IMO energy efficiency and carbon intensity index enters into force

The International Maritime Organisation’s (IMO) latest regulation will give efficiency ratings to ships with the aim of curbing greenhouse gas emissions.

PHOTO: IMO headquarters in London, UK. Getty Images

The IMO’s amendments to the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL) Annex VI were agreed upon in 2018 and have entered into force today. The regulations aim to improve ships’ energy efficiency in the short term and reduce their GHG emissions.

The new regulation, although legislated today, will only become mandatory from 1 January next year.

From 1 January, the regulation mandates shipowners to calculate an Energy Efficiency Existing Ship Index (EEXI) for each of their vessels, with a view to grant them a carbon intensity indicator (CII). Factors such as carbon dioxide emissions per distance traveled against cargo capacity will be used to evaluate EEXI and CII.

Ships will be then be given a rating between A-E based on their CII, wherein A is the best rated. The collection of EEXI data needs to be completed by end of next year, and initial CII ratings are expected to be allocated by 2024.

By Nithin Chandran

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