Top 10 Green Ship Designs

gCaptain is a great site and if you havn't checked it out, here's your chance. They have published a great article about green ship designs that's worth a look. The site has a maritime search engine and lots of great information.

View Article

EPA May Be Forced to Implement New Oversight of Recreational Boaters

A U.S. District Court Judge last fall overturned a 34 year old rule which exempted recreational boaters from having to obtain water-pollution permits required under the Clean Water Act. The permit requirement which originally only applied to large ocean going vessels must now be developed and implemented for all vessels in the United States by September 30th, 2008. The Federal Pollution Permit would be implemented to monitor and mitigate deck runoff, grey water, bilge water, engine cooling water, oil and gasoline seepage, and the use of copper bottom paints.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has identified the following potential environmental impacts from boating and marinas: high toxicity in the water; increased pollutant concentrations in aquatic organisms and sediments; increased erosion rates; increased nutrients, leading to an increase in algae and a decrease in oxygen (eutrophication); and high levels of pathogens.

There are already federal laws restricting the overboard discharge of oil, fuel, garbage and sewage, however these laws are difficult to enforce and often abused. The proposed legislation does not alter any of these existing restrictions.

Many recreational boating associations are fighting the court order and Bills have been introduced in Congress which would exempt recreational boaters from EPA oversight.

It appears much of the backlash associated with this ruling is from businesses in the marine industry, who fear more obstacles will prevent growth in their industry. Anyone who has ever owned a boat knows what a money pit they can be. It is not surprising that boat owners are decrying the idea of an additional tax on their pleasure.

Power boats do negatively impact the environment regardless of the scale of effect. The waterways of the United States are not the exclusive right of boat owners but the entire population. If one group wishes to utilize this portion of our national treasure they must insure that they do not sully it for the rest of Americans. Boats are for the most part luxury items, which leave a "keel print" on our natural environment. Boat owners have a responsibility to be good stewards of the resources they utilize for their enjoyment.

Green Boating takes pride in protecting our oceans and waterways and encourages other boaters to do the same.

For more information on this ruling visit this EPA info page.

Tanker Uses Kite to Reduce Fuel Costs

While ships have used wind to power their vessels for centuries, it has long since been abandoned by commercial vessels until recently. A new tanker has been outfitted with a $725,000 computer-guided kite as an innovative auxiliary propulsion system which will offset fuel costs and allow the vessel to run more efficiently. The 160-square meter kite is expected to reduce fuel costs by up to 20 percent ($1,600 per day) and significantly cut the ship's carbon dioxide emissions as well. The 132 meter long MV "Beluga SkySails" is a joint venture between two companies; Beluga Group and Skysails.

Human Fat Used for Earthrace's Alternative Fuel

The Earthrace, the 78 foot alternative fuel powered ocean vessel aimed at breaking the world circumference record is tapping a new source of alternative energy, human fat. After a recent liposuction procedure the ship’s captain, New Zealander Pete Bethune, donated enough of his excess lard to produce 100ml of biofuel. Two other patients also donated their fat filling up the Earthrace's tank with enough fuel to travel about 15km after it is blended with a mix of 100% biodiesel.

Greenboating.net Launches!

Greenboating.blogspot.com is proud to announce the debut of greenboating.net. The site is still under construction but we are excited about the future and believe that this meaningful endeavor will be the first of its kind to make a serious impact on the marine industry. We will continue to bring you the latest news, products, and innovations on eco-friendly boating and marine supplies. Thanks for all your support!

First Carbon Neutral Fishing Tournament

January 10-13 Miami Beach Marina will hold the worlds first fishing tournament which will offset its emissions in an attempt to be carbon neutral. "The Sailfish Tournament," organized by Dan Kipnis and Eric Peeples will mitigate emissions from boats through donations from sponsors Merrill Stevens Yachts and the Ruwitch Foundation donating money to Carbonfund.org. The tournament is being held to raise awareness of the Green Button project which asks boaters to donate a few cents more at marina pumps to help offset emissions. For more information go to the SailfishTournament.com.

First Solar Powered Transatlantic Crossing by Boat

This year Sun21 became the first solar powered boat to complete a transatlantic crossing. The vessel, built and sponsored by the Swiss Transatlantic21 Association, traveled a total of 7000 miles from Seville, Spain to New York City without using a drop of fuel. The vessel averaged 107 nautical miles a day, comparable to a sailboat of similar size. To read more about this historic event or view footage of the crossing go to http://www.transatlantic21.org/.