Hydrogen as marine fuel – feasibility, prospects, and challenges

• Main Author: Chong, Wan Ting
• Other Authors: -
• Format: Final Year Project
• Language: English
• Published: Nanyang Technological University 2022
• Subjects: Engineering::Maritime studies
• Online Access: https://hdl.handle.net/10356/163715
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

Over 80% of the volume in international trading originated from the maritime industry and this accounts for up to 3% of the global carbon emission (Whieldon, 2021). As globalisation continues, seaborne trade will grow alongside and so will the maritime shipping emission. If the industry continues to trade without innovations to decarbonise, maritime shipping carbon emissions could be responsible for 17% of the annual global carbon emission by 2050 (Whieldon, 2021). With growing concerns for climate change and global warming around the world, the maritime industry is thus taking steps to decarbonise and achieve net zero carbon emissions. This research aims to assess the commercial viability of using hydrogen as a marine fuel by evaluating its feasibility, prospects and challenges. This paper will discuss and evaluate the commercial feasibility of using renewable hydrogen as a marine fuel. As cost can be a huge contributing factor in the use of green energy, this paper will analyse the cost concerns in using green hydrogen fuel and the various investments needed from the industry to support the possible transition to hydrogen fuel in the maritime industry. To ensure achieve a better overview of how hydrogen is perceived as a marine fuel in the maritime industry, survey and interview has been conducted with industry professionals. Although many are not directly involved in the research and development of hydrogen as a marine fuel, their perspectives gave great insights as to how the industry can work together to achieve the International Maritime Organization (IMO) decarbonisation goals 2050 through the use of green fuels.