The various parts of the shipping industry - shipowners, shipbuilders and classification societies (the depositories of technical expertise in the industry) - are actively examining a number of ways to reduce CO2 emissions, both for new and existing ships, which are primarily linked to reducing fuel consumption.  In the longer term, however, the shipping industry is also exploring a number of alternative fuel sources to help reduce CO2 emissions.

Renewable energy sources, such as wind and solar power, may have their place in helping to meet some ancillary requirements, such as lighting on board ships. However, they are not practical for providing sufficient power to operate ships’ main engines (the huge physical size of ships should not be underestimated).

Fuel cells may be a possibility for new ships in the very long term, although they are currently too limited in range to offer a viable solution.  Even nuclear propulsion for merchant ships is technically possible, although safety and security implications and support infrastructure costs would require serious consideration.

The current assumption, therefore, remains that ships will continue to burn fossil fuels for the foreseeable future, and that the most significant means of reducing CO2 emissions will be achieved by further improvements in efficiency across the entire transport chain.

Second generation biofuels might conceivably provide a possible alternative although there is, of course, considerable public debate about the net environmental costs (and social effects) of the wider use of such fuels.

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