Japan plans CO2 reductions for shipping

The Japanese government is preparing to set aside funds to develop fuel-efficiency standards for large ships. The Japanese Finance Ministry has been requested to allocate about 95 million yen ($827,000) in the fiscal 2008 budget for the project.

The Ministry of Land Infrastructure & Transport (MLIT) will spearhead the project to be developed over the next three years to cut CO2 emissions. The project’s focus on fuel-efficiency standards seeks to measure potential CO2 emissions through developing a carbon emissions index which is designed to help shipping companies assess the fuel economy of their ships, especially large ones, before they are constructed. The MLIT hopes the Japanese standards will eventually be recognised internationally.

The ministry will take into account various conditions such as wind speed, wind direction and wave height when developing the new carbon emissions index. Shipbuilders and marine transportation companies will be able to see fuel efficiency in both calm and rough weather conditions.

Trial runs will be conducted using model ships and computer simulations. The results will be correlated with fuel consumed by actual ships to adjust and improve accuracy.

The MLIT also expects Japanese shipbuilders to market their energy-conservation performances of their ships by using the new standards.