Live carbon-tracking mechanism for ships, a methodology to mitigate uncertainties in the carbon intensity calculations

Abstract

The current carbon intensity indicator (CII) formulation has raised some fundamental concerns among maritime experts. The annual emission rate (AER) lacks sufficient sensitivity in reflection of cargo tonnage and ship speed, and further, calculation of transport work is subject to dispute. In addition, there are concerns regarding the reliability of the annual data collection. Two proposals are presented in this study in order to address these issues: first, modification in the CII formula and a new technique to calculate the average CII, and second, a mechanism of voyage-based data collection and verification. Case studies and real noon reports were used to demonstrate the compatibility of the modified CII formulae and their ability to encourage ship operators to slow steaming. Moreover, case studies demonstrated ineffectiveness of the engine power limits (EPL), and conflicting results when energy efficiency operational indicator (EEOI) and AER were applied to the same dataset.

Keywords

• CII (Carbon Intensity Indicator)
• Uncertainties
• Weighted Average
• Cumulative Average
• Data Collection
• Energy Efficiency