Renewable Energy Concept Development and Application in Shipping Industry

• Pages: 9-18

LEX PORTUS VOL 9 ISS 6 2023

ISSN 2524-101X

eISSN 2617-541X

DOI 10.26886/2524-101X.9.6.2023.2

Renewable Energy Concept Development

and Application in Shipping Industry

Oleksiy Melnyk*, Oleg Onishchenko**, Svitlana Onyshchenko***

*Master Mariner, PhD (Tech.), Navigation and Maritime Safety Department, Odessa National Maritime University (34, Mechnikova St., Odessa, Ukraine)

https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9228-8459

ABSTRACT

Shipping industry contributes to global greenhouse gas emissions. As awareness of the impact

of climate change grows, there is an urgent need to transition towards sustainable practices in

the maritime sector. One solution is the adoption of renewable energy sources for ships, which

can signicantly reduce emissions and improve energy ecienc y. This ar ticle explores various

renewable energy sources that can be used on ships, such as solar and wind energy and carbon

capture technology. The benets and challenges of each energy source are discussed, along with

their potential to suppor t the shipping industry ’s sustainability goals. The article also examines

the latest technological advancements and innovations in renewable energy for ships, such as

hybrid propulsion systems and fuel cells. The present article concludes with a discussion of the

regulatory framework and policies that can support the adoption of renewable energy sources in

the shipping industry. The transition towards renewable energy sources for ships is an essential

step towards achieving a more sustainable future for the shipping industry and the planet.

CITATION

Melnyk, O., Onishchenko, O., &

Onyshchenko, S. (2023). Renewable

Energy Concept Development and

Application in Shipping Industry.

Lex Portus, 9(6), 15–24.

https://doi.org/10.26886/2524-

101X.9.6.2023.2

KEYWORDS

alternative energy sources,

greenhouse gases, harmful

emission, wind energy, solar

energy, ecological safety of

shipping, maritime transpor tation,

carbon capture

The journal is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-

NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License

Introduction

In the dynamic eld of maritime transportation, the pursuit of sustainability is becoming

increasingly urgent. With the shipping industry facing the dual challenge of meeting growing

demands and reducing environmental impact, the integration of renewable energy sources

seems promising. This study builds on existing knowledge and tries to bridge the gaps in

understanding the future development and application of renewable energy concepts in

the shipping industry, aiming not only to shed light on the current state of knowledge, but

also to identify areas where innovation and focused research are needed towards a more

sustainable future of maritime transportation. In the last few years, the shipping industry has

seen a creeping transformation toward alternative energy sources. These can be completely

renewable or cleaner sources of energy for propelling ships, phasing out fossil fuels.

Approximately 25 % of worldwide greenhouse gas emissions stem from the transportation

sector, and within this domain, the maritime sector contributes around 3 % of these emissions

(Onyshchenko & M elnyk, 2022). Given the changes in legislation and international goals to

reduce environmental impact, maritime industry players are competing to decarbonize their

assets and operations. While alternative fuels such as methanol, hydrogen and ammonia

are promising in the long term, they are still in the technical development stage and largely

unregulated. Alternatively, carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) technology can be

**Doctor of Science (Tech.), Professor, Fleet Technical Operation Department, National University Odessa Maritime Academy (8, Didrikhsona St.,

Odessa, Ukraine) https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3766-3188

***Doctor of Economics, Professor, Fleet operation and shipping technology department, Odessa National Maritime University (34, Mechnikova St.,

Odessa, Ukraine) https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7528-4939