greenhouse gas emission, SHIPPING INDUSTRY AND IMO
First of all lets know something about green house gas and how it affects us Life on earth depends on the energy from sun.About 30% of the sunlight that beams towards earth is deflected by the outer atmosphere and scattered back into space. The rest reaches the earth's surface and is again reflected upwards. This reflected radiation is absorbed by the green house gas and this keeps the earth's atmosphere warm.This phenomena is called green house effect and it is believed that without green house effect the earth's atmosphere would have been 30 deg Celsius colder, which would have been too colder to sustain life on earth. These gases are carbon di oxide, methane, water vapor, ozone etc.
But there is a proverb in Sanskrit and which says " ATI SARVATRA VARJAYET". This means there is a limit to each and everything.After industrial revolution and invention of internal combustion engines, fossil fuels were burnt and this started increase of carbon-di-oxide in the atmosphere.Deforestation also increased the imbalance in the atmosphere.
Not going much in detail about GHG and its effect, in simple sentence it can be said that more GHG means more reflected radiations trapped and and held, which gradually increases the temperature of earth's surface and air in lower atmosphere.
How much the shipping industry contributes to this increase in GHG emission?
International maritime shipping accounts for approximately 2.7% of annual global GHG emission.And as trade between countries will increase the GHG emission will also increase. It is expected that in next 10 years there will be an increase of 70 to 75% in emission of GHG.
DEVELOPMENTS IN IMO
Although discussions on GHG emission from ships within IMO started in the late 1980s, it was the 1997 MARPOL conference Resolution 8 on "CO2 emission from ships" that triggered IMO's work on GHG emissions.The first IMO study on GHG emission from ships was presented to MEPC 45 in october 2000 which identified a potential for reduction of GHG emission through technical and operational measures.
A significant amount of work on technical and operational measures has been carried out in accordance with the work plan and at MEPC 59( july 2009) the committee approved to circulate interim guidelines on technical and operational measures which will reduce the GHG emission from ships.
In 2010, MEPC 61 considered amendments to MARPOL Annex VI as a potential manner for introducing non mandatory technical and operational measures into IMO regulatory regime.
MEPC 62 ( July 2011) considered and adopted amendments to MARPOL Annex VI for inclusion of regulations on energy efficiency for ships. These amendments added a new chapter 4 to Annex VI on regulations on energy efficiency for ships making EEDI mandatory for new ships and SEEMP for all ships.
These amendments are expected to enter into force on 1st January 2013.
TECHNICAL MEASURES:-
The most important technical measure is Energy efficiency design index ( EEDI) for new ships and it aims at promoting the use of more energy efficient ( less polluting) equipment and engine. The EEDI requires a minimum energy efficiency level per capacity mile (e.g. tonne mile) for different ship type and size segments.It is expressed in grams of CO2 per ship's capacity mile.A smaller EEDI means a more energy efficient ship design.
CO2 emission
EEDI = -------------------
Transport work
The CO2 emission represents total CO2 emission from combustion of fuel at design stage, including propulsion and auxiliary engine taking into account the carbon content of the fuel in question.If some innovative energy efficient technology or non conventional source of energy is used on board, the energy saved by these means will be deducted from total CO2 emission, based on actual efficiency of system.
Transport work is calculated by multiplying the ship's capacity as designed ( dead wt. for cargo ship and gross tonnage for passenger ship) with the ship's design speed measured at maximum design load condition.
OPERATIONAL MEASURES:-
Ship energy efficiency management plan ( SEEMP) is an operational measure that establishes a mechanism to assist a shipping company and/or a ship to improve the energy efficiency of its ship operation in a cost effective manner.The success can be achieved by 4 steps:-
1) Step 1- Establish a baseline. It is important to examine data, tools and processes in order to determine a credible baseline from which goals, plans and actions all grow.
2) Step 2-- Identify improvement potential. Identify how much you can save. What initiatives you need to take to realize the improvements.
3) Step 3- Implement and monitor. Put the plan into action and track performance using variety of established system.
4) Step 4- Evaluate and update. The progress of the different improvement initiatives should be regularly followed up by responsible person with the assessment of performance used to modify future goals.
