Green hydrogen-based fuels to play key role in shipping decarbonisation, IRENA chief says

The maritime industry is heavily dependent on fossil fuels, and the use of green hydrogen-based fuels can play a crucial role in achieving its decarbonisation goals, according to IRENA Director-General Francesco La Camera.

PHOTO: Model of hydrogen fuel storage tanks. Port of Rotterdam

According to the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), the shipping industry contributes 3% of the world's greenhouse gas emissions and anticipates it to rise further as the sector expands.

Addressing IRENA's 13th assembly in Abu Dhabi on Saturday, Camera said, "by the middle of this century, the shipping sector will require around 50 million mt of green hydrogen per year for the supply of the needed ammonia and methanol."

The session also discussed the role of ports in boosting demand for alternative fuels.

“One way ports can impact the green shipping movement is by investing in decarbonising their own fleet of services and operational vessels,” Port of Antwerp-Bruges chief commercial officer Tom HauteKiet said.

By Shilpa Sharma

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