The maritime industry transports more than 90% of the world’s goods and energy on massive container ships, accounting for $14 trillion in world trade. In addition, close to 40% of all global shipping is devoted to moving fossil fuels around.
We may not find autonomous shipping going mainstream in the near term, but other big changes are coming to the maritime industry. The most immediate: electrification.
Shipping is among the most polluting mobility modalities and one of the most difficult to make green. Researchers have calculated that a single large ship emits as much CO2 as 70,000 cars, as much nitrogen oxide as two million cars, and as much fine dust and carcinogenic particles as 2.5 million cars. Out of total global air emissions, shipping accounts for 18% to 30% of the world’s nitrogen oxide.
Virtually all ships today run on diesel. When they burn the 370 million tons of fuel they consume a year, it releases 20 million tons of sulfur oxide into the atmosphere.
This chapter explores the potential for electrification (and other fuels) on the global fleet. We also explore the potential for full autonomy on the high seas.