The International Association of Dry Cargo Shipowners (INTERCARGO) has submitted proposals to the International Maritime Organization (IMO) calling for a review of the carbon intensity indicator (CII) rating system.
INTERCARGO analysed date from more than 5,600 bulk carrier and highlighted several key issues with the current CII system – some of which have been raised by those operating multipurpose tonnage. It will call for a review of the CII system at the 82nd session of the Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC 82), which is being held September 30 to October 4 at the IMO headquarters in London.
Among the issues, it highlighted the Impact of idle time. Studies show a clear correlation between increased idle time and poorer CII ratings, particularly for smaller vessel sizes. This idle time, which includes periods in port or at anchorage, is often beyond the vessel’s control.
It also said that the current CII framework may inadvertently encourage ships to run their main engines unnecessarily, for example when waiting at anchorage, potentially increasing overall emissions while improving their CII rating. Moreover, it highlighted an issue with inconsistent efficiency indicators: vessels with E ratings often have lower average CO2 emissions compared to those rated A to D, suggesting the CII does not accurately reflect a vessel’s true efficiency.
In light of these findings, INTERCARGO has proposed that the IMO review and adjust the CII to better reflect a vessel’s true energy efficiency, rather than, by implication, reflecting the efficiency of a port or other factors outside the control of a ship. It suggests a multi-phased approach to refining the CII, starting with solutions based on current data and progressing to more refined measures as additional data becomes available.
INTERCARGO chairman, Dimitris Fafalios, said: “The current CII framework, while well-intentioned, may be leading us down a path which contradicts our ultimate goal of reducing overall emissions. We’re seeing situations where ships might actually increase their total emissions to improve their CII rating. This is clearly not the outcome we’re aiming for so it is crucial that we refine this system to ensure it truly incentivises energy efficiency and emissions reduction across our industry.”
