Marine Environment Protection Committee Research Articles

Comparative Life Cycle Assessments and Economic Analyses of Alternative Marine Fuels: Insights for Practical Strategies

The growth of the global shipping industry has increased the interest in the environmental impact of this sector. The International Maritime Organization adopted the initial Greenhouse Gas strategy for reducing GHG emissions from ships at the 72nd Marine Environment Protection Committee in April 2018. In this study, we carried out a life cycle assessment of nine production pathways of alternative fuels, including LNG, ammonia, methanol, and biofuels, and conducted an economic analysis considering the life cycle carbon pricing of each fuel pathway. Our results indicate that biomass-based FT-diesel, e-methanol, and e-ammonia are the most environmentally friendly, with GHG reductions of 92%, 88.2%, and 86.6%, respectively. However, our net present value analysis of ship life cycle cost considering carbon price indicated that using those fuels would not be cost-effective during the target period of study. Sensitivity analysis was performed by changing the life cycle carbon pricing from the baseline scenario, and we investigated the approximate years for when these alternative fuels will become more cost-effective compared to conventional fossil fuels. Further, to provide practical implications for shipping stakeholders, we analysed the effect of blending the same kinds of fuels with different production pathways.

Chemical versus Natural Biocide Compounds - Minireview on Antifouling Coatings

Marine biofouling is an old problem, known and studied for centuries, since the beginning of navigation. The accumulation of marine biofouling begins on the submerged portion of an ocean-going vessel or on any installation (equipments, pipes, platforms, etc.) within minutes of contact with seawater. Over time, this accumulation increases the ship's resistance, leading to increases in the physical resistance of the ship in the water, with negative consequences on fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions, high maintenance costs (due to corrosion), and a negative impact on the marine environment (due to the release of toic bioactive compounds into the environment and the transfer of invasive species). These environmental issues were identified and recognized by the IMO, which in the early 1990s, through the Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC), adopted a resolution recommending that member governments adopt measures to eliminate TBT-based antifouling paints. These recommendations have led to the identification, development, and application of new antifouling technologies that could provide the maritime industry with a significant potential opportunity with an innovative, cost-effective, and efficient approach to the effects of marine biofouling. Our study aimed to make a small incursion in time, through the specialized literature on methods used to combat marine fouling, to highlight new research approaches to the identification and use of natural biocides to replace chemical ones. The targeting of research directions towards the identification of the most environmentally friendly antifouling compounds, in particular natural marine compounds, has been a focus of international researchers in recent years. To achieve this goal, going back to nature is currently the best option, as it could provide us with very effective models for research and development of antifouling coatings. In the development and modeling of new antifouling paints, the influence of the physical-chemical parameters of seawater (pH, salinity, temperature) on the chemical components (active groups) of the biocides used should not be ignored. The aim of this study is to highlight the importance of developing new antifouling paint technologies using biodegradable, non-toic, and environmentally friendly compounds according to international legislation. In recent years there has been an increasing emphasis in research studies on the combination of natural biocides (obtained through the valorization of marine wastes) with natural or synthetic hydrogels whose action is to minimize the attachment of marine fouling.

Path-following control problem for maritime autonomous surface ships (MASS) in adverse weather conditions at low speeds

With the increasing popularity of autonomous vehicles, the maritime industry has focused on the development of Maritime Autonomous Surface Ships (MASS). An essential aspect of autonomous ships is their ability to follow a predetermined path at sea, as deviations from this path can jeopardize navigational safety, leading to accidents like collisions and grounding incidents. Therefore, ensuring that autonomous ships can safely navigate by following predefined routes is of utmost importance. Simultaneously, the implementation of the Energy Efficiency Design Index (EEDI) by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) has raised interest in a ship's manoeuvring performance in adverse sea conditions, aiming to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) has provided guidelines to determine the minimum propulsion power required to maintain ship manoeuvrability in adverse conditions. This study investigates the path-following performance of a ship operating at low forward speeds in adverse weather conditions using a free-running Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) model, enabling accurate prediction of manoeuvring behaviour. The numerical results emphasise the significance of low forward speeds in enabling a ship to follow a predetermined route, offering valuable insights into path-following performance with minimum propulsion power in adverse weather. The study reveals that increasing propulsive power reduces deviations from the predetermined route when the ship encounters bow and beam waves. However, the impact of propulsion power on deviation is negligible in quartering waves during path-following control. This research contributes to improving guidelines for minimum ship powering, ensuring safe autonomous navigation in adverse weather conditions.

