Operational efficiencies could halve shipping CO₂ emissions

AN industry report prepared for the International Maritime Organization (IMO) has shown that existing ships’ CO emissions could be reduced by up to 50%, with many measures demanding no net cost to the owner.
However, the report said that achievable operational and technical reductions were not enough to negate the impact of fleet growth which could see emissions increase by up 250% if unchecked and therefore, market-based instruments were also conceivable.
The report will be presented at the IMO’s marine environment protection committee meeting in eight weeks’ time.
Written by respected greenhouse gas experts, the report said that technical and operational efficiencies could be readily implemented on vessels at no overall negative cost due to the fuel savings that could be achieved.
Overall, it said emission rate cuts of between 25% and 75% were achievable from both design and operational changes.
It also indicated that market-based instruments were a cost-effective policy with high-environmental effectiveness and could be used to offset emissions in other sectors.
WWF UK head of transport policy Peter Lockley welcomed the report, saying it was one of the most authorative to date.
“It is a comprehensive coalition of people that know the industry well, but that said they are upfront about the uncertainties,” he said.
“The volume of shipping is increasing at such a rate that it outstrips the efficiency gains,” Mr Lockley said.
“The industry should be part of a trading scheme so if they go above a given cap they buy from other industries.”
But some industry quarters are opposed to any proposal that would effectively cap trade.
In a soon-to-be-published report the International Chamber of Shipping will suggest that due to the recent dramatic contraction in demand for shipping, significant CO emissions will be achieved by the industry as a whole.
“This illustrates the dangers of setting targets for an entire sector that is the servant of world trade, as opposed to setting goals for improving the emissions of individual ships.”
However, in the report prepared for the IMO, it is suggested that some of the measures being developed for vessels have limitations.
The report said that the energy efficiency design index, a calculation aimed at setting the emission criteria for a specific vessel design, appears to be a cost-effective solution but is limited as it only affects new vessels.
The proposed operational indicators being developed could provide strong incentives, but could be challenged due to the difficulties in establishing benchmarked baselines.
It also said that the ship-efficiency management plan, a proposed method of promoting awareness and operational measures for reducing emissions though practical onboard measures, was also feasible but was in danger of not incentivising research and development.