Fleet performance solutions provider Oceanly warns that the green fuels push may lead to increased global emissions.

The challenge with scaling green fuels is the high demand for renewable electricity, with current estimates suggesting that the shipping industry would need a substantial share of the world’s renewable electricity production, which is a target that seems unattainable in the short to medium term.

Lerche-Tornoe, General Manager at Oceanly said: “While alternative fuels are part of the future, current infrastructure and energy availability isn’t enough to support a full transition. Relying too heavily on green hydrogen, could strain global renewable energy resources given that only a fraction of today’s hydrogen production is classified as ‘green.’

“There’s a vital need for balance. Focusing on immediate improvements in energy efficiency offers a more achievable path to reducing emissions now, especially as most vessels have yet to adopt energy-saving technologies, leaving the potential for progress.”

He says that the focus should be on smarter practices and incremental improvements until renewable technologies are more accessible to counteract inefficiencies involved in producing and using green fuels. Also considering 80% energy loss from renewable electricity production via green hydrogen and e-fuels, to a ship’s propeller.

Clarkson Research (2023) stated that 75% of the world fleet had yet to install any energy-saving devices.