The design of the workhorse of global trade and international shipping, the dry bulk carrier, poses decarbonisation challenges, an Intercargo executive has advised the industry.
Speaking at “Solutions for Sustainable Dry Bulk Shipping,” held in Athens, Greece, INTERCARGO Chairman Dimitris Fafalios advised: “Shipping is an extremely wide term covering both tramp and liner sectors. Our sector, that of dry bulk carriers, presents special challenges to decarbonisation due to its non-regular, itinerant nature, serving more ports and more anchorages in the world than other sectors.
“The design of our bulk carriers, especially the smaller geared vessels, present a cargo section forward of the engine room bulkhead where deck tanks for alternative fuels cannot be located. In addition, the deck cranes leave little room for the increased storage volumes required by alternative, low carbon or zero carbon fuels.”
The International Association of Dry Cargo Shipowners (INTERCARGO) represents 250 companies active in the dry bulk sector and it has consultative status at the International Maritime Organization. The dry bulk sector is the largest shipping sector in terms of number of ships and deadweight. Dry bulk carriers account for 43% of the world fleet (in tonnage) and carry an estimated 55% of the global transport work.
