Insights200-mile ECA is not the most effective or ef? cient compli- reduction requirements and goals. He noted that MARPOL ance option allowed under the regulations.” In the cruise in- ANNEX VI Regulation 4 provides for broad equivalencies. dustry, therefore, a more creative solution is emerging. Speci? cally, the existing text provides that the requirements Roger Frizzell, Carnival Corporation’s Chief Communica- can be met by any ? tting, material, appliance, or apparatus to tions Of? cer, told MarPro in February, “We are tremendously be ? tted in a ship or other procedures, alternative fuel oils, or excited about the progress we are making with our new and compliance methods used as an alternative if they are “at least innovative scrubber technology.” Mr. Frizzell also pointed to as effective in terms of emission reductions.”plans for Carnival’s European brands, adding , “… we are also Carnival isn’t alone in the quest for alternative solutions to looking to expand this breakthrough technology to our other the emissions quandary. Others have embraced scrubber tech-brands that are based outside the United States,” mentioning nology. At RCCL, scrubber technology from Wärtsilä will be Aida and Costa. He also noted, “Aida, for instance, is one deployed on two newbuilds from the Meyer Werft’s Papenburg of the early adopters of the scrubbers, with plans to install yard. The 4,200 passenger Quantum of the Seas will debut in the technology across its ? eet.” Aida, where shorter voyages November 2014 followed by her sister-ship Anthem of the mean more port time, had announced a €100 million invest- Seas in April 2015. NCL initially dipped its toe in the water, ment program in the summer of 2013. That technology was going with Green Tech Marine’s “GTM-R” equipment on its described as a new, comprehensive ? lter system that would be Pride of America (based in Hawaii) and on its two “Breakaway deployed on existing and newbuild vessels. Plus” newbuilds; the Norwegian Escape and Norwegian Bliss, also with a 4,200 passenger count, coming out of the same Slimming Bunker Buys with a Meyer Werft yard, in Q4 2015 and Q2 2017. In mid February, Heavy Helping of Technology the line also announced that it would be retro? tting six vessels For 2014, Carnival estimates its overall fuel spending to be with GTM-R equipment, including Norwegian Breakaway and a staggering $2.1 billion, based on 3.2 million metric tonnes Norwegian Getaway. NCL explains that: “The GTM-R scrub-at an average price of $650/tonne. In regulatory ? lings from bers are compact, making it possible for the builds to avoid 2013, Carnival had estimated that extra fuel costs, because of the loss of cabin space or other service areas. GTM uses one ECA’s, would be $265 million in 2015. From the perspective smaller scrubber for each engine instead of a large multi inlet of payback on its scrubber investment, Carnival’s Chief Fi- scrubber serving several engines, and the scrubber also replac-nancial Of? cer, Mr. David Bernstein, said, on Carnival’s latest es the silencer, which is very suitable for cruise ships.” investor call, “At this point, it’s fair to say that more than the majority of that $265 million will disappear, so the number Distinct Advantages for Early Adaptorswill be less than half.” These economics are impressive by any CLIA’s Bud Darr also explained that designers of new criterion: annual bene? ts of as much as $130 million on an in- builds where scrubbers will be deployed have far more ? ex-vestment of around $180 million. Moreover, Carnival claims ibility than those seeking to retro? t scrubbers. He noted that in its latest 10K ? ling (tied to its 2013 Annual Report), “As “Cruise ships normally employ medium speed diesel engines a result of installing these scrubbers, we believe the cost of that are vertically short in height to ? t the allocated machinery complying with the 2015 ECA sulfur emission requirement space. Space is at a premium, so typically the scrubber will be will not be signi? cant to our results of operations.” Published placed in the stack area,” adding that “sometimes the scrubber reports suggest that Carnival has gained an extra year, to 2016, can be ? tted in the footprint of the silencer.”to achieve implementation. During port calls, the vessels will In embracing scrubbers, the cruise industry has moved ahead switch over to shore power, or burn low sulfur fuel. Particu- of the overall curve. In DNV GL’s rigorous study “Shipping lates, trapped in a ? lter, will be disposed of in port. 2020,” the Class society expresses a view that industry up-Bud Darr, CLIA’s Senior Vice President of Technical and take of scrubbers will not be widespread prior to 2020. The Regulatory Affairs, spoke at length with Maritime Profession- possible usage of scrubbers is predicated on the advent of al about the cruise industry’s proactive and forward-thinking the 0.5% worldwide restrictions on vessels’ sulfur emissions posture regarding emissions. He explained how CLIA’s ap- against a backdrop of high fuel prices. And yet, the cruise in-proach has evolved over the past few years, at a time that the dustry has moved ahead aggressively, nevertheless. News re-technologies for emissions reduction are evolving rapidly, leased by AIDA, the brand within Carnival serving Europe, saying “both operational and technical equivalencies (which provides clues as to the technologies that might be deployed could incorporate the use of scrubbers, shore power and al- in the cruise giant’s company-wide initiative. AIDA explains: ternative fuels, he points out) are of great importance” in “With this as yet unrivaled exhaust treatment technology, we considering all viable mechanisms that will achieve emission are able to ? lter and thus reduce by between 90 and 99 percent, 18 Maritime Professional 1Q 2014| | MP Q1 2014 18-33.indd 18 MP Q1 2014 18-33.indd 18 2/26/2014 1:20:19 PM2/26/2014 1:20:19 PM