Environmental Passport for ten percent of GL fleet

9. Sep. 2010 | Nearly ten percent of GL's fleet in service will sail the seven seas with a class notation Environmental Passport (EP). This is a reflection of the on-going trend to further reduce the environmental implications of shipping. More and more ship owners are ordering the class notation in order to outperform international maritime regulations such as MARPOL.

"The GL class notation EP is well recognized among operators as a useful tool to underline their commitment to the protection of the maritime environment," says Ralf Plump, Head of Environmental Research at GL. The scope of issues within GL's class notation EP reflects the increasing demands by shippers and charterers to have evidence of enhanced environmental features. Environmental awareness and the use of environmental friendly equipment are not only essential for a positive image of stakeholders in the maritime industry. It appears that an environmentally sound behaviour is one of the key parameter to stay in business."

EP is a voluntary class-notation for ships. All mandatory and voluntary environmental features of a vessel are compiled in a single, ready to use document including the Environmental Passport certificate, flag state certificates, compliance certificates, and NOx emission diagrams.

Mandatory requirements of EP focus on NOx Tier II emission reduction, an approved ballast water management plan, fuel oil tank protection, and for tankers a VOC - Management Plan. The Environmental Passport requires a comprehensive survey of emissions into sea related to MARPOL Annex I to Annex V which include the Regulations for the Prevention of Pollution by Oil and Regulations for the Control of Pollution by Noxious Liquid Substances in Bulk (NLS).

Apart from emissions into sea, EP covers emissions into air such as NOx and SOx emissions. It requires vapour emission control systems to collect vapour during loading operations, refrigeration systems which do not exceed 3800 Global Warming Potential (GWP) and which are equipped with leak detection and a recovery system. Fire-fighting systems have to fulfill tight criteria such as an excess limit of 4.000 GWP. Ozone depleting substances in fire extinguishing medias are prohibited.

The class notation EP is regularly updated according to the mandatory environmental regulations. Reviews of the class notations took place in 2002, 2007 and 2009. The next review is scheduled for 2011. While deliveries of EP Class notation has reached the number of 250 vessels, additional 450 Environmental Passports will be issued in accordance with ship deliveries.

Germanischer Lloyd press release