Page 42: of Maritime Reporter Magazine (April 2024)

OPINION: The Final Word

Seeing the Ship as a System

Shipping must engage with the decarbonization realities that lie ahead by changing the way it crafts maritime legislation to re? ect its place in the interconnected, interdependent world economy, said Eero Lehtovaara, ABB Marine & Ports.

ABB Marine & Ports Head of Regula- transporting goods, whether considered eters, for example: a seafarer acting in full tory & Public Affairs, Eero Lehtovaara tons per mile or emissions per ton-mile. compliance with training requirements has carved out an unusual - and possibly However, assuming that a miracle is not can ? nd that one overrides the other in an unique - role in the maritime industry going to happen, it must also become unexpected way, compromising safety. over recent years, as a ‘stakeholder’ si- more ef? cient very quickly to meet the “In SOLAS, every ship system is con- multaneously mindful of the perspec- sustainability goals now set out for it. sidered independently, while the way to tives of owners, seafarers, manufactur- “Rather than focusing on individual evaluate integrated system is based on ers and regulators. parts of the industry, or fractions of it, outcomes. SOLAS is also descriptive,

A Master Mariner with corporate ex- we should use a holistic approach to which is not compatible with software. perience to add to his commercial seago- evaluate the gains that are available to You can’t describe a code.” ing knowhow, Lehtovaara acknowledg- the industry as whole.” The International Maritime Organiza- es the critical role collaboration plays in Regulators are fully aware that rap- tion’s carbon intensity indicator (CII) meeting the shipping industry’s goal for id advances in digital technology are and EU Emissions Trading Scheme are net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by changing the way ships are operated. only early milestones on the regulatory around 2050. He also believes maritime “The maritime education and train- route to net zero emissions from ships by regulations need an overhaul, so that in- ing I had was comparable to what most around 2050. Already, the FuelEU Mari- tegrated digital technologies can make a seafarers out there are going through to- time Initiative favors ‘well-to-wake’ over full and decisive contribution. day, and it is not suf? cient preparation ‘tank-to-wake’ as the measure for of the “The industry is an ecosystem which for what's going on onboard ships at the impact of ship greenhouse gas emissions, includes owners, managers, mariners, moment,” says Lehtovaara. with IMO soon expected to follow.

shipyards, equipment makers, designers, Today, ships are ? lled with standalone With all levels of society increas- research institutes and class societies: all proprietary technologies. Two systems op- ingly reliant on digital technology, the of them are crucial,” said Lehtovaara. erating in storm conditions can base their progressive response from shipping is “Shipping is the most ef? cient way of analyses on different ef? ciency param- to engage more closely with solution 42 Maritime Reporter & Engineering News • April 2024

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