IACS leads evidence based approach to efficiency assessment

"IACS shares the concerns of those who caution against attempts to develop a single metric for ships-in-service," stated Zacculo in, a paper entitled Energy Efficiency and Implementation of New Technologies in the Context of Sustainable Shipping.

"The European Commission recently announced its decision to establish an energy efficiency Monitoring, Reporting and Verification (MRV) scheme. It is understood that the MRV scheme will consider five possible efficiency metrics, based on ship information, emissions (per voyage), activity (distance and number of voyages), capacity (deadweight) and operation (cargo quantity and weather conditions). IACS is currently attempting to identify alternative indexing proposals for industry's consideration and further discussion," he continued.

"However, at this time, it is considered that the use of existing international instruments i.e. The Ship Energy Efficiency Management Plan (SEEMP), may be the mechanism for MRV of greenhouse gas emissions and energy efficiency of existing ships."

Cazzulo welcomed the IMO's approval in principle of an IACS proposal for the establishment of an Energy Efficiency Design Index (EEDI) database.

"This will create an evidence base on which to judge the success of the regulations and to help design more efficient new ships," Cazzulo said.

"Many claims are being made about ship efficiency performance, greenhouse gas emissions, safety of new arrangements and the sustainable credentials of new ship designs and systems."

"Owners and operators need data and they need it verified. What you can't measure, you can't manage. Classification societies are here to help manage the changes we face by providing the independent insight that is required."

Cazzulo went on to say that "SEEMP may represent the most practical mechanism for monitoring, reporting and verification (MRV) of GHG emissions, and energy efficiency of existing ships. SEEMP has the necessary degree of flexibility, considering the different ship types, sizes and operational profiles."

Efficiency ratings schemes were also a topic of debate at a Sustainable Shipping Initiative (SSI) event in Singapore on the same day, where SSI defended the use of ratings schemes from recent shipowner criticisms.

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