As shipping pivots towards greener operations, and opportunities
to increase ship efficiency decrease (as they inevitably must), a
major issue the industry must get to grips with is fuel
transition.
Shipping is heavily reliant on fossil fuels, and the huge
majority of ships globally are powered today by hydrocarbon based
fuel oils, albeit with some variation in grade and specification.
Burning this fuel releases large quantities of carbon dioxide into
the atmosphere, which significantly contributes to its insulative
properties and to global warming and climate change. Fuel oils have
found favour in the marine industry, and almost all other
industries, due to their high energy density, wide availability and
the relative ease with which they may be stored, transported and
handled. Although care is certainly needed, and fuel oils are not
without inconveniences and difficulties, we live in a world almost
universally well adapted to handling these.
