Choosing the Correct Lubricant to Meet Changing Regulations - MarineLink.com

Posted - Monday, March 26, 2012 - Benjamin Bryant (taken from March 2012 print edition of MarineNews). -

The proposed 2013 Vessel General Permit prompts vessel managers to review the portfolio of lubricants used on their vessels.

One of the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) changes in the proposed 2013 Vessel General Permit for commercial vessels over 79’ is a requirement to use environmentally acceptable lubricants in certain applications. Given this proposed change, it is a good time for vessel managers to review the portfolio of lubricants used on their vessels to look for gaps in the operational performance of the lubricants, assess vessel compliance with current and proposed regulations, and align lubricant choices with the environmental values of their company and their customers. To conduct the review, the manager should have an understanding of the laws and regulations that influence lubricant choices and only then develop a framework for applying selection criteria to the decision making process.

The Clean Water Act, Oil Spill Pollution, and the Vessel General Permit
Federal regulations for the use of lubricants, whether a grease or an oil, on board vessels operating within the territorial waters of the United States are derived from language contained in the Clean Water Act of 1977 (CWA) which was later amended by the Oil Pollution Act of 1990. Section 311 of the CWA, under the title “Oil and Hazardous Substance Liability”, prohibits the discharge of oil into the waters of the United States in quantities that may be harmful. For the purpose of the act, oil is specifically defined as “oil of any kind” and the phrase “quantities that may be harmful” is defined by regulation. Also, found in section 311 of the CWA is the authority for the U.S. Coast Guard to assess fines for oil spills and to implement oil pollution control measures. Section 311 of the CWA thus prohibits the discharge of lubricants into the environment regardless of the type of base oil used (whether mineral, ester, or synthetic and whether it is environmentally acceptable or not) and directs the U.S. Coast Guard to assess fines for the discharge of oil into the environment and to conduct oil spill prevention, response, and mitigation activities. Thus, choosing a lubricant based on whether or not a fine will be assessed, or how much of a fine will be assessed, should not be a primary consideration when selecting a lubricant because the U.S. Coast Guard must treat all oils the same.

Complete post at:
http://www.marinelink.com/news/lubricant-choosing343352.aspx

Shipbuilder and Ship Engine Manufacturer to Pay for Clean Air Act Violations - The Maritime Executive

 Posted - March  28, 2012 - The Maritime Executive

First Enforcement Action Under Marine Diesel Engine Air Rules

Coltec Industries Inc. and National Steel and Shipbuilding Company (NASSCO) have agreed to pay a civil penalty of $280,000 and spend approximately $500,000 on an environmental project to resolve alleged violations of the Clean Air Act (CAA) and EPA’s marine diesel engine air rules, the Department of Justice and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced.  The project will significantly reduce nitrogen oxide emissions from a testing stack at Coltec’s Beloit, Wis., engine manufacturing facility, improving air quality for residents.  Coltec and NASSCO also agreed to attach the required EPA engine labels to 40 ship engines that were previously unlabeled or improperly labeled.
“This is the first time a settlement addresses Clean Air Act violations in the marine engine manufacturing and ship building industries.  Under the settlement, Coltec and NASSCO will pay a just penalty and achieve compliance with the nation’s Clean Air Act and EPA’s emissions control regulations,” said Ignacia S. Moreno, Assistant Attorney General for the Environment and Natural Resources Division.  “Compliance with the Clean Air Act by all industries is essential to preventing harmful pollutants from being released into the environment, whether on land or at sea.”
“EPA is committed to enforcing the Clean Air Act’s standards for engines, including ship engines,” said Cynthia Giles, Assistant Administrator for EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance.  “By ensuring that engines meet requirements and encouraging environmental projects that benefit nearby communities, we are making the air cleaner and healthier for the residents of southern Wisconsin.”

Complete post at:
http://www.maritime-executive.com/article/shipbuilder-and-ship-engine-manufacturer-to-pay-for-clean-air-act-violations

Some interesting stories I ran across this morning

Posted March 29, 2012

E-power barge will cut cruise ship emissions in Port of Hamburg Marine Log Two Hamburg, Germany, based companies have come up with an alternative to plugging into shoreside power as a way to cut ships' emissions while in port. The Eckelmann Group, a specialist in maritime environmental protection, and supply and disposal ...

Trade War Looms as China Objects to European Union Carbon Fees U.S. News & World Report (blog) Take the case of ocean shipping, which produces roughly 3 percent of all greenhouse emissions worldwide. A global approach would, of course, be preferable. However, the international maritime industry is deeply split on whether and how to manage ...

Emission norms for shipping SteelGuru Mr GK Vasan union minister of shipping informed the Lok Sabha that International Maritime Organization has adopted mandatory measures to reduce emissions of Green House Gases from international shipping. For this purpose a new chapter on energy ...

