New systems remove emissions from Norwegian Jade’s and Norwegian Sun’s exhaust gases
By
Rebecca Gibson |
Norwegian Cruise Line has retrofitted Norwegian Sun and Norwegian Jade with new exhaust gas cleaning systems (known as scrubbers) to help reduce sulphur and particulate emissions and environmental footprints.
Installed as part of Norwegian’s Sail & Sustain environmental programme, the lightweight in-line hybrid scrubbers were developed by Yara Marine Technologies and can operate in open-loop, closed-loop, and closed-loop with bleed-off modes. The new system works by ‘scrubbing’ away the sulphur oxide and diesel particulate matter before the emissions leave the ship’s chimney stack, decreasing the amount of harmful emissions that are released into the air.
Five scrubbers were installed in each ship – one per engine – and collectively, they are able to reduce sulphur emissions by up to 99% and diesel particulate emissions by 85%. It’s predicted that the technology will help Norwegian Jade and Norwegian Sun to reduce the equivalent of around 3,000 tons of sulphur oxide gas in the years to come.
Norwegian first committed to retrofitting six cruise ships with scrubbers in early 2014, aiming to reduce its global sulphur cap from 3.5% to 0.5% by 2020 to achieve MARPOL Annex VI compliance. The line has since retrofitted eight vessels – including Norwegian Jade, Norwegian Sun, Norwegian Pearl, Norwegian Gem, Norwegian Escape, Norwegian Joy and Pride of America – and will also equip its new Norwegian Bliss with a scrubber ahead of her June 2018 debut.