4 FRAMEWORK AND STRUCTURE OF PART I OF THE SEEMP
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Statutory Documents - IMO Publications and Documents - Resolutions - Marine Environment Protection Committee - Resolution MEPC.346(78) – 2022 Guidelines for the Development of a Ship Energy Efficiency Management Plan (SEEMP) – (Adopted on 10 June 2022) - 2022 Guidelines for the Development of a Ship Energy Efficiency Management Plan (SEEMP) - Part I of the SEEMP: Ship Management Plan to Improve Energy Efficiency - 4 FRAMEWORK AND STRUCTURE OF PART I OF THE SEEMP

4 FRAMEWORK AND STRUCTURE OF PART I OF THE SEEMP

4.1 Planning

4.1.1 Planning is the most crucial stage of part I of the SEEMP, in that it primarily determines both the current status of ship energy usage and carbon intensity and the expected improvement of ship energy efficiency and reduction of carbon intensity. Therefore, it is encouraged to devote sufficient time to planning so that the most appropriate, effective and implementable plan can be developed.

Ship-specific measures

4.1.2 Recognizing that there are a variety of options to improve energy efficiency and reduce carbon intensity (e.g. speed optimization, confirming berth availability and arrival time with port of destination, weather routeing, hull maintenance, retrofitting of energy efficiency devices, and use of alternative fuels), the best package of measures for a ship to improve energy efficiency and reduce carbon intensity depends to a great extent upon ship type, cargoes, routes and other factors that should be identified in the first place. These measures should be listed as a package of measures to be implemented, thus providing the overview of the actions to be taken for that ship.

4.1.3 During the planning process, therefore, it is important to determine and understand the ship's current status of energy usage. Part I of the SEEMP should identify energy-saving and carbon intensity reducing measures that already have been undertaken, and should determine how effective these measures are in terms of improving energy efficiency and reducing carbon intensity. Part I also should identify what measures can be adopted to further improve the energy efficiency and reduce the carbon intensity of the ship. It should be noted, however, that not all measures can be applied to all ships, or even to the same ship under different operating conditions and that some of them are mutually exclusive. Ideally, initial measures could yield energy (and cost) saving results that then can be reinvested in more difficult or expensive efficiency upgrades identified by part I.

4.1.4 Guidance on best practices for fuel-efficient operation of ships, set out in chapter 5, can be used to facilitate this part of the planning phase. Also, in the planning process, particular consideration should be given to minimize any onboard administrative burden.

Company-specific measures

4.1.5 The improvement of energy efficiency and reduction of carbon intensity of ship operation does not necessarily depend on single ship management only. Rather, it may depend on many stakeholders including ship repair yards, shipowners, operators, charterers, cargo owners, fuel suppliers, ports and traffic management services. For example, "just in time" – as explained in paragraph 5.2.4 – requires good early communication among operators, ports and traffic management services. The better the coordination among such stakeholders, the more improvement can be expected. In most cases, such coordination or total management is better made by a company rather than by a ship. In this sense, it is recommended that a company should also establish an energy efficiency and carbon intensity management plan to improve the performance of its fleet (should it not have one in place already) and make necessary coordination among stakeholders.

Human resource development

4.1.6 For effective and steady implementation of the adopted measures, raising awareness of and providing necessary training for personnel both on shore and on board are an important element. Such human resource development is encouraged and should be considered as an important component of planning as well as a critical element of implementation.

Goal setting

4.1.7 The last part of planning is goal setting.

  • .1 For ships also subject to regulation 28 of MARPOL Annex VI, the goal setting should be consistent with the continuous CII improvements set out by that regulation, and should include the relevant information (see paragraph 9.7). These ships are also encouraged to consider setting ship-specific goals in addition to the applicable CII requirements that strive for additional energy efficiency improvements and carbon intensity reductions.

  • .2 For ships or companies not subject to regulation 28, there are no requirements to define a goal and to communicate it to the public, or to be a subject to external inspection, surveys, or audits with respect to the SEEMP. Nevertheless, a meaningful goal should be defined to serve as a signal on a company's commitment to improve the energy efficiency and carbon intensity of the ship. The goal can be set using different indicators, including the annual fuel consumption, Annual Efficiency Ratio (AER), cgDIST, Energy Efficiency Operational Indicator (EEOI) or other carbon intensity indicators (CIIs).footnote In all cases, the goal should be measurable and easy to understand.

