As part of the green transformation of maritime transport, should maritime sailing transport be restored due to the high carbon intensity of large transport ships?
100 large internal combustion transport ships emit as much CO2 as a million internal combustion cars. Transport ships are already being built that are equipped with alternative, lower- or zero-emission energy sources and modern sails, in addition to high-emission internal combustion power. Unfortunately, power supply based solely or mainly on such emission-free energy sources such as solar energy based on installed photovoltaic panels is currently used only on small ships, catamarans, boats, etc. On large transport ships, both passenger and cargo ships, this type of power supply can be a supplementary power supply to provide the ship with electricity used in some of the on-board equipment. Besides, technologies are being developed to power transport ships with low-carbon biofuels, nuclear or hydrogen power. However, regardless of the type of power supply used to generate electricity and/or energy to power the engines that drive the ship's turbines, it is almost always also possible to use modern sailing structures, which will be an additional source of energy based on the most traditional source of energy that enables the movement of sea vessels, which is wind energy. In addition, modern sails can also be covered with photovoltaic panels, so they can also significantly increase the area on which the said panels are installed and thus will also be a source of electricity.
In view of the above, I address the following question to the esteemed community of scientists and researchers:
As part of the green transformation of maritime transport, should maritime sailing transport be restored in view of the high carbon intensity of large transport ships?
Should maritime sailing transport be restored due to the high carbon intensity of large transport ships?
And what is your opinion on this topic?
And what is your opinion about it?
Please answer,
I invite everyone to join the discussion,
Thank you very much,
Best regards,
Dariusz Prokopowicz
The above text is entirely my own work written by me on the basis of my research.
In writing this text I did not use other sources or automatic text generation systems.
Copyright by Dariusz Prokopowicz
...actually, eco-clipper off antwerpen/amsterdan has been crossing the atlantic for over 20 yrs, taking european organic wines to the hotel resorts in the caribbean, and sailing top quality organic cacao & rum back to europe ....also the 'sail transport network' operates in the puget sound, has been transplanted to greece, sailing organic produce around the sound ...actually, oil powered shipping has the lowest CO2 footprint of all oil/coal/fossil fuels powered transports ...however, that is irrelevant ...the real issue is the abnormal, insufferable, demented over-consumption, the carnage & over-abuse of earth resources for crappy toys, tv's, suv's, sneakers, cell phones, computers, tennis rackets, gucci watches, what not coming over vast distances 10,000 miles or more to 'satisfy' the whims and the bunk of 10% of the world population .... at the cost of the only planet that keeps us alive ...
According to technologyreview.com and theicct.org, maritime shipping significantly contributes to global carbon emissions, accounting for about 3% of the total. If it were a country, this sector would be the sixth-largest carbon emitter, just behind Japan. Without additional policy action, shipping’s greenhouse gas emissions are expected to grow 16% from 2018 to 2030 and 50% by 2050.
Restoring maritime sailing transport could be one way to reduce these emissions, but it’s not as simple as it might seem. Modern shipping is a complex, globalized industry that moves large volumes of goods quickly and efficiently. Sailing ships, while they have a lower carbon footprint, are slower and can carry less cargo. They also require more manpower and expertise to operate.
A more practical solution might be to improve the efficiency of existing ships and develop new technologies and fuels that can reduce their carbon footprint. For example, the world’s largest container shipping company, Maersk, has set a target to reduce carbon emissions by 60% by 2030 and to be carbon neutral by 2050. The Getting to Zero Coalition, an alliance of 150 companies, is pushing for developing and deploying zero-emissions vessels by 2030.
In addition, regulatory measures can also play a role. For instance, starting from January 2024, the EU’s Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) will be extended to cover CO2 emissions from all large ships (of 5,000 gross tonnage and above) entering EU ports, regardless of the flag they fly.
So, while restoring maritime sailing transport could be part of the solution, it’s likely to be one piece of a much larger puzzle. The key will be finding a balance that allows for efficient global trade while minimizing environmental impact.
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