Merchant shipping is vital to global trade, but the sector’s huge vessels are often powered by highly polluting bunker fuels. Now some major companies are talking about low-carbon alternatives that might someday replace to bunker fuels entirely — including nuclear-powered ships. [Earlier this month] the CEO of Chinese shipping giant Cosco said his company was cooperating with Chinese nuclear companies to study the idea. … Environmentalists say shipping is responsible for about 5 percent of global carbon dioxide emissions, but so far has avoided regulation of its greenhouse gas emissions, and the issue failed to gain traction at the climate conference in Copenhagen this month.
