Can Additive Manufacturing Help Cargo Ships Become More Eco-Friendly?

Today’s cargo ships are powered by large, complex engines that represent a strategic challenge for the maritime industry, which has been seeking to become more sustainable for several years. The industry is looking to optimize the parts of these engines, for example by reducing their weight to reduce fuel consumption. Thankfully, additive manufacturing might provide a solution. According to a press release from the Technical University of Denmark (DTU), a researcher in a collaborative project between DTU and MAN energy solutions has conducted an investigation to see whether it would be advantageous to have a 3D printed injection nozzle.

Maritime shipping accounts for more than 80% of world trade volume and about 70% of trade value. The industry is worth trillions of dollars, estimated to be worth about 60% of the 14 trillion US dollar seaborne trade industry in 2019 alone. And it holds with it some environmental concerns. Cargo ships can increase air pollution, water pollution, oil pollution and more. In fact, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) discovered in 2018 that the total greenhouse gases of shipping was about 1.056 million tonnes of CO2 emissions in 2019. And in the EU, ships produce 13.4% of greenhouse gas emissions from transport, meaning the industry is ripe for change to become more eco-friendly, with more and more projects appearing.

Engine durability is a strategic issue for the marine industry (photo credits: DTU)

In this case, the project focused on the injection nozzle which is an essential component of an engine as it injects fuel into the engine. This fuel is mixed with air to ensure proper combustion. Designed using traditional manufacturing methods, this nozzle can therefore have a significant impact on fuel consumption and therefore on the durability of an engine. This is especially a concern as the sustainabilty of cargo ships has been called into question.