Bonaire's Future

[Rick Murchison]

The technology exists. All that is necessary is for destinations to require and enforce it's use.
Terry

Hmmm.... hmmm.... what exists, what's necessary and what's reality are usually three different things. I prefer a reality check... shall we say fecal coliform counts comparing today and in five years at Town Pier or Windsock? Or perhaps an O₂ sat comparison at the base of the wall now and in five years?
It'll be wonderful if Bonaire can pull it off, but if I were a bettin' man I know on which side of that one I'd place my money.
And... even if they do succeed in keeping reef damage to a minimum (a very long shot indeed) there's still the topside affects - Bonaire just won't be Bonaire anymore.
Rick

 

[Web Monkey]

I fear that in my experience they lack the will and the infrastructure. And even with water treatment, the air still stinks of diesel as long as the ships are in, there's never enough shore power so they have to keep the generators going.

Any island that invites cruise ships needs to make sure the entire package is environmentally compatible. If not, Bonaire will turn into just another run down, dirty, tourist-infested island.

Anything, including the diesel fumes are negotiable. If that means that only the newest and cleanest ships dock there, it wouldn't break my heart.

OTOH, if no more ships ever docked there, it wouldn't break my hear either.

Terry

 

[Rick Murchison]

OTOH, if no more ships ever docked there, it wouldn't break my hear either.

Terry

Far, far from breaking my heart... that would make my day!
Rick

 

[Rick Murchison]

Anything, including the diesel fumes are negotiable.

On the big boys it's called stack gas. The only way (aside from a nuclear powered ship) to reduce that is to run on shore power... "pick yer devil," so to speak.
Rick

 

[archman]

There isn't a single Caribbean nation with an effective cruise ship regulatory plan in place. Not one. Not even Bermuda. Heck, not even Hawaii. Geez, not even most U.S. cruise ship ports of call.

 

[Thalassamania]

Any island that invites cruise ships needs to make sure the entire package is environmentally compatible. If not, Bonaire will turn into just another run down, dirty, tourist-infested island.

I fear that in my experience they lack the will and the infrastructure. And even with water treatment, the air still stinks of diesel as long as the ships are in, there's never enough shore power so they have to keep the generators going.

On the big boys it's called stack gas. The only way (aside from a nuclear powered ship) to reduce that is to run on shore power... "pick yer devil," so to speak.
Rick

Environmentally compatible is not possible and yes ... cruise ships will drive another nail into Bonaire's coffin, just as they've done in many other places.

Anything, including the diesel fumes are negotiable. If that means that only the newest and cleanest ships dock there, it wouldn't break my heart.

What do you mean by "negotiable?" Will talk make it go away? Like Rick and I said, run the engines or put in a new electrical generating plant, there's no alternative.

OTOH, if no more ships ever docked there, it wouldn't break my heart either.

Amen.

 

[Web Monkey]

Environmentally compatible is not possible and yes ... cruise ships will drive another nail into Bonaire's coffin, just as they've done in many other places.
What do you mean by "negotiable?" Will talk make it go away? Like Rick and I said, run the engines or put in a new electrical generating plant, there's no alternative.
Amen.

Cruise ships are not an invading army. They obtain permission from the government and the port authority, pay fees and obey rules.

The government has complete authority to allow or deny docking to any and all vessels.

If they're causing problems it's entirely the government's fault, since the government can tell them that they are no longer allowed to dock at the island or discharge passengers.

Whether or not the government does anything about it is a different story, and one that needs to be addressed in the same way that any other public issues (water, sewer, power, traffic, public safety, etc.) are.

You can whine all you want about cruise ships, but the reality is they only show up where they're invited. If they're on the island, it's because the island's government allows them to.

Terry

 

[Web Monkey]

What do you mean by "negotiable?" Will talk make it go away? Like Rick and I said, run the engines or put in a new electrical generating plant, there's no alternative.
Amen.

Negotiable as in "Engines are not allowed to run in port. All ships will use shore power, charged at $xx.xx/KwH".

That wasn't hard, was it?

In fact, it would be a great way to pay for more wind-mills for the island, and eliminate even more of the fossil fuels they currently use.

Terry

 

[Thalassamania]

You can whine all you want about cruise ships, but the reality is they only show up where they're invited. If they're on the island, it's because the island's government allows them to.

No one's disagreeing with you there, but just because the government's for it does not means that it's the best thing for the island's ecosystem.

Negotiable as in "Engines are not allowed to run in port. All ships will use shore power, charged at $xx.xx/KwH".

That wasn't hard, was it?

In fact, it would be a great way to pay for more wind-mills for the island, and eliminate even more of the fossil fuels they currently use.

Terry

If they could do something intelligent in way of renewable energy that's be great, but like they said in your first diving class, "don't hold your breath."

 

[Rick Murchison]

Negotiable as in "Engines are not allowed to run in port. All ships will use shore power, charged at $xx.xx/KwH".

That's just simply not doable with a big ship running a steam plant. You can "stoke the fires" and reduce the stack gas, but you cannot eliminate it. Going cold iron isn't an option. For many reasons.
Rick