Green Boating is currently seeking interested parties to contribute to the development of an open source project exploring innovative designs, products, and best management practices for the marine industry. All interested parties are welcome.
You may join or just view the group at http://groups.google.com/group/greenboating.
I have also created a wiki at http://greenboating.wikidot.com/.
As only one person I am severely out manned when it comes to covering the full depth of this topic. It is my belief that it is in the best interest of the marine industry for me to open this discussion to the public, so that together we may share our collective knowledge, experience and ideas for solutions to problems. I am passionate about this issue and am looking for others to help evolve our ability to deal with the effects that the boating and shipping industry has on the marine environment.
Contributions may be monitored by other members for greenwashing promotions.
Saturday, September 20, 2008
Saturday, August 9, 2008
River Gym NY
Here is a green way to get your workout, commute, and boat all at the same time. Mitchell Joachim and Douglas Joachim have designed this concept for commuters in New York City. While this may be more about exercising than boating, it is a practical and logical solution to achieving a more active and clean commute. To see more about this innovative concept go to River Gym Project.
Saturday, May 31, 2008
Florida Clean Marinas Mapped by Green Boating
Greenboating.blogspot.com has recently added an embeded Google Map to our site with the locations of all the marinas and boatyards designated as 'clean' by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. We hope this is a useful tool to those who wish to patronize clean and green marinas in the beautiful waters of Florida.
Friday, March 28, 2008
Solar / Human Powered Green Boat Design
A French graphic designer named Jonathan Mahieddine has designed a boat which can be powered by solar or human power. He has taken the classic design of the paddle boat to another level by providing a sunning deck and a cockpit shaded by solar panels. While this design may not be practical for most, it would sure make for some clean green boating which would have very little impact on the environment.
Thursday, March 27, 2008
Ballast-Free Cargo Ship Design
Researchers at the University of Michigan are developing a new design for cargo ships which could eliminate the need for ballast tanks. Ballast tanks are cited as environmental hazards as they often carry sealife in conjunction with water which is dumped in foreign ports. Ships take on ballast water for stability when they're not carrying cargo. They discharge ballast when they load freight, expelling tons of water and many invasive species such as the infamous zebra musscle.While Congress is considering costly legislation for tankers, the new design would eliminate the threat altogether.
The ballast-free ships have a constant flow of local seawater through a network of large pipes, called trunks, that runs from the bow to the stern, below the waterline, much like a submarine.
Not only would the newer design protect against invasive species, but researchers found it had an unexpected bonus; it requires 7.3 percent less power to propel the ship. The improvement is due mostly from water being expelled from the stern-end of the trunks into the propeller, allowing the ship to operate more efficiently.
Researchers concluded that the new design would result in a net capital-cost savings of about $540,000 per ship. Combined with the expected fuel savings, total cargo transport costs would be cut by $2.55 per metric ton.
The ballast-free ships have a constant flow of local seawater through a network of large pipes, called trunks, that runs from the bow to the stern, below the waterline, much like a submarine.
Not only would the newer design protect against invasive species, but researchers found it had an unexpected bonus; it requires 7.3 percent less power to propel the ship. The improvement is due mostly from water being expelled from the stern-end of the trunks into the propeller, allowing the ship to operate more efficiently.
Researchers concluded that the new design would result in a net capital-cost savings of about $540,000 per ship. Combined with the expected fuel savings, total cargo transport costs would be cut by $2.55 per metric ton.
International Association of Independent Tanker Owners Recommends Cleaner Fuel Mandates
INTERTANKO, the International Association of Independent Tanker Owners, is recommending emissions cuts for tanker ships. They have proposed a recommendation to revise MARPOL standards to bring shipping industry in line with other transportation emission standards. They are recommending the global use of Marine Diesel Oil (MDO) with specifications on its formula to produce a cleaner fuel. For more on this subject you can read the report here.
Thursday, March 20, 2008
Green Boating Headlines
This has been a busy week for news on boating and the environment. Here are some of the headlines that Green Boating thought you should see.
Giving Superyachts a Green Veneer Artist, sustainability campaigner and naval architect David Trubridge delivers a speech on sustainable design for super yachts at a Yacht Vision symposium in Auckland, New Zealand.
Ship Graveyard Podcast hosted by Tom Pelton, environment reporter for The Baltimore Sun, about a ship graveyard in Curtis Bay and the Patapsco River in southern Baltimore.
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