Tag: CO2

Fuel consumption of two identical ships can vary dramatically ICS is strongly opposed to a proposal from the Bahamas to IMO whereby governments would specify limits on the CO2 emissions of individual ships (as determined by fuel consumption) and which would subsequently be reduced over time.ICS is very concerned that if a ship's CO2 allowance was exceeded during the time period specified, it would have to go off-hire and a second ship chartered as a replacement.The problem is compounded by the reality that the fuel consumption of two identical ships can vary dramatically according to trading patterns and other variables such as weather.The Bahamas' proposal has been made with the apparent intention of being an alternative to other Market Based Measures that have been proposed at IMO, and which will be further considered by the next MEPC meeting.But there is a danger that some might see this as being a superficially attractive alternative to the adoption of an MBM, when it is simply a system of fuel rationing which would be highly damaging to large parts of the industry.Source: ICS

IMO's Marine and Environment Protection Committee will meet next week The International Maritime Organization will next week debate market-based measures to cut greenhouse gas emissions from ships, but the world's major shipping associations on Wednesday said the timing is not right for such measures to be applied.While the IMO's Marine and Environment Protection Committee is not expected to reach any conclusions on market-based measures at a week-long meeting in London, the U.N. agency has been under pressure to tackle international shipping emissions.The European Commission has threatened to take its own measures, such as including the shipping sector in its emissions trading scheme, if a solution to control rising shipping emissions by the IMO is not strong enough.Some of the carbon-cutting measures under IMO review include a contribution or levy on all carbon dioxide emissions from international shipping, an emissions trading system and schemes based on the operational and design efficiency of ships.But the so-called round table (RT) of leading shipping associations urged the IMO to postpone the introduction of market based measures and to instead focus on implementing mandatory energy efficiency design standards adopted last year."The RT is of the view that market based measures are not justified at this ...

Substituting biofuel for bunker fuel may bring about revolution in world's shipping fleets Giant cargo boats and US navy warships have been successfully powered on oil derived from genetically modified algae in a move which could herald a revolution in the fuel used by the world's fleets - and a reduction in the pollution they cause.The results of substituting algal oil for low-grade, "bunker" fuel and diesel in a 98,000-tonne container ship are still being evaluated by Maersk, the world's biggest shipping company, which last week tested 30 tonnes of oil supplied by the US navy in a vessel travelling from Europe to India. Last month, the navy tested 20,000 gallons of algal fuel on a decommissioned destroyer for a few hours. Both ran their trials on a mix of algal oil - between 7% and 100% - and conventional bunker fuel."The tests are not complete yet, but we had very few problems," a Maersk spokesman said.Collaboration between the world's two biggest shipping fleets is expected to lead to the deployment of renewable marine fuels. Maersk uses more than $6bn of bunker fuel a year for its 1,300 ships, and the US navy, the world's biggest single user of marine ...

CO2 affects marine life Might a penguin's next meal be affected by the exhaust from your tailpipe? The answer may be yes, when you add your exhaust fumes to the total amount of carbon dioxide lofted into the atmosphere by humans since the industrial revolution. One-third of that carbon dioxide is absorbed by the world's oceans, making them more acidic and affecting marine life.A UC Santa Barbara marine scientist and a team of 18 other researchers have reported results of the broadest worldwide study of ocean acidification to date. Acidification is known to be a direct result of the increasing amount of greenhouse gas emissions. The scientists used sensors developed at Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego to measure the acidity of 15 ocean locations, including seawater in the Antarctic, and in temperate and tropical waters.As oceans become more acidic, with a lower pH, marine organisms are stressed and entire ecosystems are affected, according to the scientists. Gretchen E. Hofmann, an eco-physiologist and professor in UCSB's Department of Ecology, Evolution and Marine Biology, is lead author of the recent article in PLoS ONE that describes the research."We were able to illustrate how parts of the world's oceans currently ...

New study shows that CO2 has serious consequences for their survival Rising human carbon dioxide emissions may be affecting the brains and central nervous systems of sea fish, with serious consequences for their survival, according to Australian research.The researchers found that carbon dioxide concentrations predicted to occur in the ocean by the end of this century will interfere with fishes' ability to hear, smell, turn and evade predators.The Australian Research Council's Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies says it had been testing the performance of baby coral fishes in sea water containing higher levels of dissolved CO2 for several years."And it is now pretty clear that they sustain significant disruption to their central nervous system, which is likely to impair their chances of survival," says study co-author Professor Phillip Munday.In a paper published in the journal Nature Climate Change, Munday and his colleagues also detail what they say is world-first evidence that high CO2 levels in sea water disrupts a key brain receptor in fish.This causes marked changes in their behaviour and sensory abilities."We've found that elevated CO2 in the oceans can directly interfere with fish neurotransmitter functions, which poses a direct and previously unknown threat to sea life," ...

