Sailing Towards a Sustainable Future: The Rise of Green Maritime Facilities

While the importance of sustainability has gained massive recognition worldwide, in some cases, ports still tend to adhere to more traditional ‘tried and tested’ forms of design and methods of construction because these are perceived as reliable and low-risk. To bridge this gap, WSP continues to showcase that green maritime structures can be as durable, resilient, and adaptable as their conventional counterparts. For instance, in Saudi Arabia, WSP has championed the use of highly durable and lightweight materials such as FRP instead of steel or reinforced concrete materials in the construction of marine jetties in numerous projects. In the design of a coastal pool structure, a minimalistic approach was taken by excavating a pool and providing a pre-cast unreinforced concrete perimeter wall. This approach deviated from a typically tanked pool structure, which would have required a large reinforced concrete base or a piled base solution.

Transitioning from conventional marine fuels to cleaner alternatives presents another formidable challenge. Stricter regulations implemented by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) necessitate a shift towards a new generation of eco-friendly ship fuels such as biodiesel, green hydrogen, LNG, methanol, and ammonia. While these fuels hold immense potential for decarbonising the industry, their success hinges on developing new infrastructure for fuel production, storage, and distribution.

However, on the positive side, the pursuit of finding and adopting the next generation of marine fuels is in full swing within our region. For instance, in Saudi Arabia, the NEOM Green Hydrogen Company has embarked on an $8.4 billion investment journey to establish the globe's most extensive green hydrogen facility at the OXAGON, which is poised to be the world's first and largest fully automated port. In a parallel stride, the shipping conglomerate CMA CGM has recently secured an order for twelve container ships fuelled by methanol alongside an additional four to be powered by LNG.

Amid these challenges, innovation surges forth, promising to redefine the maritime landscape. Some of these innovations are outlined below:

• Electrification and automation: The electrification of port equipment, exemplified by electrically powered cranes, is becoming commonplace, reducing emissions while enhancing efficiency. The prospect of automation shines bright, with ports in the UAE and South Korea adopting automated high bay stacking systems. There are also ports in our region that are being developed with the ultimate goal of moving towards fully automated operations with automated quay cranes, yard cranes, and terminal trucks. However, automated ports require significant capital investment, and there are still major challenges in maximising the operational efficiencies of automation, particularly if operations are siloed.

• Carbon mineralised concrete: This is an example of carbon sequestration, which is a process of capturing and storing carbon emissions. Captured CO₂ is injected into the concrete mix, which traps the CO₂ in its mineral form permanently within the concrete. This can also contribute to improving concrete strength and durability, which can be a win-win situation

• Cement replacements: Partial replacement of cement with supplementary cementitious materials derived from manufacturing by-products reduces both the carbon footprint and the marine ecosystem's impact. Examples of such replacement include fly ash, a residual from coal combustion, and ground granulated blast furnace slag, which is a by-product of the iron manufacturing process. There is also much ongoing research into producing additives to create a more chemically balanced mix. This is mainly because traditional concrete can leach chemicals into seawater, increasing its PH level and making it more alkaline, which impacts marine life. Improving conventional concrete mixes leads to enhancing properties such as strength, thermal resistance, fire resistance and durability whilst utilising waste products and materials that otherwise contribute to environmental pollution, and both of these benefits are necessary to build a future with sustainable concrete.

For future innovations, the maritime industry's trajectory towards sustainability hinges on harnessing the power of digital innovation. For instance, Digital Twins can accurately simulate cargo operations and have the ability to empower infrastructure design and streamline maintenance strategies. Another area of innovation lies in embracing data-driven efficiencies, which can be achieved through seamless integration with transport systems and optimising ship arrival times. Such efficiencies will be paramount in curbing energy consumption and maximising asset lifecycles.