(Digital Presentation) SOFC - Enabler for Highly Efficient Power Generation

SOFC technology offers power generation with very high efficiencies > 60 %. This leads to a high future demand for decentralized power generation for a secure energy supply.Based on the current extreme load shedding in South Africa, the SOFC System industrialization between AVL and Mitochondria will be presented.In addition, SOFC in marine applications will be discussed:In April 2018, the IMO Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) adopted a first strategy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from international shipping. The first strategy defined the following targets: Reduce CO2 emissions by 40% by 2030 and by 70% by 2050 compared to 2008 levels, and reduce total greenhouse gas emissions from shipping by at least 50% by 2050.For some applications, fuel cell technologies for propulsion and auxiliary power are seen as one of the most promising solutions to achieve not only decarbonization but also other emission reduction targets in maritime transport. Fuel cell systems are considered serious competitors to internal combustion engines for several reasons: high electrical efficiency of 60% at about 25% load, low emissions, and nearly silent operation

Investigation of Applying Technical Measures for Improving Energy Efficiency Design Index (EEDI) for KCS and KVLCC2

While extensive research is being conducted to reduce greenhouse gases in industrial fields, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) has implemented regulations to actively reduce CO2 emissions from ships, such as energy efficiency design index (EEDI), energy efficiency existing ship index (EEXI), energy efficiency operational indicator (EEOI), and carbon intensity indicator (CII). These regulations play an important role for the design and operation of ships. However, the calculation of the index and indicator might be complex depending on the types and size of the ship. Here, to calculate the EEDI of two target vessels, first, the ships were set as Deadweight (DWT) 50K container and 300K very large crude-oil carrier (VLCC) considering the type and size of those ships along with the engine types and power. Equations and parameters from the marine pollution treaty (MARPOL) Annex VI, IMO marine environment protection committee (MEPC) resolution were used to estimate the EEDI and their changes. Technical measures were subsequently applied to satisfy the IMO regulations, such as reducing speed, energy saving devices (ESD), and onboard CO2 capture system. Process simulation model using Aspen Plus v10 was developed for the onboard CO2 capture system. The obtained results suggested that the fuel change from Marine diesel oil (MDO) to liquefied natural gas (LNG) was the most effective way to reduce EEDI, considering the limited supply of the alternative clean fuels. Decreasing ship speed was the next effective option to meet the regulation until Phase 4. In case of container, the attained EEDI while converting fuel from Diesel oil (DO) to LNG was reduced by 27.35%. With speed reduction, the EEDI was improved by 21.76% of the EEDI based on DO. Pertaining to VLCC, 27.31% and 22.10% improvements were observed, which were comparable to those for the container. However, for both vessels, additional measure is required to meet Phase 5, demanding the reduction of 70%. Therefore, onboard CO2 capture system was designed for both KCS (Korea Research Institute of Ships & Ocean Engineering (KRISO) container ship) and KVLCC2 (KRISO VLCC) to meet the Phase 5 standard in the process simulation. The absorber column was designed with a diameter of 1.2–3.5 m and height of 11.3 m. The stripper column was 0.6–1.5 m in diameter and 8.8–9.6 m in height. The obtained results suggested that a combination of ESD, speed reduction, and fuel change was effective for reducing the EEDI; and onboard CO2 capture system may be required for Phase 5.

