on November 8, the Europort Masterclass on how energy management can save costs and support MRV compliance will offer attendees insight into how the optimum use of energy can help shipping companies perform better using the same amount of fuel. This Masterclass will consist of a plenary programme led by the Chairman Mr. Sander den Heijer, sector manager for Netherlands Maritime Technology, Mr. Teus van Beek, general manager, market innovation within the marine solutions division of Wärtsilä joined by Mr. Nick Lurkin, staff member, environmental affairs, at the Royal Association of Netherlands Shipowners (KVNR), Mr. Sebastian Sala, head of innovation and energy management at Carnival Maritime and Ms. Federica Piastra, marine engineer, CETENA S.p.A, followed by a networking opportunity.

 

On November 9 and 10, the CEDA Dredging Days 2017 will be held at Ahoy Rotterdam in conjunction with Europort 2017. The focus will be on sustainable dredging with regards to both the dredging activities and the resulting projects. The Keynote Address, by Mr. Frank Verhoeven, President of the International Association of Dredging Contractors (IADC), will focus on the most important developments which have influenced the dredging industry to date and decisive drivers of this market in the future.