Canada Steamship Lines (CSL) President and CEO Louis Martel has said that the company will be testing second generation biodiesel on half of its fleet over the course of the 2021 navigation season.
The announcement was made during a ceremony to mark the official start of the St. Lawrence Seaway’s 63rd navigation season.
According to CSL, the tests – ‘a first for the Great Lakes shipping industry’ - are a follow-up to the successful trials of B100 biodiesel fuel on the main engines of two of the Montreal-based shipping company’s vessels last year.
‘Replacing fossil fuel with biodiesel on vessels requires no modification of existing equipment and provides a viable carbon neutral fuel source over its lifecycle,’ said Martel. ‘This is what makes biofuels a very attractive option to reduce our environmental footprint, and we are eager to continue testing them and other solutions that offer the potential to contribute to cleaner air and waterways.’
CSL has aligned with Canada’s nationally determined targets under the Paris Climate Agreement with a goal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 35% below 2005 levels by 2030.
To achieve this objective, CSL says it is taking concrete actions by building more efficient ships, investing in R&D and innovation, and exploring and testing new technologies, fuels and digital solutions.
Among them, CSL is building a new 26,000 DWT diesel-electric self-unloading ship, purpose-built for Windsor Salt. The vessel will service Windsor Salt’s Mines Seleine located in the eco-sensitive marine environment of the Magdalene Islands.
‘The pace of transformation and digitalisation we are witnessing in shipping today is a game-changer, and we are fully committed to modernising and investing in the long-term viability, sustainability and success of our company and sector,’ added Martel.
‘Marine transportation continues to be the most efficient, reliable and eco-responsible choice for shipping large cargos, and investments made today in green solutions will have positive impacts for generations to come.’
