Decarbonisation by design: a ship designer’s perspective

To meet international, regional and national emissions reduction requirements, shipowners are investing in dual-fuel newbuilds and retrofits of existing vessels capable of using alternative fuels at record levels. Making the right fuels choices, however, aren’t easy as owners are faced with a high degree of uncertainty around availability, scalability and price. Regulations, too, have not yet caught up with emerging fuels and novel technologies that will be used for maritime decarbonisation. 

In this Maritime Today podcast, C-Job Naval Architects chief executive Job Volwater and CFO Basjan Faber provide valuable insight by discussing the considerations when designing a vessel to use low- and zero-carbon fuels hydrogen, ammonia and methanol. 

The co-founders of the 18-year-old naval architectural firm highlight their pioneering work with ammonia as a ship fuel, discussing the alternative fuel’s benefits as well as the challenges posed by its toxicity and handling. 

A proponent of green ammonia, Mr Volwater is strongly focused on its safe use to decarbonise shipping. “If there is a spill of liquid ammonia, it vaporises directly, and then it becomes a toxic area where people are in danger. So to design that system … is the true difficult part of bringing ammonia on any newbuild or existing vessel,” he says. 

Both Mr Volwater and Mr Faber discuss methanol’s advantages for vessels and the potential of hydrogen for short sea shipping. The conversation touches on the role of batteries in energy buffering and the future of nuclear power for clean energy.

Listen to the complete Maritime Today podcast below.