ARTICLE | Reducing emissions at sea
Indian Navy moving towards sustainable living Over 90 per cent of world trade is carried out by the world’s ocean with over 90,000 marine vessels. Since most ships are diesel based, they emit carbon dioxide which significantly contributes to climate change and harms water health. Indian Navy uses hydro-diesel ships and is migrating towards electric combustion in the coming years. They emphasize the need for reducing their carbon footprint in their day-to-day activities for sustainable growth Shivi sharma | Editorial Assistant
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he shipping industry is the lifeblood of the global economy carrying over 90 per cent of world trade. It is also one of the most polluting industries. Shipping alone is responsible for over 1830 per cent of the world’s nitrogen oxide pollution and nine per cent of the global sulphur oxide pollution. A 2018 study led by Dr James Corbett, Professor Emeritus, University of Delaware, found that ship pollution causes about 14 million cases of childhood asthma and 4,00,000 premature deaths a year — from lung cancer to cardiovascular diseases. That is more than 1000 deaths a day, although other estimates are lower. The International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL) is the main international convention that ensures the prevention of pollution of the marine environment by ships from operational or accidental causes. In other words, they are responsible for keeping shipping pollution levels in check. Over the past two decades, the Indian economy has witnessed unprecedented growth which has spurred energy demand. The Government of India has formulated several policies to reduce its carbon footprint by incorporating
36 October 2021 | www.urbanupdate.in
alternate sources of energy that do not harm the environment. In order to set an example for other eminent players in the industry, the Indian Navy is setting an example by actively striving to reduce their carbon emissions. For achieving this goal of a clean and green navy, they have formulated several policies such as the Renewable Energy Generation Indian Navy Environment Conservation Roadmap (INECR). Under this, the Indian Navy aims at reducing its energy consumption and diversifying its energy supply. To better understand the efforts of the Indian Navy towards becoming carbon neutral, Urban Update contacted a senior official of the Southern Command of the Indian Navy. The Indian Navy uses hydro-dieselbased engine ships, he informed. Typically, there are three categories of ships based on the type of engines they have - steam turbines, blast turbines, and diesel engine based. In the near future, the Indian Navy will also be migrating towards electric combustion ships to reduce the use of fossil fuels in its operations. Any vehicle that uses fossil fuel-based engines has a significant carbon footprint. The shift towards hydro-diesel-based ships will significantly help Navy in ensuring
water health and safeguard the environment. The shipping industry has such high pollution level because the majority of operating ships are diesel-based. Prior to using hydro-diesel ships, the Indian Navy used to keep the emission levels in check by cleaning the engines regularly. Through this, the carbon emissions were also reduced considerably. The Navy disposes of its waste depending upon the type of waste they have collected. Most ships have incinerators wherein the combustible matter is burnt which reduces the volume of waste. Modern incinerators have inbuilt features that filter out particles from the smoke generated. Moreover, the Navy also runs sewage plants wherein the waste from ships as well as residential complexes is sent for treatment. The procedures of the aforementioned plants are in accordance with the MARPOL Agreement. The water waste generated in the process is collected by sludge barges and disposed off when the ship comes near the harbor. Hard waste from the ship is collected and handed over to the municipal corporation of the area around the harbor. The Navy’s Kochi base houses a treatment plant that can convert water waste into manure and
