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INSIGHTS ity when crude prices exceed ~ $80 per barrel and then fail to maintain that interest when the market falls below $50 a barrel. Historically, the problem has not been the price of oil, but the price of the alternative infrastructure. Few will argue against the need to reduce our use of our natural re- sources and begin a long-term conservation process. That plan needs to follow emissions reductions, develop cleaner means of providing energy and reduce our dependency on oil. We have seen the shift occur in the automotive indus- try and honestly, it has been painless. Gasoline now lives alongside hybrid batteries and natural gas. We may even

Robert Kunkel see Hydrogen enter mainstream automotive technology in the very near future. If they can live together in the car and

President, truck market, then why not marine transportation?

Alternative Marine

Is there a crude oil price point where LNG again be- comes more attractive in terms of propulsion costs

Technologies, Inc.

for operators who want to switch?

Can we tell you that the price point is X? No. Why?

NG? Methanol as fuel? Hybrid systems? Tier Because the decision to burn natural gas and make that 4? Reducing Noise? Cutting Emissions with- propulsion change reaches beyond fuel price economics.

L out crushing fuel economy? MarineNews read-

The company making the change has to believe in a long- ers have questions and Bob Kunkel has answers. Kunkel, term environmental compliance plan. In our experience,

President of Alternative Marine Technologies, previously most of the customers we discuss the change with have a served as the Federal Chairman of the Short Sea Shipping client base that demand that environmental compliance as

Cooperative Program under the Maritime Administration part of their mission statement. Can we say that low sulfur and Department of Transportation from 2003 until 2008. diesel fuel at $1,000 a metric ton made LNG look very at-

A past Vice President of the Connecticut Maritime Asso- tractive? Yes, we can. That said; many operators discontin- ciation, he is a contributing writer for Maritime Profes- ued the gas discussions when low sulfur diesel and gas oil sional and MarineNews. A graduate of the Massachusetts dropped below $500 a metric ton. Make no mistake there

Maritime Academy, Kunkel sailed as a licensed engineer are other companies that continued with their commit- and eventually continued his career in ship construction ment to make the switch to natural gas regardless of price. at NASSCO, San Diego, Hyundai Heavy Industries, S. I would like to think it is because they are working towards

Korea, Chengxi Shipyard and Dalian New Shipyard in leaving a cleaner planet for our children and reaching be-

China. He is a senior member of the Special Committee yond current economics. The lack of interest at this point on Ship Operation with ABS and an elected member of is the fact that many of the operators received an education the National Cargo Bureau. This month, as our featured on LNG and cryogenics which in turn opened their eyes

INSIGHTS executive, he weighs in on propulsion tech- on how complicated the use of LNG as fuel can be. It is not nology, as perhaps no one else in industry can. for everyone, nor does it ? t every propulsion application.

How much has the price plunge in oil impacted the Big Data: it is being touted as the practice that will, emergence of cleaner propulsion choices – like, for when the data is properly analyzed, really help own- starters – LNG?

ers, designers and OEM’s build and maintain less ex-

There is no doubt that geopolitical con? icts and the pensive and more ef? cient engines. But, has it yielded any fruit from that tree as yet? When will that happen?

impact they have on the price of oil affects energy tech- nology. Alternative fuels or means of supplying power; Technology innovation moves at speeds that make it dif- whether that means solar, fuel cell or wind, rise in popular- ? cult for us to keep up with the latest and greatest prod-

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