Overview
The Global Project aims to run a global plan for ecological transition making the maritime sector, operating in the Atlantic and the North Sea - Mediterranean corridors, more sustainable by:
- Reducing air emission from ships in compliance with the rules of Annex VI of the MARPOL Convention on atmospheric sulphur emissions.
- Reducing other categories of emissions in order to contribute to the EU's general objectives for a more environmentally friendly and sustainable transport without a modal backshift of freight onto the roads.
- Bringing together the corresponding ports on a common project for electronic data exchange related to the administration of these maritime liner services, by implementing communication and information technologies to facilitate freight and passenger flow.
The Action contributes to this Global Project by demonstrating and validating two novel emission reducing techniques in an operational environment and subsequently study and disseminate results. The first technique comprises of a novel, composite scrubber that will be deployed on a large passenger ferry ("Mont St Michel"). The second technique comprises of two novel biofuel and NOx Tier III standard installations that limit carbon and Nitrogen Oxides emissions of a fast catamaran passenger ferry ("Normandie Express"). The Action is executed on the intersection of the Atlantic Corridor and the Northsea – Mediterranean Corridor. Harbours included are Le Havre (core network), Portsmouth (comprehensive network) and Caen-Ouistreham (comprehensive network). By including two divergent ferries and two divergent techniques in the Action, a larger group of ship-owners are able to benefit from the Action results, leading to higher market acceptance of retrofitting technology. Moreover, the information management system deployed in the Action enables precise measurement and data management of ferry performances in the new situation and scrubber residues. This data will be allocated for additional knowledge development on ferry residues and the efficiency of future emission reducing technologies.
The validated technologies in this Action will subsequently be deployed in the Global Project on several other ferries operating on the Atlantic- and the Northsea – Mediterranean Corridor (Action 2014-EU-TM-0724-W).
The Action pursues the following objectives:
- To green the Atlantic Arch by (1) Reducing sulphur emission pursuant to the rules of Annex VI of the MARPOL Convention on atmospheric sulphur emissions; (2) Reducing other types of emission (e.g. NOx, CO2, particles); and (3) Studying treatment and logistics of scrubber effluent at berth.
- To investigate the benefits of the implementation of composite scrubber technology;
- To strengthen European innovation in new technologies for improved overall environmental footprint of ships and thus improve the competitive position of European equipment providers;
- To trigger the follow-up development and modernisation of ships by introducing technology which reduces the impact of Short Sea Shipping on the environment;
- To develop a compatible electronic data exchange system between ship owners, port authorities and administrations in line with Directive 2010/65/EU that shall lead to reduced administrative congestion and facilitate freight and passenger flow.