Nissan has unveiled an all-new energy efficient car carrier for sea transport of its LEAF electric cars across Europe.
A massive transport car carrier, called “The City of St. Petersburg”, is the first carrier of its kind to incorporate a unique design, cutting air resistance by nearly 50 percent compared to conventional vessels by making the bow sleek and semispherical.
Based on calculations of an annual navigation rate of 75% under average hydrographic conditions for the North Atlantic Ocean, this new design is expected to curb fuel consumption by 800 tons annually, which converts to achieving an annual reduction of approximately 2,500 tons of CO2 emissions.
“The City of St. Petersburg” weighs 21,000 tons and can accommodate 2,000 cars. It’s slated to transport vehicles to Northern Europe and Russia from Nissan’s factories in the United Kingdom and Spain.
The “City of St. Petersburg” does not seem to be running on any different fuel. Most ships run on Bunker Fuel, which is pretty much the dirtiest liquid fuel around.
That is good news, considering findings reported in 2009 that the pollution and subsequent health risks from the global shipping industry are grossly understated. According to PureGreenCars.com, the largest ships can each emit as much as 5,000 tons of sulfur in a year — the same as 50 million typical cars, each emitting an average of 100 grams of sulfur a year.
