ZESTAs IMO paper details all absolute-zero emissions technologies

The Zero Emissions Ship Technology Association (ZESTAs) has submitted to the IMO the MEPC81/INF.5 paper, which informs policy and industry on the commercial readiness of absolute zero GHG emissions technologies.

According to ZESTAs, MEPC81/INF.5 is a go-to guide for decision makers who want to see, at a glance, all absolute zero greenhouse gas (GHG) marine technologies that are at TRL7 or higher, providing a detailed catalog for shipowners, finance, ports and others “to navigate the fog of complex and conflicting information on their journey to absolute zero”.

The organization also asserts that “this information is crucial to ensuring the committee implements policies that are compatible with the targets set in the Revised GHG Strategy – namely, zero by 2050, 70-80% by 2040 and 30-40% by 2030, relative to 2008 levels”.

The report details all absolute zero GHG technologies that have been built and validated in a marine operational environment globally, based on technology readiness levels (TRLs) and commercial readiness levels (CRLs). Technologies covered in the paper range from harbor trials (TRL7) to mature (CRL11).

Detailed case studies of existing vessels, products and infrastructure demonstrate that the technology is available to drive shipping’s transition to zero emissions by 2050. Technical details are consistently given such as vessel tonnage, propulsion power output, fuel storage size, bunkering rate and charging power, to illustrate the state of each technology.

The paper shows that: a range of absolute zero GHG technologies are operational on a commercial basis, including on absolute-zero GHG ships; the technology required for absolute-zero GHG maritime supply chains is in early adoption; and the definition of standards is ongoing for some technologies and crew training has been established for each to varying degrees.

It also shows that absolute-zero GHG vessels of greater sizes and power can be achieved by combining different commercialized technologies to drive down zero-emission fuel consumption, such as a hydrogen-electric fuel cell system with battery management, wind propulsion and hull air lubrication.

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