Indian Navy moving towards sustainable living

Over 90 per cent of world trade is carried out by the world’s ocean with over 90,000 marine vessels. Since most ships are diesel based, they emit carbon dioxide which significantly contributes to climate change and harms water health. Indian Navy uses hydro-diesel ships and is migrating towards electric combustion in the coming years. They emphasize the need for reducing their carbon footprint in their day-to-day activities for sustainable growth.

The shipping industry is the lifeblood of the global economy carrying over 90 per cent of world trade. It is also one of the most polluting industries. Shipping alone is responsible for over 18-30 per cent of the world’s nitrogen oxide pollution and nine per cent of the global sulphur oxide pollution. A 2018 study led by Dr James Corbett, Professor Emeritus, University of Delaware, found that ship pollution causes about 14 million cases of childhood asthma and 4,00,000 premature deaths a year — from lung cancer to cardiovascular diseases. That is more than 1000 deaths a day, although other estimates are lower. The International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL) is the main international convention that ensures the prevention of pollution of the marine environment by ships from operational or accidental causes. In other words, they are responsible for keeping shipping pollution levels in check.
Over the past two decades, the Indian economy has witnessed unprecedented growth which has spurred energy demand. The Government of India has formulated several policies to reduce its carbon footprint by incorporating alternate sources of energy that do not harm the environment. In order to set an example for other eminent players in the industry, the Indian Navy is setting an example by actively striving to reduce their carbon emissions.
For achieving this goal of a clean and green navy, they have formulated several policies such as the Renewable Energy Generation Indian Navy Environment Conservation Roadmap (INECR). Under this, the Indian Navy aims at reducing its energy consumption and diversifying its energy supply. To better understand the efforts of the Indian Navy towards becoming carbon neutral, Urban Update contacted a senior official of the Southern Command of the
Indian Navy.
The Indian Navy uses hydro-diesel-based engine ships, he informed. Typically, there are three categories of ships based on the type of engines they have – steam turbines, blast turbines, and diesel engine based. In the near future, the Indian Navy will also be migrating towards electric combustion ships to reduce the use of fossil fuels in its operations. Any vehicle that uses fossil fuel-based engines has a significant carbon footprint. The shift towards hydro-diesel-based ships will significantly help Navy in ensuring water health and safeguard the environment. The shipping industry has such high pollution level because the majority of operating ships are diesel-based. Prior to using hydro-diesel ships, the Indian Navy used to keep the emission levels in check by cleaning the engines regularly. Through this, the carbon emissions were also reduced considerably.
The Navy disposes of its waste depending upon the type of waste they have collected. Most ships have incinerators wherein the combustible matter is burnt which reduces the volume of waste. Modern incinerators have inbuilt features that filter out particles from the smoke generated. Moreover, the Navy also runs sewage plants wherein the waste from ships as well as residential complexes is sent for treatment. The procedures of the aforementioned plants are in accordance with the MARPOL Agreement. The water waste generated in the process is collected by sludge barges and disposed off when the ship comes near the harbor. Hard waste from the ship is collected and handed over to the municipal corporation of the area around
the harbor. The Navy’s Kochi base houses a treatment plant that can convert water waste into manure and then sell it off at a nominal cost to the farmlands. The plant also recycles plastic items converting them into sheets that are then sold off to buyers and are brought back to the industry. The area in which Kochi’s base is settled originally had several blocked channels with plastic thrown in them by tourists.
The officer informed that the Navy hires individuals who are responsible for collecting the plastic from the area and sending it over for recycling. 24 MW of solar photovoltaic (PV) projects consisting of both rooftop and land-based solar panels are under execution at various shore establishments of the Navy under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission. During afforestation drives at Naval stations, more than 18,000 plants have been planted over the past year, which is being nurtured by Naval personnel and would mitigate an estimated 365 tonnes of CO2. Furthermore, several naval offices ask their employees to come in on a cycle to the office at least once a week, thereby making them aware of the need and the ways to reduce their carbon footprint.

Conclusion

As the Indian Navy strides towards sustainability by employing cleaner energy sources and establishing treatment plants, we, as a society, need to encourage this trend and incorporate its learnings into our daily lives. Keeping the emission figures in mind, the industry is overall working on formulating guidelines that would steer them towards lowering its impact on the environment. The International Maritime Organisation (IMO) recently released the ‘Greenhouse Gas Strategy’ that aimed at reducing carbon dioxide emissions by at least 40 per cent by 2030. Another policy issued by IMO is designed to cut the shipping industry’s carbon emissions by emphasizing the use of alternative fuels. According to industry specialists, a possible solution to reduce the overall emission output of the ship is by using exhaust emission technology. Through this exhaust emissions are captured and treated of air pollutants such as sulphur. It can be retrofitted to existing ships, benefitting companies wishing to incorporate the technology with existing fleets.
Humans instinctively have a tendency to explore the farthest corners of the earth. Exploration is key to human existence. Setting off on the sail for knowledge, resources and more land, travelling also become imperative to the society.
This did not pose as an issue for many years until pollution levels bagan to rise at an unprecedented rate. There is a need to find a way to sustain the travel in such a way that it does not harm the environment. The industry should adapt and adopt the technological advancements and look for cleaner and efficient energy alternatives.