More support for lower speeds

There has been another call for ships to cut their sailing speed to save bunker fuel and cut harmful emissions. Lars Carlsson, chairman of the cross-industry lobby group SEAaT (Shipping Emissions Abatement and Trading) said it wasn’t that oil was going to run out it was rather that “we cannot burn it like crazy as before because of harmful emissions.”

Carlsson said that speed can be reduced by better planning which will result in a dramatic reduction in emissions. He urged an average speed reduction by the world fleet of 10%, saying it would cut harmful emissions by 20%.

SEAaT has championed emissions trading and scrubbing technology as ways of achieving compliance with new emissions standards. Carlsson maintains that a trading system where the polluter pays heavy compensation to the low-emission alternatives will test the markets for speedy transportation and encourage environmentally friendly solutions. He added that a growing commitment to the environment by business leaders and politicians was a sign of a new and responsible capitalism.

Prominent shipping companies such as Hapag-Lloyd, NYK, CMA CGM and Maersk have all stated that they are committed to introduce slower sailing speeds on their routes.