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Current estimates indicate that shipping’s share of global CO2 emissions could increase to 20-30 per cent by 2050. With 90 per cent of global trade carried by sea, this is an issue that cannot be sidestepped.
While the emissions debate is beneficial for all in terms of reducing the environmental impact, it is sometimes hard to see the plethora of solutions being proposed as anything other than a cost that the shipping industry must bear, with little financial benefit.
There are a number of measures that are currently being trialled or introduced more widely, however, that have the potential to achieve tangible commercial benefits and the win/win situation that will reduce costs and limit damage to the environment.
New technology to reduce fuel consumption through improvements in engine efficiency and reducing hull drag is one measure. Another is changes in operational procedures, such as optimizing vessel speed – or 'slow steaming’. Based on knowledge of environmental conditions, including wind, wave and current, the speed profile of the voyage can be tailored to ensure that the ship arrives at the destination just in time to be loaded or unloaded.
While this strategy could be extremely effective, there is the need for all parties in the logistics chain to understand the issues involved and ensure that there is suitable shore-based infrastructure to service ships as they arrive. 'Slow steaming’ certainly has its benefits, but there are downsides too. If we accept that slow steaming is here to stay, will we need extra ships to cater for trade growth? Should new ships be designed with slow steaming in mind in order to optimize their efficiency? These are complex questions that still need to be addressed.
Shipboard Energy Efficiency Management Plan
The International Maritime Organization has established a mechanism for a company and/or a ship to improve the energy efficiency of a ship’s operation called the Shipboard Energy Efficiency Management Plan (SEEMP). At present it is mandatory for a ship to carry its SEEMP, but there is no requirement to comply with it. Many operators are already pursuing this initiative as market forces make it beneficial to do so, however, as the culture changes and the importance of energy efficiency becomes more widely accepted, the SEEMP will become an increasingly valuable tool.
Complete Article at:
http://www.greenwisebusiness.co.uk/news/bmt-groups-del-redvers-on-greener-shipping-1475.aspx
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