Welcome to the March issue of Materials World

When we talk about decarbonising transport, much of the attention, from the general public at least, is on our personal transport requirements. In this issue, two heavyweights that are critical for moving goods are explored.   

Authors from Innovate UK share efforts to decarbonise heavy goods vehicles (HGVs). 'The ultimate destination' being zero-tailpipe emission vehicles.

As they navigate through the different technology options and infrastructure requirements, we are reminded that, although this might be the most visible area for attention, production emissions are also a challenge.

Ultimately, collaboration between different stakeholders in the supply chain will drive demand for change. Agreements between automotive original equipment manufacturers and material producers are being forged to achieve lower-carbon manufacturing, while freight operators are also engaging in decarbonisation programmes. With timely delivery the order of the day, reliable vehicles and infrastructure remain critical to meet customer demand.  

Meanwhile, just-in-time delivery is less of an issue in the bulk shipping industry, explains Gavin Allwright of the International Windship Association in his article. Here, wind propulsion technologies are gaining momentum to reduce fuel usage and emissions, but, as with HGVs, there are an array of technology and operating models to consider.

Mining company Vale and aircraft manufacturer Airbus are just some of the companies joining hands with technology developers in this space. We hope you enjoy this issue.