As of 1 July 2017, the Environmental Ship Index (ESI) also starts evaluating performance in the field of CO2. To date, only the environmental performance of ships on emissions of air pollution (NOx and SOx) were assessed, according to Port of Rotterdam.
This makes the index the first sustainable quality mark in international shipping that includes the performance and, more particularly, the reduction in CO2 in its assessment.
The index does this based on historical data already included in the index. The ESI compares the fuel consumption and the nautical miles traveled in the past three years (e.g. 2013, 2014, 2015) to that of the following year (2016). If relatively less fuel has been consumed – in other words, if sailing was more efficient – then less CO2 has been emitted. ESI has chosen for this method because it is actually very difficult to measure CO2 emissions.
The ESI is a score that is issued at the request of ship owners, as of 1 January 2011. Ships that score high on the Environmental Ship Index receive a premium from the participating ports and other organisations that reward sustainable shipping.
How to measure SOx and NOx emissions knowing the fuel consumed and its Sulphur content?