Spanish state-owned shipbuilding company Navantia and energy firm Repsol on Wednesday (2 March) signed a collaboration agreement to jointly develop innovative solutions with the aim of decarbonising maritime transport.
Both companies will jointly evaluate the behaviour of the new low carbon footprint liquid fuels that Repsol will supply – advanced biofuels produced from waste and synthetic fuels – in the engines manufactured by Navantia both for propulsion and generation.
According to Repsol, these new bunker fuels represent a solid alternative for the decarbonisation of the maritime sector in the short and medium term, since they could achieve a 100% reduction in emissions.
In this agreement, the Navantia Engine Factory will provide the technical knowledge of the engines and will make its facilities in Cartagena available to the project, as well as test benches and diagnostic equipment for the characterisation and development of the tests that, together with a classification society, certify the viability and sustainability of the technology in operation.
For its part, Repsol will contribute its research infrastructure from its technology centre, the Repsol Technology Lab. The pilot plants and blending laboratories will be key to carrying out the project, where Repsol will formulate the widest range of fuels with a low carbon footprint. carbon, specifically for the maritime transport segment.
Navantia’s participation is aligned with the roadmap of Navantia’s Green Energies Directorate, and will have the collaboration of the Center of Excellence for Hydrogen Technologies and Energy Storage (CEDTH) created by Navantia in Cartagena.
Both companies are also linked within the framework of the SHYNE initiative, the multisector consortium that was presented on 19 January and brings together a total of 33 companies, associations, technology centres and universities to promote the decarbonisation of the economy through renewable hydrogen.
Navantia and Repsol, through CEDETH, will explore new lines of collaboration in the field of hydrogen.
Photo credit: Talha Hassan on Unsplash
Published: 4 March, 2022
