GSS EU Science Funding Gateway

It is necessary to focus on the use of sustainable alternative fuels at scale embracing a number fuel options as well as solutions developed for a wide range of applications. For instance, sustainable hydrogen, ammonia and other hydrogen derived fuels are potentially promising alternative fuels to make shipping fully climate neutral and independent of fossil fuels.  These kind of alternative fuels are particularly challenging in terms of on-board storage capacities, storage methods, safe handling, space constraints and the structural integration of tanks, and their subsequent use in high power propulsion systems.

A certain fuel neutrality is sought a rigorous preselection of the most suitable type and form of fuels is required in order to come to a realistic demonstration environment as early as possible.

Research and innovation is needed with respect to the efficient and safe on-board storage and use under real shipping conditions, taking into account aspects such as pressure, temperature, explosion risk and toxicity.

Projects will address both the storage of hydrogen and ammonia at capacities exceeding the equivalent of 300 tons of conventional marine fuels in order to show the use in a realistic environment with practical range and autonomy, although the fuel capacity may be adapted to the requirements of different ship types in a first stage of development. The scope extends to the design, testing and overall assessment of on-board systems for these fuels, developing concepts and testing them at lab scale with a robust perspective of scaling up to achieve the levels needed for operational commercial vessels. The structural integration of fuel and energy systems on-board, related safety issues, supporting standards development, and the minimisation of storage volumes and distributions systems towards the energy converters will be addressed. This also needs to take into account bunkering situations as part of the fuel handling on-board.

NOTE: Transport of such fuels in dedicated carriers does not fall within the scope of this topic.