The state is setting its sights on the maritime sector as a space to cut down on carbon emissions.
The University of Michigan recently received nearly $200,000 in state funding to figure out ways to make cargo shipping, recreational boating, commercial fishing, ports and ferries more sustainable.
Thomas McKenney, from the University of Michigan's department of Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering, is leading the project. He said the maritime climate strategy will be completed next year and would guide future policy and funding decisions.
"There's a lot of initiatives and activities going on throughout the state, throughout the nation, as well as globally," McKenney said. "What we want to do here is to to pull it all together into some sort of coordinated, cohesive approach at the state level."
McKenney said the strategy's goals will be in line with the state's MI Healthy Climate Plan that sets targets to reach carbon neutrality by 2050.
Shipping is among the most energy-efficient ways to transport goods, but the industry still contributes to about 3% of all global greenhouse gas emissions. That means if the maritime industry was its own country, it would rank sixth on the list of largest GHG emitters, according to the U.S. Department of Energy.
Potential solutions the strategy could examine include use of new fuel sources and expanding opportunities for ship operators to electrify their fleet. McKenney said the plan will also identify barriers that make a sustainable transition difficult.
For example, recreational boaters are typically active for a limited time, but include a huge portion of the population. And on the flipside, there are a handful of ferries in Michigan, so electrification is a more viable option but may still be a costly switch.
"The key is to get all the right people in the room together and work out what's needed to get it done and actually position ourselves well for success in the future," McKenney said.
