RINA: Working to a Zero Carbon Future
The reduction of CO2 emissions is one of RINA’s main strategic pillars and it brings over 15 years of experience in working to enhance energy efficiency. However, the challenge of a low- and zero-carbon future is not a single step journey, rather a pathway. Solutions need to focus on new technology for the future and efficient operations today. RINA is actively involved with new concepts and new fuels, increasing digitalization, and works closely with engine manufacturers, ship designers, shipyards and operators to help form a practical and sustainable pathway to decarbonization.
Initiated by RINA and chaired by Mrs. Ioanna Procopiou, the Hellenic Decarbonization Committee is an important platform for sharing ideas and working together to resolve the challenges ahead. With stakeholders from all areas, it discusses areas such as how existing and developing technologies can support in reducing CO2 emissions, the regulatory challenges involved with the introduction of new technologies and fuels, digitally enabled services and the potential funding or financing of green technologies to benefit the entire industry.
RINA’s new Fleet Operation Center (FOC), which opened in Piraeus at the end of 2020, provides extensive digital services to increase operating efficiency, safety and sustainability of fleets. Real-time monitoring of fleet-wide data helps shipowners identify best practices and areas where efficiency can be increased, and emissions reduced.
Research for the future, aims in propulsion solutions that reduce the energy consumption on board, and the progressive introduction of zero carbon fuels such as ammonia or hydrogen. For this, works alongside actionable solutions that are working in practice today. Examples include its work to
give Approval in Principle (AiP) of a new propulsion arrangement using the high efficiency Wärtsilä 4-stroke engine for reducing the fuel consumption. Another, a project with SDARI for a ship design that is adapted for ammonia and methanol aimed at facilitating a pathway to zero carbon with the flexibility of two fuel options from a single design.
RINA will continue to work to support the shipping industry on all fronts to achieve its goals and use its broad skills and knowledge to help identify and deliver new solutions for the future.
* Business Development Manager Marine Southern Europe & Africa Area, RINA
The answer was provided for NAFS magazine issue 143 in its special report “WOMEN in SHEPPING”