Ship efficiency
The power of operational measures
Shipowners and operators are looking for pragmatic ways to cut both costs and emissions today – without waiting for distant technological breakthroughs. Operational measures that are easily implementable on existing vessels can dramatically improve efficiency, which reduces carbon emissions and lowers fuel usage and operating expenses. With the wide range of options currently available, improved operational efficiency is possible for almost every vessel.
Head of Sustainability Advanced Services
Shipowners have a wealth of options for cutting their fleet’s emissions in the immediate term. These cost-effective, pragmatic measures will be key to decarbonizing the maritime sector as a whole. Bureau Veritas is committed to helping clients find the right set of solutions for their fleets to meet their net-zero goals.
What operational measures can make an immediate difference?
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Slower speed
Slowing down the speed at which vessels sail is one of the best ways to reduce fuel consumption, which in turn leads to lower emissions and fuel costs. Optimizing speed can cut emissions by up to 60% in some cases, as well as limit underwater radiated noise (URN), which can harm wildlife and impact the health of crews.
In the model we created for our Decarbonization Trajectories report, we demonstrated that even if the global fleet must increase in size to make up for slower speeds, emissions reductions can still be significant. This is particularly true if waiting times are ports are also reduced through optimized arrival timing.
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Just-in-time arrival
Currently, most vessels travel as quickly as possible to arrive at their destination – only to idle outside the port for a lengthy period. This practice of “sail fast, then wait” increases fuel usage and emissions. By optimizing vessel speed to arrive at port “just in time,” ships can decrease energy demand and minimize waiting times and idling. Just-in-time arrival also reduces air and water pollution around ports and limits underwater radiated noise (URN).
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Weather routing and voyage optimization
Using voyage optimization software, operators can chart the optimum routes for their vessels based on real-time sea and weather conditions. Often, the best route may cover a greater distance, but still result in fuel and time savings thanks to better weather conditions. Optimized voyage planning also leads to better reliability, as ships can route around adverse weather that would otherwise cause delays.
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Monitoring of hull and propeller cleaning
Build-up on a vessel’s hull, propeller and other features can increase its drag resistance, which causes higher fuel consumption. By monitoring this fouling to ensure cleaning at opportune times, the fuel savings can more than offset the increased costs from more frequent cleanings.
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Crew training
Through dedicated training on the best ways to reduce energy use onboard vessels, crews can help deliver significant energy savings.
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Fleet deployment
Optimizing which vessels are deployed when, based on key parameters like ship size, can lead to savings on fuel and therefore fewer emissions.
Going further with energy-saving devices
When operational measures are combined with energy-saving devices (ESDs), the efficiency gains are multiplied. Many of these devices are installable without serious capital expenditures, making them a viable investment for many ship types. ESDs include anti-fouling paints, propeller appendices, enhanced hull designs and waste heat recovery systems.
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Supporting regulatory compliance
The International Maritime Organization (IMO) has implemented a package of regulations aimed at limiting the maritime industry’s environmental impact. As a result, vessels face more stringent requirements regarding energy efficiency. Bureau Veritas can help you ensure that your fleet complies with the Energy Efficiency Design Index (EEDI) and the Carbon Intensity Indicator (CII) rules, as well as update and manage your Ship Energy Efficiency Management Plan (SEEMP).
Enabling your journey to operational efficiency
Bureau Veritas experts stand ready to help you assess your decarbonization options and make the right decisions for your fleet.
We support compliance with the international regulatory framework through our Rules and guidelines, and help you stay up to date on all relevant changes to international maritime law. Our SUSTAINABLESHIP and SMART notations provide the framework that allows our clients to optimize their ships to decrease energy use and greenhouse gas emissions.
We also offer a suite of digital solutions to smooth the compliance process and facilitate decision-making for improved energy efficiency and lower costs. Our tools allow our clients to monitor their in-service fleet in real time, enabling optimization of vessel speeds and routes.
Bureau Veritas’ digital solution, VeriSTAR Green, facilitates and accelerates the calculation process for the Energy Efficiency Existing Index (EEXI) and CII values. VeriSTAR Green supports ship owners with reporting fuel consumption and emissions data for the IMO Data Collection System (DCS) and EU Monitoring, Reporting and Verification (MRV) compliance, and to simulate EU ETS allowance costs.
Collaborating for progress
To further support shipowners and operators with their decarbonization journeys, Bureau Veritas has developed a network of strategic partners. We invested in OrbitMI to provide our clients with ship data collection, emissions monitoring and reporting solutions, vessel performance, and weather routing.
We are also a member of the Blue Visby Consortium, which works to advance just-in-time arrival and eradicate “sail fast, then wait” practices. The Blue Visby Solution is a collaborative platform that aims to optimize fleet journeys at a systemic level, by making use of existing technology, operations and contracts.
Bureau Veritas' integrated digital solution OptiCARBON enables ship operators to simulate fleet decarbonization scenarios. OptiCARBON helps optimize fuel, tax and emissions costs while ensuring EU ETS, FuelEU and IMO GHG Fuel Intensity (GFI) compliance.
Decarbonization Trajectories
The maritime industry’s breadth and diversity means that different ships face unique pressures around decarbonization. As a result, the trajectory to net zero varies widely across different segments of the industry. In this report, Bureau Veritas highlights the importance of creating scientifically grounded decarbonization scenarios to assess which actions can make the biggest impact.
