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Institute of Maritime Energy Systems

Credit: DLR (CC-BY 3.0)

Worldwide, about 80% of freight transport is handled by shipping. Most ships use the fuel heavy oil for this purpose. Its combustion generates about 3% of the global share of CO2 emissions. In addition, there are emissions from the cruise ship sector, a sector that is showing increasing turnover. Although individual technologies for the reduction of emissions from shipping are being investigated at research institutes, there is no institution in the world that maps the entire energy conversion chain of maritime applications to this extent.

The 2020 founded DLR Institute of Maritime Energy Systems estimates and develops innovative solutions for the decarbonization and emission reduction of shipping. In cooperation with industry, these will be put into practice. The following topics are the focus of the institute's strategy:

• Development and testing of efficient energy systems in shipping
• Reducing emissions of pollutants from the maritime economy
• Provision of electricity, heat and cooling on board
• Integration of efficiency technologies such as fuel cell systems in ships
• Use of alternative fuels on board
• Development of concepts for the transport to import alternative fuels
• Development of energy supply infrastructure in the port
• Exploiting synergies in port operations

The institute plans the operation of a large-scale infrastructure to test and try out the new energy systems to be developed in a standardized laboratory environment and under real conditions on a research vessel.

Address

Institute of Maritime Energy Systems
Max-Planck-Straße 2
21502 Geesthacht