Every time you make a purchase, it is going to be transported via cargo ship in most cases. The reason is quite simple. This is the cheapest mode of international transport. However, it doesn’t matter if you are simply a customer or you are working in the shipping industry, all the mass-movement of goods comes with an environmental footprint. Experts have estimated that one cargo ship can produce the same amount of pollution as almost 50 million cars. For this reason, next time you plan to ship your items with shipping companies in Kuwait, see their omission policies. On the same hand, if you’re working in the shipping industry, here are all the ways for reducing shipping’s emissions.
Reducing shipping’s emissions by switching to cleaner sources of fuel
When you’re looking for cargo shipping companies in Kuwait, you should hire one that uses cleaner sources of fuel. This is probably the quickest and easiest way to reduce emissions. Usually, cargo ships require a lot of energy which they get from gigantic fuel reserves. One mid-sized container ship can use more than 2,000,000 gallons of fuel. Since these ships require so much fuel, the companies would usually use low-cost and low-grade heavy fuel oil which has more sulfur than diesel. This option was obviously not environment-friendly. Therefore, the international maritime organization imposed a new strict rule for bunker fuel. It reduced sulfur content from 3.5% to only 0.5%. In addition to this, there is a new trend for using biofuels which can significantly reduce emissions without expensive modifications to engines. This is a good start to reducing emissions.
Using wind power
Usually, you wouldn’t associate shipping with wind power. However, because of innovative engineering and technological advancement, global shipping companies are looking to use wind power for a cheaper and cleaner way to ship goats across the world. The most popular example of this would be the ocean bird, a Swedish cargo vessel that is capable of transporting 7000 cars across the Atlantic. By using similar ships, experts claim that it is possible to reduce the CO2 emissions from ships by almost 90%. However, there are a couple of disadvantages of using wind power. It would take around 12 days to make a journey that would normally take less than a week. This ship is set to launch in 2024. Until then, you will still use Easy Move Kuwait shipping and moving services.
Reducing shipping’s emissions by using green hydrogen
There are other exciting developments that can be used to reduce shipping emissions. One of those would be the emergence of hydrogen. To be more specific, green hydrogen can be used to power heavy machines that include the following.
- Trucks
- Planes
- Ships
If you use solar or wind power sources to split water into hydrogen and oxygen, you can produce green hydrogen. Likewise, green hydrogen can potentially create 100% emission-free shipping anytime you need it. However, there is one big disadvantage of this choice. Green hydrogen requires two to four times the physical space of bunker fuel which means that this ship won’t be able to carry as many items as it can now. Your items will need to stay longer in warehouse Kuwait. Additionally, shipping companies will need to replace existing engines with electronic motors and hydrogen fuel cells if they want to use green hydrogen fuel.
Consider using battery storage in the future
Using batteries instead of fuel has been a trend when it comes to cars. Companies like Tesla have been using electricity instead of fuel when manufacturing their cars. This can be also an option for the shipping industry as well. One Danish shipping company is going to do the trial of a new 600-kilowatt-hour battery. However, if this trial proves to be successful, this low-carbon solution will be available by 2050. There is another Norwegian company that is also building the world’s first all-electric cargo ship. They believe that this cargo ship will be a good replacement. Just like with the previous solution, there are some limitations to using batteries. It would be because of their size and weight. They would take up too much space in the ship while not leaving enough space for all the cargo.
Reducing shipping’s emissions with lower travel speeds
Reducing travel speeds is available unlike some options listed above. This means powering down engines to conserve fuel. Commercial shipping companies used this method for the first time in 2007. Since it was proven to be successful, many countries are suggesting to make slow steaming one of the most important strategies of carbon reduction. This option is available for every ship and every company can do it any time. If you reduce a ship’s speed by only 10%, it will reduce carbon emissions by 27%. However, the biggest downside of this option would be a long time to transport cargo. This might not make all the customers happy but it is the easiest and most effective solution. Furthermore, a shipping company can save a lot of money since they do not need to invest in new engines, shapes, technologies, etc.
Everyone should be involved
Reducing shipping emissions and being more environmentally friendly is not one person’s job. Whether you are an individual using shipping services or a business owner, you can take steps to eliminate or reduce CO2 emissions. As an individual, there are ways to reduce your personal carbon footprint. For example, you can be more mindful of your purchases. This will lower the demand for international shipping. Looking for locally made goods will reduce emissions and support the local economy. If you are working for the shipping industry, there are many available strategies that you can use to reduce emissions. The best one would be to hire an expert and invest in the newest technologies it can help you to grow your business while being considerate of the environment.