Air Quality - CLIA Alaska

A Proven Solution for Cleaner Emissions

Advanced Air Quality Systems remove 99% of sulfur and 60 - 90% of PM from engine emissions.

Advanced Air Quality Systems have the proven capability to outperform low-sulfur fuel alternatives such as MGO, providing overall cleaner air emissions in a way that is safe for ocean environments.

Results of extensive testing show that ships using Advanced Air Quality Systems produce emissions lower in sulfur and particulate matter (PM) than those running on low-sulfur MGO, a fuel consisting exclusively of distillates that is considered the benchmark for the IMO 2020 0.5% sulfur cap restriction.

In keeping with even the highest international standards, Advanced Air Quality Systems remove 99% of sulfur and 60-90% of PM from engine emissions, including black carbon, elemental and organic carbon. It also reduces nitrogen oxides by at least 5%. Research shows Advanced Air Quality Systems may be especially effective in capturing small-size PM (10 and 2.5 microns and ultrafine), while removing most of the soot from airborne distribution, including black carbon.

To learn more about the environmental performance of Carnival Corporation’s Advanced Air Quality Systems, click here.

Watch the video here.

Using Technology to Keep Air Clean

Ships sailing within emission control areas (ECAs) – including all that visit Alaska – must either use fuel limited to 0.10% sulfur or technology to achieve equivalent sulfur emission goals. Many of cruise operators have aggressively pursued the installation of stack emission control system technology or converting to cleaner-burning emission LNG.

Alaska was also the first cruise destination to partner with cruise lines to allow ships to plug into local shoreside power while docked in communities with sufficient infrastructure. In Juneau, shore power is available at one dock, allowing the vessel moored there to reduce emissions by plugging into the city’s hydroelectric power. This practice, which results in a significant reduction in fuel emissions, has been adopted by cruise ports around the world.

Alaska cruise vessels also use onboard opacity-monitoring technology to observe air emissions. Data collected is useful in allowing environmental engineers to continue to improve their air systems.