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July 2009
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27 July 2009 - International Environmental Ship Index
On behalf of the principal ports of northern Europe such as Rotterdam, Antwerp, Hamburg, Bremen and Le Havre, the EC Delft presented a report in January 2009 which presents a proposal for international environmental index of ships or "International Environmental Index-Ship ESI: Air Pollutants and CO2". This index seeks to identify the ships that go beyond the average technology available for the reduction of air emissions.
This index would allow ports to provide on a voluntary basis in incentives (reduction of port tariffs) in order to facilitate the introduction of new clean and efficient techniques on board ships. The initiative was announced by the World Association of Ports "International Association of Ports and Harbors (IAPH)".
However European shipowners have confirmed that discussions in the international area are now framed by the IMO, the only organization designated to treat the subject (Energy Efficiency Design Index (EEDI) and, therefore, we must avoid the development of parallel standards. This approach was shared by ICS who has already stated in the IMO instruments to which these kind EEOI or ESI are really just indicators of fuel consumption in certain circumstances, thus expressing its opposition to any "harbor's bonus" established by different instruments according to different formulas.
Meanwhile, the ports of Hamburg-Le Havre above have already organized a series of tests ESI based on a questionnaire sent to shipping for a planned implementation in 2010.
The Secretariat informed the ECSA ESPO that when the topic has not been a thorough discussion in the appropriate working groups of the association.
Confitarma Circular
21 July 2009 - Half green breakthrough for the shipping
A little understanding closed last Friday the London meeting of the IMO, the UN agency for the sea. Green light to the pact - to be signed on a voluntary basis - for cutting ship emissions, but according to environmental groups it is little less than we absolutely need. In view of the Copenhagen Summit some measures to reduce emissions based on the logic of the market are under focus, e.g. the market for emissions and fuel taxes. A way that industry is ready to accept. But the world of shipping warns that the IMO is the only authority entitled to speak on the topic.
The shipping and aviation are the only ones to not be regulated by Kyoto Protocol. The shipping produces nearly 3% of global emissions of carbon dioxide and the pressure for a green breakthrough is growing in preparation for the summit in Copenhagen next December. Delegates from 90 countries have approved a series of technical and operational measures designed to reduce emissions, but are not binding and mandatory. Among these, a classification of energy efficiency of the vessels to ensure a low impact of both new units and those already in circulation, defined energy efficiency design index. "These are voluntary and provisional guidelines" an IMO spokesperson stated. According to Peter Lockley, head of the transport of WWF UK, binding commitments and clear objectives are necessary in reducing emissions. "Decisions taken not respond to our demands or what is needed to protect the climate: that's why we appeal to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change to sets the rules to be applied to the world of shipping", said Lockley.
But according to Peter Hinchliffe, Director of the Marine branch of the International Chamber of Shipping, which represents 75% of the global industry, the proposals developed by the IMO is an important step considering the willingness of owners to make them mandatory as soon as possible. "I think that the IMO do well to show some caution", he said adding that it believes the agreed trial period "is a very sensible way to go forward". Last month France had demanded that in Copenhagen a decision on cutting ship emissions should be taken, but the proposal had been stranded at the moment to define the figures.
Some analysts argue that IMO was slow to establish a mechanism to reduce emissions of CO2 due to the differences between country and country, and this especially in view of the Copenhagen summit. But Christian Breinholt, director of the Danish Maritime Authority and member of the delegation from the Scandinavian country, reiterated that the design index is an important step. "For some delegations will be very delicate and difficult to apply the protocol before the Copenhagen summit" he said.
The IMO General Secretary Efthimios Mitropoulos, moreover, last week had urged delegates to avoid the temptation of seeking "overly ambitious outcome for which we can not keep that promise".
Shippingonline
20 July 2009 - Maritime transport produces 2.7% of the global CO2 emissions.
International maritime transport "accounts for 2.7% of total global emissions of CO2".
In the 12 years passed since the Kyoto Protocol has been launched by the UN, the IMO (International Maritime Organization) "has failed to achieve even a measure to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases" which, since 1997 are "increased by 100%" and now "amounted to 870 million tonnes a year, equal to 2.7% of total global emissions of CO2".
The environmental associations Amici della Terra Italia, MareVivo and WWF Italy denounced this data and they, behind the London meeting of MEPC59, the Committee for the Maritime Environment of the IMO, have taken stock of the activities that alter the climate of the area of international maritime transport. According to environmentalists, this area is the only major sector to have been excluded under the control of emissions of CO2 by the European Union and launched by the major industrialized countries.
The national and international aviation was recently included in the Community scheme of emissions trading (ETS). "Since 1997, CO2 emissions from international maritime transport have grown by 100% and now amount to 870 million tonnes per year, equivalent to 2.7% of total global emissions of CO2. For example, this figure amounts to about twice the emissions of CO2 alone Italy".
Shippingonline
9th July 2009 - The ship building future looks at the environment
Today 90% of freight is transported by sea on huge cargo ships run by diesel engines that consume huge quantities of fossil fuels, pouring into the atmosphere annually between 600 and 800mila tons of CO2 (about 5% of the global total). Their environmental impact is by no means negligible, but the solution of the problem is not immediate.
The way that they are trying is to a return to energy of the wind, accompanied by the exploitation of solar energy. The Solar Sailor, the Australian company based in Sydney, specializing in the use of renewable energy for sustainable mobility, has designed and built the sails of 30 meters long, completely covered with photovoltaic panels. They are now being tested on vessels of various sizes. The goal is to build cargo ships that can exploit the wind as a processing aid in the propulsion of the means. In practice, in the presence of strong winds the ship could be conducted only with large sails, if the wind was not enough, the diesel engine would intervene (with a fuel consumption reducted, however having regard to the "collaboration" of wind energy).
