THE International Maritime Organization’s formula for determining the efficiency of a ship, and thus the carbon dioxide it emits, is in danger of becoming too complex, according to the International Chamber of Shipping. As part of its drive to find a measurable method of reducing the industry’s CO©ü emissions, the IMO has developed an energy efficiency design index, which could set the mandatory limit for the amount of CO©ü a vessel will emit. Combined with the voluntary operational index and the ship emissions management plan, the EEDI is being developed in time for the Copenhagen meeting in November to develop a successor to the Kyoto Protocol. If the IMO fails to make headway on the greenhouse gas emissions issue shipping is in danger of being subject to regional targets. However, the index, which is a complex formula to meet the varieties of different ship types, has continually been adjusted as it has been developed and is in danger of becoming unusable, the ICS said. “It is becoming clear we will have some practical efficiency measures incorporated into legislation, although the politics of the situation is not making it easy for the industry to move forward,” said ICS marine adviser Alistair Hull. “The EEDI is a neat, simple concept but is complex in application and details.” Owners fear that the index will not be applicable for all ships. Since its conception at the Oslo meeting of the greenhouse gas working group of experts at the IMO in June 2008, EEDI has been tested for just six months within the industry and then updated earlier this month when the experts met again. When finalised, the formula will be used to measure ship efficiency and then, using an imposed benchmark, it will create increased efficiency. The ICS is concerned that the formula may not be appropriate for all ship types. While it works well with simple-design vessels with straightforward propulsion, such as tankers and bulk carriers, it does not work with vessels with more complex propulsion systems or with redundancy arrangements that are used infrequently. Some vessels, such as deep sea tugs, offshore support vessels and ro-pax ferries, that have a high level of redundant power, will be rated too high by the index. “A ro-pax vessel with four engines operates on a day-to-day basis on only two engines. But according to the index we are talking about installed power, so all the engines will have to be calculated,” Mr Hull said. The formula can be used with refinements to take the power requirements to drive the ship, according to Mr Hull, who said the industry fully supported the development of the index. “We want to have this formula as we recognise we have to do our part, but there is no guarantee that it will give genuine CO©ü reductions, and that is a concern.” Energy efficiency index that could set limits for carbon dioxide is condemned as too complex