About this Research Topic

Background

The International Maritime Organization (IMO)'s Fourth Greenhouse Gas Study 2020, sheds light on a concerning fact: international shipping is responsible for contributing approximately 2.2% of the total global anthropogenic carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. With the urgency to combat climate change, the Paris Agreement has set temperature targets, and the United Nations has laid out its vision to promote sustainability and environmental protection. To align with these ambitious climate goals, it has become imperative to tackle GHG emissions from the maritime industry effectively. The IMO recognizes the gravity of the situation and has established new targets to reduce GHG emissions from international shipping. However, achieving these targets necessitates immediate and concerted efforts from all stakeholders in the maritime domain. Such goals demand innovative and sustainable solutions for strategic maritime decarbonization.

The article collection aims to promote information exchange on life cycle analysis (LCA) of alternative fuel solutions, supporting current decarbonization strategies and addressing global warming challenges, while advancing research in a broad transportation field, especially the maritime sector. LCA is crucial to assess fuel viability and benefits, offering insights into their environmental impact, energy efficiency, and economic feasibility throughout holistic evaluation. Various marine activities can benefit - including transportation, platform operations, and renewable fuel production. In turn, stakeholders can prioritize sustainable options and move towards greener practices. The goal is significant carbon footprint reduction in the maritime sector and other industries while ensuring continued growth and efficiency. Embracing alternative fuels and leveraging life cycle analysis can contribute to global emission reduction targets and foster a sustainable future for international and domestic transportation.

The articles included in this collection are expected to address critical gaps in decarbonization for both maritime and other similar industries. The scope of this article collection is comprehensive and welcomes contributions around the themes:

• Various cutting-edge green fuels such as hydrogen, ammonia, methanol, and biofuels
• Technologies including fuel cell systems and internal combustion engines
• Life cycle analysis (customized or advanced LCA methodologies), with a focus on assessing both environmental protection and economic impact. They will offer effective solutions to achieve and meet strategic goals in reducing emissions.
• Evaluation of the application of alternative fuels and the adoption of advanced technologies in various transportation activities. By doing so, it seeks to pave the way for sustainable practices in the transportation industry (e.g. such as air, road and rail transportation)

Keywords: Life cycle analysis, life cycle cost assessment, alternative fuel, maritime transportation, maritime decarbonization, shipping industry, freight decarbonization

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.

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