The process of protecting the environment is one of continual improvement, there is always more that can be done to reduce the impact from industry on the environment. Regulations do not stand still and forward thinking ship owners and managers are increasingly looking for concrete ways to demonstrate their commitment to reducing environmental impacts. GL’s Environmental Passport (EP) has become recognised as a useful mechanism for operators to signal the advanced environmental features of their vessels, which are emerging as a key factor in maintaining competitive fitness in an increasingly crowded market.
The EP is a voluntary class-notation and certification for ships. All mandatory and voluntary environmental features of a vessel are compiled in a single, easy to use document including flag state certificates, compliance certificates, NOx emission diagrams and the Environmental Passport certificate itself. The “Environmental Passport is the one of the most successful voluntary class notations ever offered by GL with nearly 10% of GL’s fleet in service having opted for this class notation.
This month saw the announcement by the IMO that the EEDI will soon be introduced as a mandatory standard for newbuild ships. Anticipating these changes GL has made significant additions to the requirements of its Environmental Passport, helping to keep ship-owners ahead of the regulatory curve.
The following new requirements have been introduced for the 2011 of edition of the EP, which come into effect on 1 August 2011:
1. Discharge of bilge water permitted only if the oil content is below 5ppm. Vessels are also required to have a monitoring and stopping device installed.
2. An approved ballast water treatment system must be installed.
3. The attained Energy Efficiency Design Index (EEDI) value to be certified* by GL.
4. An Inventory of Hazardous Material (IHM) to be certified* by GL
The new Guideline for the Environmental Service System 2011 (VI-12-1), which includes the Environmental Passport, can be found on the GL website
http://www.gl-group.com/infoServices/rules/pdfs/english/ergvors/teil-12/kap-1/englisch/inhalt.pdf