Equinor launching maritime climate ambitions
On the UN’s World Oceans Day, Equinor is launching its ambitions for reducing own emissions from ships and how the company will contribute to decarbonising shipping, the company said in its release.
Equinor’s maritime climate ambitions are embedded in the company’s climate roadmap launched on 6 February 2020. The climate roadmap aims to ensure a competitive and resilient business model fit for long-term value creation and in line with the Paris agreement.
The maritime sector represents 6% of total greenhouse gas emissions in Norway and 2–3% of global emissions. Being both a producer and a supplier of fuel to the maritime sector, Equinor has extensive maritime activity around the world, including around 175 vessels on contract with the company at any time.
Equinor has set the following ambition for its maritime activity:
By 2030: Halving maritime emissions in Norway compared to 2005 emissions.
By 2050: Halving global emissions compared to 2008 emissions.
As a supplier of fuel to the maritime sector, Equinor’s ambition is as follows:
By 2030: Escalating its production and use of low-carbon fuels.
By 2050: Strongly increase production and use of zero-emission fuels.
Equinor has worked systematically on reducing its carbon intensity by developing new types of vessels and using alternative fuels in close collaboration with the industry. Equinor has been a pioneer in using liquefied natural gas (LNG) as a fuel, and during 2021 we will introduce large-scale use of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) as a fuel.
A new hybrid battery system has been introduced for seven supply vessels on the NCS, and the next generation of dual-fuel vessels is being introduced to the fleet continuously. The company has also, in collaboration with the maritime industry, started developing the world’s first supply vessel to run on zero-emission ammonia.
Equinor has identified the following areas for developing zero-emission fuels for the maritime sector:
Increasing the share of biofuel in marine fuels
Developing ammonia and hydrogen from natural gas in combination with carbon capture and storage or by electrolysis of water from renewable power.