New EDF Study Takes A Closer Look at Operations and Air Emissions within the Houston Barge Industry - Environmental Defense Fund

Posted - March 27, 2012 - By Elena Craft, PhD | Bio | Environmental Defense Fund

Diesel engine emissions continue to be a problem in the United States even though light cars and trucks have seen 30 years of improved engine standards.  Exposure to diesel exhaust can cause lung damage and respiratory problems, exacerbate asthma and existing allergies, and increase the risk of cancer.  Given the impact of these emissions on human health, EDF has been pushing for stronger protections from diesel pollution over a decade.  By reducing exposure, we can prevent illness, reduce healthcare costs, and save lives.
Emissions and the Houston Barge System
Diesel exhaust in Houston is produced from a number of sources: on and off-road heavy duty equipment and machinery, marine engines, and other equipment used in port operations.  In order to implement effective pollution reduction initiatives, we must first properly evaluate and characterize emissions from various sectors within the region.  This has proven to be a difficult task, particularly in marine freight and the barge industry.
Freight movement by barge is an important aspect of the Houston economy—and a significant source of air pollution. While maritime transportation is comparably efficient in terms of energy consumption, the sheer volume of marine traffic in Houston makes these emissions an important local health issue.
The Houston Tug & Barge System: A Review of Operations and Opportunities
To help characterize and understand regional maritime emissions, EDF developed a report outlining the profile of barges that operate in the Houston area. The recently released report, “The Houston Barge System: A Review of Operations and Opportunities,” discusses the combustive as well as evaporative emissions associated with barges operating in the Houston region, and identifies opportunities for establishing emissions reduction targets.
Key Areas of Opportunity
Among the findings cataloged in the report, a few opportunities and challenges stand out:

• While large oceangoing vessels are a more significant source of marine emissions than harbor tugs, they are regulated primarily by international standards and not subject to local pollution standards.
• Given their area and hours of operation, the Houston tugboat fleet offers perhaps the best opportunity for emission reductions on the Houston Ship Channel.
• The current fleet of harbor tugs is relatively old and inefficient, and serviced to pre-emissions control standards.
• Auxiliary engines are key targets for reduction: they log more hours, require more frequent maintenance, and are easier to replace.
• The extensive utilization of each tugboat means that individual improvements can have big payoffs for air quality.
• Recent inclusion into the Texas Emissions Reduction Plan (TERP) for tugboats could initiate the transition to a cleaner, lower emitting tugboat fleet.

The quality of the air we breathe has a direct impact on our health. The information from this study will help determine the most effective and efficient pollution control strategies for the maritime freight industry and should be used as a guide to develop policies that improve our air quality in Texas.
 
http://blogs.edf.org/texascleanairmatters/2012/03/27/new-edf-study-takes-a-closer-look-at-operations-and-air-emissions-within-the-houston-barge-industry/

U.S. Coast Guard adopts ballast water standards to combat invasive species - MLive.com

Posted - Tuesday, Tuesday, March 27, 2012, 11:25 AM -   By MacKenzie Burger | mburger@mlive.com 

BAY CITY, MI — The U.S. Coast Guard announced a final rule last Friday regarding ballast water treatment standards that require ships to use technology that minimizes the threat of invasive species.

"There is no person that lives in the Great Lakes that hasn't heard of zebra mussels," said Marc Smith, senior policy manager at the National Wildlife Federation. "Everyone understands the damage of invasive species, and the main culprit is on the ballast of ocean going ships — even the industry acknowledges there is a problem." 

The standards adopt discharge limits proposed by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) in 2004, which some conservationists argue are not strict enough to   stop the influx of non-native species into the Great Lakes and other waterways.

"Until now, we did not have any standards for the allowable concentration of living organisms in ballast water," said Lorne Thomas, external affairs division for the U.S. Coast Guard 9th District. "We needed to get something out there, and we are taking baby steps to make sure vessels are in compliance with new changes and technology that is still effective."

Regulation requires that discharge from ballast tanks have no more than 10 living organisms per milliliter for organisms less than 50 micrometers and greater than or equal to 10 micrometers. Ten living organisms per cubic meter — or 264 gallons — is allowed for organisms greater than or equal to 50 micrometers.

Vessels are required to install water treatment systems — such as UV radiation, electrolysis, or centrifugation — following their first dry dock after 2014.

