# Electrification in Maritime Vessels: Reviewing Storage Solutions and Long-Term Energy Management
## 2 Electrification of Marine Vessels
### Energy Management System (EMS) for Marine Vessels  
The energy management system (EMS) is designed to monitor, control, and optimize the distribution, production, and consumption of electrical energy onboard. Its primary goal is to improve energy efficiency, reduce fuel consumption, and minimize environmental impact. The EMS achieves this by managing various power sources and loads, optimizing generator operations, and controlling the charge and discharge cycles of energy storage systems. Additionally, it monitors energy consumption, manages electrical loads, and integrates potential renewable energy sources, such as solar panels and wind turbines, into the ship's power systems. With these essential functions, the EMS has become a critical component in various maritime platforms. On cruise ships, it ensures efficient power generation and load supervision. For container ships, it effectively distributes power to refrigeration units and other storage systems. Ferries benefit from the EMS by maximizing the use of renewable energy sources and battery systems, ensuring minimal environmental impact. On naval vessels, the EMS provides stable power for mission-critical systems while minimizing overall energy use [44]. Artificial intelligence (AI) integration enhances the capabilities of the EMS, enabling smarter decision making and predictive functionalities. Through AI, the EMS can learn from historical data and real-time input to optimize operations even further. For example, AI-driven algorithms can continuously adjust power distribution in response to changing conditions such as weather, sea currents, and operational requirements. AI also enables more precise forecasting of energy demand, providing better load balancing and reducing waste. There are several main use cases of EMSs for maritime vessels. Firstly, an AI-powered EMS can optimize engine and propulsion systems to minimize fuel consumption based on a wide range of variables, including routes, sea conditions, and weather factors [45]. Machine learning algorithms analyze historical data and real-time inputs to recommend optimal routes and speeds, further enhancing fuel efficiency. Secondly, by supervising the energy flow and engine operation processes, the EMS contributes to decreasing emissions and ensuring compliance with international regulations, such as those set by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) [46]. The integration of AI allows EMSs to proactively adjust operations to meet emissions standards in real time [47]. Another key use case is the EMS's ability to integrate renewable energy sources, such as solar panels and wind turbines, with conventional diesel engines [47]. AI algorithms can predict and optimize the contribution of renewable sources based on weather forecasts and ship operational conditions. This seamless integration not only maximizes energy efficiency but also minimizes reliance on fossil fuels, reducing the overall environmental footprint. AI-based predictive analytics can also monitor the current state of equipment, forecast potential failures, and schedule maintenance proactively, thereby preventing unexpected breakdowns and reducing costly downtime [26]. Lastly, EMSs, integrated with AI, can manage the efficient distribution of power to different onboard systems, particularly in complex naval ships with high energy demands [48]. AI allows the system to dynamically adjust power distribution to ensure critical systems are always supplied with energy, while non-essential systems can be powered down or reconfigured as necessary, ensuring optimal resource allocation. An EMS offers numerous benefits for maritime vessels, such as fuel cost reduction through optimized routes and speed configurations, increased operational safety by observing real-time data on equipment status and energy systems, and assistance in meeting strict emission regulations by supporting sustainable operations.