The IMO has set target for the reduction of GHG emission in different phases. The CO2 reduction level for first phase is set to 10% and it will be tightened every 5years.IMO has set reduction rates until the period 2025 to 2030 when a 30% reduction is mandated for most ship types calculated from a baseline representing the average efficiency for ships built between year 2000 and year2010.
But there is a proverb in Sanskrit and which says " ATI SARVATRA VARJAYET". This means there is a limit to each and everything.After industrial revolution and invention of internal combustion engines, fossil fuels were burnt and this started increase of carbon-di-oxide in the atmosphere.Deforestation also increased the imbalance in the atmosphere.
Not going much in detail about GHG and its effect, in simple sentence it can be said that more GHG means more reflected radiations trapped and and held, which gradually increases the temperature of earth's surface and air in lower atmosphere.
How much the shipping industry contributes to this increase in GHG emission?
International maritime shipping accounts for approximately 2.7% of annual global GHG emission.And as trade between countries will increase the GHG emission will also increase. It is expected that in next 10 years there will be an increase of 70 to 75% in emission of GHG.
DEVELOPMENTS IN IMO
Although discussions on GHG emission from ships within IMO started in the late 1980s, it was the 1997 MARPOL conference Resolution 8 on "CO2 emission from ships" that triggered IMO's work on GHG emissions.The first IMO study on GHG emission from ships was presented to MEPC 45 in october 2000 which identified a potential for reduction of GHG emission through technical and operational measures.
A significant amount of work on technical and operational measures has been carried out in accordance with the work plan and at MEPC 59( july 2009) the committee approved to circulate interim guidelines on technical and operational measures which will reduce the GHG emission from ships.
In 2010, MEPC 61 considered amendments to MARPOL Annex VI as a potential manner for introducing non mandatory technical and operational measures into IMO regulatory regime.
MEPC 62 ( July 2011) considered and adopted amendments to MARPOL Annex VI for inclusion of regulations on energy efficiency for ships. These amendments added a new chapter 4 to Annex VI on regulations on energy efficiency for ships making EEDI mandatory for new ships and SEEMP for all ships.
These amendments are expected to enter into force on 1st January 2013.
TECHNICAL MEASURES:-
The most important technical measure is Energy efficiency design index ( EEDI) for new ships and it aims at promoting the use of more energy efficient ( less polluting) equipment and engine. The EEDI requires a minimum energy efficiency level per capacity mile (e.g. tonne mile) for different ship type and size segments.It is expressed in grams of CO2 per ship's capacity mile.A smaller EEDI means a more energy efficient ship design.
CO2 emission
EEDI = -------------------
Transport work
The CO2 emission represents total CO2 emission from combustion of fuel at design stage, including propulsion and auxiliary engine taking into account the carbon content of the fuel in question.If some innovative energy efficient technology or non conventional source of energy is used on board, the energy saved by these means will be deducted from total CO2 emission, based on actual efficiency of system.
Transport work is calculated by multiplying the ship's capacity as designed ( dead wt. for cargo ship and gross tonnage for passenger ship) with the ship's design speed measured at maximum design load condition.
OPERATIONAL MEASURES:-
Ship energy efficiency management plan ( SEEMP) is an operational measure that establishes a mechanism to assist a shipping company and/or a ship to improve the energy efficiency of its ship operation in a cost effective manner.The success can be achieved by 4 steps:-
1) Step 1- Establish a baseline. It is important to examine data, tools and processes in order to determine a credible baseline from which goals, plans and actions all grow.
2) Step 2-- Identify improvement potential. Identify how much you can save. What initiatives you need to take to realize the improvements.
3) Step 3- Implement and monitor. Put the plan into action and track performance using variety of established system.
4) Step 4- Evaluate and update. The progress of the different improvement initiatives should be regularly followed up by responsible person with the assessment of performance used to modify future goals.
The IMO has set target for the reduction of GHG emission in different phases. The CO2 reduction level for first phase is set to 10% and it will be tightened every 5years.IMO has set reduction rates until the period 2025 to 2030 when a 30% reduction is mandated for most ship types calculated from a baseline representing the average efficiency for ships built between year 2000 and year2010.
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