Complete Post at:
http://www.mlive.com/news/bay-city/index.ssf/2012/03/us_coast_guard_adopts_ballast.html

Teesport bosses say new sulphur rules could hit sea freight - nebusiness.co.uk

Posted - March 26, 2012 - Mark Hughes - Evening Gazette

TEESPORT bosses say new pollution rules for shipping could drive up prices of freight and lead to job losses.
Laws on sulphur emissions due before 2015 will have an impact on everyone, they say, by pushing up the cost of goods - and global warming could also be worsened if cargo is forced back onto the UK’s roads.
Shipping trade bodies say Annex VI controls could cost shipping thousands of jobs - P&O Ferries says its fuel costs would rise by about £60m a year, changing marginal routes into heavily loss-making routes and making job losses inevitable.
Maritime UK, which represents shipping and ports, estimates the additional cost to the industry at £3.6bn as the regulations take hold.
Jerry Hopkinson, managing director for bulks, ports and logistics at PD Ports said: “This applies to ships that are plying their trade principally on the North Sea, Baltic region and around US coastal waters.
“It will limit emissions on ships and will force vessel operators to take engineering measures to install what’s known in the industry as scrubbers to remove particulates.
“It’s absolutely great environmentally - the problem is it imposes quite a cost on older vessels to get them up to scratch.

 Complete post at:
http://www.nebusiness.co.uk/business-news/latest-business-news/2012/03/26/teesport-bosses-say-new-sulphur-rules-could-hit-sea-freight-51140-30624657/

News and Information.from Sunday

Govt prepares for trade war with European Commission
Times of India
With EU mulling a tax on the shipping industry that will impose a levy based on carbon emissions on ships entering European waters., the Indian government has prepared a policy document to examine impacts of such a move and list measures to retaliate ...
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/business/india-business/Govt-prepares-for-trade-war-with-European-Commission/articleshow/12398735.cms


Mitigating Emissions from Shipping
Mitigating Emissions from Shipping. Emissions from international shipping amounted to around 870 million tons (Mt) of carbon dioxide (CO2) in. 2007. Facts sheet at:  http://dev.thegncs.org/sitefiles/file/factsheets/GNCS%20Ocean%20Shipping.pdf
 
 

Cruise Industry Outlook: Steady As She Goes - The Maritime Executive

Posted - Thursday, March 22, 2012 - By Kathy A. Smith - The Maritime Executive
Despite the Concordia tragedy and a stagnant global economy, the number of cruisers keeps going up.

 Last year approximately 20 million cruises were booked worldwide, and that number is expected to rise to 30 million in the next 10 years. “That is quite modest growth, less than we've had in the last 10 to 20 years,” says U.K.-based Tony Peisley, cruise industry analyst and author of Cruising at the Crossroads: A Worldwide Analysis to 2025. “Still, this is the golden age of cruising in terms of quality of the product.” Peisley says the credit crunch in 2008 caused many cruise lines to temporarily suspend ordering new ships, but by the end of 2011 there were 27 on order, a trend he says will not soon stop (there are approximately 300 cruise ships in the world today). “You will still get people saying, ‘Well, there is too much capacity and that's why the yield is not as good as it has been,’ and I always say to that, ‘How many hotels were built this year? Hotels don't run 100 percent-full, and ships do.’”
Keeping Fares Low and Revenues High
Mike Driscoll, editor-in-chief of Cruise Week, concurs: “I think there is definitely optimism for the long term. For years they have been growing the business by ships, but now they are hoping to grow by rates; and hopefully later in the decade go back to the growth of ships.” To that end, numerous cruise lines have initiated cost-cutting drives, many of them technologically driven, in order to keep fares reasonable for passengers.
Money-saving measures include changing hull coatings, lowering speed and energy re-use. “If you look at the profit figures for Carnival, it is still making very healthy profits, but they would be a lot higher if fuel hadn't gone up,” explains Peisley. “Fuel cost is going to be the biggest issue in the future because of the environmental regulations coming in on fossil fuel,” he added, referring in part to the North American Emission Control Area (ECA) expected to be in place in August 2012, which will extend up to 200 nautical miles around U.S. and Canadian coasts and require the use of low-sulfur fuel or scrubbers.

Complete Post at:
http://www.maritime-executive.com/article/cruise-industry-outlook-steady-as-she-goes

LNG Demand to Drive Offshore Growth in Asia - Press Release - MarineLink.com

Posted -Press Release -Wednesday, March 21, 2012

Singapore – Soaring demand for liquefied natural gas (LNG) across Asia is driving major new investments into exploration and infrastructure capabilities. This will stimulate growth in the region’s rapidly expanding offshore and marine sector, as new developments will require additional offshore assets and support services from regional players. Furthermore, due to the synergies between Asia’s gas reserves and ship-design capabilities, the region could pioneer a long-term move toward more LNG utilization to reduce vessel emissions and fuel bills of the offshore support vessels supporting these projects. However, seizing these growth opportunities and moving towards gas-powered vessels of the future, will require multi-party collaboration between energy companies, vessel operators, shipyards, technology providers, marine fuel suppliers and governments to realize the mutual benefits. 
This was the consensus reached at a recent industry roundtable in Singapore, comprising experts from across Asia’s offshore marine industry, to identify the major growth drivers and opportunities of the sector in Singapore and around the region. Hosted by Seatrade, the event was a curtain-raiser to the first Seatrade Offshore Marine Asia conference and exhibition, set to take place in Singapore between April 25-27, 2012, to complement Maritime Week.
Demonstrating a strong appetite to source and convert LNG, in 2010, two of the three largest countries based on total liquefaction capacity came from within the region, in the form of Indonesia and Malaysia . Globally, Japan leads the way with the most LNG receiving terminals in the world, 28 in operation at the end of 2010. 