Stakeholders’ participation at the IMO marine environmental protection committee

This paper analyses the determinants of participation of stakeholders in Marine Environmental Protection Committee (MEPC) of the International Maritime Organization using information on 2669 proposals to 28 MEPC meetings (2002–2019). Our statistical analysis stresses that proposals were submitted by 117 different Members States and by 75 Intergovernmental and Non-Governmental Organizations. Proposals from Member States are by rich countries, with a vested interest in international trade and with a high political accountability. Countries that are both vulnerable to climate change and have less adaptive capacity to cope with climate change impacts are less active, unless they are large ownership countries. Out of the 15 Intergovernmental and 60 Non-Governmental Organizations that submitted proposals at Marine Environmental Protection Committee, shipowners’ interests (40%) and shipping-related associations (27%) represent the majority of all Intergovernmental and Non-Governmental Organization submissions. Finally, when Member States cooperate with Non-Governmental Organizations (4% of all proposals), they tend to collaborate with shipowners’ interest associations. Our findings confirm the large participation of a handful of countries in the first stage of the decision-making process at International Maritime Organization, while highlighting the lack of diversity in the profile of participants. International Maritime Organization should encourage a wider participation of vulnerable countries with less adaptive capacity to cope with climate change impacts and Non-Governmental Organizations to counterbalance the strong participation of large shipping nations and industry representatives.

Is slow steaming a viable option to meet the novel energy efficiency requirements for containerships?

The Marine Environment Protection Committee has introduced the Energy Efficiency Existing Ship Index, which will enter into force in 2023, to reduce emissions from existing ships. Since many existing ships do not comply with the Energy Efficiency Existing Ship Index requirements, certain mitigation measures must be applied to reduce carbon dioxide emissions. In this study, an analysis of slow steaming for fulfilling these requirements is carried out using the example of containerships built until 2016 employing the analytic model. The required speed reduction for ships which do not meet the Energy Efficiency Existing Ship Index requirements is quantified, and the potential problems related to long-term sailing with reduced speed are highlighted. The relationship between ship speed and fuel consumption for Post Panamax, Post Panamax Plus, and Very Large Containership fleets is analysed. The obtained results highlight the significance of potential implementation issues of each mitigation measure to achieve sustainable growth of the maritime transport industry.

Computational Fluid Dynamics Simulation Approach for Scrubber Wash Water pH Modelling

In the current article, we will use a CFD approach for the scrubber wash water dilution simulation, by considering the current MEPC (Marine Environment Protection Committee, a subsidiary of IMO—International Maritime Organization) regulations that are in force. The necessity for scrubber wash water pH modelling and its importance in the current environmental framework is emphasized. The presented 3D model is considered as a 400 mm hydraulic diameter fluid domain with two outlets and a discharge water flow rate of 3050 m3/h for the considered pH value of 3, obtained within a state-of-the-art exhaust gas scrubber solution developed by a major EGCS (Exhaust Gas Cleaning Systems) supplier. The CFD study was developed by considering a k-ε turbulence model. In order to achieve accurate results, a structured mesh with two levels of refinement volumes was realized. Based on the obtained data and the various parameters discussed, the paper presents a way to investigate the optimal results for further analytical research of the scrubber washwater dilution process within the exhaust gas cleaning system.

Experimental of Ballast Free System with Air-Injected Pressure Bubbles in Reducing Ship Resistance

