The maritime industry is also playing its part in reducing climate-damaging emissions and driving forward the use of innovative propulsion technologies with alternative fuels, scaling them up and bringing them to market maturity. At the same time, it is important to ensure the security of supply of goods and energy sources based on renewable energies on land and at sea.
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- Maritime shipping, in particular, is a sector that is difficult to decarbonize due to the long distances involved and extended voyage durations.
- Currently, green hydrogen and its derivatives are still in very short supply for use as marine fuel.
- There is a lack of comprehensive infrastructure for bunkering ships with hydrogen and its derivatives.
The Situation in the Maritime Industry
As a globally operating sector, the maritime economy is particularly affected by the impacts of various global conflicts. The same applies to the effects of climate change.
The industry’s situation is characterized by costly detours and alternative routes due to armed conflicts along key transport routes and the increasing threat to critical infrastructure such as ports.
Although shipping is the most energy-efficient mode of transport, the widespread use of heavy fuel oil leads to emissions of greenhouse gases, nitrogen and sulfur oxides, and particulate matter.
In its greenhouse gas strategy, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) aligns with the UN Sustainable Development Goals and specifically aims to reduce carbon intensity by 50% by 2050 compared to 2008. In addition to the IMO’s greenhouse gas strategy, the European Commission has defined the goal in its “Fit for 55” plan to reduce energy consumption on ships by 80% by 2050.
Furthermore, starting in January 2024, CO2 emissions from larger ships (gross registered tonnage > 5,000) calling at or departing from ports in the European Economic Area (EEA) will be included in the EU Emissions Trading System (ETS), regardless of the flag they fly (EEA/non-EEA).
To achieve these ambitious goals, a transition from fossil fuels to hydrogen, methanol, and ammonia, as well as an increase in energy efficiency, is necessary. In particular, long routes across the world’s oceans and the limited availability of infrastructure geared toward alternative fuels pose major challenges for the decarbonization of the maritime sector.
Förderung
The Federal Ministry of Transport and the Federal Ministry of Economics have launched various funding programs to support the development and deployment of fuel cells and alternative energy sources in the maritime sector. These programs aim to reduce the environmental impact of shipping and promote the use of sustainable energy.
There are specific funding measures for seagoing vessels and inland waterway vessels that offer, among other things, financial support for research and development projects, the construction of prototypes, and the retrofitting of existing vessels with alternative propulsion technologies. The EU also supports such initiatives as part of its environmental and climate protection strategies to steer the maritime industry toward a more sustainable future.
Maritime Research Program
MarLEN – CSA ZEWT, Horizon Europe
MarLEN—the Maritime Low Emission Network—is a new European initiative launched at the beginning of 2025 that promotes climate-friendly maritime innovations with financial support from the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and other European partners. The Coordination and Support Action (CSA) MarLEN is coordinated in Germany by the Project Management Agency Jülich and is embedded in the Zero Emission Waterborne Transport (ZEWT) partnership within the Horizon Europe research framework program.
Climate Action Program 2030
This program supports measures that contribute to reducing greenhouse gas emissions, including the use of alternative energy sources in shipping.
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