Reducing CO 2 Emissions through the Strategic Optimization of a Bulk Carrier Fleet for Loading and Transporting Polymetallic Nodules from the Clarion-Clipperton Zone

Tomasz Cepowski () and Paweł Kacprzak
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Tomasz Cepowski: Faculty of Navigation, Maritime University of Szczecin, 1-2 Wały Chrobrego St., 70-500 Szczecin, Poland
Paweł Kacprzak: Faculty of Navigation, Maritime University of Szczecin, 1-2 Wały Chrobrego St., 70-500 Szczecin, Poland

Energies, 2024, vol. 17, issue 14, 1-30

Abstract: As global maritime cargo transportation intensifies, managing CO 2 emissions from ships becomes increasingly crucial. This article explores optimizing bulk carrier fleets for transporting polymetallic nodules (PMNs) from the Clarion-Clipperton Zone (CCZ) to reduce CO 2 emissions. Our analysis shows that larger bulk carriers, despite greater drifting forces from environmental conditions, emit less CO 2 over the entire transport mission, including loading and transit. Deploying large ships in global maritime trade could significantly reduce CO 2 emissions. This study also introduces a novel artificial neural network (ANN) model to estimate drifting forces during loading operations and proposes a new method for estimating CO 2 emissions, considering environmental conditions and ship seakeeping properties. These findings highlight the importance of fleet size optimization and effective operational planning in achieving environmental sustainability in maritime transport.

Keywords: maritime carbon management; polymetallic nodules transportation; fleet optimization; artificial neural networks; CO 2 emissions (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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