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Research and Development of Green Ship Energy
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Research and Development of Green Ship Energy

A special issue of Journal of Marine Science and Engineering (ISSN 2077-1312). This special issue belongs to the section "Ocean Engineering".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 March 2026) | Viewed by 5889

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Simona Di Micco

E-Mail Website1 Website2
Guest Editor
Department of Engineering, University of Naples Parthenope, 80143 Napoli, Italy
Interests: sustainable mobility; zero-emission propulsion systems; zero-carbon fuels for transportation sector; decarbonization of hard-to-abate sectors; renewable sources; energy management optimization algorithms; energy carrier production and utilization; thermodynamic modeling; numerical modeling; economic assessment; optimization algorithms
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Maritime transport is one of the largest greenhouse gas-emitting sectors in the global economy, responsible for around 1 GtCO2eq every year. In recent years, the maritime industry has increasingly embraced decarbonization and sustainability strategies, promoting the analysis and development of innovative solutions for green ship energy systems.

The transition from fossil fuels towards clean fuels represents a complex but essential goal to meet international emissions regulations and environmental targets.

The scientific community is devoting growing attention to these targets, focusing on the development of innovative propulsion technologies and the use of zero-carbon fuels. Hydrogen and hydrogen carriers could play a crucial role in reducing the environmental impact of shipping transportation. The use of these fuels, whether in conventional powertrain systems or advanced technologies such as fuel cells, can pave the way toward achieving sustainability goals. Additionally, hybrid solutions involving advanced battery technologies represent a promising path to further reduce emissions.

For all these systems, research efforts are aimed at ensuring their efficiency, safety, and reliability under real operational conditions.

The development of green ship energy involves multidisciplinary challenges, including the integration of hybrid propulsion systems and energy storage optimization. Furthermore, shipboard energy management systems must handle fluctuating power demands, variable environmental conditions, and ship-specific constraints through advanced control and optimization techniques.

This Special Issue invites the submission of papers on the topic of “Research and Development of Green Ship Energy”. This includes the optimal design of innovative propulsion systems for ships; thermodynamic modeling of propulsion systems fed with alternative fuels, the feasibility of the installation of these technologies according to ship arrangement constraints, and energy management strategies for green propulsion; simulation and experimental validation of innovative green energy technologies for maritime applications; and strategies for ensuring safety, robustness, and regulatory compliance in green ship energy systems.

Dr. Simona Di Micco
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Journal of Marine Science and Engineering is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • maritime sector decarbonization
  • zero-emission vessels
  • hybrid propulsion systems
  • fuel cell technologies
  • hydrogen and hydrogen carriers
  • zero-carbon fuels
  • on-board feasibility installation assessment
  • powertrains modelling

