Plankton are essential to all marine ecosystems. The downfall of plankton would be catastrophic to the entire structure of the food web. The destructive open-loop scrubbers are on a rapid track to making that downfall happen.
As everyone should be aware, the use of open loop scrubbers is a major loophole in the legislation and many so called “green” ship ownersare mercilessly exploiting it. Remember, the name scrubber is deceptive. Any pollution
It might be time to reconsider your vacation plans. More than two years after the pandemic shut down the cruise line industry, many passengers are eager to set sail again. While the all-inclusive getaways are tempting, those considering an environmentally......
It doesn’t seem like much has changed for the Cargill corporation. The Minnesota-based, agricultural giant has been dubbed by some as “the world's worst company” and it certainly appears like they are trying to live up to that name. In...
The waters surrounding the Port of Vancouver just got a whole lot cleaner. New restrictions issued by the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority now ban the discharge of washwater from scrubbers within port limits. According to research from the International Council...
It may be worst case scenario in the Antarctic. There, scientists are sounding the alarm after two recent studies revealed concerning trends in the environment’s overall health. The fragile marine ecosystem is facing a magnitude of anthropogenic threats and quite literally cracking under the pressure.
Come March 1st, the Port of Vancouver will be a little less welcoming to scrubber-equipped ships. New restrictions issued by the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority, will ban the discharge of washwater from exhaust gas cleaning systems within port limits. The ban applies to both open-loop and closed-loop scrubbers.
Progress made at COP26 failed to translate into action at the IMO’s latest environmental meeting. Just days after touting ambitious emissions goals at the global climate conference in Glasgow, maritime leaders met at MEPC77 with what appeared to be a drastic change of heart
For Florida’s manatees, 2021 has already marked a grim milestone. More manatees have died this year than ever before on record. Between January and July, over 840 manatee deaths were reported. That is more than twice the number of deaths recorded over the same period in 2020 and at this rate,
Back in 2019, Walmart’s commitment to installing electric vehicle charging stations in many of its stores was met with a round of applause. And when they strengthened their requirements for the sustainable sourcing of their products, that too was seen as a win for mother nature.
When Petrus Kinggo was approached by South Korean palm oil giant, Korindo, with an offer to buy his land, the native Indonesian realized he had little chance to refuse. Korindo had already received the necessary concessions from the government to acquire the land.
It is back to the drawing board for the IMO. The industry leader faced harsh criticism following last month’s Marine Environment Protection Committee meeting (MEPC 76). The shipping sector has notoriously fallen behind other major industries in implementing green initiatives and unfortunately, discussions at MEPC 76 spurred little progress.
According to the ICCT’s estimate, Vancouver can expect 5.2 million tons (Mt) of scrubber washwater annually once cruises resume sailing. That day could come by March of 2022 and the busy Port of Vancouver anticipates that cruise traffic will return to pre-COVID levels shortly...
A new study is shedding light on the impact and just how much scrubber washwater is being discharged into the oceans annually and the numbers are staggering. The International Council on Clean Transportation’s (ICCT) latest report estimates that scrubber fitted ships emit at least 10 gigatonnes...
Are we seeing a glimpse of the future? The Getting to Zero Coalition is hopeful that the trends revealed in their latest report could forecast the clean shipping fuels of tomorrow. The report entitled Mapping of Zero Emission Pilots and Demonstration Projects examines the extent of decarbonization efforts in the shipping...
Another major lending institute has joined Poseidon Principles. MUFG Bank has become the latest signatory on a growing list of finance firms making a concerted effort to lend sustainably. The Japanese banking giant joins four other major Japanese financial institutes that have already declared their support...
Fuel prices are on the rise. As the cost of crude oil has slowly ticked upward, the price gap between HSFO and VLSFO has also widened. For shipping executives trying desperately to recover millions lost in scrubber investments, the reprieve may be long-awaited but for the rest of us, it comes as terrible news. Even with...
Deep in the pristine waters of the Arctic you can hardly hear a sound. The secluded marine environment is one of the quietest places on Earth. For the beluga whales that call this region home, the silence is bliss. Belugas rely on echolocation to traverse the dark waters on the hunt for food, but the high frequency calls they emit in the process...