Online database expands through seminars

The online database was launched at the UN climate change talks in December 2010. By the end of 2010, the site had logged over 25,000 visitors, while over 1,500 users had registered to make full use of the service. The seminars aim to respond to questions from the industry about the design of the service, and its use.

“We’re delighted by the response from the industry, but this is just the beginning,” said Peter Boyd, COO of Carbon War Room.

The aim of the new online data hub is to enable market participants to more easily factor in vessel efficiency to their decision making. By employing methodology and data already available (such as overlaying the European Union’s ‘A-G’ rating on the IMO Energy Efficiency Design Index), the site provides a commercially-focussed tool, operating independently from, and ahead of, the regulatory pathway.

Boyd added: “We spent time beforehand talking to various shipping-related stakeholders, and easy, free access to information on vessel efficiency is what they said they most needed to secure the triple win in shipping – reduced fuel burn, costs, and carbon emissions.”

Crucial to the philosophy behind the site, the efficiency ratings recognise the differences in size and functionality of different ships. Boyd added “A container ship is as different from a ferry as a truck from a motorcycle, which is why we only compare vessels with their peers – not just within their class, but also only among ships of similar weight.”

Boyd continued that the team recognises that there is still substantial work to do on the EEDI. Carbon War Room and partners will update the site as the IMO improves the methodology; and as owners and operators move to having their vessel ratings certified by flag states or classification societies.

Recently, a further ten companies have signed an open letter calling on IMO delegates to rapidly adopt the EEDI, and to apply it to the existing fleet, bringing the total number of signatories to 30.

The first seminar was scheduled to take place online in mid- January 2011.

The site has attracted some adverse comment, not least from the International Chamber of Shipping, which considers its use of the EEDI to be “misleading” in that ships of different types cannot be realistically compared, and the EEDI methodology has not been fully developed for every ship type. Moreover, ICS criticised Carbon War Room backer (and airline boss) Sir Richard Branson for reportedly having commented that shipping was, in comparison with aviation, doing “pretty well nothing” in the moves to reduce transport’s carbon footprint.

In response, Boyd said: “The site calculates A to G ratings for the majority of the world’s international fleet, based on comparisons of a given vessel against its peers — thus a ship is only compared with those of the same type and similar size.” He believes that transparency is vital in the move to make shipping demonstrably ‘cleaner’, and both Carbon War Room and ICS are in agreement that ships are already the most carbon-efficient means of commercial transport and there is scope to reduce shipping emissions still further.