3.1 Regulation 26.1 of MARPOL Annex VI requires each ship of
400 gross tonnage and above, subject to chapter 4 to keep on board a ship-specific
Ship Energy Efficiency Management Plan (SEEMP).
3.2 The purpose of part I of the SEEMP is to establish a mechanism for a company
and/or a ship to improve the energy efficiency and reduce the carbon intensity of a
ship's operation. Preferably, this aspect of the ship-specific SEEMP is linked to a
broader corporate energy management policy for the company that owns, operates or
controls the ship, recognizing that no two shipping companies are the same, and that
ships operate under a wide range of different conditions.
3.3 Many companies will already have an environmental management system (EMS) in
place under ISO 14001 which contains procedures for selecting the best measures for
particular ships and then setting objectives for the measurement of relevant
parameters, along with relevant control and feedback features. Monitoring of
operational environmental efficiency should therefore be treated as an integral
element of broader company management systems.
3.4 In addition, many companies already develop, implement and maintain a safety
management system. In such case, part I of SEEMP may form part of the ship's safety
management system.
3.5 This section provides guidance for the development of part I of SEEMP that should
be adjusted to the characteristics and needs of individual companies and ships. Part
I of the SEEMP is intended to be a management tool to assist a company in managing
the ongoing environmental performance of its ships and, as such, it is recommended
that a company develop procedures for implementing the plan in a manner which limits
any onboard administrative burden to the minimum necessary.
3.6 Part I of the SEEMP should be developed as a ship-specific plan by the company,
and should reflect efforts to improve the energy efficiency and reduce carbon
intensity of a ship through four steps: planning, implementation, monitoring, and
self-evaluation and improvement. These components play a critical role in the
continuous cycle to improve ship energy efficiency management and reduce its carbon
intensity. With each iteration of the cycle, some elements of part I will
necessarily change while others may remain as before.
3.7 At all times safety considerations should be paramount. The trade a ship is
engaged in may determine the feasibility of the energy efficiency and carbon
intensity reduction measures under consideration. For example, ships that perform
services at sea (pipe laying, seismic survey, OSVs, dredgers, etc.) may choose
different methods of improving energy efficiency when compared to conventional cargo
carriers. The nature of operations and influence of prevailing weather conditions,
tides and currents combined with the necessity of maintaining safe operations may
require adjustment of general procedures to maintain the efficiency of the
operation, for example the ships which are dynamically positioned. The length of a
voyage and the need to avoid high risk areas may also be important parameters as
well as trade specific safety considerations.