Maersk Triple-E vessel to sail on biofuel
Maritime transport (sea transport) accounts for around 90% of the global trade.. While the greenhouse gas emissions from shipping is much lower than other modes of transport at around 2.6% of total global emissions, this share could more than triple by 2050 if additional measures are not taken to reduce these emissions..
The International Maritime Organization (IMO) has been working to reduce the harmful impacts of shipping on the environment since the 1960’s and in 2016 adopted a new regulation commonly termed IMO 2020..
In line with this requirement and in an effort to reach its net zero CO2 target by 2050, Maersk Line will be teaming up with a group known as Dutch Sustainable Growth Coalition (DSGC) consisting of Dutch multinationals – Friesland Campina, Heineken, Philips, DSM, Shell and Unilever (many of them Maersk Line’s customers) on a pilot project to test the use of second-generation biofuels.
More ships using vegetable oil as fuel
In April 2018, more than 100 Member States met at the United Nations International Maritime Organization (IMO) in London and adopted an initial strategy on the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions from ships by at least 50% by 2050 compared to 2008 levels..
It was reported previously, that as from 1st of January 2020 the new global limit on the sulphur content will be 0.50% m/m..
More and more shipowners seem to be going the route of using vegetable oil as fuel..
More shipping lines join the 2020 sulphur cap fuel surcharge bandwagon….
Currently the bunker fuels used in all modern commercial ships have a high content of sulphur which is quite harmful to the environment..
The current global limit for sulphur content of ships fuel oil is 3.50% m/m (mass by mass)..
The IMO has been working to reduce harmful impacts of shipping on the environment since the 1960’s and as from 1st of Jan 2020, has implemented regulations that sets the new global limit on the sulphur content at 0.50% m/m..
IMO has advised several methods through which ships can meet lower sulphur emission standards, which obviously comes at a cost.. Read and share your comments on how these new costs may affect you..
A ship powered by vegetable oil…. Yah right…!!!
Albeit a bit slow compared to other industries, the shipping industry continues to innovate and try to better the environmental impact on the business worldwide.. Maritime transport reportedly has the lowest carbon emission per ton of goods carried over a kilometer when compared to other modes of transport..
But now a new initiative is reported to have successfully used VEGETABLE OIL instead of conventional bunker fuel to power a ship, offsetting over 40 tons of CO2 emissions while also significantly reducing other local emissions like sulphur, soot and black carbon..