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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30 pages, 3531 KB  
Article
Feasibility of Zero-Emission Cruise Ships: A Novel Hydrogen Tri-Generation System for Propulsion and Hotel Loads
by Albert Gil-Esmendia, Mohammadamin Mansourifilestan, Robert J. Flores and Jack Brouwer
J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2026, 14(5), 431; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse14050431 - 26 Feb 2026
Viewed by 1095
Abstract
The decarbonization of large cruise ships is challenged by their extreme and tightly coupled electrical, thermal, and cooling demands. This study investigates a liquid hydrogen (LH2)-based tri-generation system for cruise ships that simultaneously supplies electricity, heat, and cooling. Key novelties include [...] Read more.
The decarbonization of large cruise ships is challenged by their extreme and tightly coupled electrical, thermal, and cooling demands. This study investigates a liquid hydrogen (LH2)-based tri-generation system for cruise ships that simultaneously supplies electricity, heat, and cooling. Key novelties include the use of LH2 as the onboard energy carrier for large cruise ships, the recovery of cooling energy from LH2, a dynamic control strategy that synergistically modulates PEM fuel cell utilization to regulate downstream catalytic burner heat generation and balance heat and electricity generation and demand, and the first full-scale cruise-ship model of such a system, including hydrogen consumption and onboard storage sizing. A dynamic system-level model is applied to a representative 7-day voyage of a large cruise ship. The results show that the proposed system can meet combined peak demands of approximately 61 MW while achieving overall system efficiencies approaching 75%. Compared to traditional marine diesel-based power plants, the LH2-based tri-generation configuration improves system efficiency by more than 20 percentage points. Total hydrogen consumption is estimated at approximately 240 t, which can be reduced by about 20% through shore-to-ship power, yielding a system volume comparable to that of a conventional diesel-based power plant. These results demonstrate the technical feasibility and system-level advantages of LH2-based tri-generation for zero-emission cruise ships. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Research and Development of Green Ship Energy)
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19 pages, 1737 KB  
Article
Simulation-Based Energy Optimization Through Maneuvering Prediction for Complex Passenger Ships: Results from the SimPleShip-SigMa Project
by Georg Finger, Michael Gluch, Michael Baldauf, Gerd Milbradt, Sandro Fischer and Matthias Kirchhoff
J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2026, 14(4), 387; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse14040387 - 18 Feb 2026
Viewed by 714
Abstract
The decarbonization of shipping and the transformation towards digitally assisted or automated ship operation require new methods to analyze, predict, and optimize energy demand during maneuvering. The SimPleShip-SigMa sub-project of Hochschule Wismar developed and validated a comprehensive simulation-based framework combining real-time capable fast-time [...] Read more.
The decarbonization of shipping and the transformation towards digitally assisted or automated ship operation require new methods to analyze, predict, and optimize energy demand during maneuvering. The SimPleShip-SigMa sub-project of Hochschule Wismar developed and validated a comprehensive simulation-based framework combining real-time capable fast-time simulation of ship motion, detailed thermodynamic engine modeling, and hybrid data exchange via Functional Mock-up Units (FMU/FMI). The approach enables consistent coupling between navigation-related and machinery-related simulations and supports energy-optimized decision-making on the bridge. Operational relevance and validation of use cases were supported through collaboration with Carnival Maritime GmbH, providing practical feedback on large passenger-ship operations. The study presents the architecture of the simulation environment, the implementation of energy- and emission-prediction models, and the result of validation runs and simulator-based trials. The developed method was applied to a virtual cruise-ship scenario representing a confined coastal environment similar to the Geiranger Fjord. The work builds upon earlier research on simulation-augmented maneuvering and extends it toward a modular digital-twin concept linking hydrodynamic and thermodynamic models. The paper concludes with an outlook on applying the system for crew training, on-board support, and gradual automation of sustainable ship operations. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Research and Development of Green Ship Energy)
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22 pages, 3035 KB  
Article
Multi-Fuel SOFC System Modeling for Ship Propulsion: Comparative Performance Analysis and Feasibility Assessment of Ammonia, Methanol and Hydrogen as Marine Fuels
by Simona Di Micco, Peter Sztrinko, Aniello Cappiello, Viviana Cigolotti and Mariagiovanna Minutillo
J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2025, 13(10), 1960; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse13101960 - 14 Oct 2025
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1536
Abstract
To reduce fossil fuel dependency in shipping, adopting alternative fuels and innovative propulsion systems is essential. Solid Oxide Fuel Cells (SOFC), powered by hydrogen carriers, represent a promising solution. This study investigates a multi-fuel SOFC system for ocean-going vessels, capable of operating with [...] Read more.
To reduce fossil fuel dependency in shipping, adopting alternative fuels and innovative propulsion systems is essential. Solid Oxide Fuel Cells (SOFC), powered by hydrogen carriers, represent a promising solution. This study investigates a multi-fuel SOFC system for ocean-going vessels, capable of operating with ammonia, methanol, or hydrogen, thus enhancing bunkering flexibility. A thermodynamic model is developed to simulate the performance of a 3 kW small-scale system, subsequently scaling up to a 10 MW configuration to meet the power demand of a container ship used as the case study. Results show that methanol is the most efficient fueling option, reaching a system efficiency of 58% while ammonia and hydrogen reach slightly lower values of about 55% and 51%, respectively, due to higher auxiliary power consumption. To assess technical feasibility, two installation scenarios are considered for accommodating multiple fuel tanks. The first scenario seeks the optimal fuel share equivalent to the diesel tank’s chemical energy (17.6 GWh), minimizing mass increase. The second scenario optimizes the fuel share within the available tank volume (1646 m3), again, minimizing mass penalties. In both cases, feasibility results have highlighted that changes are needed in terms of cargo reduction, equal to 20.3%, or, alternatively, in terms of lower autonomy with an increase in refueling stops. These issues can be mitigated by the benefits of increased bunkering flexibility. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Research and Development of Green Ship Energy)
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12 pages, 3259 KB  
Article
An Experimental Study on the Performance of Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells with Marine Ion Contamination
by Shian Li, Li Zhang, Gaokui Chen, Ruiyang Zhang, Aolong Liu, Guogang Yang and Qiuwan Shen
J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2025, 13(6), 1182; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse13061182 - 17 Jun 2025
Viewed by 1867
Abstract
Proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) have the advantages of high efficiency, a low operating temperature, and a pollution-free reaction. Therefore, PEMFCs have emerged as a viable clean energy solution for ships to reduce their carbon emissions. When PEMFCs operate in marine salt [...] Read more.
Proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) have the advantages of high efficiency, a low operating temperature, and a pollution-free reaction. Therefore, PEMFCs have emerged as a viable clean energy solution for ships to reduce their carbon emissions. When PEMFCs operate in marine salt spray environments, foreign ions entering the cathodes of fuel cells with air can cause a decline in cell performance. In this study, the effects of the cation type (K+, Na+, Mg2+, and Ca2+) and concentration (0.25 M and 0.5 M) on cell performance in terms of the polarization curve were systematically investigated using a fuel cell test system. Cell performance degradation was observed due to the existence of cations. The influence of the four cations on cell performance followed the rule of Ca2+ > Mg2+ > Na+ > K+. Meanwhile, cell performance decreased with an increase in concentration. When the fuel cell was not contaminated, the voltage was 0.645 V at a current density of 1 A/cm2. When the concentration was 0.5 M, the corresponding voltages were 0.594 V, 0.583 V, 0.559 V, and 0.300 V, respectively. In addition, fuel cells contaminated by NaNO3 and NaCl were compared. Due to the existence of Cl−, more severe performance degradation was observed when the fuel cells were contaminated by NaCl. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Research and Development of Green Ship Energy)
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