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Hydrogen as a fuel in shipping (Master thesis)

Πατέλης, Σωτήριος/ Patelis, Sotirios/ Περιβαλλοντική Μηχανική και Επιστήμη/ Environmental Engineering and Science

This paper examines the sustainability and prospects of incorporating hydrogen as an alternative fuel in shipping, with the aim of reducing the environmental footprint of maritime transport. To achieve this goal, a complex methodological approach is adopted that combines the critical analysis of primary and secondary sources. Initially, a systematic literature review is carried out to map the technological readiness, storage systems and safety standards of hydrogen. Then, the paper focuses on a real case study, analysing the operational data of the Sea Change vessel, which operates in real commercial conditions, and in addition, the fuel cell performance and the Well-to-Wake (WTW) emissions model are examined. In this way, valid quantitative measurements are ensured, avoiding the limitations of purely theoretical simulations. In the final stage, the actual operational efficiency data of Sea Change are critically compared with the corresponding performance of the diesel-powered vessel Vallejo. The work is concluded with a holistic assessment of the environmental, economic, social and regulatory sustainability of the technology. In addition, the environmental footprint of the Sea Change vessel is approached with scenario analysis using the IMO LCA methodology. Through this synthesis, existing technical limitations are highlighted and the potential for scaling up the use of hydrogen in the wider maritime industry is assessed. The conclusions of the study highlight the degree of convergence between the international regulatory targets and the existing technological reality, while identifying the technical operational obstacles that remain to be resolved for the wider adoption of hydrogen in the industry.