Category Archives: Sustainability

After container ships sped up, why did they just tap on the brakes?

Posted on November 8, 2021 by | Leave a comment

This article has great graphs of vessel speed over the last months. It’s easy to see when ships are speeding up and slowing down. The speeds correlate with the spot price of shipping.

Speeding up causes more fuel to be burned, which adds to expenses. It also generates more pollution. Slowing down has been a tactic over past years to reduce pollution generated by ships.

But the long waiting time in ports these days has thrown calculations out of kilter. Now ships need to speed up to keep to their schedules.

Greg Miller, Senior Editor Sunday, November 7, 2021

After container ships sped up, why did they just tap on the brakes?

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Posted in Logistics, Shipping, Sustainability

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Will emissions pledge sound the death knell for LNG as a fuel?

Posted on October 20, 2021 by | Leave a comment

Amazon, IKEA, Unilever– major names in commerce, and major users of ocean shipping. And others as well, they have signed a pledge to make sure their shipping is zero-carbon powered by 2040.

That’s a long time away, 20 years; the approximate lifetime of a ship. but it means that these shippers will not be booking on LNG powered vessels.

So is LNG-powered shipping marked for extinction?

I think it’s very possible. Aside from its use of fossil fuel, though cleaner than traditional bunkers, there’s the problem of methane emission.That requires even more re-engineering. In the oil field, despite the fact that the technology is readily available, methane emissions and flaring are still common. It’s a governance question. Better to avoid fossil fuel products altogether.

Sam Chambers October 20, 2021

Will emissions pledge sound the death knell for LNG as a fuel? – Splash247

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Posted in Logistics, Shipping, Sustainability

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US Coast Guard boards MSC ship in ongoing California pipeline spill probe

Posted on October 18, 2021 by | 1 comment

It is possible that anchor dragging by a ship months ago was responsible for the pipeline spill off Huntingdon Beach CA that appeared just recently.

While it wasn’t a large spill, the sensitive nature of the area requires a full investigation.

Perhaps we will ultimately find out how the spill happened. The investigation will help ordinary folks reflect on the wisdom of allowing pipelines and drilling so close to large populated areas with beautiful, heavily used beaches.

Sam Chambers October 18, 2021

US Coast Guard boards MSC ship in ongoing California pipeline spill probe – Splash247

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Posted in Logistics, Shipping, Sustainability

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