The new technology installed on board the Norwegian Jewel will reduce emissions and further strengthen the company's commitment to creating greener systems and technology.
In line with the Eco-Smart Cruising program, Norwegian announced today that it has completed the modernization of a new exhaust gas cleaning system on board the Norwegian Jewel, with the aim of significantly reducing air emissions and the ship's environmental impact.
Norwegian Cruise Line is the first cruise line to retrofit a ship with a hybrid exhaust gas cleaning system while it is in service. The new, lightweight in-line scrubbers on the Norwegian Jewel, developed by Yara Marine Technologies, incorporate hybrid technology and operate in dry, open-loop, and closed-loop modes. Five scrubbers have been installed, one per engine, thus covering the entire propulsion system. Collectively, the scrubbers can reduce sulfur emissions by up to 99 percent and particulate matter emissions by up to 85 percent.
The Norwegian Jewel's new technology will reduce sulfur oxide (SOx) emissions by the equivalent of approximately 1,500 tons over the next few years. The two-year modernization program for the Norwegian Jewel began in the spring of 2014 and required more than 100,000 hours of work from numerous partner organizations to complete.
“Norwegian is passionately dedicated to maintaining the highest standards of excellence in environmental protection, as well as leading the industry in seeking technologies that make our ships not only a magnificent setting for enjoying holidays, but also ensure the ongoing protection of the environment that our customers are eager to explore,” said Robin Lindsay, Executive Vice President Vessel Operations Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd.
Norwegian is the first cruise line to install scrubbers with a state-of-the-art membrane water filtration unit. This sophisticated water purification system uses ultrafiltration technology to clean recirculated water during closed-loop operation, filtering it downwards towards the clean water. The byproduct is collected and disposed of in containers.
As part of the Eco-Smart Cruising program, Norwegian's safety and environmental protection policy sets several objectives related to the environment, including reducing the impact of its operations on the environment, eliminating litter and waste in accordance with national and international standards and regulations, recycling and reusing materials, and setting specific objectives and goals to ensure that environmental management programs continue to improve.
Norwegian currently has three ships equipped with gas scrubbing technology, with the Norwegian Jewel joining the Norwegian Escape and the Pride of America. Norwegian Cruise Line is taking the necessary steps to meet the target set out in Annex VI of MARPOL, which aims to reduce global sulfur levels from 3.5 to 0.5 percent by 2020. To further strengthen Norwegian's commitment to the Eco-Smart Cruising program, the Norwegian Jewel's sister ships, the Norwegian Pearl and the Norwegian Gem, will complete the upgrade of their scrubbers in the coming weeks. Meanwhile, the Norwegian Jade and the Norwegian Sun are scheduled to undergo their modernization processes in the first and second quarters of 2017, respectively.
