Data for Decarbonizing Maritime Transport Through Wind-Assisted Propulsion Technologies

Description

This study investigates the hypothesis that wind-assisted propulsion can deliver substantial and geographically differentiated reductions in CO₂ emissions from global maritime transport, with the magnitude of the benefit depending on vessel type, route, operating conditions, and ambient wind resources. The analysis is based on global Automatic Identification System (AIS) vessel-tracking data for 2022, which were used to reconstruct ship trajectories, operating speeds, and spatial patterns of maritime activity. Vessel technical characteristics, including deadweight tonnage, design speed, and main-engine power, were obtained by linking the AIS records with the Lloyd’s Ship Database using vessel identifiers. Missing technical parameters were estimated using regression-tree models. Meteorological conditions along each vessel trajectory were derived from ERA5 reanalysis wind data. These data were combined with vessel operating conditions and a physical performance model for Flettner rotor-assisted propulsion to estimate baseline fuel consumption and CO₂ emissions and the corresponding reductions achievable under wind-assisted operation. To assess uncertainty associated with wind-field data, three wind scenarios were considered: the original ERA5 baseline, a −0.5 m s⁻¹ perturbation, and a +3 m s⁻¹ perturbation.

Steps to reproduce

Please see the readme.txt

Institutions

• Leiden University

  South Holland, Leiden

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