Complete Post at:

http://www.marinelink.com/news/offshore-demand-growth343235.aspx

USA. Balancing environmental asperations with economic realities - BYM Marine & Maritime News

Posted - March 19, 2012 - Spyros M Polemis Chairman, International Chamber of Shipping

The reduction of CO2 emissions is certainly one of the most politically and economically complex subjects, but I will return to this in more detail in a moment. The need to protect the environment however goes far beyond global warming, and I will first make some general remarks about some of the other difficulties that we face, and as an example, we will focus on the difficulties we face in the United States.

The ultimate goal of the shipping industry is simple: zero accidents, zero loss of life and zero pollution. In view of the huge liabilities involved for non-compliance this is a matter of enlightened self-interest. Particularly when speaking in the United States, it is always important to stress that we are a global industry requiring global rules. If major trading nations such as the US adopt rules that are at variance to those agreed by governments at IMO we have chaos; and if individual US States decide to implement their own rules in conflict with Federal requirements, it is even worse, we actually run the risk of double chaos.

Right now we face a particular challenge with ballast water, with some individual States talking about treatment standards 100 times more stringent than what has been agreed at IMO and for which the equipment required simply does not exist.

Then it is California, and their unilateral air pollution rules, which are still subject to legal challenge by the industry, although following the entry into force of the IMO MARPOL requirements on sulphur emissions from ships, the temptation for individual States to develop their own environmental rules will hopefully diminish. As a general remark, however, I have to say that we have been disappointed by the apparent reluctance of the current US Administration to defend Federal regulations from infractions by US States.

Unfortunately, with ballast water, the problem we have with some US States choosing to go their own way, has been compounded by the failure of the IMO Ballast Water Management Convention to enter into force, although this should now be expected to happen within the next year or so.

Complete Post at: 
http://www.bymnews.com/news/newsDetails.php?id=100195

There Will Be Blood - On the Supply Chain - Supply Chain Digital - Supply Chain Solutions Portal by WDM Group

Posted - March 18, 2012 - A. Selway Ryan - Contributor - Peter Boyd. COO, Carbon War Room

Fuel price increases, passed on by the ship owners through surcharges or increased operating costs, have laid waste to transport budgets, at the same time as media, consumers, shareholders and regulators apply pressure on organizations to measure and lower their carbon emissions. This combination has forced companies to look for steps to become more fuel-efficient.
There is already plenty of work going on to reduce emissions in the shipping industry, which annually emits more than a billion tons of CO2. The UN’s International Maritime Organization (IMO) has put significant time into developing methodologies to improve vessel efficiency. Meanwhile, high-profile companies including Coca-Cola, Nike and Wal-Mart, have joined container lines to create a container-specific index, under the banner of the Clean Cargo Working Group (CCWG).
Creative approaches from supply chain managers can lead to an increase in fuel efficiency and an increase in shipment density. Ships can also be designed more efficiently, with better hull shapes, built-in speed reductions and waste heat recovery systems, while many fuel-saving technologies can be retrofitted: air lubrication systems, hull coatings, propeller ‘Boss Cap Fins’ can be installed, advanced propeller and thrusters introduced, and there are a multitude of alternative power arrangements, including LNG, fuel cells, hybrid, solar and even wind power systems. New fuel additives, catalysts, engine lubricants and biofuels have been developed, while advanced hull coatings can reduce friction between the ship and the waves.
Why are these measures not being taken up more readily, when they would cut fuel bills and reduce carbon emissions?
One reason is – until recently – bunker fuel, the heavy fuel oil used to power ships, has been cheap and plentiful. While ships consume large amounts of fuel, a ship laden with cargo is extremely profitable so methods to reduce fuel costs by a few percentage points will be easily missed.
Furthermore, the industry is divided into owners and owner-operators. There is little incentive for owners to make large-scale investments to improve the efficiency of their ships, when the shipper/charterer of the vessel will benefit from the savings.
Carbon War Room has identified two solutions: Firstly, to give supply chain managers and vessel users access to vessel efficiency data, so that decisions in vessel use can be made with fuel efficiency in mind. Secondly, to encourage efficiency to be factored into contracts between charterers and owners/operators, and between operators and ports, to encourage investment in money-saving efficiency technologies. 

