Recently, Australia's AMSA released the latest regulations for the management of attached marine organisms. From 15 December, they will examine information such as hull fouling management procedures, records and plans of international ships more carefully and strictly.
Ships that submit non-compliant information before arrival will also be subject to more interrogation by the AMSA to facilitate their assessment of the risk level of marine biological invasion, and then take mandatory measures such as underwater hull cleaning inspections and prohibition of berthing.
Late delivery for 6 weeks! It cost $1 million to wash the ship
From December 15, the educational phase ends. Australia's AMSA is about to start tackling the problem of biological invasions from foreign ships.
Vessels that fail to review the information will face an underwater inspection upon arrival. According to a statement from Australia's AMSA, this results in vessels being detained for up to 48 hours, resulting in berth, charter and operating costs averaging around $120,000.
Underwater hull inspections are also extremely stringent, requiring that all microbial contaminants in the underwater hull be removed, including special areas that are often overlooked in ordinary ship washing operations, to meet biosafety standards. As a result, many ships that have been cleaned before departure still have to leave or re-wash immediately because they do not meet the standards.
It is understood that the cost of cleaning a medium-length container ship in a dry dock in Australia or New Zealand is as high as more than 160,000 US dollars.
Back at the beginning of the year,Five cruise ships were denied entry to the port by New Zealand and Australia because their hulls were not cleanWhen the news became a hot topic, the New Zealand MPI said that the country was strengthening law enforcement in this area.
Obviously, the problem of biological invasion caused by the attachment of marine organisms to the hull of ships is becoming more and more sensitive. This places new demands on ship owners, ship operators and ship managers who intend to enter Australian or New Zealand waters, and it also poses significant risks, even heavy costs.
A spokesman for Cunard reminded thatMerchant ships of all kinds, other than cruise ships, also need to take proactive measures to meet such requirements before departure.
Once a ship arrives in New Zealand or Australia, it is determined that it does not meet local biosecurity standards, which will have a significant negative impact on operational efficiency and operating costs
This led to a lot of ships having to suffer huge losses. For example, two merchant ships of the British shipping company Phoenix Shipping spent $1 million to solve the ship washing and delivery problems after eating "closed doors" outside the ports of New Zealand and Australia respectively, and the delivery time of the other ship was delayed by six weeks.
Economic account + environmental protection accountCost savings$6.5 million.
Although New Zealand and Australia require all arriving ships to have clean hulls, it is to prevent the presence of alien marine life on the hull to damage the local ecosystem.
However, the attachment of marine organisms to the hull will also increase the frictional resistance of the hullAs a result, ships must consume more fuel to maintain speed and efficiency。Therefore, the disadvantages of a dirty hull are also reflected in the operational efficiency and carbon emissions of the ship.
They increase hull weight and drag, and can lead to up to 60% more drag on the voyage, 10% less speed, and 40% more fuel consumption
According to the Glofouling report published by the International Maritime Organization (IMO), ships with clean hulls and free of marine life can reduce CO2 emissions by 1 5 and reduce fuel costs by 19%. The report estimates that ships could save up to $6.5 million in fuel costs over five years by taking proactive hull and propeller cleaning measures.
Factors such as warming waters, the expansion of tropical waters, the global idle capacity of 1 million+ TEU, the congestion of the Panama Canal, and the reduction of ship speed due to carbon reduction targets are all contributing to the attachment of marine life in the hull, and the shipping industry is facing a high risk of violating environmental regulations and losing operating costs.
or more stringent global regulations
The IMO has already developed guidelines for the management of marine life attached to ships (guidelines are often the forerunners of the IMO mandatory conventions), and it is expected that stricter regulations on hull cleaning will come into force in more regions of the world in the future.
In terms of carbon reduction, shipping companies are also under pressure from the IMO and the EU's new regulations, including the annual tightening of the CII coefficient and the upcoming implementation of the EUETS, which directly affect the sale, lease and operation of ships.
According to the current carbon allowance of 100 euros per tonne**, the emission cost of each ship on the intra-EU route is about 090,000-230,000 euros per day; Depending on the length of the voyage and the length of the journey, the cost of emissions on international routes is mostly 50,000-250,000 euros per day.
And when it comes to keeping the hull clean, it's clear that "the more effectively you do it, the greater the return."After all, the extra cost of fuel for a ship that is attached to marine life is far greater than the cost of cleaning the hull.
Keeping the hull as clean as possible will be an important ship management measure for the next generation of forward-thinking shipping companies, which will not only deliver clear business benefits simply and effectively, but also pave the way for a cleaner and greener business transformation.
In today's competitive environment of declining markets and oversupply, the winners of the future will be those with efficient fuel efficiency, strict environmental regulations and sustainable operational benefits.