Recent publications have raised the topic on climate change and the potential consequences. The Stern Review [Stern, N. (2007)] which[ds_preview] was commissioned by the UK Treasury concluded »There is still time to avoid the worst impacts of climate change, if we take strong action now.« Any delay of necessary actions could render illusionary the target of limiting the temperature increase to two degrees by 2100, which is the threshold for manageable consequences identified by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) [IPCC (2007)]
Global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions have increase by 61 % from 1970 to 2005. The share of the transport sector from total GHG emission is about 15 %. [OECD (2010)] The shipping industry as the most efficient transport mode accounts for approximately 2.7 % of the global CO2 emissions [IMO (2003)]. The majority of future emission models predict an emission increase from shipping of about three times of the emissions from 2007 by 2050 [IMO 2009a].
In 2003, United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) asked the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) to initiate developments related to the reduction of GHGs from ships and the assembly of the Maritime Environmental Protection Committee (MEPC) adopted this in a resolution [IMO (2003)]. Early work resulted in the so called operational CO2 index [IMO (2005)], which is now called Energy Efficiency Operational Indicator (EEOI). Updated guidelines are available [IMO (2009b)]. The operational indicator is a voluntary tool to complement environmental management systems like, e.g., the Ship Energy Efficiency Management Plan (SEEMP) [IMO (2009c)]. Discussions at MEPC also addressed market-based instruments (emission trading system, compensation fund with bunker surcharge and vessel efficiency rating). However, no progress was recently achieved in the political debate as countries like Brazil, China and India strongly opposed any decision at IMO before UNFCCC decisions on possible CO2 reductions are agreed. Therefore, the focus of the IMO debate was on the Energy Efficiency Design Index (EEDI) which is conceived as a future mandatory standard [IMO (2009d)].
Description of the Energy Efficiency Design Index
The EEDI is a technical measure to reduce CO2 emissions from shipping addressing ship new buildings. The index compares theoretical CO2 emissions and transport work of a vessel and will eventually be benchmarked against an IMO-set requirement.
MEPC 60 agreed that the EEDI will become mandatory for ship new buildings. The Committee discussed at length whether the ship’s energy efficiency should be regulated in a new part of MARPOL Annex VI. [IMO (2010a)].
As the individually attained EEDI for a ship represents the basic energy efficiency of a design, it can be used as a benchmark within an operator’s fleet as well as for a comparison against a competitor’s fleet. Benchmarking against the ship’s operations is possible as well. This means that the determination of the EEDI also makes sense for ships already in service, assumed all data for a complete EEDI Technical File are available [IMO (2009d)].
IMO’s MEPC is developing so-called EEDI baselines. These baselines are considered as future limitation of minimum required energy efficiency. The characteristic of the baseline depends on the ship type and is achieved from the EEDI values calculated from public database. Currently the baselines are not finalised and are still under development.
However, a discussion about reduction rates already started at IMO, e.g. Japan suggested a successive reduction of future baselines and hence energy efficiency requirements [IMO (2010b)].
Before the Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen 2009 (COP 15) took place, the EU agreed on a proposal for an emission target for shipping which reads -20 % of 2005 emissions in 2020. Following COP 15, however, this proposal is being questioned again by some EU member states. Anyway, it is unlikely that an EEDI regime alone can achieve such emission reduction as shown for container vessels in a paper by Dr Pierre C. Sames (2010). However, it will be one building block.
Verification of the Energy Efficiency Design Index
In August 2009, IMO has published guidelines on the calculation and verification of the EEDI. In this context Germanischer Lloyd (GL) has recently conducted the first Energy Efficiency Design Index (EEDI) verification and certification for a large container vessel owned and operated by Hapag Lloyd. The EEDI certificate is issued in accordance with the voluntary EEDI guidelines, MEPC.1/Circ. 681 and 682, of the IMO. This documents that leading members of the maritime industry are pro-actively pursuing measures to improve the energy efficiency of merchant vessels and, thus, reducing the CO2 emissions form shipping.
For the verification of the EEDI, a so called technical file was established, which summarises all relevant technical data, and documents the calculation procedure towards the final EEDI value. Some issues in this context require more attention from the IMO and, therefore, identified items have been forwarded to the German flag state administration for possible consideration at future IMO meetings (submission MEPC 61/5/2).
With this first EEDI certification, Hapag Lloyd emphasizes its leadership in sustainable container shipping. The attained EEDI value of the Hapag Lloyd vessel is significantly better than any proposed baseline suggested to date, underlining the high energy efficiency of the vessel’s design.
Through research and recent contributions to the IMO’s development of the EEDI on behalf of the German Ministry of Transport, Building and Urban Development, GL has developed unique competence in the interpretation and verification of the EEDI. With the introduction of the EEDI certificate, GL has extended its portfolio of services on energy efficiency of ships, ranging from certificates to consultancy which is provided by GL’s FutureShip subsidiary.
FutureShip offers services to optimise ship designs and can support in the optimisation of the attained EEDI of a ship design. Furthermore FutureShip offers services to optimise not only the ship design, but also the ship operation with its services ECO services, e.g. ECO Assistant a trim optimising tool, ECO Patterns and ECO Practices which help to optimise ship operation.
Martin Köpke
