The new ships, the super mega-ships with a capacity for more than 7.000 tourists and 2.000 crew members, have impressive engines. You can already imagine what it is to move 23 pools, 20 restaurants, giant slides, casino, theater ... it is about 200.000 tons with a Diesel fuel consumption on average about 110.000 liters per day “Most polluting” in the world.
But what am I talking about when I tell you the most polluting diesel… keep reading and you will have this information.
According to Wikipedia there are two large groups of marine diesel, which are used in both the commercial and military navy. Marine diesel engines run on diesel fuel, heavy fuel oil or, more recently, liquefied natural gas.
Orimulsion or extra heavy crude oil
Until the end of 2006, the orimulsion as fuelThis fuel is also called extra heavy crude oil. Simply, to give a more global vision of what orimulsion is, some of the advantages of this compared to other energy sources are that it contains a calorific value comparable to that of fossil coal, after gas, it is the cleanest fuel, since it expels low CO2 emissions, and it is also a liquid fuel that can be easily transported. Liquid Natural Gas is being introduced in the new engines.
Fuel oil
Those who demonstrate against cruise ships attack this type of vessel, because in most cases fuel oil is still used as engine fuel. This is an oil residue ultra-polluting (3.500 times more than diesel) but much cheaper. The reality is that when a boat of the characteristics that I mentioned before enters port, fuel oil is replaced by another type of more refined fuel, but still with a polluting power 100 times more than normal diesel. The truth is that fuel oil is a fuel that is prohibited from being used in engines on land, since it is considered a dangerous waste and the treatment of its waste is highly expensive.
Investment in new fuels
Faced with this problem, shipping companies are adapting to criticism from society and investing in research to change the type of fuel. at this time the least polluting alternative is the LNG, Liquefied Natural Gas, which reduces nitrogen oxide emissions by 90% and CO24 emissions by approximately 2%.
But transition from marine diesel to LNG is not easy, It does not happen overnight, you have to change the infrastructure on the ships that are already sailing and that requires investment. Besides the new ships have to be designed differently, the infrastructure has to change. And then there is the training of the personnel, the engineers have to be prepared to handle that type of fuel, and most importantly, and it is not minor, fuel has to be available in ports to be able to refuel. It is no use that everything is ready and then you do not have access to fuel from the ground.
El Emerald coast, which will be launched in October 2019, will be the first ship powered entirely by LNG. The new Costa Cruises ship will weigh more than 180.000 gross tons and she has designed 2.600 cabins for 6.600 tourists. The tickets for her maiden voyage are now on sale, the "maiden" cruise departs from Hamburg, and stops in the cities of Rotterdam, Lisbon, Barcelona and Marseille, from where it will go to Savona. On the night of November 3 there will be a huge party in the Italian city. As of this christening night, the Costa Smeralda will remain in the Mediterranean.
Year 2020, the year of the ecological challenge
The International Maritime Organization (IMO) has set 2020 as the deadline for shipping companies to comply with the legal obligation to use fuels with lower sulfur content.
The current emission limit is 3.50 m / m and the new global limit will be 0.50 m / m.
This significant reduction in sulfur emission will be a great positive impact both in the environment and in the health of people living in port cities and coastal areas.
But this challenge must not only be reflected in the machines and engines of large ships, but also shipping companies are implementing policies to conserve resources, energy, water, recycle, educate your crews and invite cruise passengers to have greener experiences, so that we can continue to enjoy cruises and the oceans.
