Centro de Documentación OLADE -

Current situation of the Waterway. International specifications on liquid fuels for ships. The use of alternative energy sources in river transport. LNG as an alternative fuel. Other potential fuels. Biodiesel as a marine fuel. Electric vessels. Sailing on hydrogen. Sustainable replacement opportunities in the river transport system. Natural gas supply and transportation chain, some experiences. Current fuel supply system for vessels in the main ports. General characteristics of the LNG suply system. Analysis limits. Recommendations. Annex 1: Current specifications of bunker fuels in the waterway. Annex 2: Examples of relevant nautical electromobility. Annex 3: How does a hydrogen fuel cell work? Annex 4: Methods for hydrogen storage. Annex 5: Alternative fuels for vessels.

This study's main objective, within its scope, is to make a first approach to the replacement of bunker fuels used in the Paraguay - Paraná Waterway with more sustainable and environmentally friendly energy alternatives. To do this, replacement options such as natural gas, electricity or hydrogen were evaluated. However, considering the feasibility and current trends, the analysis of the potential substitution by Natural Gas has been deepened. It should be noted that a complete life cycle analysis was not performed to determine the greenhouse gas emissions associated with the use of the fuel alternatives that were evaluated.