Pertamina International Shipping (PIS) is committed to enter into the green shipping industry. To realize the target, PIS has set up some strategic steps, from new vessel design until the use of environmental-friendly fuel. PIS has prepared an investment of US$3 billion to realize the target.
PIS Operation Director Arief Kurnia Risdiantio explained the PIS will redesign vessels that are more streamlined or conical, in order to minimize water resistance and to create efficiency in fuel (energy) consumption.
“So when our ship moves forward, the water resistance becomes smaller and eventually the ship’s fuel consumption becomes less or economical,” Arief said recently as quoted by some media.
In addition to a more efficient ship design, PIS intends to equip its vessels with new propeller design, the ones rotating more lightly thus reducing fuel consumption. With this new propeller design, the water resistance becomes less and less – when the propeller rotates in the water.
With the efficient ship design, Arief hopes that the fuel consumption of the PIS vessels can be lower and later contribute to reducing exhaust emissions.
On the other hand, PIS vessels are targeted to use low sulphur fuel.
Investing $3bln for environmental-friendly Vessels
PIS also targets to expand into more environmentally friendly cargo. For example, petrochemical, container, and gas cargo ships. “Surely, those cargo have different characteristic with the ones we handle at this time. They have greener characteristics than what we currently transport,” he added.
In realizing the targets and funding the expansion programs, PIS has two major mechanism, said Relations Manager Roberth Dumatubun.
First, it will be done through the Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) program. This means that this scheme is more directed to the procurement of new assets. “This is what is being promoted by the Finance Director of the Holding. It’s quite easy to find funding if our project is green (environmentally friendly),” said Robert.
Second, utilization of existing assets through decarbonization. This is done by limiting the use of fossil fuels and encouraging the use of LNG. In contrast to ESG, this scheme is carried out by modifying existing assets.
PIS, he said, has prepared an investment of around US$ 3 billion or around Rp. 43 trillion for the procurement of 69 new ships that are more environmentally friendly.