The representative association of international ferry owners, Interferry, is on the hunt for sector-specific metrics for roll on roll off passenger ships (ro-pax) that it hopes can replace current metrics for all 5,000GT+ ships under the pending implementation rules for the EU monitoring, reporting and verification (MRV) regulation.
From 1 January 2018 the MRV regulations will require ships that operate to or from EU ports must document and report their fuel consumption and CO2 emissions on an annual basis.
The special correspondence group, chaired by ferry owner and operator DFDS joined by representatives from national shipowners’ associations, ferry companies, and state authorities, was formed following demand from ro-pax ship operators that a more appropriate metric is required for mixed cargoes than that currently offered by current MRV proposals.
DFDS now have the task of recommending the relevant parameter, or parameters, for expressing the passengers and cargo carried by ro-pax ships.
Johan Roos, Interferry Regulatory Affairs Director, commented: “Developing suitable metrics for the transport work of ro-pax ships is particularly complicated, so we are delighted to have this opportunity of driving the search for a workable solution”
The group have a deadline of 18 December 2015 to submit their recommendations to the European Commission chairing the European Sustainable Shipping Forum MRV monitoring subgroup.
