Revolutionizing Marine Shipping (Part 7)

 

Marine Shipping is undergoing a major transformation as it seeks to decarbonize. Will wind power be part of the solution?

Continuing where we left off previously …

Why Marine Fuel is globally termed as Bunker Fuel?

The term bunker fuel dates back to the age of steamships when the coal used to power the steam engines were stored in coal bunkers and shovelled on board. Today, “bunker” refers to liquid marine fuels and “bunkering” means refuelling a ship.

Will ships still use HFO in the future?

Since the mid-19th century, HFO has been the mainstay fuel of the shipping industry. Today, that position is changing following stricter regulations about marine fuel’s allowable levels of sulphur. Fuel manufacturers are finding ways to reduce the level of sulphur in HFO either by blending it with low-sulphur distillate fuels or by removing the sulphur during refining.

The manufacture and supply of marine fuels is a complex and volatile situation especially as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and the associated economic slowdown. HFO is not expected to completely disappear – especially for those ships equipped with scrubbers. However, scrubbers may not be an attractive alternative if the price of very low-sulphur fuels continues to drop, reducing the price advantage that HFO used to hold.

Further, efforts by the IMO and the shipping industry to cut greenhouse gas emissions by the year 2050 to 50% of their 2008 levels will bring further pressure to use alternative lower-carbon fuels. The industry is exploring other energy sources such as fuel cells, batteries, solar and wind power either as a sole source of power or in combination with other systems.

As a research body focused on sustainable marine shipping, Clear Seas is conducting research in this evolving area including undertaking a comprehensive literature analysis of the climate change impacts of a range of marine fuels. Learn more here.

With such rapid progressions & advancements in the ever-changing field of technological innovations, Westline Shipping has introduced several revolutionary changes in maritime shipping, which also envelope the faculty of Careers in Merchant Navy, adhered to many new introductions in training for Merchant Navy!