Alberto Llobis (Manchester, 1990), PhD in Aeronautical Engineering from the University of Manchester, The conference gave this Monday Ships, emissions and new technologies At the Estudi General Lullià, in Palma, in an event organized by the Fòrum de la Societat Civil. Mayorcan works as chief aerodynamics engineer at the Barcelona-based company. Bound4blue.
Where are the solutions to reduce emissions in the marine sector heading?
Ships emit many pollutants. In 2022, they contributed 3% of global emissions. Considering that 90% of what we consume daily is transported by ship, the impact is very significant. Climate change awareness also reaches the maritime and shipping sector. Solutions are being sought. Shipowners and shipowners want to reduce their expenses. Of the costs of operating a merchant ship, up to 60% corresponds to fuel. It is good for them and also to reduce emissions. Regulations impose the application of new technologies. One of the free energy available and always present is the wind. Why not take advantage? A hundred years ago, everything was transported in ships with sails. It’s taking a step back a little bit. It’s not the sail you would imagine on a regular sailboat, made of canvas. We’re talking more about metal towers, which look more like an airplane wing than a sail.
Are they already being used?
Yes, it’s not a new technology. Its development began in the 1980s with the Cousteau Foundation. M. Cousteau has already been mentally there, where we are now, for forty years. It’s something that always amazes me. What we suggest is not to remove the engine, because it’s not that simple. We suggest an additional payment method. If the wind pushes your boat by 20, 30 or 40%, you save all that on fuel and emissions. Let’s say it’s a hybrid.
Can it be applied to commercial ships and cruise ships?
exactly. Regulations force ships of more than 5,000 tons to reduce emissions. Every year they are more restricted, so they are forced to take action. One proposal is wind propulsion. To be honest, with cruise ships it’s a little more difficult because of the type of operation you’re in. They sail very short distances, very quickly, and spend a lot of time in port. When you’re in port, sails don’t help you. But on commercial ships, on long routes, for example between France and the United States, back and forth, it has very clear benefits.
Is the cruise industry making progress on sustainability through, for example, its commitment to LNG or is it greenwashing?
Regulations tell you that you have to apply the techniques you want. Alternative fuel is one of them, whether it is gas, ammonia and hydrogen. They are progressing little by little, and they have their complexities. There is some concern among ship owners.
because?
For example, ammonia is dangerous, like gasoline, but we are used to it. Changing fuel is not as easy as changing the engine. Spillage must be avoided because releasing ammonia into the sea, for example, poses a greater risk to marine diversity. These details are still under investigation.
“A hundred years ago, everything was transported in boats with sails. It’s gone back a little bit.”
What does it mean to save on sailing?
boat Eames Traveler, which sails general cargo across Europe, with two 17-meter sails, will save 245 tons of carbon dioxide per year. There are about 76.7 tons of fuel with an economic value of $57,000 annually. Our latest installation, the Bordeaux city, which transports parts of Airbus aircraft from Saint-Nazaire, France, to Mobile, in the United States, with three 22-meter sails, will save 2,705 tons of carbon dioxide annually. The fuel contains 845 tons, equivalent to about 590 thousand dollars. The number of sailing boats is about 40-50, and their number is expected to reach more than a hundred within two years.
What do we do on cruises?
They spend a lot of time in port. That’s their biggest problem, their energy consumption to run everything, the lights, the air conditioning, the whole outdoor and entertainment part is brutal. As citizens of Palma, this is what we suffer from the most.
One of the cruise industry’s goals is to reach net zero carbon emissions by 2050.
There are regulations in place that push them to achieve this. This is something that honestly gives me a lot of peace.
78% of the cruise fleet is equipped with a wastewater treatment system. Doesn’t that seem insufficient to you at this point?
It must be taken into account that pollution is not limited only to gases emitted, but also includes pollution that enters the sea, due to dirty water or even noise. Twenty-five ships with partial wind propulsion make the same noise as one ship without it. This greatly affects whales and other living creatures in the sea.
“The biggest problem with cruise ships is the energy consumption in port, it’s brutal.”
When electricity finally reaches the port of Palma, what progress will it mean?
It is very important for large yachts and cruise ships because of all the emissions they no longer emit in port. At the peaks where we managed to have five cruise ships at the same time, with chimneys that could be seen lit, they would disappear. Welcome, the sooner the better. The problem is that I see problems in a place like Mallorca. We are talking about megawatt facilities. Where do we get that on a small island with limited power generation resources compared to the peninsula? I have doubts whether our electrical system here in Mallorca can handle it.
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