The Yara Birkeland is not absolutely unique but is a rare glimpse at what the future could hold for shipping.
There are two significant points to note with the Norwegian vessel, the intention to eliminate crew and a completely new power system.
The first deserves thought, part of change being called the third industrial revolution. Progress has always eliminated jobs but the scale this time could be beyond the past, as mentioned in an article on AI and ATA carnets.
Considering whether electric ships, or other initiatives will help with climate change is the intention here. Not least as a new deal on reducing shipping emissions was recently reached at a UN conference in London.
What was At stake
That global shipping produces as much unwanted carbon as entire countries the size of Germany was used to paint a picture. Perhaps not a surprise, when 90% of goods the world consumes are at some stage moved by ship.
The issue of responsibility was aired at the conference, with vessels often owned in one country but registered in another. Part of the reason shipping has been omitted from previous climate change agreements.
Representatives from 175 shipping countries did however attend and there was an intent to make progress. Acceptance that our planet’s future is at stake has increased, as the symptoms of climate change become more evident.
Balancing the expense of achieving change against the demands of those focused on the climate would still not be easy. There was much discussion on targets and dates to meet them, before compromise produced a deal.
What was Agreed
The global shipping industry has agreed to reduce planet warming gases to net zero by or around 2050. They will strive to achieve a reduction of 30% by 2030 and 80% by 2040, a few companies including Maersk stated they would achieve 100% by 2040.
Some climate campaigners feel the deal is not definitive, others that allocated budgets will run out before 2050. Opinions on the deal vary from encouraging, to toothless but the general view is that progress took place.
With delegates representing shipping giants such as China and others from tiny island nations, or vanishing habitats, a deal was at least made. An achievement, which is likely to be reviewed anyway as the world changes.
The deal also maintained the idea of a carbon levy on shipping, with strong support from developing countries. They believe that financial incentives can play as much of a role in bringing down emissions as targets.
Taking Responsibility
Although Dynamic Dox offers indirect support to movement of goods, we are part of a group immersed in shipping and logistics. We recognise that all involved need to take responsibity for preserving our planet.
Achieving net zero can in part mean cancelling out emissions by actively removing greenhouse gases from the atmosphere. This may help but solutions need to be led by practical change and finding the investment this requires.
Costs will be substantial but recent research suggests they may not be punitive and that reduced running costs will compensate in the long term.
Looking To The Future
Whether vessels like the Yara Birkeland are the entire answer remains to be seen. Current levels of battery efficiency make deep sea journeys impractical, that aside, building charging infrastructure at ports is a fair task.
The same applies to recharging ships running on liquefied natural gas, which is friendlier than diesel, yet still fossil fuel reliant. Solar power may have taken a vessel round the world but a quite small one.
How much we achieve and how quickly will be governed by technical development, on batteries, power sources and management systems. Improved efficiency and planning will help a little with emmissions, albeit at the cost of jobs.
That is an issue humans need to solve as society changes, alongside the priority of keeping our planet habitable for our children.