Fuel

[samtesla]

And now for something different...

 

During the usual navigation chat with the 3rd Officer of the CP, he told us the ship uses 1500 TONS of diesel fuel for its 7 day cruise (eastern). This, of course, got me thinking :eek:

 

A few calculations later, I came up with a figure of 13 gallons of diesel per person per day (crew included). I.e. 1500 tons is so many gallons, figure 3500 pax plus 1200 crew, divide, etc.

 

If this number is anything near accurate, and diesel costs them a dollar or so a gallon (I'm being generous) that means that per day, each person costs them 10-15 or more dollars just for fuel. Considering a low-ball per-day per pax cost of $100 minimum, 10-15% of that or more spent on fuel is quite a bit.

 

Any better figures anyone?

[Flintstone]

:eek: :eek: :eek: :eek:

 

Boy....and I thought DH semi used a lot of fuel!!!

[edYYZ]

When I attended the "Driving the Coral Princess" lecture last week, the 2nd officer doing the talk explained that on each 7 day sailing the ship uses approximately 1/4 of a million dollars worth of fuel. So yeah, thats quite a lot :). He also explained that although all the cruise ships feature stabilizers, they are almost never used (only when the ship is rolling badly) because they are expensive to maintain, but more importantly, because they decrease the fuel efficiency of the ship. As a result, it costs too much (on top of the already high fuel costs, as the OP explained)! I thought that was a very interesting point.

[ahracer]

When I attended the "Driving the Coral Princess" lecture last week, the 2nd officer doing the talk explained that on each 7 day sailing the ship uses approximately 1/4 of a million dollars worth of fuel. So yeah, thats quite a lot :). He also explained that although all the cruise ships feature stabilizers, they are almost never used (only when the ship is rolling badly) because they are expensive to maintain, but more importantly, because they decrease the fuel efficiency of the ship. As a result, it costs too much (on top of the already high fuel costs, as the OP explained)! I thought that was a very interesting point.

 

 

Interesting comment about the stabilizers. I was told the exact opposite during a bridge tour on the Island Princess. They said the stabilizers were almost always used or the ship would rock too much without them. They said the only time they don't use them is when they need to make some extra speed and then they try to do it late night when everyone is in bed. Also in certain heavy sea conditions they have to retract them.

 

Scott

[98Charlie]

One thing to remeber, the cruise lines are probably not paying state highway tax and may have a different (possibly lower) federal excise tax on their fuel.

 

Charlie

[derf5585]

can someone figure how many gallons/mile the ship uses.

 

I wonder how the Captain pays for the gas. Does he/she whip out a credit card and say fill it up, or do the pumps have a card reader.

 

Is there a toll both when a ship enters the Panama Canal. Is there a bucket for exact change.

[aaannnthony]

The QM-2 goes 29 foot on a gallon, which would equate to about 182 gallons per mile!

[Druke I]

Although they are diesel powered, they use a different grade of diesel than you use in your normal semi!

 

Ships use a heavier grade (less refined), and it is almost "Bunker C".

 

The ships with the new gas turbines use a kerosene based fuel for the turbines, and the heavier diesel fuel for the diesels.

[gopher's girl]

That is amazing. Kinda makes you wonder if they are working on hybrid fuel systems for ships?? (HAHAHA)

[Druke I]

gopher's girl

 

Hybrid system, that is exactly what the diesel/gas turbine ships are! I believe the US Navy refers to that system as CODAG.

[cjh]

While on the bidge tour on the Star Princess I asked about the fuel and because the way it is burned it is the junk fuel that nobody else can use. You know all that oil from you oil changes? They said that's what is used to power the ship.

[ahracer]

I find it hard to beleive they are using recycled motor oil as fuel.

 

Scott

[Druke I]

Scott

 

It is my understanding that "bunker C" fuel does contain a percentage (I don't know numbers) of recycled oil, along with the low refined oil.

 

Perhaps derf can come up with one of his amazing references, which would give numbers or an approximation.

[ahracer]

Druke,

 

That is interesting. I would assume it would be a small percentage. Wheres Derf when you need him??