4.2 Implementation

Establishment of implementation system

4.2.1 After a ship and a company identify the energy efficiency and carbon intensity measures to be implemented, it is essential to establish a system for their implementation. This is done by developing the procedures for energy management, defining tasks associated with those procedures, and assigning those tasks to responsible personnel. The implementation system should include procedures to ensure execution of measures and specify defined levels of authority and lines of communication. Also, it should include procedures for internal audits and management review, where relevant. In sum, part I of the SEEMP should describe how each measure should be implemented and who the responsible person or persons are. The implementation period (start and end dates) of each selected measure should be indicated. The development of such an implementation system can be considered as a part of planning, and therefore may be completed at the planning stage.

Implementation and record-keeping

4.2.2 The planned measures should be carried out in accordance with the predetermined implementation system. Record-keeping for the implementation of each measure is beneficial for self-evaluation at a later stage and should be encouraged. If any identified measure cannot be implemented for any reason, the reason or reasons should be recorded for internal use. It is recommended that events and operational conditions outside the control of the ship's crew (for example, waiting for berths, extended port dwell times, operation in severe adverse weather) which may affect the ships rating be documented.

4.3 Monitoring

Monitoring tools

4.3.1 The energy efficiency of a ship should be monitored quantitatively. This should be done by an established method, preferably by an international standard. In many cases, the monitoring tool should target the goal indicator set out in paragraph 4.1.7 (e.g. AER, cgDIST, EEOI, or other CIIs as agreed by the Organization). If a quantitative goal is not defined for a ship, a quantitative performance indicator developed by the Organization (e.g. AER, EEOI, CII) or another internationally established tool should be selected. A ship subject to regulation 28 is likely to use the CII as its monitoring tool.

4.3.2 If used, these CIIs should be calculated in accordance with the guidelines developed by the Organization,footnote adjusted, as necessary, to a specific ship and trade.

4.3.3 Ships subject to regulation 28 may use other measurement tools in addition to the CII, if convenient and/or beneficial for a ship or a company. In the case where other monitoring tools are used, the reason for the use of the tool and the method of monitoring should be clarified at the planning stage.

4.3.4 It is highly advised to conduct monitoring at regular intervals for checking consistency of data and verification assistance. The ship's fuel oil consumption should be monitored using daily reporting, such as noon reports, or higher frequency data.

Establishment of monitoring system

4.3.5 It should be noted that whatever measurement tools are used, continuous and consistent and reliable data collection is the foundation of monitoring. To allow for meaningful and consistent monitoring, a monitoring system, including the procedures for collecting data and the assignment of responsible personnel, should be developed. The development of such a system can be considered as a part of planning, and therefore should be completed at the planning stage.

4.3.6 It should be noted that, in order to avoid unnecessary administrative burdens on ships' staff, monitoring should be carried out as much as possible by shore staff when the data can be automatically transferred, utilizing data obtained from existing required records such as the official and engineering logbooks and oil record books. Additional data could be obtained as appropriate.

Search and rescue

4.3.7 When a ship diverts from its scheduled passage to engage in search and rescue operations, and for which emissions are excluded pursuant to regulation 3, it is recommended that data obtained during such operations is not used in ship energy efficiency monitoring, and that such data should be recorded separately.

4.4 Self-evaluation and improvement

4.4.1 Self-evaluation and improvement is the final phase of the management cycle. This phase should produce meaningful feedback for the coming first stage, i.e. planning stage of the next improvement cycle.

4.4.2 The purpose of self-evaluation is to:

  • .1 evaluate the effectiveness of the planned measures and their implementation;

  • .2 deepen the understanding of the overall characteristics of the ship's operation such as what types of measures can or cannot function effectively, and how and/or why;

  • .3 comprehend the trend of the efficiency improvement of that ship; and

  • .4 develop the improved management plan for the next cycle through identification of further opportunities for improving energy efficiency and reducing carbon intensity.

4.4.3 For this process, procedures for self-evaluation of the ship energy efficiency management plan should be developed. Furthermore, self-evaluation should be implemented periodically by using data collected through monitoring. In addition, it is recommended that time be invested in identifying the cause and effect of the performance during the evaluated period so lessons learned can be taken into account when revising and improving the next stage of the ship's energy efficiency management plan.


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