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Energy Efficiency Initiatives in the Shipping Industry


There’s no denying the importance of the shipping industry. According to the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS), the shipping industry carries food and different goods all over the globe and contributes to around 90% of the world’s trade. Without shipping, people wouldn’t be able to get what they need to survive at an affordable price, and technology and business would come to a screeching halt.
There are over 50,000 cargo ships in the world, transporting a vast array of goods from point A to point B. With all of these ships moving to and fro across the oceans, the time has come to put effective energy efficiency initiatives into action.
The International Maritime Organization is committed to the safety, security, and carbon emissions of the shipping industry. During the IMO’s Marine Environmental Protection Committee’s, it was decided that a strategy to reduce carbon emissions would be put into action in 2018. Across the entire shipping industry, energy efficiency tactics must be adopted in order to reduce greenhouse gases.

What can be done?

It seems like a monumental overtaking, but there are smaller steps that each shipping company can take in order to be more energy efficient. One such step is to regularly polish propellor blades. When propeller blades are properly polished, it helps the ship run smoother and can reduce emissions by about 8%. Shipping companies are at tight deadlines most of the the time, but slowing the ship down can also reduce emissions by as much as 30%. Additionally, investing in autopilot, more efficient pumps, and cleaning the hull all increase energy efficiency by varying percentages.
Rolls-Royce starting to design unmanned ships as an answer to the energy efficient problem. These autonomous ships offer greater energy efficiency than the ships of today, and would be safer than having a crew of people on board. There would be no need to include the sections normally reserved for housing the crew, meaning the ship would only store cargo. This additional room for goods actually makes the ship about 5% lighter and would use less fuel than today’s ships.
Newer ships will also be equipped with more energy efficient features that include improving the design and shape of the hull to increase hydrodynamics and technologies onboard to improve engine efficiency.
It is now mandatory for crews of ships 5000 tonnes and over to keep track of each type of fuel oil their ships. This data will then be used to decide future policies regarding energy efficiency requirements. Since many initiatives have already been started, the future is sure to hold a more energy efficient shipping industry.

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