- Our current debate is on zero-carbon propulsion, and it’s at least a start.
- The environmental impact of the steel and equipment that go into a ship is significant.
- Somewhere out there, there must be a yard and an owner who is looking at this?
Carl Martin Faannessen, CEO of Manila-based crewing firm Noatun Maritime, on how much shipping has fallen behind in terms of pollution reduction as reported by Splash 247.
Safety features
In 1992, Volvo showed off the ECC – the Environmental Concept Car.
While most of the focus was on its hybrid propulsion system (gas turbine and batteries), as well as extensive safety features, little attention was paid to the “E” in its name and how deeply thought through it was.
It marked what effectively became the turning point for the automotive industry from an environmental perspective.
Since then, Toyota went hybrid and they were followed by almost every other auto company on the planet.
Many tried fully electric, but it took Tesla to make it common.
They don’t talk about recyclability, yet, but all are aware that recycling will be necessary.
Environmental impact
If there are people in our industry talking about going to a clean zero for a vessel, also taking into account the construction and recycling, I’ve yet to hear it.
The environmental impact of the steel and equipment that go into a ship is significant.
Owners today should be aiming for zero emissions from the moment the vessel is launched.
Owners need to take into account the impact of sourcing and producing every component that goes into the vessel, as well as the impact of ship breakage.
If an owner does not order a ship, that’s thousands of tons of steel that do not need to be produced, and even higher weight in the ore that does not need to be extracted, transported and refined.
Not to mention the impact of paints, cabling, machinery, etc.
Recycle
As part of any contract to build a vessel, the shipyard should also offer to dismantle and recycle it just like Apple does with its products: You hand in your old one and get a discount on a new one, and you know the old will be recycled properly.
All in an effort to minimise the environmental impact of the industry.
If we don’t get ahead of it, activists and regulators eventually will set the agenda.
It’s abysmal, and a zero-emission ship is only the beginning.
Somewhere out there, there must be a yard and an owner who is looking at this?
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Source: Splash 247