 

Scott

[mr green]

They say that a gallon of fuel moved the QE2 Eight Inches! :eek: john

[derf5585]

Wheres Derf when you need him??

Scott

 

clean distillate fuel

from

http://www.ship-technology.com/projects/millennium/

 

Clean oil, distilled oil and light oil are all names used to identify the products refined more than No.6 oil from crude into a category

from

http://www.k-sea.com/CleanOil.htm

 

FUEL GUIDANCE, by Tom Gahs

from

http://www.uscg.mil/hq/elcbalt/docs/fueltest/PROPULSION%20FUEL%20GUIDE%201.pdf

[gopher's girl]

oops, didn't realize that the diamond was like that. thanks for correcting me :)

[derf5585]

oops' date=' didn't realize that the diamond was like that. thanks for correcting me :)[/quote']

 

Did I miss something?

[VibeGuy]

There's various moves afoot relating to NOx and particulate emissions that are relevant to ships calling in certain areas of the world that will mandate a move towards lower-sulfur diesels and distillate fuels as time goes on. I believe Princess has entered into specific agreements with Alaskan ports to improve air quality by use of these fuels.

 

In reality, hydrocracking and reforming is making more profitable fuels out of residuum / asphaltic compounds and the process just keeps getting better, so there's less and less need to dump bunker onto the market. It would not surprise me in the least to see operators eventually adopt the very, very clean diesel-like fuels synthesized from natural gas - the maintenance savings from cleaner fuels are substantial enough to make the price differences less important over time.

 

Eric

[coiran]

Cruise ships and other large marine vessels use a very low grade of fuel oil. For those of you familiar with "Bunker C" fuel oil which is very thick and sticky - like honey at 10 C or 50 F. Most ships will use even a lower grade than this. I do not know the cost per gallon or ton but would expect it to be pretty low. If you notice - many of the lesser ports of call which offer little for the pax are usually fueling stops.

 

Ron

[cruiserforlife]

WOW...and I thought my 1970 Chevrolet Chevelle SS454 LS-6 got bad mileage!:eek:

But I bet they're not paying the $6.50+ that I'm paying for low lead 116 octane either...:rolleyes:

[derf5585]

WOW...and I thought my 1970 Chevrolet Chevelle SS454 LS-6 got bad mileage!:eek:

But I bet they're not paying the $6.50+ that I'm paying for low lead 116 octane either...:rolleyes:

 

1970 Chevrolet Chevelle SS 454

from

http://www.fast-autos.net/chevrolet/chevroletchevelle.html

 

The Chevrolet Chevelle SS represented Chevrolet's entry into the hot midsize muscle car battle.

from

http://www.musclecarclub.com/musclecars/chevrolet-chevelle/chevrolet-chevelle-history.shtml

[patval]

I did some searching and the price for Bunker fuel is 302.40 per metric ton up from last year when it was 200.70 per metric ton.

 

Paul

[derf5585]

I did some searching and the price for Bunker fuel is 302.40 per metric ton up from last year when it was 200.70 per metric ton.

Paul

 

OIL INDUSTRY CONVERSIONS

from

http://www.eppo.go.th/ref/UNIT-OIL.html

 

Looking for conversion factor from Metric ton to gallons

[edYYZ]

Interesting comment about the stabilizers. I was told the exact opposite during a bridge tour on the Island Princess. They said the stabilizers were almost always used or the ship would rock too much without them. They said the only time they don't use them is when they need to make some extra speed and then they try to do it late night when everyone is in bed. Also in certain heavy sea conditions they have to retract them.

 

Hmmm that's interesting. I wonder how badly the ship rolls without them because I could see them costing a lot to use in terms of fuel and maintenance. What the officer told us made a lot of sense to me, since cruise fares nowadays are so low (who's paying for that extra fuel?). He also said that the cruiseline schedules the ships to leave earlier from ports than they need to (and then don't travel at full speed) to increase the amount of time spent at sea to generate more onboard profits. I don't know how true this is but it does make sense from an economical point of view.