(438a) Roadmap Towards Zero-Emission Shipping: Global Long-Term Planning of Green Corridors

The International Maritime Organization is acting to regulate greenhouse gas emissions from marine shipping. The goal is to reduce emissions by at least 50% compared to 2008 by 2050 and continue to eliminate emissions from the shipping sector in alignment with the target set by the Paris Agreement [1]. Decarbonizing maritime transportation requires substantial investments in new technologies and infrastructure for producing, distributing, and utilizing alternative marine fuels. To accelerate the maritime energy transition away from fossil-based fuels, the concept of so-called green shipping corridors has been proposed [2]. In this context, a green corridor refers to a shipping route that is supported by low- and zero-emission maritime transportation solutions.

In a previous study, we conducted a global analysis of green shipping corridors by designing a network of alternative fuel production sites, transportation links, and bunkering ports that could meet a significant portion of the global marine fuel demand [3]. However, the study only considers green ammonia as an alternative fuel and is limited to shipping routes for bulk carriers and containerships. Moreover, it is a single-period analysis, which does not provide conclusive insights in terms of how such a network of green corridors should be established over time.

In this work, we propose an extended multiperiod supply chain planning model that allows us to optimize the development of a green corridor network over a given time horizon. We consider a larger set of vessel types, a finer distribution of shipping demands, and multiple alternative marine fuel options, including e-methanol and green ammonia. The results from our analysis show the optimal locations of alternative fuel production sites and bunkering ports as well as the interplay between different technologies over time, hence providing a feasible road map for the development of green shipping corridors in the future.

References:

[1] DNV (2022). Maritime Forecast to 2050.

[2] The Getting to Zero Coalition (2021). The Next Wave: Green Corridors.

[3] Wang, H., Daoutidis, P., & Zhang, Q. (2023). Ammonia-based green corridors for sustainable maritime transportation. Digital Chemical Engineering, 6, 100082.