Facing tremendous pressure to achieve zero-emission shipping, industry leaders are taking action to transition from high-polluting ships to smarter and greener vessels. But how quickly can they scale up the delivery of more sustainable ships by 2030?
With about 90% of world trade moving by sea, shipping produces nearly 3% of global emissions. In response, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) has set a revised greenhouse gas (GHG) strategy to reach net-zero GHG emissions by around 2050 and increase uptake of sustainable fuels so they account for 10% of energy usage across the industry by 2030.Decarbonization has spurred global action. As an example, mega retailers like Amazon, IKEA and Unilever plan to only move cargo on ships using zero-carbon fuel by 2040.
But regulations are not the only catalyst for change. The transition to clean shipping is charting the course for more sustainable materials, alternative fuels, greener propulsion solutions, greater automation as well as autonomous and remote-controlled ships. The industry needs to rethink the way they design, build, operate and maintain vessels, which means successfully developing, building and integrating a wide range of complex technologies. This can only be done through closer collaboration between all stakeholders.
So how can the shipping ecosystem collaborate to make zero-emission vessels a reality? Read on to find out.
Future-Proof Vessels for 2030 and Beyond
Ready to boost your transition towards zero-emission shipping? We’ve put together this ebook for you to learn how the collaborative model-based approach and virtual twin can help accelerate innovation for smarter and greener vessels.
Three Keystones of Collaborative Innovation
To successfully deliver a zero-emission shipping fleet, collaboration between all stakeholders in the ecosystem — from shipyards and suppliers to ship owners, port operators and classification societies — is crucial right from the beginning. Achieving this comes down to these three keystones:
While sustainable fuels remain the centerpiece in a ship owner’s plan, alternative propulsion systems and energy efficiency technologies are also critical solutions toward a zero-emission future. However, the more systems a ship has, the more components need to be integrated within the vessel. This means there are numerous interdependencies between the implemented systems to be assessed.
To manage the complexity at the point of concept design, stakeholders need to incorporate new and emerging technologies into the ship concept, and simulate and analyze multiple options before finalizing the design. Model-based systems engineering (MBSE) is key to making this a reality. With an MBSE approach, stakeholders can explore the feasibility of different technologies such as complex propulsion systems with various interdependencies — a critical step to comprehending the vessel as a system of systems.
Looking to slash lead times and retain quality while lowering design and production costs? The model-based approach is the answer.
A model-based approach leverages information across the ecosystem, and ensures quality and consistency throughout the entire lifecycle of the ship. It allows all stakeholders, including suppliers and partners that work on specialized sub-systems, to have a more holistic view of the ship.
But that’s not all. At the heart of the model-based approach is the virtual twin that provides an accurate and unique representation of the ship. This allows stakeholders to drive compliance to regulatory and customer requirements with full traceability from the concept and design phase to manufacturing, operations and maintenance.
How much can you save from painting the hull with low-friction coatings or incorporating air bubbles for hull lubrication? Does optimizing the electrical system that operates the cooling fans in reefer containers lower energy consumption significantly? By calibrating the virtual twin with the real asset, stakeholders can guarantee a model-based simulation that’s closer to the real world.
Through simulation and optimization, stakeholders can work collectively to:
- Test different designs in real time
- Make accurate decisions on capacity management and vessel delivery
- Validate efficiency measures in terms of friction, drag and fuel consumption
- Analyze the impact of retrofitting measures
The bottom line? It’s imperative to improve the effectiveness of green ships across design, engineering, operations and maintenance.
Chart the Seas With Confidence
In the transformation towards zero-emission shipping, stakeholders are recognizing the importance of collaborating to innovate better — but they need to be equipped with the right solution to future-proof their brand and fleets for 2030 and beyond. This is where the 3DEXPERIENCE® platform can add value.
By fostering collaboration around the virtual twin, the 3DEXPERIENCE platform enables shipyards, suppliers and other stakeholders to:
Evaluate suppliers based on quality, cost, time-effectiveness and environmental impact
Promote standardization and a modular approach when building ships in small series, thus reducing development time and engineering costs
Use multi-physics simulation to drive operational optimization ahead of sea trials, including speed reduction
Increase asset availability and optimize fleet maintenance
The race is on to decarbonize by 2030. Strengthen a collaborative shipping ecosystem with the 3DEXPERIENCE platform and the virtual twin to innovate smarter and meet long-term emission reduction targets.