Technologies to Improve Shipping Efficiency

The document outlines the impact of the International Maritime Organization's (IMO) Energy Efficiency Design Index (EEDI) and the Ship Energy Efficiency Management Plan (SEEMP) on global shipping emissions. It details operational strategies like speed reduction and virtual arrival systems, as well as technical solutions such as shore-based power, waste heat recovery, and air lubrication. Special attention is given to reducing black carbon and particulate matter (PM) through diesel particulate filters, slide valves, and water-in-fuel emulsification, particularly to mitigate the accelerated melting of ice in the Arctic region.

• The International Maritime Organization (IMO) established the Energy Efficiency Design Index (EEDI) to set energy efficiency standards for new large ships ordered after January 1, 2013, or delivered after January 1, 2015. The EEDI requires efficiency improvements of 10 percent over the 1999-2009 baseline, increasing to 20 percent in 2020 and 30 percent in 2025. By 2030, the EEDI is estimated to prevent 263 million tons of CO2 emissions annually and save $52 billion in fuel costs compared to business-as-usual scenarios.
• Operational changes, specifically speed reduction, offer significant fuel and emission savings: a 10 percent reduction in speed decreases fuel consumption by 15 to 19 percent, while a 20 percent reduction decreases it by 36 to 39 percent. The 'virtual arrival system' is proposed to replace 'first-come first-served' port queuing, allowing ships to lower transoceanic speeds and arrive at assigned time slots.
• Various technologies can reduce particulate matter (PM) and black carbon emissions. Diesel particulate filters (DPFs) can reduce black carbon by 70-90 percent but require low-sulfur fuel and are expensive. Slide valves reduce PM emissions by approximately 25 percent, and water-in-fuel emulsification (WiFE) on-demand systems can reduce PM emissions by 25 to 50 percent.
• Shipping emissions of black carbon in the Arctic are estimated to double or triple over the global rate by 2050, accelerating the melting of snow and ice. In 2010, Norway, Sweden, and the United States submitted a document to the IMO proposing approaches to reduce these emissions, which received support from all Arctic nations.

APA

Cross, J. (2012). Technologies to Improve Shipping Efficiency. Environmental and Energy Study Institute. https://www.eesi.org/files/FactSheet_100912_shippingefficiency.pdf

Chicago

Cross, John‐Michael. Technologies to Improve Shipping Efficiency. Environmental and Energy Study Institute, 2012. https://www.eesi.org/files/FactSheet_100912_shippingefficiency.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Cross |first1=John‐Michael |title=Technologies to Improve Shipping Efficiency |publisher=Environmental and Energy Study Institute |date=October 2012 |url=https://www.eesi.org/files/FactSheet_100912_shippingefficiency.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{cross2012technologies, author = {Cross, John‐Michael}, title = {{Technologies to Improve Shipping Efficiency}}, institution = {Environmental and Energy Study Institute}, year = {2012}, month = oct, url = {https://www.eesi.org/files/FactSheet_100912_shippingefficiency.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }