While everyone else is chasing the next big tech trend, you're busy managing vessels, crews, and the countless daily challenges of modern shipping. So let's cut through the noise and get straight to the important stuff: decarbonisation. I’ve also included a round-up of this week’s maritime tech headlines. Here's what you need to know…

This week, I spoke with Kenji Togasaki, Senior Vice President at IINO Lines. Having spent more than five years steering the company's initiatives in decarbonisation, autonomous shipping and decision process efficiency, Kenji shared his valuable insights for industry leaders navigating today's sustainability challenges.

With a history spanning more than a century, IINO Lines operates a global fleet that includes oil tankers, chemical tankers, LNG carriers, LPG carriers, and dry bulk carriers. These vessels form part of worldwide shipping networks that enable the long-term, stable supply of energy resources and related products essential to modern industry.

Thanks to the IMO's net-zero targets and emissions taxes coming into effect, decarbonisation is the hot topic on everyone's mind.

Yet while the destination is clear, the route to get there remains cloudy. With multiple technological pathways available and regulatory frameworks still evolving, shipping companies face difficult decisions about where to invest their limited resources.

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One promising decarbonisation option picking up in popularity is the transition to alternative fuels. Bunkering vessels or fuel cargo vessels in particular, are well-positioned because they already have the infrastructure to transport the fuel. 

Kenji has done significant research into alternative fuels and has identified ammonia as the most attractive alternative fuel, as it doesn’t emit any carbon. However, he noted that "we currently don't have the infrastructure in place to support large-scale ammonia fuelling." 

The missing piece for many vessels is simply the engine technology. While ammonia engines are still in development, methanol offers a more immediate solution. "The methanol dual-fuel engine is already there with a relatively affordable price, so if you want to start with a dual-fuel approach, a methanol dual-fuel engine could be one of the easiest solutions."

Beyond fuels, wind propulsion technologies offer significant potential for reducing emissions, though the market remains fragmented with numerous competing solutions. Togasaki acknowledges their importance: "Wind propulsion is very important and one of the most powerful solutions to decarbonise our industry."

Decision-makers face a difficult choice among various options including rotor sails, suction sails, and kite systems. The absence of dominant technologies creates strategic uncertainty. "From a user point of view it's very difficult to decide which one is better, and these require upfront investment which is not a small amount," Kenji explained. 

One concerning indicator is the cautious approach of specialist investors: "None of the major independent maritime venture capitals have invested in any of these technologies as of yet" suggesting that even industry experts struggle to identify which technologies will ultimately prevail.

For organisations just beginning their decarbonisation journey, investing in costly dual-fuel engines and huge wind propulsion systems can add up to a daunting initial investment. When we discussed this, Kenji offered a clear, pragmatic roadmap that technology leaders can implement (which is more gentle on the wallet):

"A fuel-saving device or a digital solution is definitely the fastest approach to see a reduction in emissions," he advises, suggesting a sequential approach: "The easiest approach is to have a digital fleet solution first and then see how much fuel you've saved compared to the past."

This data-driven foundation creates opportunities for additional optimisation: "After that, if you see benefits, you can combine it with fuel-saving devices like wind propulsion or drag reduction, and integrate these with the digital solution.” 

Kenji also shared the opportunity IINO Lines has found in voluntarily supporting carbon markets, which has made their organisation stand out to clients, particularly in regions with more stringent environmental requirements. "We have been active in carbon offset efforts, for example, investing in forestry funds in Japan and solar power generation for our properties," Kenji explained. 

As the maritime industry faces increasing regulatory pressure and market uncertainty, Kenji’s parting advice emphasises the urgency of action: "Shipping is a highly volatile market—it's always cyclical. In the past several years, the market has been good, so now is the chance to accelerate decarbonisation."

With market conditions currently favourable, today's decarbonisation investments will become tomorrow's competitive advantage.

And with that, we'll log off on this week's maritime tech digest! Reconnect next Thursday when I'll bring you another upload of industry insights. Until then, may your analytics be accurate and your integrations seamless! Your tech correspondent, Ailsa