- Fuel Flexibility Powers Maritime Decarbonisation.
- Taking Action Now to Avoid Costly Delays.
- Digital Innovation Drives Efficiency and Emissions Cuts.
Shipping plays a crucial role in global trade, handling more than 80% of the world’s goods. But right now, the industry is in a bit of a crunch. With a typical vessel lasting around 25 years, the entire sector needs to decarbonise quickly to hit those net-zero climate goals, reports No Shipping.
Fuel Flexibility as a Decarbonisation Strategy
Wärtsilä CEO Håkan Agnevall stresses the urgency: “Time is of the essence. The shipping industry needs to manage increasing demand for capacity while simultaneously delivering on the regulatory requirement to reach net zero by mid-century.” With uncertainty around the most viable future fuels, Wärtsilä’s strategy centres on fuel flexibility, enabling vessels to adapt to whichever sustainable fuels become dominant.
Agnevall explains: “No one knows which sustainable fuels will become the most available and cost-effective in the long term… Investing in flexible options mitigates infrastructure and supply risks.” He highlights that many shipowners are already adopting fuel-flexible engines in both newbuilds and retrofits. These vessels are designed to adjust to future regulatory and market developments without major overhauls.
Don’t Wait: The Cost of Inaction
Despite the complexity of decarbonisation pathways, Agnevall urges shipowners not to delay. “The costliest action a business can take today is inaction. 2050 is less than one vessel lifetime away – capital expenditure decisions need to happen now.”
His advice is to start with fuel readiness and adopt a flexible approach to fuel type, ensuring both compliance and operational agility.
Beyond Fuels: The Role of Digitalisation
Decarbonisation isn’t solely about fuels. Digitalisation forms a third pillar in Wärtsilä’s approach, alongside sustainable fuels and abatement technologies. “Achieving these targets will require us to burn less fuel, adopt abatement solutions and embrace sustainable fuels. The first of this efficiency is where digital technologies play a huge role.”
Tools like digital twins and AI-driven optimisation are making a real difference by cutting down fuel consumption, boosting reliability, and slashing operational costs. These innovative solutions are all about enhancing efficiency across the fleet by seamlessly connecting systems from the propeller all the way to the port.
De-risking the Transition with Tailored Support
Acknowledging the high stakes and uncertainty, Wärtsilä offers strategic support to shipowners through services like Decarbonisation Modelling. “Our customers want a credible speaking partner… We create a digital model of a ship using operational data, and use it to build an optimal decarbonisation path.”
Wärtsilä’s Lifecycle Agreements ensure long-term operational efficiency and maintenance optimisation, tailored to each shipowner’s business model.
Collaboration at the Core
Collaboration is a key principle in Wärtsilä’s innovation model. Their Sustainable Technology Hub (STH) in Vaasa, Finland, is a nucleus of R&D activity involving industry partners, start-ups, and academia. Two recent examples showcase this spirit:
- A partnership with Eidesvik for converting a PSV to run on ammonia under the EU Horizon ‘Apollo’ project.
- A carbon capture pilot onboard Solvang ASA’s Clipper Eris, now commercialised.
“Projects like these are only possible through partnership.”
Nor-Shipping as a Platform for Change
Agnevall views Nor-Shipping as more than a trade show — it’s a place for clarity and collaboration at a time when the industry must act decisively. “Nor-Shipping provides an important platform for leaders to discuss both the challenges and opportunities.”
Wärtsilä is back as a partner for Blue Talks, where they’ll be part of expert panels, showcase their decarbonization technology, and connect with stakeholders. The event will also feature a UN Oceans meeting that zeroes in on science-based climate action, an area where Wärtsilä is actively involved.
Redefining What It Means to Be Future-Proof
What does “future-proof” truly mean in this transition? “Green is not black or white,” Agnevall reflects. “No single solution will carry us through the energy transition. Sustainable fuels will be crucial, but right now they’re limited in quantity, cost and infrastructure. That’s a challenge we need to overcome – but it doesn’t mean we should wait.”
By taking every viable step today while staying adaptable, Wärtsilä’s strategy offers a pragmatic and resilient path forward. “In my book, that’s the best way to deal with uncertainty.”
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Source: No Shipping
