PHOTO: More RCCL cruise ships will get emissions purifications systems already installed on Quantum of the Seas. (Courtesy of Royal Caribbean International)
Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. is installing state-of-the-art "scrubber" systems on 19 ships, which could remove 97 percent of the sulfur dioxide emissions generated by their diesel engines, the company said.
The advanced emissions purification (AEP) systems will help the company comply with new Emission Control Area (ECA) emissions standards that some feared could up-end traditional cruise itineraries because they force lines to use a costlier fuel that make those routes more expensive. The new International Maritime Organization standards placed a cap on sulfur within ECAs at 1 percent in 2012 and will lower it to 0.1 percent in 2015.
RCCL says the new technology will position the company ahead of the forthcoming regulations and also ensures compliance with European Union standards. "Additionally, the decision to install AEP systems instead of switching to a fuel with a lower sulfur content will ensure that RCL's ships can be compliant everywhere they sail, as availability of lower-sulfur fuels is limited," the company said in a press release.
AEP systems "scrub" exhaust gases by injecting high volumes of water spray into the exhaust stream, removing more than 97 percent of sulfur dioxide emissions.
Two new ships that entered into service this year, Royal Caribbean International's Quantum of the Seas and TUI Cruises' Mein Schiff 3, were among the first cruise ships to be built with AEP systems installed during initial construction. Liberty of the Seas has been operating one of its six engines with a retrofitted AEP system for two years.
Beginning in January, installation will take place on 13 Royal Caribbean International ships and six Celebrity Cruises ships during scheduled dry-dockings and while ships are in service. While preliminary work has begun on several of the ships receiving AEP systems, most will take place between 2015 and 2017. Each installation takes about eight months.
RCCL said it "faced significant challenges" with installing the equipment that has an operational weight of several hundred tons and some pieces the size of a school bus.
"A retrofit project of this size and complexity - and the scale and intricacy of the research, planning, and design required - is unprecedented for our company, and has required a very systematic process and involved the world's leading expertise in this field," said Harri Kulovaara, executive vice president-maritime RCCL.
For the latest travel news, updates and deals, subscribe to the daily TravelPulse newsletter.
Topics From This Article to Explore
