Environment

The settlement of marine organisms on vessels underwater surfaces increases drag, fuel consumption (with increased greenhouse gas emissions) and can facilitate the translocation of Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS) into Australian and New Zealand waters. To minimize this threat, in water hull cleaning was banned in Australia and New Zealand in 1997.

In 2011 the Department of Fisheries – Western Australia (DoF) sought a suitable service provider to trial an in water hull cleaning system capable of cleaning and encapsulating marine biofouling from vessels over 40 metres as a counter measure to minimise the treat of introducing AIS into Australian waters.

Continue reading “Franmarine finalises in-water hull cleaning system Envirocart”

Global marine coatings supplier Hempel A/S has announced that it has launched an innovative new fuel-saving fouling release coating, known as Hempasil X3+, that tricks organisms into believing the hull is liquid, and not a solid structure.

“This innovative new fuel saving fouling release coating has been developed in consultation with our customers to offer an additional choice for owners and yards and to deliver optimal fuel savings,” said Henrik Dyrholm, Group Product Manager at Hempel.

Continue reading “Hempel innovates by releasing a fuel saving fouling release coating”

A consortium of environmental scientists has expressed strong concern about the impact of the controversial Central American Nicaragua Canal. The path of the Nicaragua Canal to connect the Atlantic and Pacific oceans will cut through Lake Cocibolca (aka Lake Nicaragua), Central America’s main freshwater reservoir and the largest tropical freshwater lake of the Americas; this plan will force the relocation of indigenous populations and impact a fragile ecosystem, including species at risk of extinction, according to Rice University environmental engineer Pedro Alvarez and other members of the consortium.

Alvarez is co-corresponding author of an article that includes 21 co-authors from 18 institutions in the United States and Central and South America who gathered at a multidisciplinary international workshop in Managua, Nicaragua, last November to discuss the project. The paper, titled “Scientists Raise Alarms About Fast Tracking of Transoceanic Canal Through Nicaragua,” has been published by the American Chemical Society journal Environmental Science and Technology.

Continue reading “Environmental concerns of the Nicaragua Canal raised”

BIMCO has launched a new, multi-part guidance resource to support ship owners and operators in improving their environmental performance and the efficiency of their ships.

The BIMCO Guide to Maritime Environmental & Efficiency Management, developed in partnership with maritime efficiency specialists Fathom, and supported by ClassNK, provides a resource to facilitate compliance with environmental regulations and assist owners and operators in the development of an environmental and efficiency management system. This first-of-a-kind, comprehensive resource allows ship owners and operators to develop an all-encompassing environmental and efficiency management system.

Continue reading “BIMCO launches maritime environmental and efficiency management guide”

Marine vessels are a significant source of greenhouse gas and air pollutant emissions, including CO2, NOX, SOX, particulate matter, and black carbon, which impact local air quality, human health, and the global climate. Since the record low Arctic sea ice extent recorded in September 2012, policy attention has increasingly focused on strategies for addressing shipping activity in the Arctic and the associated environmental impacts.

Continue reading “Air pollution from marine vessels in the US High Arctic set to rise”