The joint Training-of-Trainers course on renewable Power-to-X (PtX) fuels for shipping, conducted by IMO’s GreenVoyage2050 Programme and the German development agency GIZ’s International PtX Hub, is a crucial initiative directly supporting the global transition to low and zero-carbon alternative fuels in the maritime sector.
Focus on Alternative Fuels
This training course directly relates to alternative fuels by equipping a new generation of trainers with the knowledge and tools necessary to facilitate the maritime sector’s shift away from conventional fossil fuels. The participants, over 20 experts from around the world, are engaging in comprehensive interactive sessions that cover:
- Impact of shipping on the climate: Understanding the urgency and necessity of decarbonization in the maritime industry.
- Emerging fuel technologies: Focusing on a range of new fuels that can significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions from ships.
- Role of ports in the energy transition: Recognizing the critical function of port infrastructure in supplying and supporting these new fuels.
- Strategies to decarbonize national fleets: Developing practical approaches for countries to implement cleaner shipping practices.
A key aspect of the hands-on methodology is for participants to practice delivering selected training modules themselves, receiving feedback to enhance their facilitation skills and adapt content to their specific national contexts. This ensures that the knowledge gained is effectively disseminated at a local level, fostering national capacity building.
Power-to-X (PtX) Fuels
The course specifically highlights Power-to-X (PtX) fuels as a vital category of alternative fuels for decarbonizing shipping. Power-to-X is a collective term for technologies that convert renewable electricity (from sources like wind, solar, hydro, and geothermal) into storable and transportable energy carriers or products, represented by the “X.”
For the maritime sector, this specifically means converting renewable electricity into sustainable fuels such as:
- Green hydrogen: Produced by using renewable electricity to split water.
- Green ammonia: Produced by combining green hydrogen with nitrogen.
- Green methanol: Produced by combining green hydrogen with carbon dioxide.
- Renewable marine diesel (e-diesel/e-kerosene): Synthetic liquid fuels produced from renewable electricity and captured CO2.
These PtX fuels are crucial for shipping because:
- Direct electrification is challenging: Heavy-duty transport like shipping often requires high energy density fuels that batteries cannot adequately provide for long voyages.
- Drop-in solutions: Some PtX fuels can be used in existing or slightly modified engines, easing the transition for the current fleet.
- Carbon-neutral potential: When produced using renewable electricity and, in the case of carbon-based fuels, captured biogenic CO2, they offer a pathway to significantly reduce or eliminate lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions.
Broader Collaboration and Impact
This Training-of-Trainers course is part of a growing collaboration between the IMO and the International PtX Hub, aimed at supporting developing countries in preparing for a cleaner and more sustainable future in shipping.
- Astrid Dispert, GreenVoyage2050 Programme Manager at IMO, emphasized that this program is a “critical enabler for cascading renewable PtX knowledge to national actors in the maritime sector,” building a community of trainers to share this knowledge globally.
- Philipp Wittrock, Lead Shipping & Country Outreach, International PtX Hub, noted that the co-created training modules provide a “solid tool for scaling capacity development at the nexus of energy and shipping,” helping to translate global ambitions into local action.
All participants had previously completed a foundational course on renewable fuels, meaning they are now equipped to deliver tailored national workshops, contributing to broader efforts under the IMO’s GreenVoyage2050 Programme and the International PtX Hub’s mission to promote clean energy solutions worldwide.
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Source: IMO
