Cruise-Ship Emissions: SO2 and Scrubbers

James Bay Neighbourhood Associations

By Marg Gardiner, President, JBNA

Air Quality:

As reported in the James Bay Beacon last month, unhealthy pollution continues, although at a generally lower level than experienced from 2007 through 2010.

On four days in May, the single location air quality monitor detected surphur dioxide (SO2) levels above the 35 ppb level set by the Vancouver Island Health Authority (VIHA). A spectacular spike on May 9 was the highest recorded since 2010 (an average of 131 ppb).  

From June 1 to June 16, peaks detected at the monitor site were between 5 and 10 ppb, well below the VIHA 35ppb. However, residents who live "off-the-monitor" to the east of Ogden have provided other reports. On June 7, at 8 pm, a resident wrote:  "3 cruise ships in and air is full of acrid odor at Ogden Point where we live in ....  Eyes are watering and my husband and I can feel it in our throats.  It is windy and we can still smell it."

An analysis of past years' data shows that the monitor only obtains a representative sample if the wind is blowing directly towards the monitor and at speeds greater than about 10 knots. The single monitor will obtain a representative sample of the actual ship emissions at most 10% of the time that the cruise ships are in port. With the more prevalent and more westerly winds, most of the plumes do not get measured. The resident who reported on the emissions of June 7 lives "off-the-monitor". Only the installation of additional monitors would determine the full extent of the pollution levels in James Bay.

As we monitor the winds, we have become aware of how quickly the winds shift in James Bay. For example, on one particular evening, namely June 6, there was a visible plume. At 2:30pm - the wind had been at 157degrees; it meandered for a couple of hours from the south-south-east. Between 4:20pm and 4:30pm the wind shifted from 139 to 238 degrees, a shift of 100 degrees. The wind didn't go over the monitor at about 210 degrees for even a 10-minute period.

The way ahead - Scrubber technology:

Those who are interested in the technology of seawater scrubbers will find articles through searches on the web. For those of us who are less technically inclined, a brief description follows:

• seawater is used to scrub the exhaust before discharging the washwater back to the sea.
• exhaust gases are brought in contact with the seawater,
• the SO2 dissolves in the water and is converted to sulphates,
• the washwater is treated to remove solids and the more alkaline washwater returns to the ocean,
• the solids are stored onboard and disposed onshore.

Although scrubbers may be the solution to the pollution from cruise-ships berthing at Ogden Point, unfortunately there are several 'but' issues.

• implementation of 0.1% Sulphur fuel or equivalent has been delayed 12-24 months.
• ships must go to dry-dock for fitting of the scrubber (limited off-season access to dry-dock).
• once fitted with the scrubber, there may still be a delay with completion of the system (e.g., the Norwegian Jewel installed during May 7/14 dry-dock but is not yet operational).
• fuel being burned with scrubbers will be higher sulphur level fuel.
• there is little/no inspection done in Victoria; unsure of impact when a scrubber has breakdowns.
• the Golden Princess and the Star Princess are scheduled for dry-dock in late 2014.
• Carnival Miracle will not be here in 2015 and we have not found the schedule for its replacement, the Carnival Legend.
• we have not yet found any upcoming dry-dock schedule dates for the Westerdam and Amsterdam which have been associated with high levels plumes since 2009.

JBNA Response:

During discussion of mid-June with the Ottawa official in charge of the program, we were told that:

• cruise-industry representatives have informed him that the ships are now burning marine gas oil of 0.05% S fuel while berthed in Victoria
• Ottawa is currently monitoring the installation of scrubbers, and
• Ottawa is developing a fuel inspection program.

JBNA requested the following:

• that Victoria be specifically identified and included in the inspection program (Victoria was not included in past programs), and
• that the location or timing of the fuel switching be changed from "in-port" to either when the ships leave US waters, or when the local harbour pilot boards the ships.

Important questions remain unanswered. How effective are low Sulphur fuels? What level (ppb) of SO2 will still reach residents living closest to the docks?

JBNA members will continue to monitor both the winds and SO2 levels during the remainder of the summer and expect to report back to the community in September or October.