Because PEO (PolyEthylene Oxide) is benign to the environment, i.e. it breaks down from the long carbon backbone chain into carbon dioxide and water with exposure to UV sunlight and wave action.
Figure 1 shows that for the same catamaran as was previously discussed in the Skin Friction Reduction Effect on Operational Costs section, that significant quantities of noxious pollutants, such as NOx, CO, and HC can be reduced with SFR (Skin Friction Reduction) when traveling a theoretical 500 nm excursion. At 46.575 kts, the catamaran traveling with no SFR has achieved its maximum speed by drawing 16.6 MW of power from its engines (click to See Figure 2). The catamaran with SFR installed can travel 55.75 kts and therefore completes the 500 nm excursion faster than the ship without SFR which is only able to travel at a maximum speed of 46.575 kts. Therefore, since both ships are drawing 16.6 MW of power, it is the faster ship that emits less noxious emissions as it completes the 500 nm excursion in less time, therefore the engines are not operating and emitting pollutants for as long of a period of time.
Figure 1: Noxious Emissions with and without SFR (Skin Friction Reduction) for a Theoretical 500 nm Journey
