Hurtigruten Inks 'Rotten Fish' Biogas Deal
As the global marine industry aggressively moves to reduce emissions from ships, and Norway in particular has thrown down the gauntlet of zero emission cruise ships in certain fjords along its scenic coast, Norwegian cruise ship operator Hurtigruten has signed a 7.5-year deal to buy liquefied biogas (LBG) made from dead fish and other organic waste to help power its vessels.
Under the contract with Biokraft, Hurtigruten ships will start receiving near-daily supplies of LBG, with the first delivery taking place in 2020.
The company last year said it would invest about $800 million to refit six vessels to partly run on the renewable fuel.
"Οur ships will literally be powered by nature. Biogas is the greenest fuel in shipping, a no-brainer for us, and a huge advantage for the environment," Hurtigruten chief executive Daniel Skjeldam said in a statement.
The hybrid ships will run on a combination of electric power from batteries, liquefied natural gas (LNG) and liquefied biogas.
Biogas is already used as fuel in parts of the transport sector, especially in buses. It can be produced by using organic waste, such that from fisheries and forestry, which the Nordic region has in abundance. (Staff and Reuters Reports)
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