An Integrated Vessel Performance System for Environmental Compliance

Abstract

International and regional regulatory developments like the IMO data collection and reporting system and the European Union (EU) system for monitoring, reporting and verifying (MRV) CO₂ emissions will require ship operators to report specific data like the total annual fuel consumption by fuel type, CO₂ emissions, distance travelled, time spent at sea and other relevant informations. In light of increasing pressure from the maritime industry on the EU to initiate, without delay, the review process specified in the EU MRV Regulation and aimed at aligning the EU with the IMO system, ship operators are already seeking compliance solutions.

This paper summarizes the current challenges for ship operators and highlights areas within the existing procedures and systems that need to be assessed to ensure compliance. Areas include fuel measurement procedures, quality assurance of measuring devices and the IT infrastructure, data flow and control activities and existing reporting systems. Emphasis is also placed on the use of available data for benchmarking and analysis of vessel and environmental performance. This represents a significant opportunity for ship operators to achieve compliance with the forthcoming regulations, while reducing operational costs and coping with the additional administrative burden in an efficient manner.