With the Union Minister of Ports, Shipping & Waterways announcing India’s plan to become the global hub for green shipbuilding by 2030, the ministry launched the ‘Green Tug Transition Program’ or the GTTP. We will explore green shipbuilding and its importance in this four-part series.
The Green Tug Program launched by the Ministry of Ports, shipping, and Waterways aims to convert all the tugboats into ‘Green Hybrid Tugs,’ which will run on non-fossil fuels like Ammonia, Methanol, and Hydrogen.
In this episode, we will explore what green shipbuilding is. Let’s jump straight in.
Shipbuilding is one of the hardest metal industries. In addition to various kinds of metals, workers are exposed to hazardous chemicals. Traditional production processes, such as painting, welding, fiberglass production and blasting, harm the health of the workers and also negatively impact the environment.
The shipping industry releases 3 percent of the world’s carbon dioxide, whilst consuming 300 million tons of fuel every year. Carbon emissions and other hazardous gasses are released to the environment as a result of burning fuel.
Green Ships are seagoing vessels created to emit the least amount of carbon into the atmosphere. Vessels built using green ship technology consume less energy, are more efficient, and substantially decrease emissions.
Here are a few strategies the green shipping industry follows. Some can be implemented immediately and others are in the infancy stage.
- Switching to Low-Sulfur Fuel
Lower sulfur content not only decreases harmful gasses released into the atmosphere but also allows shipbuilders to apply advanced emission control technologies. These advanced technologies ensure that the vessel produces lower harmful emissions during diesel combustions.
Before moving on to the next point here is a quotation from a research paper by Daniel I. Janson:
“It is important to acknowledge that a Green Shipyard only considers sustainable production of vessels and the repairs performed, as the scope only includes the operational lifecycle phase. The materials themselves are not necessarily sustainable, since elements such as transport and recovery of resources are not taken into account in the determination of the degree of sustainability. Achieving null impact is only possible by minimizing the impact of energy use and pollution produced, and by compensating the resulting impact by positively contributing to the environment.”
- Incorporate a Ballast-Free System
Ballast water contains unwanted species, which increases the potential hauling of the polluted water. The ballast-free system helps in effectively managing a green vessel.
In the next episode, we will go through more strategies that the green shipping industry follows.
How did you find this information? Please mention this in the comments section. We would also like to know the kind of content you want to watch, and we will try to create it for you. For more news and updates, follow Airr News.
Can India become the hub of green shipbuilding by 2030?
What is green shipbuilding?
Why are green vessels required?
What is the benefit of adopting a ballast-free system?
What is the advantage of low-sulfur fuel?
