As we try to make human life easier, we also face certain consequences along the way. In the case of the shipping industry, one major consequence is carbon emissions. The environment is not polluted only by vehicles on the road—ships sailing across seas and oceans, carrying goods, also contribute significantly to environmental pollution levels. This has become a serious concern now as the shipping industry's carbon emissions continue to rise every day. The stats on the increasing amount of pollution are alarming and require rigorous shipping emissions regulations.
Read on ahead to understand how much CO₂ a cargo ship produces per hour and what shipping emissions regulations there are to reduce the impact.
In simpler terms, cargo ships run on a type of fuel called marine gas oil or heavy fuel oil, which is a great contributor to greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), and nitrous oxide (N20). Ships also produce sulfur dioxide (SOx), which is not a greenhouse gas but still poses potential environmental and health risks.
The shipping industry is solely responsible for about 3% of global carbon (CO₂) emissions because more than 90% of the world’s total trade is regulated through ships. In a nutshell, carbon footprint here means the total pollution caused by ships and the heavy fuel oil they are filled with to run engines, power systems, and travel long distances for shipment purposes.
According to the International Maritime Organization (IMO), a large-sized cargo ship can produce between 16 and 30 tons of CO₂ per day, which is roughly 4 to 12 tons per hour. It depends on certain factors such as the size of the ship, the speed it is moving at, and the type of fuel it’s using to operate. Generally, it is the heavy fuel oil that is significantly responsible for high emissions. If we take a year into account, the global fleet can release more than 1 billion tons of CO₂ single-handedly.
Moreover, large vessels like oil tankers and container ships contribute largely to the carbon emissions. For instance, a cruise ship can emit up to 1500 tons of CO₂ per voyage. This is threatening not only the atmosphere but also the marine ecosystems.
If we calculate the amount of carbon emissions in terms of kilometers, cargo ships are reported to produce 10-40 grams of CO2 per kilometer. Ship CO₂ emissions per km may seem low per ton of cargo, but because of the overwhelming volume of global shipping, the environmental impact is still frightening.
Thus, ship CO2 emissions per km are now under scrutiny, and shipping emissions regulations are being implemented to reduce CO2 emissions and balance economic growth with environmental preservation.
There is a list of factors that contribute to the shipping industry's carbon emissions and increasing shipping emissions statistics. These are:
Heavy fuel oil - one of the dirtiest fossil fuels - is used in most of the commercial ships. It is cheaper but bears harmful pollutants like sulfur, carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxides, etc.
If a ship is bigger and operates faster, it comparatively consumes more energy and fuel. This makes engines work harder by consuming a large amount of fuel and consequently producing high carbon emissions.
When shipping is done across oceans, and it takes days and even weeks to complete the shipment, more fuel is burned, and carbon emissions are increased. The longer the routes, the higher the environmental cost.
Due to the traffic and delays, the ships get stuck and have to wait. Meanwhile, they keep their engines running for power. Hence, leading to unnecessary carbon emissions.
Decades-old engines fitted in cargo ships don’t meet modern high-efficiency standards. Outdated engines demand more fuel to work, increasing emissions significantly.
Advanced technologies like wind-assisted propulsion, LNG fuel, or electric ports exist, but due to the cost, infrastructure, and lack of awareness, they are not widely adopted and implemented.
Shipping emissions regulations are a set of rules set by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) to reduce the pollution caused by ships and make the shipment process environmentally sound and sustainable globally. Key shipping emissions regulations are:
This regulation rates ships on the scale of A to E based on how much CO2 a ship produces per cargo carried and distance traveled. The poorly rated ships are required to improve their performance.
The strategy targets at least a 20% reduction in absolute emissions from international shipping while striving for 30% and making it at least 70% by 2040, intending to achieve zero emissions by 2050.
As per this rule, new ships must be built to meet modern energy efficiency standards that burn less fuel and cause less harm to the atmosphere and the maritime ecosystem.
Due to high population density and environmental sensitivity, in certain regions like the North Sea or US coasts, ships are required to follow stricter emissions limits.
Now, as we have discovered much about the adverse consequences caused by the shipping industry, looking for and implementing solutions is also our responsibility. This challenge can be mitigated by leveraging efficient and compliant sources like SPM Shipping, a reliable and novel ship-owning firm that provides quality services in shipping solutions. With an experience of over 10 years, they are committed to providing professionalism and transparency in all their dealings. After all, it is not just about being compliant or secure, but it is also about preserving our nature from carbon emissions through a comprehensive and responsible shipping process.
As per reports, in 2022, the shipping industry produced an estimated 858 million tons of CO2. These shipping emissions statistics are intimidating and eye-opening. Thus, there is an urgent need to make the shipping process sustainable by enforcing shipping emission regulations, managing the rate of CO₂ emissions per km, lessening the consumption of heavy fuel oil, and encouraging environment-friendly alternatives. Along with this, shipping emissions statistics should be maintained responsibly to keep a record of progress over time.
The carbon footprint of the shipping industry refers to the total amount of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases produced by ships due to global shipping activities.
Here’s the basic formula to calculate the carbon footprint of shipping:
CO₂ Emissions = Fuel Consumption × Emission Factor
Emission factors may vary by distance traveled, cargo weight and type, speed of the vessel, engine efficiency, and time spent idling at ports.
It refers to the total harmful impact caused by shipping on the environment, like carbon emissions, air pollution, oil spills and wastewater, noise pollution, plastic and solid waste, etc.
It is the total amount of CO₂ released by the cargo ships into the atmosphere while shipping goods across oceans.
By switching to cleaner fuels, improving ship designs and technology, slow steaming, stricter regulations, carbon offsetting, and transparency, maintaining the records of shipping emissions statistics, and striving for improvement.
The energy sector contributes around 40% of global CO₂ emissions. Hence, the energy sector has the biggest role in the carbon footprint.
