About this Training Course

The contribution of shipping’s Green House Gas (GHG) emissions as a proportion of the world’s total emissions could increase significantly. New ships are currently regulated by the Energy Efficiency Design Index (EEDI) and the European Commission in the European Union has in place regulations to monitor emissions from ships calling at EU ports from January 2018 (references to IMO 2012 and European Commission 2013).

Energy efficiency technologies and the introduction of alternative fuels play an important role in mitigating such emissions. Alternative fuels could be an option for a significant reduction in shipping emissions in the long term. The most attractive alternative fuels for shipping are LNG, biofuels, methanol and hydrogen. The most attractive uses of LNG and hydrogen within the context of a de-carbonization of the energy system are a vector for storing renewable energy, for domestic heating, and as fuel for the transport sector.

The drive behind the investigation of LNG and hydrogen fuel for ships is that it could theoretically lower the operational carbon dioxide emissions of the shipping fleet. Hydrogen and fuel cell combination could have a higher efficiency compared to current marine diesel engines. There are different perspectives from which hydrogen as a fuel for shipping can be studied. A wide scope could incorporate the entire shipping system and capture the interactions of hydrogen power ships with the rest of the system. Another possibility is to study the supply of hydrogen at refuelling port terminals and the infrastructure required.

Depending on how the regulation is applied, we examine the implications of using hydrogen on board ships. Assessing the use of LNG and hydrogen on board ships requires the study of the design and engineering of an LNG / hydrogen fueled ship and the associated main propulsion system, and all implications associated with each of the technological components, the effect on the volume and weight of the ship due to the hydrogen storage system as well as capital and operational technology costs. Regardless of the specific storage system chosen, special safety considerations have to be taken into account when hydrogen is stored on board ships, just as for any other fuel with low flammability limits.

For example, new requirements would be needed for ventilation, alarm systems, and fire protection as well as the introduction of other measures to limit the likelihood and consequences of hydrogen leakage This course represents the early work on a study of hydrogen fueled ships that does not address some of these details. Although there has been much work on the use of LPG and hydrogen in automotive applications, the literature for the use of hydrogen on board ships is lacking and the implications that such storage systems would have on cargo carrying capacity is poorly understood. Moreover, there are few studies that have compared different hydrogen storage systems, quantifying and visualising their possible impact, and comparing with conventional heavy fuel oil (HFO) tank or other alternative fuel storage systems such as LNG tanks.

The purpose of this 3 full-day course is to analyse the impact of hydrogen storage systems on board ships in terms of quantifying and visualising their impacts on a specific ship and in terms of loss of cargo capacity that a ship might have due to the extra volume required in relation with other factors such as range and power. This course will also equip participants with the practical tools and techniques that can be utilised to manage risks more effectively and make better practical decisions while handling.

This course can also be offered through Virtual Instructor Led Training (VILT) format.