IMO issues amendments to Ship Energy Efficiency Guidelines

The International Maritime Organization has issued resolution MEPC.388(81) with the amendments to the 2022 Guidelines for the development of a Ship Energy Efficiency Management Plan (SEEMP).

At its eighty-first session, the MEPC reviewed proposed amendments to the existing SEEMP guidelines and decided to adopt them.

The amendments introduced several key changes. One notable addition is the incorporation of a new paragraph (2.5) after paragraph 2.4, which defines "consumer type" within the context of engines, boilers, fuel cells, or other equipment serving similar purposes.

Furthermore, Section 7 of the guidelines, which deals with the methodology for collecting data on fuel oil consumption, distance traveled, and hours underway, undergoes a significant revision. The updated version provides more detailed instructions on data collection methods, including the use of bunker delivery notes (BDNs), flow meters, bunker fuel oil tank monitoring, and LNG cargo tank monitoring. It also specifies procedures for measuring distance traveled and hours underway, ensuring accuracy and standardization in reporting these parameters.

The resolution includes a table (Table 1) that outlines the transport work to be reported per ship type. This metric is essential for evaluating the energy efficiency of various types of vessels, such as bulk carriers, tankers, gas carriers, container ships, and passenger vessels. Additionally, Appendix 2 provides detailed information on ship engines and other fuel oil consumers, detailing their specifications and types of fuel used. This section also offers guidance on measuring fuel oil consumption for each type of consumer, outlining the procedure, description, and necessary measurement equipment.