REDUCING MARITIME CARBON EMISSIONS
The impact of
CLIMATE CHANGE REGULATIONS ON GLOBAL SHIPPING MEPC 76: FROM GOALS TO MEASUREMENT TO COMPLIANCE The June meeting of the IMO’s Maritime Environmental Protection Committee (MEPC 76) successfully gained member consensus on two important issues: • Acceptance of the IMO’s carbon reductions goals: 30% reduction by 2030 and 50% reduction by 2050, as compared with 2008 levels;
Stephen Metzger
PhD
Principal, International Competitive Assessments
T
he global shipping industry is in the vortex of a chaotic market with levels of demand for shipping services and freight rates at historic highs. At the same time, the industry must deal with impending climate change regulations focused on reducing the industry’s carbon footprint. This article deals with the latter issue, but it is important to bear in mind that current market conditions will play a role in whether or not the pending regulations can be effectively implemented.
16 Caribbean Maritime | October- January 2022
• Acceptance of two carbon emission measurement tools, the Energy Efficiency [for] Existing Ships Index (EEXI) and the Carbon Intensity Indicator (CII).
EEXI AND CII POINT THE WAY TO SYSTEMIC CARBON REDUCTION The EEXI establishes a “Required EEXI” for specified ship types, and an “Attained EEXI” to be calculated for each individual ship. The calculation of Required EEXI builds on the Energy Efficiency Design Index (EEDI), with a table of reduction factors specific to the EEXI calculation. Vessels over 5,000 gross tonnes will be required to quantify and report on carbon emissions from operations on a yearly basis called the Annual Operational Carbon Intensity Indicator report. The CII provides
ship operators with the factor by which they must reduce CO2 emissions annually to ensure continuous improvement and regulatory compliance. To summarize, the EEXI is established by reference to technological factors and sets a standard for compliance by ship type and individual ship. CII, on the other hand, is a measurement of carbon emissions occasioned by actual vessel operation. Comparison of the CII, to the EEXI, signals the degree of compliance and provides a set of required improvement factors. For more information on the EEXI and CCI see: https:// www.bvsolutions-m-o.com/magazine/ understanding-new-imo-decarbonizationmeasures-eexi-and-cii .
LNG, HYDROGEN, AND AMMONIA VIE FOR POSITION AS THE DOMINANT ALTERNATIVE MARITIME FUEL Given the tools of carbon measurement and the goals to be achieved, shipping must find a substitute for heavy fuel oil (HFO), which is now, almost universally used to power vessels of all sizes. LNG, ammonia, and hydrogen are considered, and promoted by their respective interest groups, as alternatives to HFO,
