Cruise operator Ponant has declared its intention to build a new kind of cruise ship — one that uses a combination of sustainable fuels to minimize its impact on the environment, Interesting Engineering reports.
Cruise ships are major polluters. A recent study found that just 63 ships operated by one cruise line produced more sulfur air pollution in one year than all the cars in Europe combined. The combined fleets of the world's cruise operators make a significant difference in the world's production of heat-trapping air pollution — so much so that many coastal cities are working toward cruise ship bans or have banned them already.
That makes Ponant's Swap2Zero ship a potential breath of fresh air.
Per Interesting Engineering, the proposed ship would use a combination of wind, liquid hydrogen, and bio-liquefied natural gas. Wind is obviously a source of clean energy and propulsion, and liquid hydrogen produces only water as a byproduct.
Liquefied natural gas is a more controversial fuel, since it does produce air pollution, but using biofuel instead of naturally occurring methane gas is still more eco-friendly than relying on the dirty fossil fuels that most cruise ships use.
The Swap2Zero would also be equipped with solar panels, Interesting Engineering revealed, and would use onboard carbon-capture technology to reduce its air pollution, as well as recover waste heat and cold. It could run solely on wind power for 30 days.
"This vessel concept represents our vision for the next generation of cruise vessels, showcasing how various technologies, energy sources, and processes can be harmonized to provide optimal autonomy and flexibility, all while being compliant with existing regulations," Ponant's Newbuilding and R&D Director, Mathieu Petiteau, said in a statement. "It is a realistic and profitable approach that achieves the highest level of decarbonization."
The classification society Bureau Veritas has granted the Swap2Zero approval in principle, Interesting Engineering explained.
It also complies with international standards such as the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS), the International Convention on Load Lines (CLL), the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL), and the International Code of Safety for Ships Using Gases or Other Low-flashpoint Fuels (IGF Code). That means we could see the project move from paper into the real world in the coming years.
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