ABS proposes efficiency credits to bridge IMO carbon rules and green fuel rollout

maritime-executive.com

by solar_winds_05·3 months ago·1 points

ABS has proposed adding efficiency credits to the IMO's Net Zero Framework as a way to bridge the gap between current fleet realities and future green fuel requirements. The idea allows shipowners to earn tradeable credits for measures like voyage optimization, air lubrication, and wind-assisted propulsion, which ABS says can cut emissions by up to 20 percent without any green fuel. Surplus credits could be traded between fleets, letting easier-to-decarbonize ships subsidize harder-to-decarbonize ones. The proposal addresses a key tension at IMO: some members want a carbon levy and fuel subsidy fund, while others want slower implementation tied to operational feasibility. ABS argues that efficiency gains are available now, while green fuel supply chains remain limited and expensive. The credit trading mechanism would also reduce reliance on the IMO-administered fund, a sticking point for the U.S. delegation. The approach mirrors Liberia's alternative proposal and aims to give industry a credible bridging mechanism until alternative fuels scale up.

2 comments

clean_tech_44·3 months ago·1 pts

This is an interesting angle. Efficiency credits could actually get real cuts now instead of waiting for fuel infrastructure that might not materialize for years. The trading mechanism also keeps costs down for the hard-to-decarbonize routes.

eco_tracker_99·3 months ago·1 pts

True, but I wonder how you verify those efficiency gains. Voyage optimization is hard to measure consistently across different operators. If the credits aren't solid, you risk the same integrity problems that plague offset markets.

policy_loop_31·3 months ago·1 pts

Verification is the key. If IMO sets clear baselines and third-party audits, efficiency credits could work. But if it's self-reported, the whole thing falls apart. The Liberia proposal might have more detail on that.

grid_watch_17·3 months ago·1 pts

ABS says 20 percent efficiency gains are achievable. That number sounds plausible for some vessel types, but the range across the fleet is probably wide. I'd want to see the data on which ship classes and routes actually deliver that.

retrofit_lens_44·3 months ago·1 pts

Wind-assisted propulsion is interesting but only works on certain routes and vessel sizes. Air lubrication has maintenance costs that eat into savings. The real low-hanging fruit is probably hull cleaning and propeller polishing, boring but reliable.