Marine Transition Fuels: Assessing the environmental risks of switching to CO2 neutral fuels in the shipping industry

The shipping industry’s plans to replace fossil fuels with CO2 neutral fuels have a number of well-described climate and environmental benefits, but the potential environmental risks associated with the large-scale use of CO2 neutral fuels in ships are far less well researched. Sufficient prior knowledge about the physical and chemical properties of CO2 neutral fuels, environmental toxicity, and environmental dispersion and degradation is therefore a fundamental prerequisite for the shipping industry to make the green transition with minimal risk of simply replacing one problem with another.

In this project, we will conduct the first in-depth mapping and environmental risk assessment of potential secondary environmental effects that may arise from both emissions to the atmosphere and discharges to the marine environment from these CO2 neutral marine fuels. The project includes a thorough review of the properties of CO2 neutral fuels in both air and water, experimental studies of the impact on aquatic organisms, natural degradation mechanisms, their dispersion in both the atmosphere and the marine environment during normal operation and accidents/spillages, and life cycle assessment (LCA).

WP1: Project management and dissemination
WP2: Physical, chemical and ecotoxicological properties of CO2-neutral fuels
WP3. Experimental studies of environmental effects on aquatic organisms from spills to the marine environment
WP4: Experimental studies of combustion products and emissions to the atmosphere
WP5: Life Cycle Assessment (LCA)
WP6: Environmental risks