According to the United Nations cruise ships and big container ships are among the main emitters of greenhouse gases. The Mathilde Maersk, currently one of the largest container ships worldwide, emits as much as a middle-sized coal fired power plant on her journeys between Europe and China.

The Europe-wide innovation project “HyMethShip” is a breakthrough against traffic induced air pollution. The goal is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the marine sector drastically. An innovative system is supposed to produce hydrogen from methanol on board and split of the CO2, which will then be stored and transported back to the shore where it can be used to produce methanol again. This way CO2 emissions are expected to be reduced by 97 percent and nitrogen oxide emissions are to be reduced by 80 percent, all while increasing efficiency by 45 percent.

“An increased energy efficiency and coming close to being emission free are not contradictory.” – Andreas Wimmer, CEO and scientific director of the LEC

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