Decarbonization News

The Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) has announced the shortlisted projects for Round 2 of the Hydrogen Headstart Program, marking a major step forward in scaling Australia’s renewable hydrogen industry. The projects selected to progress to the next stage in the application process are some of the most advanced large-scale renewable hydrogen proposals in the country, spanning multiple states and a range of end uses, including ammonia and alternative fuels.The Australian…

As European and international shipping emissions rules continue to expand, maritime technology companies Awake.Al and Tidalis have announced a partnership focused on emissions monitoring and reporting for ports and shipping companies. The collaboration links operational port-call data with existing maritime operational systems to support automated emissions reporting.Awake.Al's emissions monitoring software will be made available in combination with Tidalis' vessel traffic services and port management systems used by ports, coastguards and maritime authorities worldwide.

Anemoi Marine Technologies’ Rotor Sail wind-assisted propulsion system has completed more than eight years of continuous commercial operation after M/V Afros successfully passed its second intermediate dry dock survey.The survey, conducted by Lloyd’s Register in China in April, confirmed the structural integrity and operational condition of the vessel’s four Rotor Sails, Anemoi said.The 64,000-deadweight-tonne Ultramax bulk carrier Afros became the first bulk carrier fitted with Rotor Sails when the system was installed in 2018.According to Anemoi…

How Electrostatic Technology Moves from Experiment to Reality Shipyards face mounting pressure to align with the maritime industry’s decarbonization goals. As vessel owners and operators explore alternative fuels, better hull designs and route optimization to cut emissions, shipyards reevaluate their own practices to keep pace. One area of focus includes the coatings application. Among emerging innovations, electrostatic spraying is now gaining traction in global marine projects.Unlike traditional airless spraying…

Eni and MSC Cruises have completed a test of Enilive’s HVO biofuel in maritime transport, confirming the technical feasibility of using the renewable diesel in pure form to power cruise ship engines.The trial involved powering one of the engines on the cruise ship MSC Opera for about 2,000 hours using pure HVO without modifications to the engine, while performance and emissions data were monitored.The companies said the test demonstrated that HVO can be used immediately in marine engines validated for its use without requiring technological upgrades…

Berg Propulsion has secured a contract to supply propulsion systems and electrical integration technology for two all-electric harbor tugs being built under India’s Green Tug Transition Program.The vessels are under construction by Mumbai-based KMEW Group on behalf of India’s Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways and are expected to enter service in the fourth quarter of 2027, subject to regulatory approval.The program aims to deploy 50 green tugs across India’s major ports…

A consortium led by the University of Vaasa has been awarded Horizon Europe funding for the H4PERION – Hydrogen FOR Performance Enhancement and Reliable Ice OperatioN – project which aims to demonstrate how a large vessel can operate with a hydrogen‑capable internal combustion engine.Long‑distance shipping remains one of the hardest sectors to decarbonise. Ships operating for weeks at a time need enormous amounts of energy and absolute reliability – requirements that today’s batteries…

Two months after the launch of the first vessel in this new series, Lucia Cosulich took to the water on May 2, 2026, marking another step forward in Fratelli Cosulich’s Marine Energy Unit commitment to alternative marine fuels and sustainable bunkering solutions.Held at Taizhou Maple Leaf Shipyard (China), the ceremony brought together the project team, partners and stakeholders to witness the vessel’s transition from construction to reality.Ms. Lucia Cosulich served as the vessel’s Godmother.

Everllence is readying to introduce its new Engine Supported Air Lubrication (ESAL) solution aimed at improving net fuel savings from air lubrication systems.The new system uses pressurized scavenge air from the main engine. In contrast, conventional systems rely on electrically driven compressors to pressurize ambient air which is then distributed through dedicated piping and released from outlets along the hull bottom.ESAL integrates the air supply into the engine architecture itself, thereby eliminating the need for operating the auxiliary compressors.

Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) Chairman Laura DiBella’s participation as part of the U.S. Delegation to the 84th session of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) Environmental Protection Committee (MEPC) helped reinforce constructive U.S. engagement to resolve the impasse over the IMO’s proposed Net Zero Framework (NZF). Chairman DiBella ensured full FMC attention on the serious economic harm that would be caused by the NZF, and fostered discussion of alternative options to resolve the current impasse. During the week, the U.S.

Wind propulsion specialist bound4blue has completed the second installation of its suction sail system for Maersk Tankers, fitting four 24-meter eSAIL units on the Maersk Tahiti at a shipyard in China.The installation forms part of a broader agreement to equip five medium-range tankers with a total of 20 units, the company’s largest single contract to date.The Maersk Tahiti installation follows the completion of the first system onboard the Maersk Trieste earlier in 2026.According to bound4blue…

The European Commission has successfully closed the first round of activities of the Hydrogen Mechanism operated under the EU Energy and Raw Materials Platform. Market participants currently developing hydrogen projects (on both supply and demand side) responded with high engagement, showing great appetite for this new initiative and the development of the hydrogen market.During this first round, the Hydrogen Mechanism gave future producers of hydrogen a transparent and easy way to test demand for their specific projects and find potential offtakers…

