Along with the EEDI, SEEMP will come into force from 2013
S4S: Could you provide us an overview of the EEDI regulation?
KP : The EEDI is a quite complex formula. It takes into account both energy and power for the main engine, the auxiliaries and additional energy saving technologies such as waste heat recovery, shaft generators and also energy technologies such as renewables, like wind or solar. After many years of debate in the IMO this formula finally got adopted. It covers the whole aspects of the vessel. It looks at the whole form and resistance as the vessel moves through the water. It takes into account the propulsion and the use of different propeller types. It takes also account the machinery ensuring that the most efficient engines are used on board the vessels and if the vessel has the potential to use different types of fuel. All those aspects of the vessel design fit into the final EEDI number for that vessel.
S4S: Please tell us about the EEDI reference lines and their application.
KP : EEDI reference lines have been defined, so they’re setting out what the required EEDI is for various ship types. So the purpose of the regulation is that all new buildings will have an EEDI that is less or equal to the required EEDI for that ship type and over a series of time the required EEDI will be reduced. It wasn’t easily applied to every single ship type. The first phase of implementation applies to some ships with one of the largest segments missing being the passenger segment.
S4S: Who is impacted by the EEDI regulation?
KP : There is a whole host of stakeholders in the industry who will be impacted by this regulation. Owners are affected because they get better charter rates and freight rates for ships that are more energy efficient. Rightship are starting to introduce an existing vessel design index. So we are starting to see that although the regulation requires this for new builds, the industry is actually applying it to existing vessels. On the flip side we’ll see the market starting to use this index in order to drive changes within the industry and charterers will only want to charter the more energy efficient ships. Regarding shipyards and designers, there’s going to be a demand for more fuel efficient designs. Potentially, there will be a demand for deviation from traditional design principles. Those that are most advanced in design will boom. Also, in the machinery manufactures area, there’s going to be a big drive for more fuel efficient engines that are capable of burning more than one type of fuel and also capable of burning low carbon fuel. There will also be an increased demand for energy saving devices. Innovative energy technology is being developed. Furthermore there will be changes in coating to improve the resistance as vessel moves through the water. Finally, classification societies will have a role play here in terms of verification.
S4S: Along with the EEDI we have also heard about the SEEMP. Could you tell us a bit about this plan?
KP: SEEMP refers to the Shipboard Energy Efficiency Management Plan requirement. Little is often said about this and the focus is primarily on the EEDI regulation. But the SEEMP applies to all vessels while the EEDI just applies to new buildings. The requirement is that as of the 1st of January 2013 every vessel must have a SEEMP on board. So guidelines are provided and a template is given as an example. The plan must be ship specific and one will be on every single vessel. Like any other management system around the management plan is following the ‘plan, do, check, action’ approach.
S4S: Could you please share with us your look into the future?
KP: We are going to see more energy efficient ships, changes in ship technology, maybe slower speeds but also mix of fuels. So what has traditionally been a one fuel industry will start to see more of diverse mix of fuels being used. The EEDI will have an impact on the cost of shipping and the cost of marine transport, particularly the area of shore-sea shipping. We are going to see a modal shift to land or air because of the increased costs. Obviously, as the vessel gets more optimized for energy efficiency, the design will get more complex and there may be impacts upon reliability and safety and maintainability. But there is still work to be done. We need further improvement of the EEDI guidelines with a view of finalization at MPEC63. Overall it is really anticipated that the EEDI will have a big impact on future ship building and ship ownership industries.
Katharine Palmer is Environmental Manager at Lloyd’s Register, UK
Above interview is adapted from Katharine’s presentation at 2nd Safety4Sea Forum.
You can view Katharine’s presentation video during 2nd Safety4Sea Forum