This allows the vessel to shut down its diesel engines thereby cutting all airborne emissions Confusion around a global standard over shore-to-ship electrical connections has recently been addressed by the publication of the IEC 'Publicly Available Standard' (IEC/ISO/IEEE 60092-510).This is aimed at ensuring global compatibility for connections, communication and protection, a leading engineering company said.UK-based ABB Marine and Cranes is promoting what it sees as the huge environmental and commercial benefits in the use of shore-to-ship high voltage electrical connection technology.Also known as 'cold ironing' and 'alternative marine power' this is essentially the port operator providing a connection to the local electricity network for the vessel.This allows the vessel to shut down its diesel engines thereby cutting all airborne emissions (CO2, plus other emissions such as NOx, SOx and particulate matter).In addition to the significant benefit to the environment, a reduction in noise pollution and vibration is realised, which has a positive effect on local communities, ABB said.Stuart Melling, ABB Marine and Crane business unit account manager said "This development removes some of the uncertainty a port and vessel operator would have around investing in this technology. The environmental benefits are clear, most of our customers accept this but also ...

Recognizing effectiveness of SEEMP in reducing vessel CO2 emissions Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd. (MOL; President: Koichi Muto) announced that the Ship Energy Efficiency Management Plan (SEEMP*1), MOL already has in place was certified with Statement of Compliance by the international classification society American Bureau of Shipping (ABS). Effective December 5, the certification verifies the plan including its application for calculating Energy Efficiency Operational Indicator (EEOI*2) in accordance with SEEMP guidance and EEOI guideline from the International Maritime Organization (IMO).MOL led the world in formulating SEEMP ahead of the IMO's adoption of requirements that SEEMP should be provided on board from January 2013. The company has maintained operation schedules while ensuring safe operation based on that, and continually pursuing and implementing comprehensive Eco Sailing, a key element of its midterm management plan GEAR UP! MOL, while undertaking continual improvement through an ongoing PDCA(*3) cycle.The MOL-formulated SEEMP is an effective way of identifying problems and confirming the effectiveness of improvements by introducing its unique EEOI calculation method in addition to the one guided by the IMO. It also features comprehensive and organic linkage of application of innovative technologies such as the optimum trim(*4) backed by onboard and onshore demonstration tests, selection of ...

Even very small changes in the ocean's surface temperature can have an enormous impact elsewhere A new study suggests that the rate of global warming from doubling of atmospheric carbon dioxide may be less than the most dire estimates of some previous studies -- and, in fact, may be less severe than projected by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report in 2007.Authors of the study, which was funded by the National Science Foundation's Paleoclimate Program and published online this week in the journal Science, say that global warming is real and that increases in atmospheric CO2 will have multiple serious impacts.However, the most Draconian projections of temperature increases from the doubling of CO2 are unlikely."Many previous climate sensitivity studies have looked at the past only from 1850 through today, and not fully integrated paleoclimate date, especially on a global scale," said Andreas Schmittner, an Oregon State University researcher and lead author on the Science article. "When you reconstruct sea and land surface temperatures from the peak of the last Ice Age 21,000 years ago -- which is referred to as the Last Glacial Maximum -- and compare it with climate model simulations of that period, you get a much ...

Shipping industry is fcommitted to reducing its CO2 emissions by 20% by 2020 The International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) has produced a briefing document for government climate change negotiators, in advance of the next United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP 17), which commences in Durban at the end of this month.ICS secretary general, Peter Hinchliffe explained: "The international shipping industry is firmly committed to reducing its CO2 emissions by 20% by 2020, with significant further reductions thereafter. However, the Durban UNCCC needs to give the IMO a clear mandate to continue its vital work to help us deliver further emission reductions through the development of market based measures (MBM)."The shipping industry hopes that governments at COP 17 will respond positively to the significant IMO agreement, in July 2011, to adopt a package of technical measures to reduce shipping's CO2 emissions - which by 2030 should reduce ships' emissions by 25-30% compared to 'business as usual'. This is the first ever international agreement containing binding and mandatory measures to reduce CO2 emissions that has thus far been agreed for an entire industrial sector.Most importantly- and without prejudice to what governments might agree at UNCCC - the shipping industry believes that IMO ...

Shipping, World Trade and the Reduction of CO2 Emissions The International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) - which represents all sectors and trades of the global shipping industry and more than 80% of the world merchant fleet - has produced a briefing document for government climate change negotiators, in advance of the next United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP 17), which commences in Durban at the end of November.The Document entitled 'Shipping, World Trade and the Reduction of CO2 Emissions' is being distributed via ICS member national shipowners' associations and can be downloaded at www.ics-shipping.org/CO2lowres.pdf ICS Secretary General, Peter Hinchliffe explained:"The international shipping industry is firmly committed to reducing its CO2 emissions by twenty per cent by 2020, with significant further reductions thereafter. However, the Durban Climate Change Conference needs to give the International Maritime Organization a clear mandate to continue its vital work to help us deliver further emission reductions through the development of Market Based Measures."The shipping industry hopes that governments at COP 17 will respond positively to the significant IMO agreement, in July 2011, to adopt a package of technical measures to reduce shipping's CO2 emissions - which by 2030 should reduce ships' emissions by 25-30% compared to ...