Hotspot evolution in ship energy conservation-emission reduction and technology trends in ship de-carbonization

To analyse the changes in the hotspots and predict the future development direction of emission reduction technology in the field of ship energy saving and emission reduction, we searched for literature on ship energy saving and emission reduction published within the past 30 years through the China Knowledge Network and Web of Science. We then carried out statistical analysis of the literature according to keywords and the number of articles, and visualised the main data.The main data were visualised. Through analyzing the hotspots and their changes in the ship energy conservation and emission reduction domain over the past three decades, combined with technical literature research, the following conclusions were drawn: The industry focus has shifted from prioritizing energy efficiency in the early stage to balancing energy conservation and emission reduction, and now to emphasizing emission reduction as the primary goal. Energy conservation remains a crucial means for emission reduction, while the adoption of alternative energy sources is projected to be the most effective carbon reduction technology in the future. Methanol and hydrogen fuels are the most promising alternative fuels for widespread application. Hydrogen exhibits greater emission reduction potential but requires overcoming more technical challenges, and its extensive adoption is expected to lag behind methanol.