featured-image

A St. Catharines based company will research how to make shipping more efficient in Canada, even considering old-fashioned wind power, after being awarded five federal grants this week. The federal government is giving Algoma Central Corporation nearly $600,000 to study how wind, biofuel and other technologies that might reduce shipping emissions on the Great Lakes and the St.

Lawrence Seaway. Transportation is Canada's second largest source of greenhouse gas emissions, making up roughly one quarter of all emissions, according to the federal government. With COP27 on the horizon, shipping industry feeling increased pressure to reduce emissions Greg Ruhl, Algoma Central president and CEO, told CBC Radio's Up North that the company began testing a blend of fossil fuels and biofuels last year.



Further study will expand on that research, he said, and will look at other technologies, like wind propulsion. That doesn't mean a return to sailboats of old, Ruhl said, but rather, a potential modern update. "Some of them look like windmill blades.

Some of them have different structures. And we want to look at all those," he said. "The question is, would it work?" he said.

"Wind power, it feels so green. It may not make any sense at all. We just don't know yet.

" Great Lakes, St. Lawrence have unique challenges Although green shipping technology is being studied globally, Ruhl says bulk carrier ships in the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence will require a unique design to become more efficient.

Back to Fashion Page