Michael Vahs: Baltic Shipping Vision: innovative and green

Introduction
Is it conceivable that large cargo and cruise ships will sail silently and emission-free through the Baltic Sea, powered by innovative sail systems, large batteries, hydrogen fuel cells and electric drives? Could the Baltic Sea become the world's first green shipping corridor? Can business, tourism and nature conservation go hand in hand, as proposed by the EU's Green Deal? Realistic opportunities or wishful thinking?

Shipping must contribute its fair share to global climate policy. The International Maritime Organisation (IMO) has set a global climate target for shipping of net zero emissions by 2050. Maritime transport is considered to be one of the most challenging tasks in the ongoing transformation process, as ships require large amounts of energy on long non-stop routes. Who will take the lead in this process? Isn't the Baltic Sea the perfect region to drive innovation and demonstrate the feasibility of a green shipping vision?

Status
The global status of the transition to low-carbon shipping paints a mixed picture. Looking at the emissions statistics, the tide has not turned significantly. However, the pace of innovation in propulsion technologies for ships is astonishing. In recent years, electric hybrid drives with powerful battery storage systems have been introduced. Combustion engines have been improved to use environmentally friendly fuels. Fuel cells are on their way to becoming part of zero-emission technologies. Perhaps the most visible innovation in shipbuilding is the rediscovery of wind propulsion. Large foldable wings and rotor sails have entered the market with a steep growth curve. Innovators from Europe are playing a central role in this, many of them based in the Baltic Sea region. However, the global market is only just developing and competitors, particularly from Asia, are catching up.

Success Factors
The transition to greener and more sustainable shipping is particularly successful when not only ship owners, but also cargo owners, their customers and the entire logistics chain drive the decisions for innovation and investment. Ship owners are open to a highly motivated transition when their customers demand green transport. This chain of demand can be extended to the end users of commercial goods. Cooperation in a market works even better on a smaller scale, where all stakeholders can take note of the achievements and benefit directly from innovation and sustainability, rather than in anonymous global markets pursuing primarily quick profits. This makes the Baltic Sea, and perhaps the whole of European waters, a favoured testing ground for the shipping of tomorrow.

Technological Drivers
There is also a technical side to all this. Innovation requires research as an essential prerequisite. Europe continues to excel in the scientific field of maritime technology, both in basic and application-orientated research. Cooperation between research and industry is well established and has great potential to bring innovative products to the market. New technologies must be developed step by step. Innovators need to gain experience with smaller units and systems before taking the next step and scaling up system sizes. The better the framework conditions for the innovation process, the greater the chances of success and rapid progress. Short sea shipping can be an important driver of technological change in ship propulsion. The required ranges of shipping services are much shorter than in far trades. System monitoring and the necessary services can be organised on short notice. This facilitates technical adjustments and fine-tuning of systems during the introduction phase, which is an important factor for the success of innovations in a market that demands highly reliable shipping services. The modern and comprehensive infrastructure of the Baltic Sea could play an important supporting role.

Conclusions
Technological and economic leadership results from several success factors. Many of these can be identified in the Baltic Sea region to support the development of green and sustainable shipping technologies. The maritime industry could be a key player in this developing market. High motivation and good cooperation between all stakeholders are crucial. Hesitation, disbelief or underestimating the power and pace of innovation can lead to falling behind and playing minor roles in new markets.