Vessels
Vessel emissions scrubber: APL is testing an innovative air pollution-reduction device called the “seawater scrubber” on one of its ships. The scrubber technology on the test vessel will be evaluated over a one-year period during the ship’s calls to the San Pedro Bay ports. The technology uses seawater to filter pollutants from ships’ auxiliary engines and boilers. It is expected to reduce a ship’s sulfur oxide emissions by up to 99.9 percent and particulate matter by as much as 85 percent.
Voluntary speed reduction: APL is an ongoing participant and active supporter of the voluntary speed reduction program for vessels in Southern California waters on the US West Coast. By reducing vessel speeds to less than 12 knots when 24 nautical miles from the harbor, SOx, NOx, and PM emissions are reduced.
Low sulfur fuel: APL participates in low sulfur fuel incentive programs run at the Ports of Los Angeles and Seattle. APL is the first company to use low sulfur fuel exclusively while at the berth in the Port of Seattle.
Slide valves and cylinder oil lubrication: Slide valves reduce fuel leakage when fuel is injected into the engine. As a result, the fuel burns more completely, with lower emissions. To test these valves, APL installed them on the fuel-injection nozzles of one manufacturer’s engines. In addition, APL installed a prototype next-generation cylinder-oil lubrication system on one vessel. Cylinder oil lubricates the engine’s cylinders and the heat of combustion causes the oil to burn off. The cylinder-oil system ensures that only the optimal amount of oil is used, thereby minimizing the burn-off and its associated emissions.
Introduction of water: In the first quarter of 2007, APL in conjunction with the University of California-Riverside conducted a comprehensive test of a fuel emulsifier to determine its effectiveness at various engine speeds and fuel-water ratios. The device mixed water with diesel fuel in an attempt to reduce emissions. This test was followed by another where the fuel emulsifier was installed on a vessel in 2008. While the initial test produced results that allowed for the latter, the real-world application proved not to be feasible. With our next initiative, APL completed the installation of a continuous water injection system into the scavenge air of auxiliary engines of a number of ships. This technology has the potential to reduce NOx emissions by 20% and contribute to lower NOx emissions at berth.
Electrical Power: APL is experimenting with variable drives on large motors and pumps. By operating at different speeds rather than stopping and starting, there is a cost savings and emission reductions are achieved.
Variable Combustion: One class of APL vessels has the world’s first automated variable combustion system. When power isn’t required, the system goes off-line, thereby reducing emissions and increasing efficiency.
Hull coatings: APL has coated many of its vessels with silicon paint, which reduces the ships’ drag in the water and results in a 6% to 7% fuel consumption reduction, thereby reducing emissions. On other vessels, APL has eliminated the use of TBT hull coatings, thereby preventing the introduction of tin into the food chain.
Propeller boss cap fin: On certain ships, APL replaced the traditional cone-shaped cap at the end of the propeller with a set of small fins. The fins turn together with the main propeller, increasing efficiency and reducing the vortex formed in the water by the rotation of the propeller. The result is 2% to 4% less fuel burn, with a corresponding reduction in emissions.
Container innovations: APL pioneered the use of 45’ containers and 48’ containers. More recently, APL introduced new 53 foot containers, which increase efficiency and reduce the need for off dock transloading, subsequently resulting in fewer truck runs and a corresponding reduction in emissions.
Constant Water Injection: Auxiliary generators onboard several APL vessels have been retrofitted with automatic constant water injection to humidify the scavenge air. This humidified air intake results in reduced exhaust gas temperature and a more than 20% reduction in NOx. Additionally, a marginal fuel savings of 1.5% is also achieved, which also contributes to further emission reduction.
Cavitated Emulsified Fuel: Twenty percent water is mixed with the fuel to produce the fuel emulsion, which is further cavitated before injecting to the main and auxiliary engines. APL plans to fit 20 ships with this technology, given the successful trial runs aboard two vessels. This system is expected to achieve a 10% fuel savings for the main engine and an 18% fuel savings for the generators. Additionally, a substantial NOx reduction will be achieved.
Trim Optimization: Trim optimization is practiced onboard all APL vessels to optimize the ships trim in order to save fuel and reduce emissions. Trim optimization is worked out for the planned voyage against the speed and draft and trimming of the vessel is carried out through ballast water transfer and cargo planning, where possible. One vessel is using dynamic trim optimization intelligent software that is connected to the ships monitoring hardware and provides decision making capability to optimize the fuel consumption at a real time level. Another vessel was retrofitted with a hull performance analyzer, which also provides trim optimization decision making capability.
Slow-steaming: By adding a vessel to a service, each vessel in that service can operate at a slower speed. Since operating vessels at slower speeds reduces air emissions (including carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide), and particulate matter, there is a tangible environmental benefit that results. Recently, APL partnered with the California Air Resources Board (CARB) and the University of California, Riverside (UCR) in a study validating these environmental benefits. More specifically for our customers, these measures translate into a lower carbon footprint per TEU.
Cold-ironing: In December 2009, APL announced a landmark initiative to clean the air at the Port of Oakland. APL will become the first and only carrier to cold-iron their ships at berth starting in 2011, three years before it is regulatory required. Cold-ironing is the term for switching off a vessel's diesel generators and relying instead on shore-side electrical power. By making the switch, APL will cut more than 50,000 pounds of nitrogen oxide emissions – a leading component of smog – from ships berthed in Oakland, plus 1,500 pounds of particulate matter annually.
OceanGuaranteed®: A product of APL Logistics, OceanGuaranteed is a combined ocean-truck less-than-container load (LCL) service with day-definite deliveries and a money-backed service guarantee. By providing the same date-specific reliability as airfreight, OceanGuaranteed® allows customers to utilize a much more carbon friendly method of transportation and reduce their carbon footprints per shipment. To date, OceanGuaranteed® has an on-time delivery rate of 98.5%.
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