Green hydrogen as an alternative fuel for the shipping industry

There is growing pressure to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from maritime transportation. One of the most effective strategies for reducing GHG emissions is to switch from conventional fuels such as heavy fuel oil to alternative fuels. Green hydrogen is a promising alternative for the shipping industry. Nonetheless, its potential usage will depend on more than its environmental friendliness. Economic, technical, and safety factors must be assessed. This paper provides a critical assessment of the potential usage of green hydrogen in the shipping industry with an evaluation of production routes, techno-economic performance, storage, and safety. Benchmarking is also carried out compared to existing ‘grey’ and ‘blue’ production routes specific to shipping industry applications. Important metrics for liquid hydrogen are analyzed to evaluate production cost and GHG emissions for various routes. Furthermore, a comparison is made for the safety and health issues of hydrogen compared to conventional and emerging maritime shipping fuels.