Dayyyyy 5 in Cyprus! For our site visits today, we went to Vasilliko, a cement company, as well as Cyprus Maritime and Marine Institute (CMMI for short). We started our day at Vasilliko where we learned about the extensive process to make cement. To start they have to acquire the raw materials, which include limestone, clay, and gypsum. To do this they own a total of 5 quarries, 2 for limestone, 2 for clay, and 1 for gypsum. They then ship it to the plant where it is put through a crusher to reduce the size of the rocks. After the crusher it enters the pre-heating tower which can reach temperatures up to 900 degrees Celsius! It then enters the kiln to be turned into clinker which is even hotter! After the clinker cools it can either be shipped out to other places or can be used to make their own cement. Vasilliko owns their own port, so they are easily able to import fuel for the kiln and pre-heater as well as export excess cement/clinker. Cement in the 3rd largest exporting product in Cyprus, with Vasilliko playing a large part in that. There are certain regulations put on them, that limits the amount of CO2 they are allowed to produce, so they only operate for 9 months of the year, in 3-month increments. Another way they work towards sustainability is that they are looking to use alternative fuels to heat their kilns and pre-heaters. On their port there were big blocks of fuel that they can ship in for free.

We also visited VTTV, which happened to be located at the same place as Vasilliko. They are sort of like an oil distributer, and they have 28 tanks that hold different oils. They have a jetty that goes almost a mile out, to deep waters, that has 4 berths which is how they can get their oil. It is important for them to be there as if there is an excess they can store it for when it is needed. They are looking to consume energy more efficiently and reduce the consumption of single-use materials. They are also concerned with renewable/alternative energies and how they can increase sustainability practices.

We then went to a fish tavern for lunch, where we had a variety of different seafood. I got to try cuttlefish for the first time, which was a lot like squid. I was not the biggest fan, but it was still pretty good. It was all delicious and there were many cats outside, probably because they are well-fed there.

The final site we visited was Cyprus Maritime and Marine Institute, where we learned about many of the sustainability projects that they are currently working on. They have 3 different divisions, the marine technology division, the marine sciences division, and the marine social sciences division. In the marine technology division, they are working on implementing the use of AI into many of their projects to help for things such as search and rescue as well as a pollution picking-up machine. They are also working on a project called ZEST, which is a zero-emissions vessel design. It will be used to transport things. My personal favorite was the BioCNG, which was a floating power plant that will be used to decarbonize. It uses methane and other carbon containing waste from livestock to create its energy which can then supply other boats with energy. Many of their projects are government funded, but many are also in-house funded which I found interesting. In the future I hope to work with renewable energies, so this was right up my alley. That was why I found the floating power plant the most interesting. Using biomass and other alternatives energy for fuel has always intrigued me and I look forward to seeing how I can help the world in the future.