Complete Post at:
http://www.supplychaindigital.com/global_logistics/there-will-be-blood---on-the-supply-chain

Carbon price plunge could hinder emissions cuts - The Australian - National Affairs

Posted - March 19, 2012 8:00AM - James Masso - The Australian


A carbon price as low as $5 by 2020 could undermine the ability of Australia's carbon package to force cuts to emissions.
First off: The introduction of Australia's $23 a tonne price from July 1 has sparked concerns from major business groups in the wake of the collapse in the EU emissions trading price to about $10 and a corresponding slump in the value of the UN's Clean Development Mechanism Certified Emissions Reduction units (report).
Not excessive: Research from the Climate Institute and global energy giant GE says countries such as Norway ($53 a tonne), Britain ($24-$30), Switzerland ($30-$60) already have higher prices than Australia's $23 a tonne (report). Australia's economy is less equipped to deal with a low carbon emissions world than it was nearly two decades ago, an international study has found (report). Will Steffen writes: Climate change is influencing more than just droughts.


Complete Post at:
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/capital-circle/carbon/story-fn59nqgy-1226303498799

Maritime environment 'not optimistic' - ChinaDaliy.com.ca

Posted - Updated - March 13, 2012

BEIJING - The head of China's oceanic authority has said that the outlook for China's maritime environment is "not optimistic", calling for further efforts to build the ocean conservation culture.
Major tasks include upgrading traditional industry, evaluating the maritime environmental carrying capacity, controlling the total amount of pollutants, and improving the monitoring system, said Liu Cigui, director of the State Oceanic Administration (SOA).
Liu added that certain achievements have been made in energy conservation, emissions reduction and pollution control. However, the outlook for the maritime environment is not optimistic in general, as it is still facing major challenges.
Due to the rapid economic expansion and development of maritime resources, labor-intensive industries and industries with high consumption in energy and resources are polluting the country's marine belt, Liu said.
The development of the heavy chemical industry, especially coastal and offshore oil and gas exploitation, brings risks to the maritime environment, as chances for oil and chemical leaks are growing.
In the meantime, the depletion of oxygen in water is another challenge facing the maritime environment, Chen said, adding that a total of 14,000 square km of algae bloom was found from 2005 to 2010.
According to Liu, environmental protection and control, as well as ecological rehabilitation in the Bohai Sea, will be the focus for the SOA's work this year and for some time to come.
The country's semi-closed Bohai Sea suffered heavy pollution last year as an oil leak took place at the Penglai 19-3 oilfield run by ConocoPhillips China, a subsidiary of US energy giant ConocoPhillips.
The oil spill has polluted over 6,200 square km of water in the bay since June, an area about nine times the size of Singapore. The SOA later said that its investigation revealed that operations in the oilfield were in violation of the region's development plan.

Post at:
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2012-03/13/content_14824949.htm

Boat owners encouraged to sink cash into offsetting emissions at Dubai International Boat Show 2012 - Dubai Media Incorporated

Posted - Monday, March 12, 2012 - Dubai Media Incorporated 

Carbon trading brokerage Advanced Global Trading (AGT) is floating an environmental proposition at this year’s Dubai International Boat Show as it tries to convince boating enthusiasts to ‘go green’ and offset the carbon emissions they emit from their vessels.
Reports estimate the global maritime industry last year polluted 1.5 billion tonnes of CO2, with a commitment to voluntarily reducing and offsetting this figure by 300m tonnes per annum. And, according to the director of a global Carbon Credit brokerage headquartered in Dubai, UAE, one of the ways to achieve this is through the purchase of Voluntary Emissions Reduction credits.
“As an example, there are over 10,000 super yachts worldwide and 46 of these are registered in the UAE,” claims AGT director Charles Stephenson. “With an average of 45 boating days per boat owner giving an average annual C02 emission of 7,000 tonnes from a mid-sized super yacht, this would mean an average carbon offset cost of US$91,000 per year for super yachts based in the UAE alone in order for them to operate carbon neutrally,” he explains.
 
 Complete Post - at:
http://www.emirates247.com/business/corporate/boat-owners-encouraged-to-sink-cash-into-offsetting-emissions-at-dubai-international-boat-show-2012-2012-03-12-1.448016

Three Interesting Stories

Health benefits would outweigh cost of shipping pollution controls, say MPs The Guardian "Tighter emissions limits have been under discussion for many years, during which time shipping has enjoyed favourable treatment when compared with the emissions limits and fuel costs faced by the road haulage industry," the committee said in a report.

