An International Maritime Organisation working group on energy efficiency has suggested that all new ships above 400 tonnes should be required to have an Energy Efficiency Design Index (EEDI).
Other ship types, including the various categories of Ro-Ro ship would not be covered in the first tranche. Ships that have diesel-electric propulsion, turbine propulsion or hybrid propulsion systems are also to be excluded from the draft regulations until an appropriate reference line (previously known as the "baseline") for ships with these propulsion systems has been established.
The main technical issues remaining are the lower size limits for the required EEDI levels and future emission reduction rates for the various ship types. The decision on the instrument to be used to make the EEDI mandatory is expected to be subject to heated debate due to the political sensitivities involved.
Delegates attended the working group from 30 member states and 22 IGO and NGO organisations to further develop the text for mandatory requirements of the Energy Efficiency Design Index (EEDI) and Ship Energy Efficiency Management Plan (SEMP).
This working group may well be the final opportunity to address any concerns or misgivings that are held over any aspects of the IMO approach to greenhouse gas reductions.
