Proefschrift

Future environmental impacts of hydrogen production and its use in container shipping

Hydrogen-based fuels are regarded as promising candidates for decarbonizing the maritime shipping sector.

Auteur: S. Wei
Datum: 11 februari 2026
Links: Thesis in Leiden Repository

Nevertheless, uncertainties surrounding the development of the hydrogen economy, together with the technical and operational challenges associated with their application in shipping, highlight the need for a life cycle perspective to clarify their decarbonization potential and associated environmental trade-offs. Such an approach can support the development of effective roadmaps to minimize other environmental impacts while decarbonizing maritime shipping with hydrogen-based fuels. Accordingly, this thesis addresses the overarching question: What are the future environmental impacts of hydrogen production and its use in container shipping? With this objective, the thesis systematically investigates the life cycle environmental impacts of global hydrogen production and the use of hydrogen-based fuels at both individual ship and fleet levels. The decarbonization potential of hydrogen production and its application in container shipping is identified, and potential environmental and feasibility risks are highlighted.