Niels Bjørn Mortensen: Heavy fuel oil and the Arctic — are they compatible?

Niels Bjørn Mortensen: Heavy fuel oil and the Arctic — are they compatible?

Here’s an op-ed from regarding the risks of using heavy fuel oil in the Arctic from master marine and naval architect Niels Bjørn Mortensen. A former consultant at BIMCO and director at Maersk Maritime Technology, he is now an independent consultant.

In March 2017, Arctic sea ice hit a new record — the lowest amount of winter ice since satellite records began 38 years ago.

As Arctic waters open up, most likely due to human use of fossil fuels, vessels powered by heavy fuel oil are likely to divert to Arctic waters in search of shorter journey times. This will mean more burning of marine fuels and black carbon emissions, accelerating further melting. More open water means further absorption of the sun’s warmth and heating of the Arctic Ocean — a vicious cycle.

Continue reading on Lloyds List: Heavy fuel oil and the Arctic — are they compatible?