The discharge of ballast water may introduce and transport unwanted marine organisms to the discharging area. Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) of IMO consider the action as hazard due to possibility of having negative impact on the receiving ecosystems. Many researchers have investigated possible solutions for management of ballast water to minimize the risks including the ballast free system. The concept of ballast free system is to replace the conventional ballast water management system to avoid the use of costly ballast water treatment system. However, application of ballast free system has created a new issue on ship hull resistance. The objectives of this research are to determine the effect of the system on LNG ship resistance and how the air-injected pressure bubbles affecting the ship resistance and overall system performance. To achieve the objectives, experimental tests in towing tank have been carried out at Froude number of 0.17 to 0.22 and air-injection pressure of 0.5bar, 1.0bar and 1.5bar. The application of ballast free system on the LNG ship has increased the total resistance at a range of 5% to 16%. However, air-injection to the system has reduced the total resistance by 29.8% and 8.9% in average for 0.5bar and 1.0bar injection pressure respectively. For 1.5bar injection pressure, the resistance at certain speeds is slightly increased by 1.34% in average. The optimum resistance reduction occurred at Froude number of 0.19 and 0.5bar air-injection pressure. The finding of the research can be served as a guideline for the modification of ballast tank configuration in experimental and numerical mode as a comparison to real ship conditions.

National Influences on the Marine Environmental Protection Committee

National Influences on the Marine Environmental Protection Committee

Strategic Environmental Assessment in marine spatial planning of the North Sea and the Baltic Sea – An implementation tool for an ecosystem-based approach?

With the enactment of the European Maritime Spatial Planning Directive many coastal Member States are confronted with the challenge of applying Strategic Environmental Assessments (SEAs) in the context of setting up marine spatial plans for the first time. In addition, they are obliged to apply an ecosystem-based approach (EBA) in their new marine/maritime spatial planning (MSP) frameworks. This study examines how the emerging practice of applying SEAs in MSP contributes to the implementation of an EBA. Five case studies from the North Sea and the Baltic Sea marine regions are investigated. The assessment framework is based on the EBA key elements that members of the Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission and Visions and Strategies around the Baltic Sea agreed upon. The findings of this study underline that SEAs in MSP are potentially a valuable implementation tool for an EBA. However, so far planning reality lacks behind this potential. Analysis shows that not yet all criteria for EBA key elements are addressed in the case studies. In particular, ‘alternative development’, ‘precaution’ and ‘adaptation’ require more specific actions. Key elements were often addressed in a general manner, not reaching the stage of explicit measures. It is necessary to refine vague concepts, to operationalise principles and to advance in knowledge and comparable and transparent methodologies to meet the demands of an EBA. Recommendations are given how to close the gaps from an EBA perspective.

Estimated EEDI versus calculated EEDI using S/P trials for a chemical oil tanker

"A cleaner environment to prevent dramatic climate changes is the goal of nowadays. Efforts to achieve this goal in marine field have been made by designers, shipbuilders, stakeholders, charterers and owners. Regarding the latest requirements, in the revised edition of ISO 15016 - 2015, see [2], has been shown the Marine Environment Protection Committee by IMO Resolution MEPC 214 (63) delivered a mandatory Guideline for ships, applied for survey and certification of attained EEDI (Energy Efficiency Design Index) for every new ships. Romanian designers and shipbuilders made special efforts to update this ship to the new rules of MEPC, having the goal to reduce marine pollution even this type of ship is in disadvantage regarding container vessels, where reducing speed is very easy with slow steamer technology. The paper presents the estimation of the attained EEDI onboard a new 40500 dwt Chemical Oil Tanker versus EEDI calculated on the basis of S/P trials."

Structural Reliability Analysis of Ship Hulls Accounting for Collision or Grounding Damage

Classical structural reliability analysis of intact ship hulls is extended to the case of ships with collision or grounding damages. Still water load distribution and residual bending moment capacity are included as random variables in the limit state equation. The probability density functions of these random variables are defined based on random damage parameters given by the Marine Environment Protection Committee of the International Maritime Organization, while the proposed reliability formulation is consistent with international recommendations and thus may be valuable in the development of rules for accidental limit states. The methodology is applied on an example of an Aframax oil tanker. The proposed approach captures in a rational way complex interaction of different pertinent variables influencing safety of damaged ship structure.

