Tag: reducing shipping emissions

The International Maritime Organization (IMO) held its 1st session of the Sub-Committee on Pollution Prevention and Response, from 3 to 7 February 2014 in London, headquarters. During the Sub- Committee important issues on pollution prevention discussed and measures adopted as follows: MARPOL Annex VI guidelines relating to marine diesel engines agreed Two sets of draft guidelines, concerning the implementation of regulation 13 "Nitrogen oxides" of MARPOL Annex VI, were agreed by the Sub-Committee on Pollution Prevention and Response (PPR), when it met for its 1st session. The regulation requires marine diesel engines installed on ships constructed before 2000 to meet the emission limits and for an Approved Method for that engine to be certified by an Administration of a Party. The Sub-Committee agreed, for   adoption by MEPC 66, draft 2014 Guidelines in respect of the information to be submitted by an Administration to the Organization covering the certification of an Approved Method as required under regulation 13.7.1 of MARPOL Annex VI (relating to "Marine Diesel Engines Installed on a Ship Constructed Prior to 1 January 2000"); and draft 2014 Guidelines on the Approved Method process. Definition for emissions of black carbon from international shipping discussed The Sub-Committee discussed the report of ...

On 9 January, the Transport and Tourism (TRAN) Committee of the European Parliament held a mini-hearing on the NAIADES II programme. The first part of the hearing dealt with the integration of inland waterways in the transport chain whereas the second part of the hearing concentrated on the modernisation of the inland waterway fleet. Among speakers and MEPs there was clear agreement that the inland waterway transport sector should be given more attention. As regards the technical part of the NAIADES II package, the deadline for amendments is 15 January whereas the TRAN Committee will vote on 20 February. On the same day, MEPs debated the report produced by the Commission earlier this year which is entitled “Summary of measures that internalise or reduce transport externalities”. The report is a request of Directive 2011/76/EU, the Eurovignette Directive on road infrastructure charging. Members of the TRAN Committee considered the Commission’s report and the related study not ambitious enough for the following reasons. First, the Commission does not consider current and future national projects that will contribute to reduce external costs. Second, the document does not contemplate an analysis of external costs across the different transport modes. According to the TRAN Committee, ...

The European Union will support with €6.7 million from the TEN-T Programme a series of studies followed by real life trials to evaluate a new generation lightweight pilot scrubber solution for Ro-Ro (Roll on, Roll off) ships. The initiative also contributes to the realisation of the "Motorways of the Sea" (TEN-T Priority Project 21) concept. The studies, selected for funding under the 2012 TEN-T Multi-Annual Programme, will assess, install, demonstrate and evaluate a new generation of innovative lightweight scrubber technology on two existing ro-ro vessels operating in the Baltic and North Sea. Three EU Member States - Sweden, Finland and The Netherlands - will work together to verify and evaluate the specific port infrastructure and preparatory investments needed for full scale implementation of this technology. The studies will also investigate how a financial mechanism can be set up in order to support ship owners/operators adopting the new technology and give recommendations to decision-makers on how to implement this mechanism. Dissemination of results and best practices will provide guidance to the shipping community and will assist on how to choose optimum Sulphur Emission Control Area (SECA) compliance strategies. The study will be monitored by the Innovation and Networks Executive Agency (INEA) ...

The Georgia Ports Authority has won recognition by the Environmental Protection Agency as a leader in reducing carbon emissions. The Southeast Diesel Collaborative (SEDC), a public-private partnership formed by the U.S. EPA Region 4 office, named the GPA as a Community Leadership Award winner. "The GPA has voluntarily undertaken many projects to decrease diesel fuel consumption, resulting in improved air quality," said GPA Executive Director Curtis Foltz. "Some of those projects include our innovative eRTGs or electric rubber tired gantry cranes, the repower of diesel RTGs with variable alternators, and the retrofit of 11 switch locomotives by GPA's partner, Rail Link." In December 2012, the Georgia Ports Authority unveiled its first four electrified rubber-tired gantry cranes. The GPA board recently approved spending $8 million for Phase II of the eRTG project, which will convert 10 additional diesel RTGs to electric power, and install conductor rails at 12 more container blocks. GPA's transition to an eRTG fleet should be complete by 2024. Foltz said greater attention paid to environmental stewardship pays off in financial savings and improved efficiency. "Cutting diesel consumption means not only cleaner air, but also lower energy costs," he said. "Better cross-terminal truck transit means less idling and ...

GasLog Ltd. announced an agreement with Methane Services Ltd., an affiliate of BG Group, to purchase three LNG carriers from MSL's fleet and to charter those ships back to MSL for six-year initial terms. MSL also will have options to extend the term of the time charters for two of the ships for a period of either three or five years at its election. The ships to be acquired will be nominated by MSL from an agreed group of six sister ships built in 2006 and 2007. GasLog supervised the construction of all six ships and has provided technical management for the ships since delivery. The aggregate cost to GasLog for the ships is expected to be approximately $468 million. Each LNG carrier to be acquired is modern, steam powered and has a capacity of 145,000 cubic meters. The Company estimates that upon their acquisition, these ships will represent approximately $426.3 million of incremental contracted revenue over their initial charter terms and add over $50.0 million per annum to GasLog's EBITDA1. Paul Wogan, CEO of GasLog, commented that "we are very pleased that we will be able to add these LNG carriers to our fleet as it again demonstrates our ...

Advanced emissions monitoring of large ships calling at EU ports could help save owners and operators of large ships up to €9 million/year, according to a new study published by sustainable transport group T&E. These savings would come from lower operational costs of using automated systems such as fuel flow meters or continuous emissions monitoring, which are already used by many of the world's largest shipping companies. Transport & Environment(T&E) has issued a new study entitlted as '' Economic impacts of MRV of fuel and emissions in maritime transport'' to estimate the potential fuel saving and therefore lower emissions costs by the MRV implementation. In June 2013, the European Commission issued a strategy to address GHG emissions from maritime transport. The strategy consists of three consecutive steps: 1. Monitoring, reporting and verification of CO2 emissions from large ships using EU ports. 2. Greenhouse gas reduction targets for the maritime transport sector. 3. Further measures, including MBMs For the first step, the Commission issued a legislative proposal to establish an EU system for monitoring, reporting and verifying (MRV) of CO2 emissions from large ships using EU ports. Ships would thereby be obliged to monitor four parameters on a voyage basis, namely fuel consumption, distance travelled, time spent at sea, ...