Signal Ocean’s Emissions estimation algorithm exceeds 90 per cent accuracy
This article examines recent progress and initiatives by the shipping industry to meet new IMO targets and provides Signal Ocean Platform data on emissions developments and trends.
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Detailed back testing of actual CO2 emissions of circa 40 tankers that have been part of the Signal Maritime pool against Signal Ocean’s algorithm-based estimates has shown that real-time emission estimates are accurate within less than a 10% margin of error.
The power and simplicity of real-time emission estimates have been recently underlined in pretty much all of this year’s ESG fora, but accuracy is critical if owners, charterers and traders are to depend on them as a trustworthy indicator of a vessel’s CII (Carbon Intensity Indicator) rating in 2023 and beyond. The International Maritime Organization’s MARPOL Annex VI Carbon Intensity Indicator legislation takes effect from 1 January 2023.
With charterers now taking contractual responsibility for a vessel’s ship emissions under BIMCO’s new model CII clause, the need for real-time accurate CII assessments for any vessel based on its actual activity is critical. Whilst every vessel above 5000 GT will have a publicly available CII rating ranging from A to E, this rating will only describe a ship’s performance in the previous calendar year and not how it has performed so far this year, nor how it is likely to perform tomorrow or for the rest of the year.
The vessel emission features offered through the Signal Ocean platform, and the Vessel Emissions API allow shipping participants to see in a simple, systematic and consistent way emissions for any proposed voyage and enable meaningful benchmarking and comparisons.
Signal Ocean COO Dimitris Tsapoulis said:
“CII estimations for any vessel or voyage, past, current or future, allow Signal Ocean users to factor in environmental performance at the time they are weighing their chartering options. Anecdotally, traders using the service reported back accuracies that were very close to their own internal calculations, based on actual measurements; we were delighted to see yet another data point in Signal Maritime’s figures.”
He added:
“What is even more inspiring than seeing a system with high accuracy estimations is to see the Signal Maritime team producing top-of-class environmental performance by closely tracking and simulating it through data. Environmental performance will undoubtedly play an increasingly critical role in economic success as we approach 2030 and beyond. ”
The Signal Ocean estimates vessel emissions, like CO2, from AIS data converted into voyages, where all stops for bunkering operations, idle times, repairs, loads and discharge operations are taken into account. At sea, ballast and laden legs and Sulphur Emission Control Area navigation times are clearly defined. Fuel consumption is mapped to different fuel types (VLSFO, MGO, HSFO) based on the area that vessels have been trading, as well as taking into consideration a rich set of vessel particulars, including dimensions, the country built, and year built, scrubber fitting, consumption curves, operational conditions and vessel speeds.
Earlier this year, the algorithm underpinning Signal Ocean's estimates of vessel CO2 emissions was verified as meeting IMO guidelines by the independent classification society DNV. The service is available for tankers, dry bulk and LPG vessels.
Creating a sustainable world requires us to embark on a journey towards a zero emission future, where every step is a commitment to preserve our planet for future generations.
Albert Greenway
Environmental Scientist, Sustainability Expert
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Increased Use of Renewable Energy:
Shipping companies are embracing renewable energy sources to power onboard systems and reduce emissions during port operations. Solar panels and wind turbines are being installed on vessels to generate clean energy, reducing reliance on auxiliary engines, and cutting down emissions. Shore power facilities in ports allow ships to connect to the electrical grid, eliminating the need for onboard generators while docked.
Collaboration and Industry Partnerships:
Recognizing that addressing emissions requires collective action, shipping companies, governments, and organizations have formed partnerships and collaborations. These initiatives focus on research and development, sharing best practices, and promoting knowledge transfer. Joint projects aim to develop and deploy innovative technologies, improve infrastructure, and create a supportive regulatory framework to accelerate the industry's transition towards a greener future. The Zero Emission Shipping - Mission Innovation.
To pave the way for a greener future in shipping, the availability of alternative fuels plays a vital role in their widespread adoption. However, this availability is influenced by factors such as port infrastructure, local regulations, and government policies. As the demand for cleaner fuels in shipping rises and environmental regulations become more stringent, efforts are underway to improve the accessibility of these fuels through infrastructure development, collaborations, and investments in production facilities.
Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) infrastructure has seen significant growth in recent years, resulting in more LNG bunkering facilities and LNG-powered vessels. Nonetheless, the availability of LNG as a marine fuel can still vary depending on the region. To ensure consistent availability worldwide, there is a need for further development of LNG supply chains and infrastructure. For biofuels, their availability hinges on production capacity and the availability of feedstock. Although biofuels are being produced and utilized in various sectors, their availability as a marine fuel remains limited. Scaling up biofuel production and establishing robust supply chains are imperative to ensure wider availability within the shipping industry.Hydrogen, as a fuel for maritime applications, is still in the early stages of infrastructure development. While some hydrogen vessels have been tested or introduced in the first quarter of last year, the infrastructure required for hydrogen production and distribution needs further advancement.
Ammonia, as a marine fuel, currently faces limitations in availability. The production, storage, and handling infrastructure for ammonia need further development to support its widespread use in the shipping industry.Methanol, on the other hand, is already a commercially available fuel and has been used as a blend with conventional fuels in some ships. However, its availability as a standalone marine fuel can still be limited in certain regions. Bureau Veritas in October 2022 published a White Paper for the Alternative Fuels Outlook. This white paper provides a comprehensive overview of alternative fuels for the shipping industry, taking into account key factors such as technological maturity, availability, safety, emissions, and regulations.
