Assessment of dry bulk carriers regarding decarbonisation and entropy management

Abstract

The effects of global climate change and related corporate awareness have brought carbon management models to the fore in sectoral strategies aiming to reduce air pollution/carbon emissions. Dry bulk carriers, making up 42.7% of the shipping market, have a significant share in the decarbonisation process. Reducing fuel consumption of ships, playing a significant role in air pollution, is a requirement for environmental sustainability. Thus, a model adopting a holistic approach is required to support decision-making processes in the shipbuilding industry. The study aims to develop a decarbonisation framework by conducting sectoral environmental impact analyses based on entropy management. In this study, the ships’ average exergetic efficiency is calculated as 16.91%, and the sectoral improvement potential is 69.32%, so the improvement potential on entropy generation is 79.44%. In the end, it has been concluded that alternative energy solutions are vital for sectoral development in the shipping industry, and recommendations are presented.