Climate protection at sea: Wind and cooking fat are supposed to drive freighters

Container ships, ore carriers and cruise ships emit a lot of carbon dioxide. Therefore, maritime shipping is looking for a replacement for the diesel drive. Time is running out.

WAter, waves and the endless horizon: seafaring is associated with freedom, adventure and courage. Above all, the industry urgently needs courage. Increasingly larger container ships, ore carriers and cruise ships account for around 3 percent of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions. Around the world, shipowners, charterers, logisticians and scientists are working under pressure to reduce air pollution. But the International Energy Agency (IEA) has just read the industry’s riot act: It is “not on track” to achieve the promised net-zero emissions by 2050. “Greater efforts” are needed. One hundred thousand ships still burn more than 300 million tons of oil a year.

BHP, the world’s largest natural resources group, is also forced to make its appearance as green as possible as quickly as possible. In Singapore, BHP manager Rashpal Bhatti is pushing ahead with restructuring the fleet of giant ore carriers. In February, the Australians presented Mount Tormaline, which weighs a good 200,000 gross register tons. The 299 meter long freighter delivered ore from Port Hedland in Australia to Japan on its maiden voyage and is the first ore freighter to be powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG). This reduces climate-damaging emissions by 34 percent, says Bhatti: “We’re very proud of that.”