Environmental issues 

 
Just as with all other means of transportation the running of tour boats also has it's effects on the environment. The boats run on fuel which emits CO2, NOx and sulphur particles into the amosphere when burnt. Waste water from the boats may polute the harbour and noise from the boats can be a nuisance - especially while docked. 
DFDS Canal Tours' main goal when it comes to environmental issues is to develop a business less dependent on fossil fuels and energy in general and to reduce the effect per passenger on the surroundings.  

Emission of CO2.
CO2 is the most common greenhouse gas and the amount emitted increases or decreases propotionally with the level of fossil fuels used. The most effective way of reducing the CO2 emission is therefore to reduce the amount of fossil fuel used per passenger.

Reduction of the use of fossil fuels.
Our use of fossil fuels has been steadily increasing throughout the past decades but in 2004 a project to put an end to this development was launched. We changed procedure and introduced the full stop of all engines when our boats were docked or waiting for passengers at the different stops.  
In 2006 focus was on the current speed limits in the harbour and canals which we decided to reduce for our boats a year before this was done in general by the port authorities. By reducing the speed of the boats we have also reduced our use of fossil fuels by 25,9 tons or 16.5%.

During the period between 2003 and 2006 the use of fuel per passenger was reduced by 27%.

In 2008 we bought another covered boat, which is heated during the winter and this is the reason why our use of oil increased that year.

The sulphur content is reduced.
The amount of sulphur particles which is emitted by ships' motors is dependent on the amount of fuel used and the content of sulphur. DFDS' boats run on sulphur-free fuel which puts minimal strain on the environment.

Sewage Emission
DFDS' boats are all fitted with tanks which gather any waste water generated onboard. The waste water is pumped ashore by our sewage treatment facility and is hereafter cleaned at the public waste water works.  

The reduction of noise pollution.
DFDS is playing an active part in reducing noise polution in the harbour of Copenhagen, which is a noise-sensitive area. Focus is mainly on technical improvements such as the sound-proofing of engines and the hydrolic systems. An effort is also made to reduce noise pollution by changing our daily routines. In the future noise pollution will be reduced in general since noise reduction is an important part of modern ship building as well as the convertion of existing ships into electric powering.

Focus on environmental policy
In 2009 DFDS Canal Tours was certified as a Climate+ front runner by the borough of Copenhagen. Vi also received a Climate+ award for our work on the convertion of our boats from being run on fossil fuel to green electricity.