FEBRUARY Marine Murmurs


Each month The Marine Professional asks you, its readers, to share your views on issues affecting the industry


With CO2


regulatory agenda, how can the shipping industry lower its carbon footprint?


reductions creeping up the 8


We always tend to look at the carbon challenge by focusing on the emissions from individual ships, and great efforts have been made over many years to improve the energy costs, and thereby emissions costs, of ships. However, if we think about the scales


of reductions in global carbon dioxide emissions that might be required to control the rise in global temperatures and stave off runaway climate disaster we might perhaps have to consider reducing the volume of global trade carried by sea. Most projections show that the


industry expects, albeit with periodic downturns, a steady growth in global trade going forward as global GDP grows and demand for goods and materials expands accordingly. Does anybody look at the alternative of a seismic shift in the global trade model? It might just be the alternative if the shipping industry cannot radically curtail the specific carbon cost of transportation. Meanwhile the pressure will be on to


make whatever improvements are economically and technically attainable, but a move to gas- fuelled ships can only be a step along the pathway to low- carbon marine transportation.


Vaughan Pomeroy, Fellow and Hon. Vice-President, IMarEST


Simply by phasing out the burning of fossil fuels for power production (throughout the world), CO2


reductions


would automatically follow! We already have an alternative source


and proven technology of energy production when using thorium in a molten salt reactor, but seem reluctant to utilize such a clean green alternative for the same power production purposes. For those who are not sure, uranium


is not the only nuclear fuel (actinide) on the table of natural elements, but this fuel does need to be processed in a manner which extracts practically all of its latent energy content. Still not sure? Then do a bit of online


research, as there is much to be learned about alternative energy sources (other than windmills).


Robin Gould, MIMarEST, Energy Consultant


There are various standalone and/or a combination of technological solutions being considered to lower the industry’s carbon footprint, such as innovative sail ships, fuel cells, methanol, hydrogen, second/third-generation biofuels, etc. The speed of adoption of these technologies is likely to be dictated by a strong regulatory framework. This could be coupled with incentivized carbon reduction scheme(s) from flag or port states. Then there is the curious case for


nuclear power with huge social and political barriers alongside high CAPEX. There are pros and cons with nuclear


energy but is it an ultimate solution if we want to meet ambitious CO2


targets?


I would say yes, but there is a long way to go before it becomes a serious contender.


Muhammad Usman, MIMarEST, Marine Consultant


Poll results: Does CMA-CGM’s pledge to build nine LNG-fuelled container ships mark a turning point in the adoption of gas as a fuel?


YES: 75% NO:25%


What action must be taken to reduce the impact of plastic pollution on the world’s marine ecosystems?


Is the World Bank right to stop financing new oil and gas exploration projects?


Share your views on our Twitter poll (@themarinepro), and send feedback to the editorial desk at marine@caspianmedia.com


Poll:


QUESTIONS Discussion:


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40