The photovoltaic panels are designed to provide energy to fuel the plant for lighting, heating / cooling and electronic systems of the craft. Through computer sails will be moved automatically in response to changes in the wind, so that they are always at the most efficient. The adoption of a solution of its kind on a large scale would lead to a substantial containment of consumption and emissions of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Before announcing the revolution in the maritime transport sector, however, expect to know what the real effectiveness of these systems, the savings that result. According to the CEO of Solar Sailor, Robert Dane, in the near future all ships, for goods such as passenger, will house solar sails, which will adopt a hybrid power system: motor diesel / wind / sun.
"Certainly the initial cost of vessel is high, but once installed", says Dane, "the sails are self-pay in terms of fuel savings in only 4 years of regular activity". In Kiel, a city in northern Germany, is under way to build a large catamaran sails without hulls in which the cabin is completely covered with solar panels. The boat, which will be called Planet Solar, will be 30 meters long and equipped panels for a total of 470mq. It was created with the idea of Raphael Domjan - president of the homonymous Franco-Swiss company that produces it- which he conceived with the aim to demonstrate the potential that renewable energy can have if they are supported by appropriate technologies.
Once built, the catamaran will face a major undertaking: the tour of the planet moving only by virtue of solar energy. The same Domjan with another skipper, Gérard d'Aboville, will drive it. It will start in 2010 from the port of Marseilles, France, will pass through the Atlantic and through the Straits of Panama. From here continue along the Pacific Rim, China and India, then will cross the Red Sea and the Straits of Suez. Will come again in the Mediterranean en route to Marseille. Over 40,000 miles travelled in 120 days (as declared by the corporation), at an average speed of 10 knots, or 18.5 km / h. There will be calls in some big cities like New York, Shanghai, Singapore, Abu Dhabi and Monaco. To ensure constant supply of solar energy to the engine, the boat will follow an equatorial route (as evident from the route announced): this fact will allow you to maximize the capacity of solar panels.
Obviously the Solar Planet is more like a business than as a demonstration project to be carried over identically in the transport, given the obvious limitations of an engine that is fed only to solar energy and is therefore subject to climatic factors. If the trip will take place, however, successfully and on time, it will still demonstrate the effectiveness of solar technology used for shipping. The hope of policy Domjan and that such an initiative stimulates investment in research in the field and thus lead to concrete changes in the design of engines for boats. Projects involving the use of solar energy and a "return" to the partial wind, trace elsewhere. In Japan, for example, Nippon Yusen KK in collaboration with Nippon Oil Corp has recently launched the Auruga Leader, a cargo vessel with engine hybrid diesel-solar. According to figures supplied by the company, however, the 320 photovoltaic panels installed are able to develop a power of only 40W, and can meet only 0.3% of energy required by the engine and 7% of that used by plants board: the savings and environmental benefits do not seem so exciting.
Moreover, France, in the STX Shipyards in Saint-Nazaire, is working on a cruise ship called ecological. Eoseas, this is the name of the vessel, will be 305 meters long and 60 wide, will host five bridges and six sails, a total area of 12.440mq and can carry 3400 passengers. As the Planet Solar, Eoseas will use the power of wind to reduce fuel consumption (it is expected that the sails can contribute an average of at least 10% of the propulsion of the means), while solar panels installed on them to provide energy for lighting. A deposit of liquefied natural gas (LPG) on board will feed the plants with it to adjust the temperature. Moreover, the injection of air under the hull, forming a sort of cushion, will facilitate the sliding of the vessel on the water, reducing friction by 17% and thus in turn resulting in a saving of fuel.
Finally, it will use environmentally friendly and recyclable materials in various parts of the structure and store rainwater for reuse in the rinse of the bridges. In terms of greenhouse gases, cutting emissions is expected by 50% for carbon dioxide and 80% for nitric oxide. Erik Pélerin, the head of Ecorizon (company constructed Eoseas), expresses enthusiastic and satisfied with the results achieved so far: "A number of technological challenges were faced and overcome, from the ease of manipulation of semi-rigid wings, until the installation of LPG. To see Eoseas navigate the seas of the world but we must wait five years. At that point, thousands of passengers can spend their vacation on a unique and eco footprint reduced (compared to those currently in operation).
Terranauta.it
3rd July 2009 - USA sharpens emission related regulations
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) the U.S. has announced a coordinated strategy to reduce emissions from ocean ships, setting new standards for types of fuel used and the efficiency of engines.
The new rules cover vessels flying the American flag, but they are in harmony with international standards in order to reach new agreements that are shared to a significant reduction of pollutant emissions from shipping on the planet.
Emissions due to large diesel ship engines (in particular nitrogen oxides and fine particles) have heavy consequences on the quality of vast areas around the main ports and the health of people living there also a km away.
Indeed, it is a pollution that is expected to substantial growth in parallel with the development of vessel traffic. International strategies aimed at reducing emissions from large ships, by 2030, 80% for nitrogen oxides and 85% for the fine particulate emissions compared to the trend set by the increase of maritime traffic.
According to EPA, these objectives will allow to prevent, to 2030, from 13 thousand to 33 thousand deaths per year caused by diseases directly attributable to marine pollution, and to recover 1.5 million days of work lost and 10 million reduced days of work because of illnesses related. In economic terms, the benefits arising from the reduction of marine pollution are estimated between 110 and 280 billion dollars a year.
Shippingonline
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