24 FEBRUARY/MARCH 2018 www.vanguardcanada.com
S
hipping is by far the most
energy-efficient mode of
transportation for many types
of cargo. The marine diesel
engine, through progressive
development, has an impressive ability to
deliver reliable power while burning a re-
markably wide range of fuels. However,
the early part of the 21st century has seen
increasing pressure on the marine industry
both to contribute to greenhouse gas re-
ductions and to clean up its act for other
emissions.
Marine "bunker" fuels, also known as
heavy and intermediate fuel oils are used
by most deep-sea shipping, and also for
FuELS
in a Low(er) emissions World
much coastal and inland transportation
worldwide. These fuels are essentially
waste products of the refining industry
and contain most of the impurities from
the original crude oil, including sulphur,
heavy metals and other contaminants. De-
pending on the source of the crude oil,
20th-century heavy fuel oils could contain
as much as 5 per cent sulphur by weight.
For comparison, current North American
ultra-low sulphur diesel fuel for land trans-
port (ULSD) can only contain 15 parts
per million, or 0.0015 per cent – thou-
sands of times less. The sulphur burns in
the engine, creating various sulphur ox-
ides (SOx) that contribute to smog and
BY ANDREW KENDRICK
MARINE
