DNV: Today's technology is already capable of reducing emissions

Oslo: Research just published by DNV shows that shipping could achieve a 15% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions on existing ships and with today's technology. Speaking to journalists at Oslo's Shippingklubben on the eve of Norshipping, DNV Deputy CEO Tor Svensen said there is no reason to wait.

In December, at the all-important Copenhagen meeting on climate change, shipping will be expected to have developed proposals on handling GHG emissions, he said. The class society's triple E rating scheme - Environmental and Energy Efficiency, available to all shipping companies whether or not their vessels are DNV-classed - will offer and objective assessment of ships, performance irrespective of age and type of vessel.

For existing ships, speed management, optimised trim for all drafts and speeds, weather routeing, and hull and propeller roughness are all key factors in the energy-saving equation, Svensen said, and should not cost owners anything in terms of capital expenditure.

For new vessels, optimised hull forms, changes to propulsion systems and the introduction of new energy-saving technology could result in a 50% cut in CO2 emissions by 2030, he said. And, in an increasingly competitive charter market, many charterers would be looking to fix the most energy-efficient tonnage, particularly if they were picking up the bill for bunkers.  [09/06/09]