Integrated Ship Energy Flowchart: Auxiliary Energy Demand and Shore-Side Electricity

The recent "Fit for 55"legislation package has important effects on the shipping industry to limit the CO₂ emissions with important repercussions on the EU-member states' economies. Thus, the need to transition to climate neutrality in the shipping sector which requires development of green energy base solutions for cold ironing at ports. As per the Fit for 55 package, Cold Ironing (CI) or Shore-Side Electricity (SSE), must be provided by the European ports to calling ships by 2025 (Directive 2014/EU). CI will significantly reduce the emissions produced by the auxiliary engines (AEs) of the vessels to meet the auxiliary energy needs of the vessel. Due to the intermittent nature of Renewable Energy Sources (RES), it is hardly unlikely to achieve the power needed on their own. Thus, the energy mix could include a combination of RES with a LNG burning gas turbine, due to its short start-up times and high-power density. The use of gaseous biofuels as drop-in, such as upgraded biomethane, could further decrease the environmental footprint of the overall activity. The Integrated Ship Energy Flowchart (ISEF) creates a digital twin of the energy flow of vessels and fleets for the calculation of GHG emissions and aids in the evaluation of emission mitigation options in overall fleet terms via the definition of statistically average vessels and the examination of scenarios of dual fuel engines and alternative fuels. In the present paper ISEF estimates the power and energy needs of a vessel when at berth or anchorage to inform accordingly the port authorities and/or the electricity provider before the vessel reaches the port. ISEF is monitoring the vessel via AIS following the route to the destination port and provides estimation of exhaust emissions like CO2, NOx, CO, HC (hydrocarbons), OC (organic carbon) and EC (elementary carbon) also calculating the benefit from the CI in terms of reducing GHG and hazardous emissions.