The most important relevant items during the meeting
INTERTANKO attended this week the IMO/MEPC Intersessional Meeting dedicated to finalisation of IMO guidelines for the calculation of the attained Energy Efficiency design Index (EEDI), the verification and control process of the data used for the EEDI calculation and the guidelines for the Ship Energy Efficiency Management Plan (SEEMP).
Some of the most important relevant items that were handled at this meeting are as follows:
Cubic capacity correction factor for chemical tankers – We remind you that when the EEDI regulation was approved by MEPC 62 in July 2011, it was agreed to include into the EEDI formula a cubic correction factor for chemical tankers which should take into account the cubic capacity of these ships as related to their deadweight. This week’s meeting had to conclude on how to determine such a correction factor.
After a number of deliberations, the cubic correction factor for chemical tankers will be determined by the formula
fc = R-0.7 – 0.014 (fc = 1 when R = 0.98)
where R is the ratio between the ship’s deadweight and its capacity. The value of the correction factor is illustrated in this graph on which the red line is the actual correction factor value agreed while the green line represents the values of correction factor as initially proposed at MEPC 62.
INTERTANKO and others have raised the question of whether same treatment should apply to oil product tankers of similar size and having same level of deadweight or cubic capacity ratios. The reason for asking is that chemical tankers could also carry oil product cargoes. This week’s meeting could not solve this issue as it was not part of the mandate given to them by MEPC 62. INTERTANKO plans to raise the issue with the coming MEPC 63 at the end of February 2012.
Cubic correction factor for LNGs – Based on the same justification as for chemical tankers, the meeting also agreed on a correction factor forLNG carriers.The formula agreed is fc = R-0.56
Use of shaft generator power in the EEDI calculation – The meeting agreed on necessary clarifications on how shaft generator power is considered in the calculation of the EEDI. The agreed clarifications are positive as they remove any disincentive to using shaft generators even if they need to have large installed power. They also remove penalties on ships which have a “take me home” / power redundancy system. The only restriction would be that, for normal operational conditions, additional power is restricted to be used for the ship’s propulsion and the restriction is done by verifiable technical means.
Minimum design speed limit – We remind you that the EEDI regulation has a provision requiring verification whether the main engine installed power of a new ship meeting EEDI will be sufficient to ensure the ship keeps its manoeuvrability abilities in adverse weather conditions. IACS is developing a methodology to determine the minimum necessary power. However, according to an IACS statement, it might take a couple of years to finalise such Guidelines. Therefore, the meeting of this week considered whether, as an interim measure until IACS Guidelines are completed, one should consider an alternative safety measure. Such an alternative measureagainst unsafe low design speeds being adopted on newbuildings so that they meet the required EEDI could be setting a minimum allowable design speed for tankers and bulk carriers, speed being a function of the ships size. The suggestion is controversial and it has its own possible drawbacks, but the Working Group which met this week agreed to record these discussions in order to allow further consideration at MEPC 63.
Verification of SEEMP – The group has agreed to remove a paragraph in the Verification Guidelines which was calling for voluntary reporting of the EEOI calculations, with the view of comparison and assessment of performance between ships. The meeting agreed that Verification Guidelines could not include such a recommendation, particularly when some Governments make IMO Guidelines compulsory under their national regulations.
Source: INTERTANKO