Sulphur regulations putting thousands of UK seafaring jobs 'in jeopardy' portworld UK Maritime has warned that "many hundreds if not thousands of UK seafaring jobs will be put in jeopardy" as a result of fuel price increases resulting from the introduction of a 0.10% sulphur limit for marine fuels in Emission Control Areas (ECAs).

Jobs warning over pollution rules The Star The UK maritime industry has warned that tougher limits on sulphur emissions in the North Sea may even drive operators out of business. Ferry companies said their fuel bills would rise by tens of millions of pounds a year, resulting in passenger fare ...

Commission sets sights on including shipping in ETS - European Voice

Posted - March 8, 2012

Ships entering or leaving EU ports would be required to purchase credits for the greenhouse gases that they emit.

In the midst of a diplomatic row over the inclusion of aviation in the EU's emissions trading scheme (ETS), the European Commission is to propose bringing maritime transport into the scheme.

All ships entering or leaving EU ports would be required to purchase credits for the greenhouse gases that they emit. This would correspond to the requirement that was introduced for aircraft in January.

The Commission is obliged to propose a market-based mechanism to reduce shipping emissions because a meeting last week of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) failed to make headway on creating a global agreement to reduce emissions. The EU's 2009 ETS law requires that the Commission act unilaterally to reduce shipping emissions, as it did with aviation, if there is no global solution by December 2011.

While the IMO was meeting last week, Chinese media were claiming that Hong Kong Airlines would cancel an aircraft order with Airbus in retaliation for the EU's insistence on including foreign airlines in the ETS system. European media reports then cited Berlin sources as saying Germany was reversing its support for including aviation in the ETS.

But Hong Kong Airlines would not confirm that it had made any such threat, and this week the German environment and economy ministers issued a joint statement insisting that they still support the Commission in its battle with foreign airlines.

Complete Post at:
http://www.europeanvoice.com/article/imported/commission-sets-sights-on-including-shipping-in-ets/73782.aspx

Damen Marine Components Develops Single Weld Nozzle Spinning Method - Maritime Executive

Posted - March 8. 2012 - Maritime Executive 

Damen Marine Components (DMC) has developed a pioneering nozzle production method bases on a single weld seam on the inner side of the nozzle. This makes the process much more efficient and environmentally friendly. The new Nozzle Spinning Machine can deliver nozzles up to 4.5 m at short notice.
Based in Hardinxveld in the Netherlands and part of the Damen Shipyards Group, DMC has invested in new spinning machinery for its facility in Gdansk.
Mr Steef Staal, DMC Managing Director, says: “The new spinning machinery, developed in the past two years, makes the production of nozzles much easier and gives an improved end product, because there is only a single weld seam on the inner side of the nozzle. Manufacturing the complete inside of a nozzle in one go is very special. This machine can produce any nozzle profile in every diameter and without the need for auxiliary tools.”
Capacity
The spinning machine can produce nozzles with an inside diameter ranging from 1,000 mm to 4.5 m. Using a completely automated system, the machine can handle stainless steel, duplex, steel and special steel materials. The new machine is also able to handle the demand for shorter delivery times, emphasizes Mr. Staal. “Uncertainty in the market often means that companies order equipment at the very last minute and this means that lead times and delivery times are getting shorter. With this machine we adapt to that process.”
Under the traditional construction method, the inner side is constructed from several small welded parts. This is now history and the new method results in a much smoother surface. The new machine is already proving very successful with both existing and new customers.
Emission reduction
Propeller nozzles are a sustainable product by definition, because they significantly reduce fuel consumption and thus cut down on CO² emissions. However, the new production method is even more environmentally friendly. “Because there is less welding and grinding this method saves energy and emissions,” Staal says. In addition, the new machinery saves production time and enhances our stable price/quality ratio, making it more cost efficient.

Complete Post at:
http://www.maritime-executive.com/pressrelease/damen-marine-components-develops-single-weld-nozzle-spinning-method

Policy & Enforcement Briefing: Shipping Emissions Standstill, City’s Feed-In Tariff, China Misses 2011 Target - Environmental - Leader

Posted - March 7, 2012 - Environmental Leader

The International Maritime Organization (IMO) has yet to come up with a plan to cut carbon dioxide emissions from international shipping, after concluding a week of committee-level talks. Discussions on market-based measures will resume in October when the Marine Environment Protection Committee meets again. The EU has threatened to enforce its own shipping regulations if the IMO fails to act, as it has with aviation, Reuters.

