NYK Line over the next few years said it will deploy 38 containerships, from 4,800 - 8,600 TEU, with Alternative Maritime Power (AMP) technology at a cost of US$22 million.
AMP technology allows ships to shut down onboard diesel power generators and plug into shore-side electricity, which almost eliminates the gas emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2), nitrogen oxide (NOx), sulphur oxide (SOx) and other particulate matter (PM) from ships.
Following the lead of the NYK Atlas, the first NYK purpose-built vessel to utilise AMP, 20 newbuilds will be delivered with AMP capability. In addition, 17 ships now in service will be retrofitted with AMP technology, the company said.
The first ship to be retrofitted will be the NYK Apollo when it enters dry dock in November. The company expects to have more than 30 AMP-capable vessels in service by the end of 2009.
The NYK Atlas sails between Asia and the west coast of North America and is participating in AMP testing at NYK's Los Angeles terminal.
"NYK will continue to make the environment its top priority," said the company spokesman Kenji Mizushima. "Striving to develop and utilising environmentally conscious engineering and equipment reinforces our company's environmental policy of 'the earth is our home'". |
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