Creating a sustainable world requires us to embark on a journey towards a zero emission future, where every step is a commitment to preserve our planet for future generations.
Albert Greenway
Environmental Scientist, Sustainability Expert
Increased Use of Renewable Energy:
Shipping companies are embracing renewable energy sources to power onboard systems and reduce emissions during port operations. Solar panels and wind turbines are being installed on vessels to generate clean energy, reducing reliance on auxiliary engines, and cutting down emissions. Shore power facilities in ports allow ships to connect to the electrical grid, eliminating the need for onboard generators while docked.
Collaboration and Industry Partnerships:
Recognizing that addressing emissions requires collective action, shipping companies, governments, and organizations have formed partnerships and collaborations. These initiatives focus on research and development, sharing best practices, and promoting knowledge transfer. Joint projects aim to develop and deploy innovative technologies, improve infrastructure, and create a supportive regulatory framework to accelerate the industry's transition towards a greener future. The Zero Emission Shipping - Mission Innovation.
To pave the way for a greener future in shipping, the availability of alternative fuels plays a vital role in their widespread adoption. However, this availability is influenced by factors such as port infrastructure, local regulations, and government policies. As the demand for cleaner fuels in shipping rises and environmental regulations become more stringent, efforts are underway to improve the accessibility of these fuels through infrastructure development, collaborations, and investments in production facilities.
Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) infrastructure has seen significant growth in recent years, resulting in more LNG bunkering facilities and LNG-powered vessels. Nonetheless, the availability of LNG as a marine fuel can still vary depending on the region. To ensure consistent availability worldwide, there is a need for further development of LNG supply chains and infrastructure. For biofuels, their availability hinges on production capacity and the availability of feedstock. Although biofuels are being produced and utilized in various sectors, their availability as a marine fuel remains limited. Scaling up biofuel production and establishing robust supply chains are imperative to ensure wider availability within the shipping industry.Hydrogen, as a fuel for maritime applications, is still in the early stages of infrastructure development. While some hydrogen vessels have been tested or introduced in the first quarter of last year, the infrastructure required for hydrogen production and distribution needs further advancement.
Ammonia, as a marine fuel, currently faces limitations in availability. The production, storage, and handling infrastructure for ammonia need further development to support its widespread use in the shipping industry.Methanol, on the other hand, is already a commercially available fuel and has been used as a blend with conventional fuels in some ships. However, its availability as a standalone marine fuel can still be limited in certain regions. Bureau Veritas in October 2022 published a White Paper for the Alternative Fuels Outlook. This white paper provides a comprehensive overview of alternative fuels for the shipping industry, taking into account key factors such as technological maturity, availability, safety, emissions, and regulations.
Signal Ocean’s Emissions estimation algorithm exceeds 90 per cent accuracy
Posted by
Signal Ocean Team
|
December 7, 2022
Detailed back testing of actual CO2 emissions of circa 40 tankers that have been part of the Signal Maritime pool against Signal Ocean’s algorithm-based estimates has shown that real-time emission estimates are accurate within less than a 10% margin of error.
The power and simplicity of real-time emission estimates have been recently underlined in pretty much all of this year’s ESG fora, but accuracy is critical if owners, charterers and traders are to depend on them as a trustworthy indicator of a vessel’s CII (Carbon Intensity Indicator) rating in 2023 and beyond. The International Maritime Organization’s MARPOL Annex VI Carbon Intensity Indicator legislation takes effect from 1 January 2023.
With charterers now taking contractual responsibility for a vessel’s ship emissions under BIMCO’s new model CII clause, the need for real-time accurate CII assessments for any vessel based on its actual activity is critical. Whilst every vessel above 5000 GT will have a publicly available CII rating ranging from A to E, this rating will only describe a ship’s performance in the previous calendar year and not how it has performed so far this year, nor how it is likely to perform tomorrow or for the rest of the year.
The vessel emission features offered through the Signal Ocean platform, and the Vessel Emissions API allow shipping participants to see in a simple, systematic and consistent way emissions for any proposed voyage and enable meaningful benchmarking and comparisons.
Signal Ocean COO Dimitris Tsapoulis said:
“CII estimations for any vessel or voyage, past, current or future, allow Signal Ocean users to factor in environmental performance at the time they are weighing their chartering options. Anecdotally, traders using the service reported back accuracies that were very close to their own internal calculations, based on actual measurements; we were delighted to see yet another data point in Signal Maritime’s figures.”
He added:
“What is even more inspiring than seeing a system with high accuracy estimations is to see the Signal Maritime team producing top-of-class environmental performance by closely tracking and simulating it through data. Environmental performance will undoubtedly play an increasingly critical role in economic success as we approach 2030 and beyond. ”
The Signal Ocean estimates vessel emissions, like CO2, from AIS data converted into voyages, where all stops for bunkering operations, idle times, repairs, loads and discharge operations are taken into account. At sea, ballast and laden legs and Sulphur Emission Control Area navigation times are clearly defined. Fuel consumption is mapped to different fuel types (VLSFO, MGO, HSFO) based on the area that vessels have been trading, as well as taking into consideration a rich set of vessel particulars, including dimensions, the country built, and year built, scrubber fitting, consumption curves, operational conditions and vessel speeds.
Earlier this year, the algorithm underpinning Signal Ocean's estimates of vessel CO2 emissions was verified as meeting IMO guidelines by the independent classification society DNV. The service is available for tankers, dry bulk and LPG vessels.
