Flagships of the Future

Shipping operates out of the jurisdiction of any laws or regulations that cover emissions, but some companies are making attempts to reduce their footprint. One idea: good old-fashioned wind power.

Shipping has not exactly been at the forefront of clean energy innovation. While carmakers have built the Prius and the Volt, and airlines have tested fuels made from algae and jatropha, much of the maritime industry has kept on cruising.

Part of the reason for that is regulatory. Shipping is not covered by the Kyoto Protocol, and is exempted from schemes like the European Union's Emissions Trading System. There is also a lot of conservatism in the industry, according to Diane Gilpin, of B9 Shipping, which is developing some of the first ships running solely on renewable power--ships with sails.

"Shipping is offshore, so none of the emissions fall into national jurisdiction. There are also complex problems about accounting for carbon, and it is a relatively hidden industry. As consumers, we tend not to be aware of it," she adds.

Things could be changing, though. This week, a key U.K. committee recommended that shipping be included in plans to cut GHGs. Earlier this summer, California expanded rules aimed at cutting GHGs from in-bound boats. And, the UN International Maritime Organisation has pledged to improve fuel efficiency.

And, several environmentally friendly vessels have started appearing. There was the Auriga Leader, Toyota's 60,000-ton solar-powered car-carrier; this wave-powered concept ship from the Fraunhofer Center of Manufacturing Innovation; and the Swiss-built Türanor--the world's largest solar-powered yacht, covered in 6,458 square feet of PV.