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August 2008
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CONS.A.R. ENVIRONMENTAL FORUM
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ENVIRONMENTAL NEWS
August 28th 2008 -NYK chooses the sun
Japanese shipping company NYK intends to use the solar power to provide propulsion to 60.000 tons car-carriers, with a total length of about 200 meters and able to carry up to 6400 cars. Solar energy is nowadays already used to move boat in Sydney which connect platforms in the port, ferries in London which make minitour without the use of any combustible. NYK's project is to fulfil their objectives in a period of three-five years, once the last problem concerning the robustness of the panels to the waves' forces will be solved. In three years NYK wants to provide all its car-carriers with solar panels, halving the fuel consumption. After that, the project may be extended to containerships, too, but un that case power sullied by the sun will be less tah 30% of the total energy necessary for the ship's propulsion.
Shippingonline
August 25th 2008 - Stringent emission regulations open for review
The California Air Resource Board (ARB) invites maritime industry to comment the proposed amendments to regulations about emission produced by ocean-going vessels while at berth in the port of California. These regulations are aimed to reduced emissions from auxiliary engines taking also in consideration the cold ironing.
The first hypothesis, well known as " reduced onboard power generation", is based on the shut down of auxiliary engines for a certain percentage of the total visit's time at berth of a ship with a reduction of the power generation from auxiliary engines. Under the suggestions, by January 1, 2014, auxiliary engines will be required to shut down (except for the allowable three or five hours of operation) for 50% of the fleet's vessel visits, and onboard auxiliary engine power generation of the fleet will be reduced by 50%. By January 1, 2017, auxiliary engines will be required to be shut down for 70% of the fleet's vessel visits, and onboard auxiliary engine power generation of the fleet to be reduced by 70%. This will then increase to 80% by January 1, 2020.
The second option is called "equivalent emission reduction option": under this option, a 10% reduction of at-berth emissions will be required by 2010, 25% reduction by 2012, 50% reduction by 2014, 70% reduction by 2017, and 80% reduction by 2020.
Additional recommendations put forward include modifying the regulation to ensure a fleet is not penalised when a ship is unable to shut down auxiliary engines and cold-iron when at berth because of an emergency event beyond the vessel's control.
Bunkerworld
August 21st 2008 - Emission reductions pose commercial and environmental problems
Interferry warns that plans for the reduction of emissions from ships could lead to a greater risk of increate emissions from other transport sectors. In fact, international regulations require limits which determine a substantial increase of costs and this can contribute to force ferry operators out of the market or be passed to the customers, pushing them onto the roads.
While proposed MARPOL Annex VI regulations allow to reduce pollutant emissions from ships, they pose problems in regions where destinations are reachable also by land with reduced costs. So there is a concrete risk to increase cars and trucks traffic against European Community targets which encourage as much traffic off the road and onto ships.
Bunkerworld
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