Save the oceans by reducing CO2-emissions

Acidification is a result of the world’s oceans absorbing increasing amounts of carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere. The CO2 dissolves in seawater, causing a chemical reaction resulting in dissolved free carbon dioxide, carbonic acid, bicarbonate and carbonate. The hydrogen ion concentration increases, while the ocean’s pH value decreases.

Dangers of ocean acidification

Consequences of this disrupted ocean chemistry include a lack or instability of the calcium carbonate minerals some marine species, like zooplankton, corals and shellfish, need to build their skeletons and shells, as well as a range of possible effects on immune systems, metabolic rates and breeding patterns of other ocean-dwellers. Combined with ocean warming and deoxygenation, acidification could lead to mass extinction of marine life.

How to fight ocean acidification

The first step towards fighting ocean acidification is to reduce the amount of atmospheric CO2 absorbed by the world’s oceans, which in turn means reducing the man-made emissions being released into our atmosphere.

Fighting global ocean acidification – on the world’s oceans

At the end of the day, the source of the CO2 that causes ocean acidification is irrelevant to the result. Nevertheless, reducing CO2 emissions in marine shipping is a pretty obvious place to start. After all, a healthy ocean and thriving marine life is important to many of the seafaring businesses now rethinking and reducing their environmental impact. MAN Energy Solutions offers a range of solutions that reduce emissions or even remove them entirely, eventually helping the community achieve their own climate goals, as well as those set by international bodies.

Driving the Maritime Energy Transition

Like many industries, the maritime industry needs to transition to renewable energy sources – the health of the planet demands it. Therefore, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) has introduced regulations that require the shipping industry to reduce its greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by at least 50% by 2050 compared to 2008. At the same time, an increase in shipping is projected, driven by the growth of international trade. The IMO predicts that shipping emissions could increase by up to 250% by 2050, based on industry growth scenarios and assuming propulsion technology remains unchanged. Hence, the international shipping industry needs to solve this dilemma by reducing its carbon footprint while its business continues to grow. As 50% of world trade is being moved by MAN engines, the company has made its mission to provide the technologies needed to make shipping sustainable.

Learn more about the maritime energy transition

Synthetic fuels for a climate-neutral future

Unlike road transport, where direct battery electrification is becoming the technology of choice to replace fossil fuels, decarbonization in shipping can only happen by decarbonizing the fuels used in internal combustion engines. In particular, large ocean-going vessels cannot be electrified with batteries or fuel cells. To reach carbon neutrality the future belongs to climate-neutral fuels produced from green hydrogen and renewable energy sources. These fuels include synthetic natural gas (methane), green ammonia and methanol as well as hydrogen for shorter distances.

Learn more about future fuels for green shipping

Making the maritime energy transition

As the maritime industry is pushing towards climate-neutral propulsion systems to power ships, the men and women at the Research Centre Copenhagen (RCC) are making it happen, developing crucial solutions for shipping to go greener. They’ve already developed innovative dual-fuel two-stroke engines that can run on LNG, LPG, ethane and methanol – green ammonia is next.