Britanny Ferries announced that during 2015 and early 2016 they have spent £60 million fitting scrubbers to comply with recent EU regulations designed to reduce pollution by shipping. In 2006, emissions containing 3.5% sulphur content were allowed but this was reduced to 1% in 2010 and has now been reduced to 0.1% in 2015.
”Those ships which don’t yet have scrubbers fitted are using low sulphur diesel fuel so that the entire fleet limits harmful emissions as much as possible. Once the scrubbers have finished being fitted we will have reduced our sulphur emissions by 97% in the last decade!” the company said.
Carbon dioxide is a major contributor to global warming and there is no escaping the fact that any form of transport, which burns fossil fuel, emits CO2. However, ferries are overall more CO2 efficient than many other forms of transport. Brittany Feries tries to minimize CO2 emissions by:
- minimising fuel consumption which results in CO2 emissions on overnight crossings
- taking into account the effects of tides and the wind and making the most of these natural helpers so that their ships are always sailed in a way that optimises fuel efficiency
- using the very latest silicon-based, low-toxicity, anti-fouling paints on their ships’ hulls which boost fuel efficiency as they help to improve the ship’s flow through the water
- making the air conditioning systems on board all our ships more efficient, which has reduced CO2 emissions by a few percent
Brittany Ferries has also committed to reduced onshore emissions. Over the past 3 years they have reduced the number of tonnes of CO2 generated by our UK offices by 10.6% from 558.33 to 499.25 tonnes.
”Whenever we refurbish our offices or consider a new-build, we always try to make them as energy efficient as we can, including using recycled materials. Our head office in Plymouth has lighting which is activated by movement so that the lighting switches off when areas are not in use and it adjusts its brightness according to the amount of daylight. We’ve also fitted solar panels to our office in Portsmouth” the company said.
Source & Image Credit: Brittany Ferries
