A new study has revealed that keeping the ships informed in advance about berth availability prior to arrival could enable their sailing speed, save fuel and money and lower emissions.
Reduce consumption of valuable resources
The study was commissioned by the Port of Rotterdam Authority and research institute TNO. The study analysed all the movements of container ships sailing to the Port of Rotterdam last year. It found that vessels would be able to reduce their speed to arrive just in time if they knew exactly when their berth would be available. Reduced fuel consumption also means lower carbon dioxide, sulphur oxides and nitrous oxides emissions.
Need to keep the ships informed
Mr.Jan Hulskotte said, “By supplying more accurate information to ships, 4 percent – or 134,000 tonnes – of CO2 emissions can be saved every year. To do this, container ships would have to adjust their sailing speed by an average of 5 percent, and still arrive at the planned arrival time”.
Fuel and emissions savings would also be made with shorter waiting times for ships in anchorage areas and more savings could also be made if ships were better informed more than twelve hours before arrival, noted the study.
Reduction in emissions
Mr Hulskotte stated: “If this waiting time was an average of 12 hours shorter, that would really make a difference in percentage terms, with an annual reduction of 35 percent in emissions. So we’re talking about 188,000 tonnes of CO2 and 1,000 tonnes of nitrous oxides.”
The results of the study were presented at the office of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) during a meeting of the IMO Intersessional working group on the reduction of Greenhouse Gas emissions from ships.
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Source: Port Strategy