The Study on Cost of Application of International Emission Control Areas for China

In order to control the air pollution caused by ships and improve ambient air quality, China set up three domestic emission control areas (DECAs) in 2015 in the Pearl River Delta, the Yangtze River Delta and Bohai Rim (Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei) waters. In order to meet the emission requirements established at the 70th meeting of the Marine Environmental Protection Committee (MEPC), China intends to apply for the establishment of three international Emission Control Area (ECA) in 2030 for these DECAs. This paper discusses existing technologies to reduce emissions of nitrogen oxides (NOx) and sulphur oxides (SOx), and examines the abatement costs for the shipping industry in the year 2030 to comply with this action. Based on an examination of the literature and data collected for this study, four traditional alternatives, low-sulphur fuel, sulphur scrubbers/exhaust gas cleaning systems (EGCS), selective catalytic reduction (SCR), and exhaust gas recirculation, are analyzed. The analysis finds that switching to low-sulphur fuel is the best technical solution for SOx emission reduction, and the installation of SCR is the best technology for reducing nitrogen. In addition to traditional emission reduction technologies, the use of shore power facilities and liquefied natural gas (LNG), two alternatives welcomed by China's green shipping industry, are also considered in this paper. The expected average abatement cost of these alternatives in the year 2030 are USD 2.866 billion, 0.324 billion, 1.071 billion, 0.402 billion, 0.232 billion and 0.34 billion, respectively.

The need for international policy regarding lost containers at sea for reducing marine plastic litter

ABSTRACT Since the agenda regarding the Marine Plastics Litter from Ships has been discussed in the IMO 73rd Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) meeting of IMO, the issue of lost containers at sea has been raised recently. The issue of lost containers at sea from ships is closely related to economic and environmental aspects of the international shipping industry. Therefore, it is necessary to develop a relevant management system of lost containers at sea which is appropriate for the condition of each country by conducting an in-depth investigation of the relationship between lost containers and marine plastics litter due to the presence of plastic materials such as plastic resin pellets in the lost containers. In this paper, the progress of discussions in relation to marine plastic litter including lost containers will be introduced and discussed. Furthermore, based on the research, the need for the international policy and management system regarding lost containers at sea will be emphasized.

Numerical Simulation and Validation in Scrubber Wash Water Discharge from Ships

A regulation on the sulfur emissions of ships sailing in global sea areas has been enforced since 1 January 2020. In this new regulation, ships are required to use low-sulfur fuel oils or to install an after-treatment equipment, such as a scrubber. Open and hybrid scrubbers wash the exhaust gas using seawater and then discharge the wash water overboard. According to the regulation promulgated by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC), the wash water must have a pH of 6.5 or higher at 4 m from the discharge point. Wash water is generally acidic, with a pH of 2.5–3.5, whereas seawater is alkaline, with a pH of approximately 8.2. The wash water is dispersed after being discharged overboard through a nozzle, and its pH is restored through dilution with the surrounding seawater. In this study, the pH was calculated by using a theoretical chemical reaction model, and then the dispersion of wash water was analyzed using CFD simulation. This study describes the process of selecting the appropriate turbulent Schmidt number in a wide range of nozzle diameters. Finally, the appropriate nozzle diameter was determined based on the initial pH of the discharged scrubber wash.

Influence and transparency at the IMO: the name of the game

The International Maritime Organization (IMO) is a specialized United Nations agency responsible for regulating maritime transport. The purpose of this paper is to shed some light into the following issues: what are the main parameters of influence at the IMO? Who among Member States, industry or other players, are the main influencers? And is the process transparent enough? To address this issue, a perspective mainly but not exclusively based on the authors’ own experience from the activities of IMO’s Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) and specifically its recent focus on how to decarbonize shipping is taken. To that effect, the paper examines several issues that may be relevant, including delegation size, delegation composition, number of submissions and other factors that may affect representation and influence in IMO decision making. The paper also addresses the issue that was recently put forward by several Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), that the shipping industry deliberately promotes strategies and tactics that slow down the drive for decarbonization and that transparency at the IMO leaves a lot to be desired. A conjecture of the paper is that better transparency and stricter representation rules at the IMO could surely lead to some improvements. In particular it is found that the current rules (or lack thereof) may unduly favor some stakeholders. However, even though the drive to decarbonize shipping goes at a slow pace, the paper finds no evidence of a coordinated attempt to slow down the process. A related conjecture concerns the fragmentation of influence at the IMO, which can perhaps explain why things are not moving very fast.

