Technologies to Improve Shipping Efficiency

This fact sheet from the Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) outlines the environmental impact of international shipping and evaluates various technological and operational strategies to improve energy efficiency and reduce particulate emissions, particularly in the Arctic.

• International shipping is a significant source of global emissions, accounting for 2.7 percent of global carbon dioxide emissions, which is approximately 870 million metric tons annually. The International Maritime Organization (IMO) predicts that these emissions could increase by two to three times by 2050 if business-as-usual conditions persist. Additionally, ships contribute one to two percent of global black carbon emissions.
• The IMO's Energy Efficiency Design Index (EEDI) is the first legally binding global effort to regulate emissions for an entire sector. Applicable to ships ordered after January 1, 2013, or delivered after January 1, 2015, it mandates efficiency improvements over a 1999-2009 baseline: 10 percent initially, 20 percent by 2020, and 30 percent by 2025. By 2030, the EEDI is projected to save $52 billion in fuel costs and prevent 263 million tons of annual CO2 emissions compared to business-as-usual scenarios.
• Operational changes and specific ship technologies can significantly reduce fuel use and emissions. Reducing ship speed by 10 percent can lower fuel consumption by 15 to 19 percent, while a 20 percent reduction can lower it by 36 to 39 percent. Other efficiency measures include shore-based power for docked ships, waste heat recovery systems, propeller and autopilot upgrades, and air lubrication systems to reduce hull friction.
• Several technologies target the reduction of particulate matter (PM) and black carbon. Diesel particulate filters (DPFs) can reduce black carbon by 70-90 percent but require high-quality low-sulfur fuel and are currently expensive. Slide valves can reduce PM emissions by about 25 percent, and water-in-fuel emulsification (WiFE) systems can reduce PM by 25 to 50 percent, though WiFE may decrease fuel efficiency by up to one percent.
• Black carbon emissions are a critical concern in the Arctic, where they deposit on snow and ice and accelerate melting. Shipping emissions of black carbon in this region may double or triple the global rate by 2050. In response, the eight nations of the Arctic Council are working to address these impacts, with Norway, Sweden, and the United States submitting potential reduction approaches to the IMO in 2010.

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} }