Cruise ships use fuel oil, an extraordinarily polluting fuel
Navigate the islands of the beautiful Lofoten archipelago, enjoy the Northern Lights from the middle of the sea, cross the irrespectable fjords , spot whales… The Norwegian Arctic, majestic, clear, peaceful, is one of those that every traveler has on their wish list, but doing so does not exactly contribute to keeping it pristine and virgin.
However, this natural area is especially vulnerable, a fact that is not helped by the constant passage of boats and cruise ships through its waters. Leiff Miller, CEO of the environmental lobby NABU , already denounced it in his cruise ranking last year: “It is outrageous that, in 2018, there are still ships entering the market that are built to use heavy fuel oil as fuel.”
That type of fuel Miller is referring to is 100 times more toxic than the diesel used in cars and trucks , since it contains up to 3,500 times more sulfur content. So much so that is prohibited on land, where it is considered a hazardous waste that requires a highly expensive treatment.
“In all major port cities in Europe, people are suffering from highly polluted air due to the growing cruise industry. But the shipowners do not assume their responsibility. Friendly words will get no change, which is why port cities and coastal communities are now being asked to ban dirty boats, such as Norway is doing it in some of its fjords to protect people and the environment.
The Norwegian fjords, an extraordinary spectacle
Thus, thanks to the initiative of the country, which also plans replace its air fleet with an electric one , there are more and more electrically operated boats that cross the waters of the arctic. Two of them, for example, have been launched this year: the cruise MS Roald Amundsen , a hybrid with capacity for up to 530 passengers that can navigate with batteries for part of the time -thus reducing its emissions by 20%-, and the MS Color Hybrid , a plug-in hybrid electric ferry 160 meters long, with the capacity to transport 2,000 passengers and 500 vehicles.
The first carries out the great routes through several countries - the one that follows in the footsteps of the legendary explorer that gives it its name, for example, sailing from Copenhagen to Vancouver - and the second covers the route between Sandefjord, in Norway, and Strömstad, in Sweden. But chances are, on your vacation, you want to do at least a boat trip through the fjords , and that's where companies like Brim Explorer .
It is immersed in the construction of two hybrid electric boats: MS Brim -meaning 'breaking wave' in Old Norse- and Bard -named after the Norwegian word for whales-. The first will cross the waters in early autumn 2019, and the second during the spring of 2020.
“Our ships are specially designed to experience the waters of the Arctic with a minimal impact on the environment ”, explains Agnes Árnadóttir, co-founder and CEO of the Brim Explorer tour company. “The propulsion system is hybrid-electric, with an exceptionally long range, as we can operate solely on batteries for approximately ten hours with a cruising speed of ten knots. The diesel engine – which will be powered by biofuel – is installed only as a backup, and also for use on long journeys that require higher speed”, she adds.
Brim Explorer boats can travel on electric batteries for up to ten hours
Given that most of the tours the company runs are three to five hours long, it's safe to say that they will almost always run on electric batteries charged at the port, "which means there will be no noise, pollution or vibrations that disturb nature or wildlife ”, asserts Árnadóttir.
Both ships, with a capacity of up to 140 passengers, have been created by einar hareide , an award-winning Norwegian designer, and are made of recycled and recyclable aluminum , so that, in addition, the boats are light and energy efficient. They also have all the possible comforts: large lounges, panoramic windows and multiple outdoor decks.
“This is certainly a technology that we will see a lot more of in the future. We believe that 'seeing is believing', and we are proud to be pioneers in this field. We hope that our introduction of a green and modern ship will inspire others to continue down this path”, Árnadóttir tells Traveler.es.