Green Cargo Ships

freight ships

Cargo ships are slowly changing the stereotype of a dark smoke belching, ocean floating behemoth that ferries cargo across the world’s oceans. Cargo ships are said to contribute 3 to 4 percent of the world’s green house gas. However, today, Cargo companies and ship builders are now integrating new green technologies used to either power cargo ships or reduce environmental impact to turn the statistic to their favor. Some designs include the practical, more conventional solar panels to the more bizarre as sail kites used to drag a heavy metal across the ocean. The MV Auriga Leader, MS Beluga, and the Hatsu Smart are leading the ocean highways when it comes to environment-friendly cargo ships.

The MV Auriga Leader

solar ship

Photo courtesy of http://www.inhabitat.com

The MV Auriga Leader by NYK Line is the world’s pioneer when it comes to integrating solar energy to the power plant of the ship. Although solar energy is not new to cargo ships, but their previous use are confined to lighter tasks such as lighting and other minor energy needs of cargo ships. The MV Auriga Leader is the first hybrid cargo ship to integrate solar energy to its main power grid used by the ship’s propellers, hydraulics, and thrusters. As much as 10 percent of the ship’s energy needs is taken care of by the solar panels.

The MS Beluga

kite ship

Photo courtesy of http://www.inhabitat.com

Call it out of the box thinking or plane daring, but the MS Beluga uses a kite sail to help drag it across the ocean! MS Beluga went back to ship’s humble beginnings where wind sails are the only means of crossing vast oceans. The 140 meter long cargo ship attached a 160 square meter kite sail that flies from 100 to 300 meters on its bow tether. And depending on the wind conditions, the liner claims a fuel consumption reduction of 10 to 35 percent. But don’t think that spinach-loaded sailors are controlling the kite sail tethers – a high-tech computer program is used to rein the kite.

The Hatsu Smart

green cargo ship

The Hatsu Smart on the other hand deployed a different approach in joining other green cargo ships. Aside from using alternative source of energy, the cargo ship aims to reduce waste disposal and possible oil spill to be tagged green. The ship is double hulled to prevent oil spill disasters during accidents, it uses low-sulfur fuel and non-lead paints, and it uses a big waste water tank to hold waste water until it can be dispose of properly while on dock. The Hatsu Smart’s cheaper way of going green is by far the most embraced method among cargo ships owners around the world today.

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