The Ulsan Port Authority (UPA) announced the successful completion of the world’s first ammonia bunkering operation for an ammonia dual-fuel gas carrier at Ulsan Port on April 23, 2026.This milestone builds on Ulsan Port’s earlier achievements, including the world’s first methanol bunkering demonstration (2023–2026) and simultaneous LNG bunkering operations for car carriers. With this latest development, Ulsan Port has, for the first time in the world, demonstrated ammonia bunkering for a commercial vessel via Port-to-Ship (PTS) operations…

European Union countries agreed on Friday to keep pushing for a global price on shipping's CO2 emissions in U.N. talks next week, setting up another potential clash with the United States over the proposal.Governments at the International Maritime Organization decided last year to postpone the climate plan by a year, after the Trump administration strongly opposed the measure and threatened to impose sanctions and visa restrictions on delegates who supported it.That has not stopped European countries attempting to revive the plan…

The American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) and Pacific International Lines (PIL) have signed a memorandum of understanding to collaborate on emissions verification linked to alternative marine fuels.The agreement supports PIL’s participation in book and claim registries, aimed at enabling independently verified claims of emissions reductions.Under the arrangement, ABS will act as an independent third-party verifier of PIL’s fuel consumption, transport activity and emissions data.“ABS is committed to helping clients navigate maritime digitalization with clarity and confidence.

The shipping industry is getting ahead of discussions at MEPC 84 next week by reaffirming their commitment to the IMO.BIMCO, CLIA, ICS, INTERCARGO, INTERFERRY, INTERTANKO and WSC, representing the global commercial shipping fleet, issued a statement saying they remain committed to pursuing the ambition established within the 2023 IMO Strategy on Reduction of GHG Emissions from Ships, having invested and committed billions of dollars to trial and implement the use of alternative…

The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) has selected six partners under its Call for Proposals (CFP) to advance and scale up in-water hull inspection and cleaning solutions in the Port of Singapore, in support of more efficient and lower-emission shipping.The CFP received 19 proposals from 36 companies across nine countries.The six selected partners – Alicia Bots, C-Leanship, Neptune Robotics, Oceanis Robotics, RINA and SEAHI Robotics – will receive close to USD$2.91…

Wärtsilä Gas Solutions, part of technology group Wärtsilä, has been contracted to supply the Cargo Handling and Fuel Gas Supply systems for two new 51,350 m3 capacity midsize ammonia fueled liquid ammonia carriers, which will also be capable of carrying liquefied petroleum gas. The ships are being built at the Nantong CIMC Sinopacific Offshore & Engineering Co. Ltd. shipyard in China and will be owned by a joint venture between Navigator Gas and Norway based Amon Maritime. The order was booked by Wärtsilä in Q1 2026.As the shipping industry transitions to decarbonizing operations…

Wind propulsion company bound4blue has completed the installation of two suction sails on a newbuild vessel for Klaveness Combination Carriers (KCC).The two 24-metre eSAILs were installed on the MV Baltazar at New Yangzi Shipbuilding in China, with the vessel expected to begin operations in the third quarter of 2026.The project marks the company’s first installation of suction sails manufactured locally in China and is among the early applications of the technology on combination carriers.“This is a landmark project in many respects.

The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore, Port of Los Angeles and Port of Long Beach, with the support of C40 Cities, have renewed their memorandum of understanding on a green and digital shipping corridor for another three years.First signed in 2023, the renewal reinforces the ports’ commitment to decarbonization and digitalization along the trans-Pacific route, one of the world’s busiest container trade lanes. It also supports efforts to strengthen supply chain resilience and energy security. Since the corridor’s launch, several milestones have been achieved.

Stillstrom, a unit of A.P. Moller - Maersk, has launched two offshore charging systems aimed at supporting vessel electrification in the offshore wind sector.The new solutions, Power Hub and Power Tower, are designed as standalone systems that can be deployed independently of wind turbine infrastructure, enabling flexible charging options for vessels operating at sea.The systems are based on monopile designs and target one of the key challenges in offshore wind operations - the reliable supply of electric power for service vessels used in installation…

Japan’s NYK Group has launched a lubricating oil analysis service to monitor the condition of ammonia-fueled engines, as it seeks to support the adoption of alternative fuels in shipping.The service, developed by group company Nippon Yuka Kogyo, is designed to detect early signs of abnormalities in engines using ammonia as fuel.Ammonia is seen as a next-generation maritime fuel due to its low greenhouse gas emissions during combustion, though it requires new approaches to monitoring engine performance.The service uses lubricating oil analysis to assess internal engine conditions…

Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL) has obtained an approval in principle (AiP) from classification society ClassNK for a liquefied CO2 (LCO2) carrier design equipped with wind-assisted propulsion systems.The vessel, developed with Samsung Heavy Industries, is designed to transport liquefied CO2 and incorporates three Wind Challenger units, a rigid sail system that uses wind power to assist propulsion.The approval covers a design with a cargo capacity of about 40,000 cubic meters intended…