Hapag-Lloyd Cruises announced it will exclusively use low-sulfur MGO (Marine Gas Oil) on all routes operated by company's current fleet (MS Bremen, Hanseatic Inspiration, Hanseatic Nature) starting July 2020. The newbuild Hanseatic Spirit (scheduled to join HL's fleet in 2021) will also be powered by MGO.
In particularly vulnerable regions like Kamchatka, Arctic and Antarctica, Hapag-Lloyd has been using MGO for several years, long before corresponding IMO's legal regulations have taken effect. MGO is a low-emission marine fuel that has sulfur content of just 0,1%. The new expedition vessels are also equipped with shore power connectors and SCR catalysts which reduce nitrogen oxide emissions by nearly 95%.
The routes are managed on the basis of an eco-efficient average speed that is reducing fuel consumption by a third. Moreover, Hapag-Lloyd's fleet boasts seawater desalination systems in order to produce clean water as well as biological sewage treatment systems for wastewater. The bow thrusters and stabilizers use environmentally-acceptable biological lubricants.