Cruise ships switching fuel to cleaner liquefied natural gas
U.S. cruise ships have started to switch to cleaner burning liquefied natural gas (LNG), starting with a new vessel due at Florida's Port Canaveral in November.
LNG also will mean a clearer view for passengers by eliminating visible smoke from ship smokestacks, said Brian Salerno, senior vice president for maritime policy at the Cruise Lines International Association.
The first cruise ship in the United States to use LNG fuel will be the Carnival Mardi Gras, which is under construction in Finland.
Cruise ships historically used a dense version of diesel that releases pollutants such as sulfur and particulate matter.
LNG has a lower energy cost per ton when compared to marine fuel oil by nearly 24 percent, according to a recent report from the U.S. Congressional Research Service. But the report said installing an LNG-fueled engine can add about $5 million to the cost of a new ship.
I presume this is in response to negative statistics/reporting such as this (April 2019):
The German watchdog Nabu surveyed 77 cruise ships and found that all but one used toxic heavy fuel oil that the group described as “dirtiest of all fuels”. This came a year after the same watchdog blew the whistle on German cruise operators for failing to adhere to their own air quality safety standards. The data collected reveals that standing on the deck of a cruise ship is similar to being in one of the world’s most polluted cities, with health experts warning of the issues surrounding poor air quality.
Wonder how much of a weight change there is from storing thick fuel in the belly of the ship vs. carrying liquified natural gas? If significant, wonder how they are compensating for that to keep the ships at the proper sailing depth?
Grace & Peace & Love to you all -
Matt