In a first, company plans to power ships with dead fish

Powering vehicles by fuel or electricity might soon become old news now, as a new cruise line plans to power its cr
23 Nov, 2018

Powering vehicles by fuel or electricity might soon become old news now, as a new cruise line plans to power its cruise from dead fish, hence reducing negative impact on the environment.

A Norwegian cruise line Hurtigruten have found a way to power their cruise by creating a biogas out of leftover parts after factories process fish for food. By transitioning this biogas, the firm things it can also decrease its ships’ negative impact on the environment.

As explained by Futurism, when organic matter breaks down in the absence of oxygen, it generates a mix of gasses that together form a biogas. Hurtigruten plans to create its own biogas from a mix of fish leftovers and other organic waste. The, it will liquefy the gas and use the fuel to power its ships.

Solar and wind power comes to ships

By the year 2021, the firm aims to have at least six of its 17 ships converted to run on a combination of this biogas and large battery back that will store energy produced by the renewable sources.

“While competitors are running on cheap, polluting heavy fuel oil, our ships will literally be powered by nature. Biogas is the greenest fuel in shipping and will be a huge advantage for the environment. We would love other cruise companies to follow,” Hurtigruten CEO Daniel Skjeldam said.

Skjeldam believes this move is completely logical for his company. He told The Guardian, “Norway is a large shipping nation, but fishery and forestry are also large sectors. They create jobs and produce income, but they also produce a lot of waste products. The steady access to high volumes of organic waste gives the Nordic countries a unique position on the biogas market.”

Moreover, as per CNN, the 150-year-old firm is also taking steps for boosting its green credentials as it has ordered three new hybrid-powered cruise liner and has also banned single-use plastics from all its ships and plans on becoming carbon neutral.

“Sustainability will be a key driver for the new era of shipping and the travel industry... Our ultimate goal is to operate our ships completely emission free,” Skjeldam said.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2018

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