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.
The paper offers a comprehensive examination of use cases and application areas within this field. The experts from CIMAC’s Greenhouse Gas Strategy Group, Working Group 20 System Integration, Working Group 21 Propulsion, and MBF have consolidated their knowledge and existing literature with empirical data in a comprehensive paper exploring the existing use cases and potential applications of batteries on today’s deep-sea vessels.
Dirk Bergmann, Chair, CIMAC GHG Strategy Group, said: “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.”
The paper on use cases and application areas demonstrates the potential for battery usage within the industry to support decarbonisation. While it is evident that a fully battery-powered, zero-emission application is not available, battery usage may be enhanced by the rise of alternative fuels, depending on needs based on changing design and sizing choices.
Syb Ten Cate Hoedemaker, MBF MD, added: “Batteries will play an important role in the decarbonisation of the maritime industry. To answer questions concerning what that role might entail within the deep-sea shipping sector, our two organisations 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. We will be following up with a paper on regulation, safety, and the human factor, that will address additional critical issues concerning the environment of batteries onboard deep-sea going ships.”
The second paper in the series, on regulation, safety, and impact on staff, is expected to be published by the end of 2025. The third paper will address the main topics of energy storage and integration, including life-cycle assessment, operation range and limits.
