The power of operational measures in decarbonizing the maritime industry

In the quest to decarbonize the maritime sector, green fuels and green technology could one day be a panacea. But ultimately, the most sustainable fuel is the one we don’t use. This means energy efficiency is equally important fuel choice and will play a significant role in reducing maritime greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. And furthermore, variety of operational measures on ships that can significantly reduce GHG emissions are actionable right now.

Climate change is impacted by the total accumulated quantity of GHGs in the atmosphere, not just those emitted in a given year. This means that every step taken to decrease emissions now will help to mitigate the long-term impacts of climate change. There isn’t time to wait for the technological solutions of the future. 

Almost 90% of the world’s goods are moved by sea.^[1] Shipping is by far the most efficient mode of transport, but the scale of the industry comes with a serious environmental cost. The maritime sector therefore has a critical role to play in global industry’s race to decarbonize.

While the development and production of alternative fuels ramp up, operational measures can already be implemented across the shipping industry to make an immediate difference in sector-wide carbon emissions. There is no one universal decarbonization solution for the entire fleet, as a range of factors affect a ship’s ability to implement a given measure. However, several options are readily available and can significantly decrease a ship’s GHG emissions.

What operational measures are available right now?

Improving operational efficiency can provide immediate emissions reductions thanks to increased energy efficiency. It will also lower costs for shipowners and operators and improve the functioning of maritime trade routes. 

Some of the key operational measures that ships and ports can implement in the short term are:

• Slower vessels
  
  Lower speeds result in reduced fuel consumption and therefore, lower emissions for ships, as well as cost savings. Speed optimization can lead to decreases in GHG emissions of up to 60% depending on the level of reduction.^[2] Decreasing speeds can also drastically reduce harmful underwater radiated noise. Our models have shown that even if more ships are required to compensate speed reduction, this can still lead to a substantial reduction in GHG emissions – particularly if waiting times are reduced in parallel.
• Just-in-time arrival
  
  Currently, many ships travel at high speeds only to then idle for a long time outside the port – a practice known as “sail fast, then wait.” Implementing a just-in-time arrival system, whereby a ship optimizes its speed during the voyage to minimize port wait times, can decrease fuel consumption and energy demand. The ship decreases emissions not only through slower speeds, but also through decreased idling at port.

• Reducing port calls
  
  By optimizing the time spent in port, involving preparation, fuel savings can be achieved.

• Weather routing, route and voyage optimization
  
  With improved data, ships can choose the best routes based on real-time sea and weather conditions. Often, the optimum route may be longer in terms of distance, but more efficient thanks to better weather conditions, saving both fuel and time. Optimized route planning also enables increased reliability, as ships are better able to avoid weather-related delays.

• Monitoring of hull and propeller cleaning
  
  Fouling on a ship’s hull and appendices greatly increases the drag resistance of a ship, which in turn increases fuel consumption. By monitoring fouling and cleaning at the right time, the additional cost of cleaning can easily be offset by fuel saving.

• Crew training
  
  Significant savings can be achieved simply by making aware the crew of the importance of energy efficiency and the means to control and reduce energy use onboard.

• Fleet deployment
  
  By optimizing the deployment of a fleet, based on parameters such as ship size, fuel savings can be achieved

• Data collection and transparency
  
  For most operational measures, robust data collection and monitoring is a necessary prerequisite for greater operational optimization in the maritime sector. If the industry is to reach its emissions and climate targets, it must collect accurate and comprehensive data to track progress against measurable targets. Analyzed by competent specialists, this data will enable historical analysis, as well as predicative modelling to further optimize operations, assisted by machine learning and AI.

A partner of choice for the energy transition

Bureau Veritas is supporting ship builders, owners, and operators to prepare for a lower-carbon future. Our Rules and guidance notes provide a framework for complying with ever-shifting international regulations. Our SUSTAINABLESHIP and SMART notations enable our clients to optimize their ships to decrease carbon emissions. 

We offer a range of digital applications to facilitate compliance, improved energy efficiency, and cost reductions. Our applications allow for real-time monitoring of our clients’ in-service fleet, which will in turn enable speed and route optimization. Through our independent advisory service, we also provide additional data analysis services to aid shipowners already collecting data to best leverage it. We also provide services to build trust between technical solution providers and shipowners by reviewing  performance predictions.

We also partner with other services to provide a broader package of solutions to our clients. OrbitMI provides a single, collaborative digital interface to help shipowners make data-based decisions about the right paths to take to cut emissions. 

We are a member of the consortium supporting the Blue Visby Solution, a collaborative platform working to eradicate “sail fast, then wait” practices. The platform, one of the most advanced solutions in this area, leverages existing software, operations and contracts to optimize ships’ journeys at a systemic level.

The maritime sector has many tools in its arsenal to tackle decarbonization. Operational measures are crucial, but other avenues must also be explored. Read more about the pathways to net zero in our Decarbonization Trajectories report here.