Yes, you read it right. It's just around the corner - that high - not by speculators as in previous years. It's caused by the IMO requiring ultra low diesel fuel for ships. http://law.emory.edu/ecgar/content/...nternational-sulfur-emissions-regulation.html There's only a couple of choices for commercial operators like myself. a) Sell out; b) convert to gasoil; c) convert to LNG; d) put scrubbers in place. https://oilprice.com/Energy/Oil-Prices/The-Regulation-That-Could-Push-Oil-To-200.html The only thing attractive is converting to LNG. Halter Marine just delivered a ConRo ship to Crowley this year powered by LNG. https://www.workboat.com/news/bluew...ivery-of-first-lng-conro-ship-from-vt-halter/ Princess Cruises just ordered two new dual fueled ships from Italian builder Fincanteiri https://www.travelpulse.com/news/cruise/princess-orders-two-lng-powered-ships.html Our choice will be to simply spend the money for an LNG tug - most likely built by Sanmar http://sanmartugboat.com/lng-tugboats/ What will you other commercial operators do?
I would like to see that, but I really doubt it will happen ever again - even if Guyana comes on line in the next five years. https://www.express.co.uk/news/worl...ment-oil-tankers-donald-trump-exports-red-sea
35 years ago I drove a 3/4 ton chevy truck that was outfitted for duel fuels, gasoline and propane. A simple flip of a toggle switch is all it took and you could switch either way on the fly. There was a slight power loss on propane. Propane is liquid at ambient temperatures and reasonable pressures (~125 psi). LNG is liquid at one atmosphere (14.6 psi) but at a cryogenic temperature of minus -260 F. Propane doesn't require insulated tanks and is widely available right now.
I drove an LP/gasoline powered truck up until 1995. Mileage wasn't anything to brag about, but it was the cleanest burning truck I owned. It's still out there working. For BIG ships, LP won't work well enough to convert to. But LNG will.
LP was actually pretty prevalent in the 80s and early 90s. There were garages around that did nothing but conversions to LP. A lot of commercial vehicles were jumping on the bandwagon. Minimal if any road taxes were applied. Then big brother decided that it needed to be taxed and that was the end of it. It died a death and very few people use it now.
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/arti...crap-most-ships-in-decades-as-imo-2020-awaits The article isn't as important as the three paragraphs (under spiraling costs) which pretty much sums it up.
We are rebuilding a smaller ocean tug to burn methanol http://www.professionalmariner.com/...s-help-methanol-gain-traction-as-marine-fuel/
A different opinion; Check out this article from USA TODAY: 'Colossal collapse' in gas prices expected heading into midterm elections https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/cars/2018/11/02/gas-prices-midterm-elections/1850410002/
Has nothing to do with the elections. Oil prices have been dropping steadily for over a month. It's about supply and demand. Reading elections into it is false. Both Brent and WTI are down $20/bbl
Not my blurb, the oil prices and election comment was from USA Today, Personally I expect fuel prices to up: Got another boat last year, went from 2 thirsty outboards to inboard diesel and found happiness at 12 knots.
USA Today - another lib rag, like WaPo and Tribune. Have your pump prices dropped? Mine haven't in Iceland - we are still paying 231 ISK/ltr = $1.92 USD/ltr
Hi .. is that metaphorically speaking or do you think someone is going to take the gloves off ? if so , who and why ? cheers PJ