Access to post at:
http://www.environmentalleader.com/2012/03/07/policy-enforcement-briefing-shipping-emissions-standstill-citys-feed-in-tariff-china-misses-2011-target/

Horizon Lines Releases Green Initiative Progress Report Read more here: http://www.bradenton.com/2012/03/07/3923359/horizon-lines-releases-green-initiative.html#storylink=cpy - Bradenton.com

Posted - 9:12am on Mar 7, 2012 - By Horizon Lines, Inc. -  Bradenton.com

Read more here: http://www.bradenton.com/2012/03/07/3923359/horizon-lines-releases-green-initiative.html#storylink=cpy

CHARLOTTE, N.C. Today issued a report presenting the company's progress in pursuing environmental excellence through its ongoing "Green Initiatives." The report describes the carrier's efforts to mitigate environmental impact from shipping operations and intermodal transport.
"Ensuring sustained environmental protection has always been a mission at Horizon Lines," said Stephen H. Fraser, President and Chief Executive Officer. "Our approach emphasizes environmental excellence through conservation techniques, waste stream management, system upgrades and voluntary compliance."
The report, available at www.horizonlines.com, outlines a number of initiatives the company has been pursuing.  In the Marine Environment area, these initiatives include vessel management controls, low sulfur diesel fuel usage, and marine terminal pollution mitigation planning.  The company has focused on reducing transportation emissions through improvements in vessel fuel consumption and truck efficiency, the use of alternative fuels and the development of more fuel-efficient transportation solutions. Additionally, the company is pursuing a long-term, sustainable approach to logistics management that should benefit all stakeholders. Examples include working to reduce empty back-haul miles through logistics network optimization and researching the feasibility of using containers built from recycled materials.
"Environmental stewardship is a fundamental tenet at Horizon Lines," said Andrew Phillips, the company's newly appointed Environmental Compliance Director.  "In 2011, our company received recognition from the Chamber of Shipping of America for environmental excellence and we also were named a Top 75 Green supply chain partner by Inbound Logistics magazine.  We remain ever vigilant and committed to continuous improvement when it comes to environmental stewardship and compliance."

Complete Post at:

Read more here: http://www.bradenton.com/2012/03/07/3923359/horizon-lines-releases-green-initiative.html#storylink=cpy

http://www.bradenton.com/2012/03/07/3923359/horizon-lines-releases-green-initiative.html

Shipping Emissions Next Target for EU Carbon Scheme? - ICTSD, International Environment House 2

Posted -  5th March 2012 -  ICTSD, International Environment House 2

The International Maritime Organization (IMO) could soon find itself butting heads with Brussels over how best to tackle emissions from international shipping, analysts say, after the UN shipping body was unable to make “tangible progress” in this area at last week’s major meeting.
The London-based IMO has been struggling for years to agree upon market-based measures for curbing emissions, such as a levy on CO2 emissions or a cap-and-trade scheme. With the organization 170 members slow progress last week - and with the next major meeting not scheduled until October -  it is unclear when such measures will ultimately be agreed upon.
Meanwhile, the European Commission has announced that it will take measures into its own hands if the IMO is unable to implement an effective strategy. With international shipping responsible for some three percent of greenhouse gas production, Brussels views the sector as an important area for reaching its climate change reduction goals. EC officials maintain, however, that they would prefer an international solution if possible.
“While we have a clear preference for global action on measures to reduce emissions from shipping, we don’t see the IMO on track to deliver reductions consistent with the globally accepted maximum two degrees Celsius objective,” a Commission spokesman told Reuters.

Complete Post at:
http://ictsd.org/i/news/biores/127370/

IMO Adopts Guidelines - Mandatory Energy Efficiency Measures for International Shipping - The Maritime Executive, LLC.

Posted - Monday March 5, 2012 - The Maritime Executive, LLC.

Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC), 63rd session, 27 February to 2 March
An important series of guidelines to support the uniform implementation of mandatory measures to increase energy efficiency and reduce emissions of greenhouse gases (GHGs) from international shipping was adopted by the Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), when it met for its 63rd session from 27 February to 2 March 2012, at IMO Headquarters in London, paving the way for the regulations to be smoothly and uniformly implemented by Administrations and industry.
The MEPC also continued its intensive discussion on market-based measures for greenhouse gas emissions from international shipping.
During the busy session, the MEPC also adopted amendments to the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL) relating to regional arrangements for port reception facilities; and adopted guidelines related to the implementation of the revised MARPOL Annex V (Garbage) and the Hong Kong Convention for the recycling of ships.
The MEPC also granted basic and final approval to a number of ballast water management systems that make use of active substances.

Complete Post at:
http://www.maritime-executive.com/article/imo-adopts-guidelines-for-mandatory-energy-efficiency-measures-for-international-shipping

Lack of progress on shipping emissions may force EU's hand - Business Green - Sustainability Thinking

Posted - March 5, 2012 - By Will Nichols
Little progress was made on advancing market-based measures to deal with shipping emissions when a UN meeting on the issue closed on Friday, according to delegates, raising the prospect of unilateral EU action.
Divisions between countries over when measures should be introduced and their potential meant the week-long conference at the International Maritime Organization (IMO) in London concluded with few agreements, an attendee told BusinessGreen.

