Pure thinking on board

On the one hand, environmental legislation regarding shipping is becoming tougher. On the other, many shipping companies see that they are able to gain new market shares through environmental thinking.

With news of climate change and ecological catastrophes on the increase, consumers have become more aware – of potential oil spills, dirty exhaust gases and alien species that are destroying ecological systems worldwide. Driven by this consumer awareness, internation¬al companies are starting to demand environ¬mental alternatives when shipping their cargo.

“It’s a spin-off effect,” says Peter Carlberg, general manager, Marine & Diesel Equipment at Alfa Laval. “We see more shipping companies becoming green. They want to meet future customer demands and new regulations.”

More than 90 percent of world trade is carried out by the shipping industry. Due to globaliza¬tion and enormous economic growth in countries such as China and India, shipping is predicted to grow even more.

“It’s important to remember that shipping in general is an environmentally friendly transport alternative,” says Lasse Gustavsson, director general of WWF Sweden. “However, a lot more remains to be done. Even the aero industry is doing better – for instance, when it comes to discharge levels.”

Cruise ships that run close to the shore (often loaded with tourists who want to gaze at natural sights) are under more pressure yet. Not even sewage from showers is supposed to leak into the sea, not to mention the oil mist from crankcase gases.

Local and regional initiatives have been a driving force in making shipping greener. Some new national laws can lead to million-dollar fees if not followed. And national coast guards have intensified their control of vessels that put in at their harbours.

Alfa Laval has worked with the shipping industry for many decades. Most vessels carry Alfa Laval technology. Helping old and new customers meet environmental demands comes naturally, says Carlberg.

“We simply took our 120-year-old separator technology on board,” he says. “Nowadays, it can make oily water or gas pure again.”

With new technical products on board, service is more important than ever. As a global company, Alfa Laval is able to offer technical support in more than 100 harbours worldwide.

Alfa Laval’s vision is to extend the Pure family in order to strengthen its position within the growing environmental sector even more. New family members are already in the pipeline to join the other Pure products. “This is only the beginning,” says Carlberg.

Alfa Laval’s environmental platform in the marine sector, Pure, consists of three products

• EcoStream cleans bilge water, a chemical cocktail made of all kinds of fluids used on ships. International requirements permit an oil content of less than 15 ppm when bilge water is released into the sea. Oil, water and particles are separated through use of high-speed centrifugation, which separates out of emulsions tiny oil droplets that other systems only absorb – without using chemicals.
• PureBallast kills microorganisms in ballast water. It produces radicals that disrupt the cell membranes of the organisms, making them unable to reproduce. No chemicals are used, and it doesn’t cause other environmental problems. PureBallast has been approved by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) as the only product of its kind. PureBallast is developed and produced in cooperation with Wallenius Water.
• PureVent cleans crankcase gases, removing oil and soot through high-speed centrifugation. The result is oil-free air that can be released into the atmosphere. Awareness of the problems caused by crankcase gases is on the rise, and there is already legislation in place in several countries restricting emission of crankcase gases in land vehicles.

Go to Index of # 3(25) 2008

 

Peter Carlberg, general manager, Marine & Diesel Equipment, at Alfa Laval