The maritime sector is entering a decisive decade. International regulation is accelerating the transition towards climate-neutral shipping, and technology development must evolve accordingly. Within this context, MARPOWER is contributing to the development of clean energy systems for shipping through the design and validation of a high-efficiency, fuel-flexible energy conversion system tailored for maritime applications.
The MARPOWER project aims to design, develop and validate an advanced two-shaft gas turbine-based energy conversion system integrated with waste heat recovery. The objective is to achieve high electrical efficiency while enabling operation with net-zero fuels and ensuring compliance with evolving environmental and safety standards. By combining advanced turbomachinery, innovative combustion technology and digital modelling tools, the project supports the decarbonisation of maritime transport without compromising performance, reliability or integration feasibility.
IMO decarbonisation targets and carbon intensity requirements
The regulatory framework shaping this transition is largely defined at international level by the International Maritime Organization. With the adoption of the 2023 IMO Greenhouse Gas Strategy at MEPC 80 (the IMO’s Marine Environment Protection Committee), Member States agreed on a structured pathway towards reducing greenhouse gas emissions from international shipping. The strategy targets at least a 20 per cent reduction by 2030, striving for 30 per cent, and at least a 70 per cent reduction by 2040, striving for 80 per cent, compared to 2008 levels, with the ultimate objective of achieving net zero greenhouse gas emissions from international shipping by or around 2050.
These commitments are complemented by measures aimed at progressively reducing carbon intensity across the global fleet, including the Energy Efficiency Existing Ship Index (EEXI), which sets technical efficiency requirements for existing ships, and the Carbon Intensity Indicator (CII), which drives progressive operational carbon‑intensity improvements.
MARPOWER’s Energy Conversion System has therefore been designed with a strong emphasis on electrical efficiency. The gas turbine targets electrical efficiencies of up to around 50 per cent, with the integrated system, including waste heat recovery, and aims to exceed this level under optimized operating conditions. Higher efficiency directly reduces fuel consumption per unit of energy produced, supporting improved carbon intensity performance and facilitating alignment with IMO objectives.
Alternative fuels and lifecycle greenhouse gas performance
The IMO’s evolving regulatory discussion increasingly recognises the importance of addressing greenhouse gas emissions on a well-to-wake basis. This lifecycle perspective means that the sustainability of marine fuels must be assessed from production to final use.
However, the long-term fuel mix for international shipping remains uncertain. Hydrogen, ammonia, methanol and renewable methane are all under consideration as potential net-zero fuels, each presenting specific technical, economic and safety implications. Infrastructure development, cost trajectories and regulatory decisions will determine their pace of adoption.
In response to this evolving landscape, MARPOWER has adopted a fuel-flexible design philosophy. MARPOWER’s Energy Conversion System is being developed to operate with 100 per cent hydrogen while maintaining adaptability for other sustainable fuels such as green methane and green methanol. This approach ensures compatibility with emerging global fuel standards and enhances resilience in a rapidly changing regulatory environment.
By enabling operation with net-zero fuels while maintaining high electrical efficiency, the system contributes to reducing tank-to-wake emissions and supports broader lifecycle greenhouse gas reduction objectives.
Monitoring evolving global fuel standards and regulatory measures
In parallel with the 2023 GHG Strategy, the IMO is progressing additional regulatory measures, including the development of a global marine fuel standard and economic instruments intended to accelerate the transition towards net zero. These recent developments mark a further step towards the introduction of binding implementation mechanisms at international level.
The latest measures and regulatory updates are currently being analysed within the MARPOWER framework to ensure that MARPOWER’s Energy Conversion System remains fully aligned with the evolving international regulatory landscape. This proactive approach reflects the project’s commitment to anticipating regulatory developments, ensuring that the system is designed not only to meet current requirements but also to remain compatible with future global standards.
Innovation aligned with international safety standards
The transition towards net-zero fuels must be achieved in full compliance with international maritime safety standards. The International Code of Safety for Ships using Gases or other Low-flashpoint Fuels (IGF Code) establishes the framework for the safe application of alternative fuels such as hydrogen and methanol.
The specific characteristics of these fuels require careful system integration, risk assessment and classification alignment. Within MARPOWER, these aspects are embedded from the design phase, ensuring that technological innovation progresses within the boundaries of international safety and regulatory requirements.
By combining high electrical efficiency, fuel flexibility, lifecycle-oriented design and regulatory alignment, MARPOWER contributes to the technological foundations required to meet the IMO’s decarbonisation pathway. The project demonstrates how advanced energy conversion technologies can support the adoption of net-zero fuels while maintaining performance, integration readiness and compliance with international maritime standards.
MARPOWER brings together eleven European partners representing complementary expertise across academia, industry, shipbuilding and classification: UT University, Aurelia Technologies, Alfa Laval, Politecnico di Milano, RINA Consulting, RINA Services, the University of Vigo, the German Aerospace Center (DLR), the Technical University of Denmark (DTU), Chantiers de l’Atlantique and Zabala Innovation. Through this collaborative effort, the consortium is advancing high-efficiency, fuel-flexible clean energy solutions designed to operate with net-zero fuels and accelerate the decarbonisation of maritime transport in line with international climate commitments.