Carbon Intensity Indicator (CII)

The CII came into effect in January 2023 alongside the Energy Efficiency Design Index (EEDI) and Energy Efficiency Existing Ship Index (EEXI) and will apply to all Cargo, RoPax and Cruise vessels above 5,000 gross tonnage trading internationally. The CII is an annual indicator of the ship’s transport efficiency rated from A (best performance) to E (worst performance) and expressed in grammes of CO2 emitted per transport capacity and distance. While the EEDI & EEXI is a one-time certification covering design parameters, the CII is given based on the actual emissions of the vessel during operation and is to be revised yearly.

1.   CII is a part of the IMO-DCS (Data Collection System) process, that starts from 2023. After the emission data is submitted and verified, a CII rating (from A to E) will be given to the vessel based on the annual carbon intensity result.

2.   The value of the CII is required to be reduced every year. This carbon intensity value is required to drop by at least 40% by 2030 and by 70% by 2050 as compared with the value in 2008 (a full picture of the requirement is depicted for clarity).

However, if the vessel receives a D rating 3 times in a row or receives an E rating in any one year. Vessels will be requested to improve to a C rating or higher and corrective action will be submitted and reviewed. Otherwise, a Statement of Compliance (SOC) will not be issued to the vessels.

To meet CII requirements and short-term greenhouse gas emissions reduction measures, RCL has implemented the following operations on board:

• Slow down the speed of its vessels to reduce the consumption
  
  
  • Select deployment to suit with the vessels. Reducing the vessels' speed to a reasonable level will save fuel consumption and reduce carbon dioxide emissions.
  • Improve Cargo Handling efficiency to shorten port stays, and plan to increase the accuracy of the estimated time of arrival (ETA, Estimate Time Arrival) in order to reduce the docking time, which affects the amount of carbon dioxide released.
  • Planning of ship cargo loads to maximize economic returns.


• Continuously monitor fuel consumption and engine operations to ensure the main engine is working efficiently, dosage chemicals to improve engine combustion that can reduce the emission.


• All vessels which are scheduled for docking, shall apply for full blasting on flat bottom and vertical on ship hull, remove roughness surface, reduce friction, and fuel consumption.


• Use the weather navigation system to provide the fleet with real-time information on routing that optimizes fuel efficiency.


• Replacement of old vessels Sell the old age vessels and replace them with a new and modern design with lower consumption. Benefits of using young vessels are as follows:
  
  
  • Increase the efficiency of fuel energy usage of each vessels, which results in reducing ship management costs.
  • Enhance vessel navigation systems and mechanisms through new-generation vessel technology to contribute to improved efficiency in managing vessel speed.
  • Reduce vessel maintenance costs.
  • Increase safety inside the vessels both crew safety and environmental management systems.

• Installation of Carbon Capture, Utilization and Storage (CCUS)
  
  CCUS technology has been available for several decades, but it has only recently become a hot topic in the marine industry. CCUS technology plays a vital role in decarbonization, both as a standalone solution and in greening the supply chain for other clean energies. For example, the production of offshore wind farms requires carbon-intensive building materials and processes. By using CCUS technology in their production line, manufacturers can minimize their environmental impact, and asset operators strengthen the green credentials of their wind farms.
  
  According to the outcome of MEPC 80, a new output under the Intersessional Working Group on Reduction of GHG from Ships (ISWG-GHG) was agreed for further work to develop a regulatory framework to allow for uses of onboard carbon capture (OCC) technologies. Therefore, RCL will wait for developed regulations accordingly.


• Carbon Credit
  
  Carbon credits are financial instruments of measurement where one credit represents one ton of Carbon Dioxide (CO2) equivalent either removed or prevented from entering the atmosphere. They were created to promote the use of carbon-reducing technologies through the generation of revenue by reducing greenhouse gas emissions and will be available for the marine industry soon.
  
  Currently, IMO has not adopted any regulations relating to carbon credit. However, RCL has been studying best practices for carbon credit implemented by other industries such aviation sector.


• Use Alternative Fuels
  
  The energy transition is on. The shipping industry is working to reduce carbon footprint, or even better, to reach zero emissions. Several new energy sources are evaluated, such as LNG, methanol, ammonia, hydrogen, biofuel, and batteries.
  
  Currently, RCL studies the options for using alternative fuels because of limitations of supply chain. However, biofuel is considered as a more suitable option. In case when the result of the annual CII rating for some vessels does not achieve the desired target, RCL may consider using biofuel.

• Reducing sulfur dioxide gas
  
  The M.V. ZIM Bangkok, a 12,000 TEUs vessel, which is the sister ship of ZIM Thailand, which has joined the RCL fleet in 2023, has been installed engine exhaust gas cleaning systems (Exhaust Gas Cleaning Systems (EGCS)), also known as "Scrubbers" are designed to burn high amounts of fuel, reduce the amount of sulfur dioxide or sulfur emissions down to 0.1%, which is more than the IMO limitation of 0.5%.
  
  In 2023, RCL's fleet retrofitted with air purification equipment that captures sulfur dioxide from combustion exhaust gases (12 scrubbers).


• Reducing nitrogen oxide gas
  
  As part of RCL's next-generation shipbuilding project, the vessels will be equipped with Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR Technology), a technology for treating exhaust gases generated by the combustion of fuel within engines by injecting ammonia gas ammonium hydroxide or urea into the exhaust to convert nitrogen oxide to nitrous oxide and nitrogen.
  
  Currently, the SCR system is more than 99% efficient in reducing nitrogen oxides.

• The RCL fleet complied with the International Convention on the Control of Harmful Anti-fouling System on Ships. The certificates of compliance were issued to vessels after coating them with compliant paints with the requirements of this Convention. In addition, the paint used for spraying is free of Cybutryne, a substance that pollutes the sea.


• All vessels in the RCL fleet successfully installed Ballast Water Treatment Systems to comply with the International Convention for the Control and Management of Ships’ Ballast Water and Sediments.


• All RCL vessels have been equipped with Marine Oil Separation System (OWS), which can separate oil and potentially harmful ocean contaminants before they are released into the environment.


• All RCL vessels have been equipped with Sewage Treatment System, a device for eliminating non-biodegradable waste that causes epidemics and contaminates the water.