The ‘Port Zero’ feasibility study, which is part of the Clean Maritime Demonstration Competition Round 2 (CMDC2), will analyse future port power demands, assess low carbon energy sources for equipment (e.g., cranes, tugs, pilot boats) and quayside infrastructure, and help develop a roadmap to decarbonise port operations.
The study – which is being delivered in partnership with Energy Systems Catapult, Connected Places Catapult and Buro Happold – aligns with the emissions reductions goals published in the Department for Transport’s Clean Maritime Plan.
The project partners also aim to develop a ‘Ports and Regional Strategic Advisory Group’ to address the cross-sector challenges of decarbonisation. The group will agree priorities, develop a solution roadmap that delivers optimum lifecycle emissions reductions and work to address policy gaps that impact the implementation of broader regional decarbonisation initiatives.
Port of Aberdeen is also partnering on the CMDC2 ‘Green Shipping Corridors’ feasibility study led by ACUA Ocean, which has designed a zero-emissions vessel powered by liquid-hydrogen, capable of open ocean transits and transportation of a 4.5ton payload.
The shipping study will develop a detailed project plan for the world’s first hydrogen-powered zero-emission crossing demonstration from Port of Aberdeen to Norway in 2024, which is an economically important potential green shipping corridor route.
CMDC2 was launched in May 2022, funded by the Department for Transport and delivered in partnership with Innovate UK.
As part of the CMDC2, the Department allocated over £14 million to 31 projects supported by 121 organisations from across the UK to deliver feasibility studies and collaborative R&D projects in clean maritime solutions.
Bob Sanguinetti, Chief Executive, Port of Aberdeen, said Port of Aberdeen is at the heart of the energy transition and international trade. He said, “We want to accelerate the transition to Net Zero through the development and introduction of innovative technology and processes which reduce emissions for the port, its users and supply chain. The funding for our ‘Port Zero’ project will help make this a reality.
“Public sector collaboration and investment in ports is essential to decarbonise the maritime industry and achieve government net zero targets.”
COP27 Decarbonisation Day shines spotlight on shipping
Today is ‘Decarbonisation Day’ at COP27, and shipping finds itself increasingly in the emissions spotlight.
The Cargo Owners for Zero Emissions Vessels (coZEV) has released a ‘Roadmap to 2040’, which outlines action areas cargo owners can start taking in 2023 to enable full decarbonisation of their ocean freight by 2040, the ambition established by the 19 current signatories to coZEV’s 2040 Ambition Statement.
The roadmap includes the creation of a new maritime freight buyers alliance, cargo owner policy coalition, and green corridor advisory board.
coZEV will work with cargo owner companies to establish the Zero Emission Maritime Buyers Alliance (ZEMBA) to accelerate commercial deployment of zero emission shipping, enable economies of scale, and maximise cargo owners’ collaborative emissions reduction potential beyond what any one freight buyer could accomplish alone. ZEMBA will aim to accomplish these goals by stimulating investment in zero emission solutions.
Heavy fuel oil generates large quantities of carbon dioxide (CO2) and sulfur oxides, and more than two-thirds of emissions are expelled within 250 miles of coastlines, exposing marine life and people to harmful pollutants.
Kitack Lim, International Maritime Organisation Secretary-General, said, “Decarbonisation of international shipping requires a rapid shift from today’s predominant use of fossil fuels to zero-carbon alternatives.”
The World Bank is actively involved in studies and projects to develop green energy projects, which include green ammonia and green methanol, including in Morocco, Colombia and Brazil; and hydrogen in Namibia.
Green methanol is ready to use right now but the main challenge is scaling up production.
The aim is to harness shipping’s decarbonisation as a booster to countries’ ambitions to become key suppliers of green fuels.
A project to retrofit a tanker ship to run on hydrogen is set to receive €5 million ($4.88 million) from the European Union funding programme, Horizon Europe.
Read more: TECO 2030, Shell and partners to receive €5m to realise hydrogen-powered tanker