Interesting innovations for limiting GHG emissions in the shipping industry.

1. GREEN (Cell) Shipping
Author
Georgios (George) Chatzivasileiou
Keywords
Shipping; sustainability; green cell; csr;
Body
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The shipping industry, among the most internationalized, is highly regulated at a national,
international and supranational level. A large number of stakeholders exist, with different
levels of influence to the policy makers. The stated characteristics are among the ones
which make the shipping industry so interesting both on a professional and academic
level. Sustainability and shipping create a really interesting mix. Negative publicity exists in
the industry mainly due to oil spills. The main reason is the images of an oil spill
catastrophe including birds covered with oil.
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However, this chapter is devoted to the Green (Cell) Shipping. The main core of the trends
in shipping are separated into two main categories: transportation efficiency and corporate
social responsibility. Green (Cell) Shipping of course falls into the first category, namely
transportation efficiency and thus sustainability.
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Greenhouse gas emissions reduction is the goal for policy makers. The International
Maritime Organization (IMO) which operates under the United Nations has assigned a
committee to the protection of the marine environment; however it was on year 2000 that
IMO released a study on the field of greenhouse gas emissions from ships with actual
figures from 1996. This was an important step towards creating a regulatory framework
and informing the general public in order to raise the awareness of stakeholders within the
shipping industry.
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2. Increased sustainability, corporate social responsibility and of course decrease of fuel
usage and thus cost reduction are the goals aimed for by shipping companies. Many
companies are interested in those trends. Over the past decade world economy has
suffered from oil prices in terms of costs and the shipping industry was not an exemption
from this rule. Later in this chapter examples of interesting ideas that some pioneers put
into practice will almost fascinate the reader. The main reason for this is that in a relatively
small period companies have adopted the latest technologies in order to fulfill their stated
goals. Fuel efficiency towards cost efficiency and green transportation.
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At this point, we should examine what exactly Green (Cell) Shipping means, which are the
implications and positive effects of using such a technology. As the latter indicates, it
refers to a specific technology. Among other benefits a vessel will enjoy reduced noise,
which is more important in the case of passenger vessels and cruise ships. But the
reduced environmental impact and the reduced cost are far more important factors in the
equation.
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Global Renewable Electrical Energy Network cell is what GREEN Cell Shipping stands for.
In summarizing, GREEN Cell Shipping is an alternative to traditional diesel engines that
could forgo such establishments being the main source rather to being a secondary
source. The word cell is used due to the fact that containers are thought to be the very first
implication. Transforming wind and solar power through use of solar panels and windmills
to electricity transformed containers will be used as chemical storage spaces (batteries). In
turn, vessels would then use this power for their needs both electrical, for use in
accommodation spaces and machinery, and mechanical.
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The essence of Green Cell Shipping is vessels using renewable energy sources as their
main and only source of energy. Diesel engines and fuel tanks could be foregone
providing space and extra weight allowance for the accommodation of new elements for
energy including power generators, solar panels and windmills, and energy storage space.

3. (9)
Pilot projects do exist. A former coast guard vessel in British Columbia, Canada was
refitted and was to be delivered in late 2011. The vessel to become the first in North
America with electric propulsion system powered by batteries, fuel cells and low emission
diesel generators would be used in “acoustically sensitive” studies on the ocean and
marine mammals. As mentioned earlier one of the benefits of Green Cell Shipping is the
elimination of noise. Researchers seem to be the first to benefit from this element. Prior to
this project passenger vessels with hydrogen fuel cells and electrical propulsion have been
used in Hamburg, Germany and Amsterdam, Netherlands.
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Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha (NYK), a leading transportation company, has a stated
plan for a zero emissions fleet by 2050. In that respect NYK has released an exploratory
design for its NYK Super Eco Ship 2030. The ship has projected a 69% reduction in CO 2
emissions from 165 grams per container carried to 62 grams, a significant improvement.
Achievement is based on the use of solar and wind power including fuel cell LNG
(Liquefied Natural Gas). On the other hand, NYK vessel Auriga Leader operates with
about 10% of its electricity usage deriving from the 328 established solar panels.
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Viking Lady is the first vessel with high temperature fuel cell towards green shipping. The
integration of green on-board power generating infrastructure conclude to a theoretical
reduction of Greenhouse Gases equal to the emissions of approximately 20,000 private
cars. As Tognum states in a relevant press release, “Since two thirds of global cargo
transportation is seaborne, this green fuel cell technology offers a vast potential for
emission reductions”.
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Although, in its core, renewable energy should be used as the main power source, time,
allocated funds and innovations are essential elements towards achieving sustainability.
Some examples as the ones introduced here do exist, but it is important for the reader to
understand that we are far from a whole scale implementation. Solar panels need further
development as their components are harmful for the environment at the end of their life.

4. In addition energy storage solutions seem to be expensive and inefficient in terms of
weight and storage capacity. The referenced pilot programs are promising in terms of
effectiveness both in cost savings and emissions’ reduction.
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However, sustainability is the main target and the use of Green Cell Shipping seems to be
the future for the industry. Other technologies exist as well, including the use of sails or
kites such as the vessel Beluga SkySails potentially reducing fuel needs up to 35%. DK
Group, a Rotterdam based company, has developed a design system that pumps air into
the bottom of the vessel reducing frictional resistance of the hull surface and projected
savings up to 15% including reduction of Greenhouse Gas Emissions. Fortunately enough
the industry has invested in these technologies and in their pilot programs. The future will
prove which technology is to be proclaimed the “winner”. Although the actual winner is the
environment and the industry’s sustainable growth.
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In conclusion, the goal setting process in the shipping industry is aimed at increasing the
fuel and cost efficiency. Increased sustainability and corporate social responsibility are
very important factors. A lot of research, planning and decision making is taking place to
ensure the success of all efforts made to that end.

5. References
CBC News, Greener B.C. research ship to use fuel cells: Refitted ship to launch in late
2011, 2011, Retrieved from
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/story/2011/01/19/science-tsekoa-fuel-cell-
hybrid.html
Fuel Cell Today, Market based intelligence on the fuel cell industry, Various reports,
http://www.fuelcelltoday.com
International Maritime Organization, Air Pollution and Greenhouse Gas Emissions, 2011,
Retrieved from
http://www.imo.org/OurWork/Environment/PollutionPrevention/AirPollution/Pages/Default.a
spx
SkySails, SkySails for Cargo Ships, 2011, Retrieved from
http://www.skysails.info/english/products/skysails-for-cargo-ships/
Tognum, Press Release, First Ship with High Temperature Fuel Cell for greener Power
Supply, 30/09/2009

6. Author’s Bio
Georgios (George) Chatzivasileiou a maritime professional, at the time of contribution an
MBA Candidate at the Segal Graduate School of Business in the Simon Fraser University,
Beedie School of Business. An Alexander S. Onassis Foundation scholar holding a
Bachelor Degree from the Dept. Shipping, Trade & Transport, University of the Aegean.
Having conducted a thesis in “CSR in the Shipping Industry and Corporate financial
performance” and being Co-President at the Net Impact SFU Segal Chapter has a strong
interest in Sustainability and the potentials within the shipping industry and other related
heavy industries.
Also posted at the author’s blog ‘Sparking Controversies’ http://g-
controversial.blogspot.ca/2012/01/green-cell-shipping.html