"Everyone agreed we should do it [introduce market-based measures], but we couldn't agree the process," he said.
"Developing countries... want to move it far to the right and developed countries want to get on with it."
Instead, talks became mired in technical details and debates about the level of technology transfer between the two groups, he added, while delegates could not agree a steering group for an impact study proposed by IMO secretary-general Koji Sekimizu examining nine potential measures.

An IMO spokeswoman told BusinessGreen that proposals including a levy on bunker fuel or a global emissions trading scheme remained on the table and would be addressed again at the next IMO meeting in early October.
Shipping contributes about three per cent of global emissions, but a rise in trade volumes and declining emissions in other sectors mean this is predicted to rise to around 18 per cent by 2050 if no action is taken.

Complete Post at:
http://www.businessgreen.com/bg/news/2157062/lack-progress-shipping-emissions-push-eu-act

IMO stalls on shipping CO2 emissions as clash with EU looms - Responding to Climate Change (press release) (blog)

Posted -5 March 2012 by RTCC Staff

The UN’s maritime body and the EU look set to clash over CO2 emissions from shipping after the latest internal talks ended in a stalemate.

The week long meeting of International Maritime Organization (IMO) Marine Environment Protection Committee made little progress and further discussions will now be delayed until October this year.
The EU, which has already begun tallying CO2 emissions for all flights into or out of its airports, is keen to establish a similar framework for international shipping.
The IMO insists that the best way to progress is through an all-encompassing global deal.
“Let us work together and set ourselves the challenge of completing all of the work on the establishment of a market-based measure by a target year of 2015,” said Koji Sekimizu, IMO Secretary-General at the start of the talks.
Shipping is responsible for 3% of all the world’s greenhouse gases. The 15 biggest ships in the world emit as much sulphur oxides as 760 million cars.
The IMO is currently assessing nine different market-based mechanisms to address emissions at sea and hope to have an impact assessment study prepared by 2013.
The EU however, is unhappy with this timetable.


Complete Post at:
http://www.rtcc.org/transport/imo-stalls-on-shipping-co2-emissions-as-clash-with-eu-looms/

International Maritime Organization set to collide with EU over vessel CO2 emissions - Times of India

Posted March 3, 2012 - Reuters Mar 3, 2012, 10.23PM IST

LONDON: The International Maritime Organization (IMO) is making little headway on market-based measures to curb carbon dioxide emissions from international shipping, putting it on a policy collision course with the European Union, observers said.
A committee of the 170-member United Nations shipping body was unable to make "tangible progress" after a week of talks that ended late on Friday, a delegate told Reuters. 

http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-03-03/developmental-issues/31119330_1_greenhouse-gas-energy-efficiency-emissions

Report: Slower steaming could cut ship emissions by 15% - EurActiv.com

Posted - Published 29 February 2012 - EurActiv.com

If ships were obliged to immediately cut their speeds, they could also slash 15% of their carbon emissions and save billions in lower ship fuel bills, according to a new report.

If ships were obliged to immediately cut their speeds, they could also slash 15% of their carbon emissions and save billions in lower ship fuel bills, according to a new report.

The report, ‘Regulated slow steaming in maritime transport’ by the consultants CE Delft, says that if global average maritime speeds were reduced by 10%, carbon dioxide savings would rise to 19%, even after the cost of building and operating new ships to make up for lost capacity was considered.
“Regulated slow steaming can produce emissions reductions by 2030 and 2050 which rival any other reduction option being considered at IMO or EU level,” said John Maggs of Seas At Risk, one of the groups that commissioned the report. “And it can do so with a sizable economic gain.”
The International Maritime Organization, or IMO, is the UN body that oversees shipping safety and pollution.
International shipping currently accounts for some 4.5% of global CO2 emissions but unless action is taken, the UN Environment Programmer predicts that this figure could rise to between 10% and 32% by 2050.
Kyoto Protocol
In 1997, the Kyoto Protocol called on the IMO to reduce emissions from international shipping but agreement has proved elusive.
Last May, EU finance ministers called for the IMO to “develop without delay a global policy framework that avoids competitive distortions or carbon leakage” and suggested carbon pricing of maritime emissions as a potential source of revenues.
As frustration with the shipping industry’s lack of urgency in tackling the emissions issue mounted, in July EU Climate Action Commissioner Connie Hedegaard said that it was “high time” for an IMO agreement.
“Much as we prefer a global solution,” she continued, “the member states and the European Parliament have asked the Commission to present a possible proposal to reduce shipping emissions for 2012 in the case that the IMO fails to find a solution.”

Complete Post at:
http://www.euractiv.com/climate-environment/report-slow-steaming-cut-maritime-emissions-15-news-511167