A key objective of the SAFeCRAFT project is to demonstrate four innovative technologies that act as enablers for Sustainable Alternative Fuels (SAFs) across a range of oceangoing and short-sea vessels, both for newbuilds and retrofits. Central to this effort is the implementation of compressed gaseous hydrogen (CGH₂) in full transnational operations on a 180,000 DWT Capesize bulk carrier, alongside detailed desktop studies investigating SAF integration across three powertrain configurations.
The National Technical University of Athens (NTUA) leads Task 8.1, which focuses on conducting a comprehensive Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of the developed solutions. The LCA evaluates the environmental impacts associated with SAF use across the entire life cycle — from production and distribution to operation and end-of-life — for both the demonstrator vessel and the desktop studies. The analysis uses 1 MWh of energy output from the powertrain technologies as its functional unit.
The study assumes that hydrogen is produced via alkaline water electrolysis powered by an on-site wind farm, with detailed data collected on materials used in the electrolyser and the energy required for electrolysis. Data have also been compiled for the delivery phase of each alternative fuel, accounting for specific pre-treatment and post-treatment requirements:
- CGH₂: compression and storage
- LH₂: liquefaction, storage, compression, and evaporation
- LOHC: hydrogenation, storage, and dehydrogenation
- LNH₃: synthesis, storage, and cracking
A sensitivity analysis was conducted for fuel transportation over distances of 0, 250, and 500 km. Additional data were collected on the materials used in the hydrogen GenSet and the NOₓ emissions produced during its operation, while end-of-life scenarios were also defined.
For the demonstrator assessment, the CML-IA Baseline method was applied, calculating key environmental impact categories including global warming potential, abiotic depletion, acidification, eutrophication, human toxicity, ozone layer depletion, marine aquatic ecotoxicity, freshwater aquatic ecotoxicity, and terrestrial ecotoxicity. Results revealed that marine aquatic ecotoxicity, freshwater aquatic ecotoxicity, and terrestrial ecotoxicity were the most significant impact categories. Furthermore, as NOₓ emissions are influenced by the stoichiometric ratio, a detailed uncertainty analysis using Monte Carlo simulations showed that acidification and eutrophication were particularly sensitive to these variations.
It is important to note that the current assessment does not yet include materials associated with the containment system. Future work will focus on collecting this data, as well as information on other powertrain components, enabling a comprehensive comparison of SAF and powertrain system combinations. This next step will provide a more complete understanding of environmental performance and help guide decisions on the most sustainable pathways for maritime decarbonisation.
