New innovation project on green fuels to make international shipping climate neutral
The GAMMA project, a European initiative with €17 million in funding, aims to make maritime transport more sustainable by developing and converting a cargo ship to sail on climate-neutral fuels and green electricity. The project, which involves companies and researchers from Europe, focuses on reducing shipping’s greenhouse gas emissions and contributing to the IMO’s goal of reaching net zero emissions by 2050.
The selected TOPIC Fleet cargo ship has a capacity of 60,000 deadweight tons and will be converted with innovative technologies. It includes a new fuel system that runs on e-fuels to replace fossil fuels. In addition, an integrated use of ammonia, green methanol and hydrogen will enable electricity production using fuel cells. Renewable energy from solar panels will also be used to produce hydrogen.
The project involves several partners from different European countries, including technology companies that contribute with conversion technology and purification technology. The goal is to integrate these green technologies in a way that preserves the ship’s operational capability and safety.
The green transition in shipping is necessary to meet future regulations and remain competitive in the market. Investments in green technologies, either through conversion of existing ships or through new construction, are crucial for the future of the sector. The GAMMA project strives to deliver advanced ship services with high environmental quality without compromising efficiency and flexibility.
To evaluate the environmental performance of the project, an analysis will be carried out by the Politecnico di Milano to calculate the CO2 emissions over the entire life cycle of the ship, from the production of fuel to its use (well-to-wake analysis).
