Bremenports rewards clean ships

Of all the shipping companies that called at the ports of Bremen in 2018, the Terntank company from Denmark has the cleanest fleet. In recognition of these efforts, bremenports Managing Director Robert Howe presented the award for the most eco-friendly fleet to representatives of the shipping company at the Sustainable Shipping conference. Robert Howe commented, “Terntank is one step ahead of the legislator and is making continuous and obviously successful efforts to improve the environmental performance of its fleet. This makes Terntank a role model for everyone endeavouring to achieve clean shipping.” The Terntank fleet achieved an excellent average score of 82.4 ESI points (Environmental Ship Index).

Terntank began to implement its “Ship Energy Efficiency Management Plan” back in 2011. The scheme is aimed at reducing fuel consumption and consequently ship emissions and also monitors handling of the transported chemicals as well as the treatment of shipboard waste and waste water. In addition to these ecological aspects, Terntank also places great importance on the safety of ship operations and its responsibility for the workforce.

In June 2016, for instance, Terntank added several LNG-powered vessels to its fleet in response to the special demands imposed on shipping in the North Sea and Baltic.  The clear advantages of LNG compared with low-sulphur fuel are enhanced by the use of a Wärtsilä main engine (Tier III) and innovative hull design by Rolls Royce.

This year’s award for the most eco-friendly vessel went to a car carrier operated by the Norwegian UECC shipping company. The prize-winning vessel “Auto Energy” has eco-friendly LNG propulsion, which earned her the greenports Award 2019. With an average ESI (Environmental Ship Index) score of 60.8, the car carrier won first place, ahead of her sister ship “Auto Eco” which had a score of 58.1.

The greenports Awards for the most eco-friendly vessel was presented to the Auto Energy when she called at Bremerhaven. Robert Howe, Managing Director of bremenports, presented the certificate to the ship’s captain and representatives of UECC on board the car carrier. The 181-metre long and 30-metre wide “Auto Energy” can carry up to 4000 cars. Propulsion with environmentally friendly liquefied natural gas, LNG, reduces the emission of nitrogen oxides. There are no emissions of particulate matter or sulphur dioxide. This propulsion system enables the “Auto Energy” to complete a 14-day round trip in the Baltic. Modern technologies also ensure that the hybrid drive has low emission values whichever mode is used, reducing fuel consumption as she sails the North Sea and Baltic between England and Russia.

This is the sixth time that bremenports has presented the “greenports Awards”. In addition to this public award, bremenports also symbolically offsets the carbon emissions caused by the winning vessel during one call at the ports of Bremen. This year, bremenports therefore made a payment to atmosfair for 3.6 tons of CO2 to offset the emissions of the “Auto Energy”.  atmosfair uses these voluntary climate protection payments, which are based on emission levels, to promote the use of renewable energy sources in different countries, first and foremost developing countries. This scheme gives shipping an opportunity to offset the environmental impact of their operations until the fleets have changed over to clean propulsion systems.

At the award ceremony, bremenports Managing Director Robert Howe stressed that the overall trend in shipping is definitely positive. “During the last six months alone, the share of vessels reporting an ESI rose by just under seven per cent. This means that a total of 7731 vessels worldwide now have lower emissions, thus outperforming the environmental limits prescribed by the International Maritime Organisation. In view of the urgency of the climate challenges, it is essential that this trend continues to pick up speed. The target has to be zero-emissions shipping.”

The award winners are decided on the basis of their scores in the Environmental Ship Index (ESI) in 2018. The ESI is an international standard that was jointly developed by the North Range ports as part of the World Port Climate Initiative. The ESI is made up of individual scores awarded for the emission of nitrogen oxides, sulphur oxides and carbon dioxide. Further points are awarded if the vessel has a ship-to-shore power connection. The ESI score is a figure between 0 and 100, where zero corresponds to the limits prescribed by the IMO. A score above zero therefore surpasses the current legal requirements.