From the titanic era to the AI era: smart technology to drive green transformation in shipping

Maritime transportation, although highly efficient, remains carbon-intensive and must undergo substantial transformation to achieve decarbonisation and ultimately emission-free operation by the 2050 regulatory target. Given the typical 25-year design life of ships, this transition requires both continuous retrofitting of the existing fleet and the integration of new technologies in newbuilds at varying levels of readiness. Currently, the feasibility of carbon- and emission-free solutions depends largely on the availability of alternative fuels, whose limited supply and demand result in high costs and price volatility. In parallel, optimisation of onboard energy systems remains crucial. Technologies, such as heat pumps, direct-current grids, wind-assisted propulsion and advanced route optimisation, provide practical pathways to improved efficiency and reduced emissions. This paper reviews these technologies and discusses the key challenges to achieving emission-free shipping.