Apart from a small pocket of crazy people (and those that profit financially), most of the world is wise now to the fact that we need to make some serious changes if we’re going to halt climate change.

This realisation has spurred industries across the board to start thinking about swapping out the old ways of doing things for new, greener options.

The grand old world of shipping is no different, and scientists think they may have found something that can replace the diesel fuel currently propelling cargo ships.

The BBC reports:

Ocean-going ships could be powered by ammonia within the decade as the shipping industry takes action to curb carbon emissions.

The chemical – the key ingredient of fertilisers – can be burned in ships’ engines in place of polluting diesel.

The industry hopes ammonia will help it tackle climate change, because it burns without CO2 emissions.

Shipping produces around 2% of global carbon emissions. If that doesn’t sound like a lot, then consider that it’s the same amount produced by the whole of Germany.

Making ammonia is also a major source of carbon, but scientists say that technology will solve that problem.

Engine designers, Man Energy Solutions, is currently working on a two-stroke ammonia-powered engine it hopes will be ready by 2024.

The firm’s spokesman, Peter Kirkeby, told the BBC: “We see a very big interest from the market in ammonia as a fuel – even though there are challenges.

“We expect the first ships fuelled with ammonia will be existing tankers that are already transporting ammonia for fertiliser. They know how to handle it.”

He also reckons ammonia fuel will cost roughly the same as existing fuels, which means that it won’t be outpriced by diesel when it hits the market.

The UN shipping body, the IMO, has a target of halving emissions from international shipping by 2050 compared with 2008.

A group of major shipping owners says $2 (£1.50) should be levied on every tonne of ships’ fuel to support research into clean engines.

Moving goods by container ship is one of the safest ways to get your cargo from point A to point B without a hitch, so it’s great that the industry is looking into more environmentally sustainable ways of doing things.

As for everything else you need to worry about when you need to move cargo, those whose businesses use international shipping know that it’s something of an art form.

Berry & Donaldson, one of South Africa’s largest private-owned logistics companies, has been helping our importers and exporters navigate the labyrinth that is international freighting for over half a century.

They’ll take care of everything, leaving you to focus on the important stuff – like growing your business.

[source:bbc]