Investigation of Potential Diesel Alternatives for Great Lakes Bulk Carriers

_ The decarbonization of the maritime industry is a problem where a clear and wide-sweeping solution has not yet been found. Suggested methods for immediate action have included route optimization and speed reduction. Although these proposals have the potential to reduce overall emissions, they will not lead to net zero emissions. Proposed solutions that require a greater investment but have the potential for net zero emissions are alternative fuels to diesel. Research into diesel alternatives, which has focused on ships making transoceanic voyages, has uncovered problems that make these alternatives an unsuitable replacement for diesel as of this writing. However, ships on the Great Lakes have a greater potential to successfully implement diesel alternatives based on the length of typical shipping routes and the size of the operational profile of the ship. This paper seeks to frame the problem of implementing diesel alternatives for Great Lakes bulk carriers from a supply chain and port perspective and provide suggestions on possible solutions to be further developed. Liquified natural gas, hydrogen, and biodiesel were considered. The results of this investigation show that these three alternatives are viable options for Great Lakes bulk carriers; however, each comes with a unique set of challenges. These challenges cannot be solved by one institution alone and only through extensive cooperation between all relevant stakeholders can the Great Lakes achieve decarbonization. Keywords Great Lakes; LNG; hydrogen; biodiesel; bulk carrier; decarbonization