Zooplankton indicator-based assessment in relation to site location and abiotic factors: a case study from the Gulf of Riga.

There are a number of zooplankton parameters proposed as indicators to evaluate environmental status of marine ecosystems. Mean size and total stock (MSTS) is the only zooplankton-based and HELCOM (Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission - Helsinki Commission)-approved core indicator. MSTS was developed to evaluate the environmental status of the Baltic Sea based on total biomass (or abundance) and mean body weight of mesozooplankton. This indicator reflects status of the food web and zooplankton biodiversity. Both are qualitative descriptors for determining good environmental status (GES) as defined by the EU Marine Strategy Framework Directive 2008/56/EC. However, the existing indicator concept is applicable to the extent that it characterizes off-shore pelagic habitats, while use of MSTS for coastal habitats remains challenging. In this case study, we aimed to assess and discuss performance of MSTS applied to mesozooplankton data from the shallow Gulf of Riga. Both off-shore and coastal communities were included in the study. MSTS responses to variable environmental factors (temperature, salinity and riverine runoff) were analysed. Temporal variations in temperature revealed response in mean size, whereas salinity covaried with total stock (both - biomass and abundance). However, spatial variations of MSTS parameters stayed unexplained. The results demonstrate difficulties with and provide possible solutions for MSTS-based assessment, with a particular emphasis on coastal waters. The use of mesozooplankton abundance as a determinant parameter for assessment of coastal waters and substitution of the corresponding 99% confidence interval of the mean as an assessment value instead of the mean have been considered.

황천 시 최소추진출력 관련 IMO 잠정 가이드라인의 진행 현황과 적용 결과 검토

Literature survey was conducted on the 2013 Interim Guidelines for determining the minimum propulsion power to maintain the manoeuvrability of ships in adverse conditions. The International Maritime Organization (IMO) Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) documents related with the Guidelines were reviewed. Compatibility of the present Guidelines can be checked by two different levels: (Level 1) minimum power lines assessment and (Level 2) simplified assessment. The IHS (Information Handling Services) sea-web data on the bulk carriers and the tankers, which were built after 2000, were used to examine the Level 1 assessment. KVLCC2 was used to examine the Level 2 assessment. Regarding the Level 2 assessment, effects of the adverse weather conditions, the added resistance due to waves, the wake fractions and the thrust deduction factors were discussed.

Climate Change, International Shipping and Market-Based Measures

International shipping carries around 80 percent of global trade by volume and produces between 1.6 percent and 3.7 percent of GHG emissions. However, projections indicate that in 2050 there will be an increase of between 50 and 250 percent, becoming between 12 and 18 percent of GHG emissions. Hence, a global approach to improving energy efficiency and effective emission control is needed. Since emissions from international shipping are being produced principally in high seas, states find it particularly difficult to regulate. International shipping emissions were not included in the United Nations Framework Conference on Climate Change (UNFCCC). Excluded also in the Montreal Protocol, the international shipping industry was, however, incorporated in the Kyoto Protocol. However, until 2011 it was the only mode of transport for which GHG emissions were not regulated. The Kyoto Protocol (art. 2.2) left measures to reduce these emissions to the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and in the meeting of July 2011, after an intense debate, its Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) adopted the Energy Efficiency Design Index (EEDI) for new ships. The EEDI is supposed to foster innovation and technical development of all the elements influencing the energy efficiency of a ship, in order to promote the design and produce more energy efficient ships. This is a different approach when compared to the Kyoto protocol, where a market-based measure (MBM) was adopted. In this paper we will analyze the works of the MEPC, particularly the possibility of introducing MBM in the fight against GHG emissions in international shipping.