The decarbonization challenge is nowadays generating a new revolution in maritime industry, comparable by magnitude and intensity with the two previous ones: first from sailing to mechanical propulsion (steam reciprocating engines and turbines) and then from steam to diesel engines. For the time being there’s not one, single, guaranteed, recipe to achieve the zero carbon target in year 2050, anyway we see a lot of worldwide bubbling in research & development, with several pilot tests and new released applications, supported by the digitalization boom. Liquified Natural Gas, methanol, ammonia, hydrogen, bio and syntetic fuels, carbon capture, full electric and hybrid systems, cold ironing, even new sail tech but as well small modular nuclear reactor solutions are popping up continuously in media news. This new revolution looks showing two absolute peculiarities compared to what happened in history. First, it seems there’s not any good for all, one solution, killing the old one as it happened with steam and diesel but indeed a pallette of different technologies/fuels to select case by case depending on ship type, size, operations, routes, etc., even combined together in hybrid mode. Second, the mature solution is not outpaced and cancelled but indeed is evolving, being the driver of one of the new paths. In fact the old good diesel engine (may be now better to be called “reciprocating internal combustion engine” in both Diesel or Otto cycle configuration depending on fuel “eaten”) is showing to be a real “omnivore” machine, capable of reliably run with the new low/zero carbon fuels and to integrate with other solutions. Time will tell.
The hybrid maritime revolution and the omnivore diesel engine
