VPS: A Stack of Reasons for Continuous Emissions Monitors in Shipping

Chris Briggs is commercial VP at VPS Emsys. Image Credit: Chris Briggs / LinkedIn

Driven by tightening global regulations, emissions monitoring systems are emerging as a critical investment for shipowners and charterers, but operating in this changing landscape is not easy.

This is precisely why futureproof, flexible and modular solutions are critical characteristics in today's advanced emissions monitoring technologies which can extend beyond compliance to help enhance operational efficiency of entire fleets.

However, as the maritime industry now faces a step change and potentially profound transformation over the coming years, the VPS Emsys approach has never been more important: VPS Emsys is not a traditional Continuous Emissions Monitoring System (CEMS) manufacturer. Since conception, the vision and mission has always been "Emissions Monitoring for Ships".

This direction is at the core of the growth and development of the Emsys product portfolio. To date numerous ship owners and operators have already benefited from Emsys systems onboard their vessels, in supporting their navigation towards decarbonisation and sustainability.

Regulations will certainly become more stringent and therefore, low-to-zero carbon fuel adoption will continue to evolve as advances in technology, safety, availability and commercialization become realised.

With all this, the composition and volumes of Green House Gases (GHG) emitted will fall increasingly under the spotlight.

This evolution will always present uncertainty for shipowners, but the implications of not managing these transitions can be mitigated with investment in scalable emissions monitoring systems, that use technologies which can adapt with upgrades and further integration.

Retrofitting and upgrading of new technology on ships are a constant, but still a challenge. Vendor selection and decision making for installing new technology needs to be built on trust, which is gained through accuracy, reliability and support.

For ships in particular, a vendor with the ability to provide service globally with a team of dedicated "marine" service technicians is key.

When considering emissions measurement technology in terms of accuracy and reliability, laser technology offers superior performance. This technology, coupled with gas extraction via "Hot-Wet" capabilities, meaning there is no need for cooling and dilution of the extracted exhaust sample, offers so many benefits.

Firstly, removing the need for additional gas conditioning equipment makes the system easier to install and maintain during operation.

Then, using solid state laser technology which does not require cooling to operate reliably, means that its calibration does not drift in service.

This is particularly relevant for a global trading vessel that can experience large changes in ambient temperatures. The advantage being that this removes the need for regular system calibration and investment in expensive calibration gases.

Single analyser laser technology, configurable for multiple gas measurement without the need for instrument air, gas conditioning units, or large amounts of space, make them ideal for retrofit projects, or complex new-build applications, where space is at a premium.

With shipowners and operators in mind, employing technology such as this enables vendors to offer low through life operation cost, due to low maintenance and minimal consumables, thereby significantly reducing OPEX.

Simplicity through reduced complexity, alleviates major failure points, increasing reliability and the demand for in service maintenance by ship staff or specialist technicians.

An assured trust in accuracy is vital for shipowners to ensure a sound commercial investment. Whilst the technology used and how it is deployed contributes to this, third party verification through classification society "type approval" to the necessary regulation, such as the NOX technical code, provides further confidence and peace of mind shipowners need to make the right choice of emissions measurement system.

A common question arising from conversations in the industry is "I have data, but what can I do with it?". It's a very valid question, and something advanced CEMS systems are increasingly capable of helping to answer.

The best solutions offer data in real time, enabling vessels to assess the amount of emissions produced during a particular operating condition at a particular point in time. Armed with this knowledge, vessels are able to make informed decisions to alter their operating circumstances in a way that achieves lower emissions outputs.

Emissions data collection is multifaceted, reporting being the obvious main feature.

However, historical and retrospective data is incredibly valuable for analysis, learning and improvements too, especially when combined with off-ship data technology for shore-based analysis.

Taking this further, linking on-board emissions hardware and software to decarbonisation cloud based platforms enables automatic processing through verifiers to submit regulatory reports on behalf of shipowners. Thereby reducing the administrative burden of managing and processing the data collected, with the confidence of ensuring compliance.

Each vessel has its own operational nuances, meaning that every optimisation process is slightly different.

With that in mind, solutions that are easy to use, both onboard and ashore, which give crews and shore-based teams greater insights, will ensure that precise measurements and continuous improvements are realistic, scalable goals for any vessel.

Keeping up with evolving regulations is probably the biggest challenge faced by shipowners today. Therefore, it is also the challenge for technology companies, system suppliers and integrators to provide the solutions to successfully overcome these challenges.

In the opinion of VPS Emsys, the best way to achieve this is to intimately understand our customers challenges and needs.

Transparent collaboration between shipowners and vendors is a key way to make that happen. With this approach, aligned in a common goal, together we can help to ensure the shipping industry meets the ambitious targets set out by the IMO and decarbonise our industry in an efficient and sustainable way.

For further information and support regarding continuous emissions monitoring, please contact: chris.briggs@vpsveritas.com