That is according to Nicklas Vedin, product manager for Cavotec’s vacuum mooring technology, MoorMaster, who said that the industry is realising that reducing environmental impact is profitable.
“Just last year several Baltic ports procured MoorMaster systems primarily to save time when berthing a ship thereby enabling them to cruise slower between port calls which saves fuel and reduces the environmental impact, said Mr Vedin.
“In addition, the port itself achieves productivity improvements and improved workplace safety as slow and dangerous manual work is replaced by automation. An example of what we at Cavotec call Profitable Sustainability.”
Short sea crucial
Mr Vedin said thatwhile a variety of fuel alternatives continue to be considered as the most viable way to power ocean-going vessels with zero-emissions – including ammonia, hydrogen, methanol, and ethanol – no clear solution has yet emerged.
However, significant progress has been made with smaller vessels serving shorter routes.
“This is where we’ve seen progress running ahead of the industry. For example, in Norway, as part of its pledge to get the country carbon neutral by 2030, the government is backing the introduction of electrically powered ferries on the large number of short passenger and vehicle crossings there.”
He added: “The industry is clearly charting a path towards zero emissions and it already has various tools at its disposal to achieve that. Considerable progress has been made – but there’s still a lot to be done.”