New whitepaper addresses use of batteries in deep-sea shipping

Global non-profit association CIMAC and the Maritime Battery Forum (MBF) have published the first of three white papers on the environmental impact of batteries in deep-sea shipping.

As disclosed, the paper examines the existing use cases and potential applications of batteries on today’s deep-sea vessels.

By means of the 2023 GHG strategy, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) set the course for the decarbonization of the shipping industry. The goal is “to reach net-zero [Greenhouse gas (GHG)] emissions by or around, i.e. close to, 2050.

While further policy measures will follow, the industry is already working on different solutions to decarbonize. According to DNVs Maritime Forecast to 2050, hydrodynamics and machinery are expected to lower GHG emissions by 5% to 15% or even 20% respectively.

Logistics and digitalization may also contribute to 20% GHG emission reduction from ships. Even more emission reductions can be expected from the usage of alternative energy sources and carbon capture and storage.

Electrification and battery usage are important for the global energy transition and are also mentioned in the context of deep-sea shipping. That is why CIMAC and the Maritime Battery Forum decided to jointly work on and publish a series of papers helping to clear the fog around the topic battery usage in deep-sea shipping.

Specifically, they see a certain lack of transparency on the battery usage in deep-sea shipping as today’s public discourse tends to include positions that either try to give an easy answer e.g., only including specific use-cases, or are highly complex hypothetical scenarios with very specific assumptions.

The paper on use cases and application areas demonstrates that there is still potential for battery usage within the industry to support decarbonization. While it is evident that a fully battery-powered, zero-emission application is not available, battery usage may also be enhanced by the rise of alternative fuels, depending on needs based on changing design and sizing choices, according to the partners.

The statistics from the Maritime Battery Forum (MBF) Ship Register show that, in January 2024, the total number of cargo ships with batteries installed in a hybrid, plug-in hybrid, or fully electric propulsion system is 94. Amongst these 94 battery-powered cargo ships are inland ships, coastal ships and deep-sea ships. The majority (64%) of the battery-powered cargo ships are operating in coastal waters.

“Our objective was to provide relevant stakeholders in the maritime industry and other interested parties with an overview of the available options, while also outlining the boundaries of what is feasible. It was important for us to do that in cooperation with the Maritime Battery Forum, creating a series of papers that are neutrally covering the state-of-the-art without any bias or sentiments,” said Dirk Bergmann, Chair of the CIMAC Greenhouse Gas Strategy Group.

“Batteries will play an important role in the decarbonization of the maritime industry. To answer questions concerning what that role might entail within the deep-sea shipping sector, our two organizations combined their expertise. The release of the document on use cases and application areas provided a concise overview of industry practice and viable options, which is crucial for evaluating potential courses of action for numerous stakeholders within the maritime industry,” Syb Ten Cate Hoedemaker, Managing Director of the Maritime Battery Forum, added.

The discussed examples of battery use cases proof that there is a potential for batteries on board ocean-going cargo ships to reduce their emissions, according to the partners. With only 18 ocean-going cargo ships with batteries installed on board, the industry is only at the beginning of adopting this technology, they noted.

In their upcoming second paper on regulation, safety and the human factor, CIMAC and MBF will explore the existing boundaries and opportunities given by international policies to use batteries for deep-sea operation.

Furthermore, as standards for training as well as safety parameters are part of the political process they need to be discussed jointly. The combination also allows to check regulatory circumstances against the reality of the technical progress within the sector, the parties highlighted.

Eventually, in their third and last paper of the series, CIMAC and MBF will dive deeper into the limitations and potential of combining batteries with other technologies.

Key areas of focus will include investigating how batteries can complement such a technology as fuel cells and exploring how batteries can support wind-assisted propulsion systems by providing the necessary energy during transient conditions to optimize thrust from sails.