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The Path to Decarbonization of the Maritime Industry - Season 4 -
The Path to Decarbonization of the Maritime Industry - Season 4 -
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Participation in COP26
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries participated in the 26th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26) held in November 2021 in Glasgow, Scotland, UK, and introduced MHI’s initiatives to fight climate change, which is a global challenge. At COP26. MHI exhibited at the COP26 Japan Pavilion hosted by the Ministry of the Environment. Specifically, MHI introduced as Japan’s state-of-the-art environmental technologies, “hydrogen gas turbine technology for the decarbonization of thermal power generation” and “MHI initiatives for building a CO2 ecosystem and CO2 capture technology.” The MHI Group has made the “Mission Net Zero” declaration toward the achievement of carbon neutrality in 2040, appealing the Group’s commitment to continue engaging in efforts to transition to the utilization of green energy toward the achievement of a carbon neutral society of the future by mobilizing the technologies and resources that the Group has developed to date.
Toshiaki Hori at COP26
MHI Group’s efforts toward the decarbonization of the maritime industry were shown through video messages entitled “Call to Action” from MHI-MME President Hori and Mitsubishi Shipbuilding (MHI-MSB) President Kitamura at the Sustainable Innovation Forum venue, which was set up adjacent to the COP26 main venue.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WpGMGcQrXlE
The video messages described MHI’s long-term vision and strategy for the achievement of carbon neutrality by the maritime industry.
Toru Kitamura at COP26
Also, as there can be no delays in the reduction of CO2 emissions, measures which can be provided immediately as short-term measures were introduced.
As environmental consciousness increases globally, the application of LNG fueled vessels, with their smaller environmental footprint, is also being promoted around the world. While the use of LNG as marine fuel helps to reduce CO2 emissions, an issue has been that some of the unburned methane in the fuel is expelled into the air (i.e., methane slip).
Methane is a GHG that has a bigger impact on global warming than CO2.
However, with an eye to reducing GHG emissions, measures to reduce the methane slip have been progressing, and then after the transition to carbon neutral fuel is now becoming more realistic and feasible scenario from a long-term perspective.
Appealed was the MHI Group’s commitment to making a global contribution, not only on land but also in the maritime industry.
Furthermore, there were many events related to the decarbonization of the maritime industry held at COP26.
On November 8, a panel discussion was held under the theme of: Decarbonization in Shipping in line with the Paris Agreement, what will it take? Representatives from the maritime industry as well as companies involved in decarbonization technologies participated in the discussion. Discussed were items such as, in moving toward achievement of the 2050 goal, how far would we be able to progress by 2030 in technology adoption and the preparation of an infrastructure, including the manufacture and storage of alternative fuel; what is the role of the regulations?, and furthermore, what should the thinking be regarding the incentives, etc., for first movers who will be making a challenge for the aforementioned? The MHI Group was represented by Kentaro Hosomi, Chief Regional Officer, Europe, Middle East and Africa, and CEO of MHI-EMEA, who introduced, from industrial cross-sectoral and global perspectives, the importance of the technologies and systems that can be introduced at this point in time.
Commemorative photo after the panel discussion with representatives
of Maersk Mc-Kinney Moller Center for Zero Carbon Shipping, A.P.Moller, MAN ES, Yara, etc.
(MHI-EMEA’s CEO Mr. Hosomi at far left)
Personnel Dispatched to the MMM Center Zero Carbon Shipping
Since 2020, the MHI Group has been participating in The Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller Center for Zero Carbon Shipping (MMM Center) as a founding partner. Headquartered in Copenhagen Denmark, the MMM Center is a survey and research organization for the promotion of decarbonization of the maritime industry. In addition to MHI, 19 strategic partners and 8 knowledge partners collaborate, with a focus on the development of alternative fuels and their supply chains as well as new technologies for systems to be installed on ships, with the goal of achieving the decarbonization of the maritime industry by 2050. The MMM Center started with 15 individuals working as members at the time of establishment in 2020. It has now become an organization with more than 60 individuals working as members, and it is expected to become a large organization with over 100 individuals working as members by the beginning of next year. MHI-MME had been scheduled to dispatch personnel to the MMM Center last spring but had been forced to participate in meetings remotely for a while due to the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, with some decrease in infections, chief engineer Koichi Matsushita assumed his post at the MMM Center in November last year, (Deputy Manager Sato of MHI-MSB also assumed his post there in February this year.) In this issue we will take a look at what it is like there as well as MHI’s activities.
Greetings from Koichi Matsushita, General Manager, on Assuming His Post
I arrived at my assignment at the MMM Center (Copenhagen, Denmark) in November last year. I had been working in London from 2018 as the Head Office General Manager of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Europe, Ltd., and this assignment in Denmark is my second consecutive overseas posting following the U.K. This past winter, the number of new COVID-19 infections surged in Denmark as well, with the highest incidence rate in Europe per population. COVID-19-related restrictions were eased in February this year, and ordinary economic activities have returned. The MMM Center is now starting to engage energetically in activities. Engineers from companies in various countries, who are involved in the development of technology related to marine fuel, including its manufacture and transport, as well technologies installed on ships, are gathered at the MMM Center.
Here, engineers bring knowledge from their respective area of specialization to the table to address various issues related to decarbonization. The sight of us - who would ordinarily be divided into different positions, whether as client and supplier or as competitors - engaged in discussions as partners feels very strange. However, it shows that decarbonization is a major challenge that cannot be achieved without bringing together the technologies of various areas and industry as a whole. It is not just technology that is being addressed here. European authorities are being approached, with decarbonization classification societies involved, for creating mechanisms. People with various experiences in PR have also come to the Center. I will work hard at this time on the decarbonization project at this new location as well as create new decarbonization business for our company.
