I. Rules for Green Eco-ships  

China Classification Society actively advocates green shipping and green shipbuilding, strives to promote the application of energy saving and emission reduction technologies, and leads the development of green shipping and ecological shipping. During the 12th Five-Year Plan period, CCS has released to the industry the Rules for Green Ships, which are the first in the world, and have been steadily promoting the development and application of green energy efficiency, energy saving and emission reduction technologies. At the end of 2019, the Rules for Green-Eco Ships (2020), as integrated rules for ships with green characteristics, were developed and released to improve the green ecological level of shipping. Based on the requirements of the original Rules for Green Ships in energy efficiency, environmental protection and working environment, and considering the recent technological development and subsequent green ecological development trend, the Rules for Green-Eco Ships (2020) have constructed a comprehensive green eco-ship indicator system for the first time.By taking the two primary elements: environmental protection and ecological protection as the core content, the Rules proposed technical indicators and requirements covering six aspects: greenhouse gas (GHG) emission control, prevention of transfer of invasive organisms, environmental friendliness, control of discharge of water pollutants, control of emission of air pollutants and control of use of hazardous materials, fully reflecting the requirements for safety, environmental protection and sustainable development. A comprehensive green ecological evaluation indicator system for ships has been established for the first time both domestically and abroad to comprehensively evaluate the utilization of ship resources, the use of clean energy and green technologies, the level of energy efficiency, the control of emission of pollutants and environmental friendliness of ships, catering for the development of ecological technologies and the demand of shipping market.

The green eco-ship rule system consists of two parts: the Rules for Green Eco-ships, which are the main part, and the green technology guidance documents. Of them, Rules for Green Eco-ships reflect two major technical elements: ecological protection and environmental protection, while the green technology guidance documents are used to support the specific green technology requirements of the above two technical elements presented in the Rules.

Green eco-ship rules and indicator system

Based on in-depth research and application of new technologies in full scale ships in recent years, CCS has released a series of guidelines including Guidelines for Application of Sailing Technology (2020), Guidelines for Surveys of Air Lubrication System for Drag Reduction of Ships (2020), Guidelines for Design and Installation of Exhaust Gas Cleaning System, and Guidelines for Selective Catalytic Reduction System Ready, etc., to continuously enrich and improve the green eco-ship rule system, to facilitate and support the application of energy saving and environmental protection technology, and to identify the corresponding green ecological technology for ships.

II Technical capacity and service

1) Classification of green eco-ships

According to the green eco-ship indicator system, CCS is able comprehensively evaluate a ship’s greenness, and provide the green ecological class notations for ships with high energy efficiency, low emission and low pollution. Up to now, more than 300 ships engaged in international navigation or domestic navigation have been assigned with green ship class notations. Green ship rule indicator system has become an important reference technical indicator for shipowners on newbuildings. It can be expected that the subsequently upgraded green ecological ship class notations will gain more attention from the government and other related industries such as finance, insurance, etc., and will be introduced as a key evaluation indicator for ships, providing social and economic significance in a wide range. 

2) Control of SOx emission from ships/safe use of low sulphur fuel

 CCS has developed and published a series of safety standards for onboard application of SOx emission reduction technology/products, and established a complete standard system including statutory survey and class safety survey, laying a foundation for the application and promotion of relevant emission reduction technologies/products.

To cope with the implementation of the new emission standards in the future, CCS has carried out research on a series of SOx/NOx emission solutions by considering ship types, routes, voyage, fuel market and emission requirements. CCS has developed a series of service products.

3) Control of NO_X Emissions from Ships

CCS has arranged to carry out research on key nitrogen oxide (NO_X) emission control systems (SCR system, EGR system) and key technologies, developed and released Guidelines for Approval and Survey of Selective Catalytic Reduction System, Guidelines for Selective Catalytic Reduction System Ready, and Guidelines for Design and Installation of Exhaust Gas Cleaning System, etc., to provide guidance for ship design, construction/modification and survey, etc., thus promoting application of the SCR technology onboard ships and safeguarded safe application of SCR and EGR systems onboard ships.

Based on related projects and services for real ships, CCS has developed the software for calculating emitted pollutants from marine engines and the software demonstrating EGC/SCR/EGR system performance evaluation and the working process, which can quickly calculate the emission ratio of emitted pollutants from marine engines (including NOx, HC, CH4, CO and PM), and determine the applicable regulations or standards to be complied with by marine engines, so as to save time for product manufacturers, surveyors on evaluating emissions from engines and collect emission data on different types of engines. Furthermore, the economy and other performance data of the emission reduction scheme of IEGCS can be obtained based on calculation of the arrangement and working characteristics of IEGCS according to ship types and routes, so as to assist ship designers and owners in evaluating and selecting emission reduction schemes.

4) Technology applicable to LNG fuel powered ships

A complete system of rules and standards applicable to LNG fuel powered ships has been developed. A series of rules and guidelines have been developed including Rules for Natural Gas Fuelled Ships, Guidelines for Design and Installation of Gas Fuel Engine Systems of Liquefied Gas Carriers, Control and Safety Systems for Dual Fuel Engines and Guidelines for Natural Gas Fuel Ready Ships, etc.  

CCS is able to provide comprehensive plan approval and survey services for conversion into LNG fuel-powered ships and newly constructed ships, joint research and development services for LNG fuel-powered ships, and application services for LNG fuel power systems and bunker technology, to be more specific, including plan approval of LNG fuel-powered ships, ship type approval, principle approval, risk analysis of LNG fuel-powered ships, and stress assessment of low-temperature pipelines in LNG fuel-powered ships, etc.

5) Shore power application technology

CCS has added the technical requirements of ship AC shore power system in the rules, which provides technical support for the application of shore power technology. At present, CCS is able to carry out comprehensive plan approval and surveys in relation to the application of shore power technology, and to provide technical service for the application of shore power.

6) Assessment of technical efficiency of existing ships (EEXI)

CCS has acquired the capability to conduct ENERGY EFFICIENCY EXISTING SHIP INDEX (EEXI) analysis for the existing fleet through in-depth cooperation with the industry at the earlier stage and joint research and analysis of EEXI solutions for existing ships. In the future, CCS can, based on EEXI schemes, analyze and evaluate energy efficiency of fleets or single ships, and provide targeted energy efficiency analysis reports and recommendations on existing fleets/ships, so as to provide technical support for shipowners to effectively deal with the risks and challenges that may be brought by the introduction of energy efficiency rules for existing ships.  

The technical services provided by CCS include:

a. Assessment of fleet technical energy efficiency, and analysis of applicability of EEXI requirements and recommendations for response;

b. Targeted fleet technical energy efficiency improvement solutions;

c. Survey and verification (follow-up services) of EEXI requirements for ships.

7)  Air lubrication technology for drag reduction of ships

Through in-depth research on air lubrication technology for drag reduction of ships and related systems and products, CCS has developed and released the Guidelines for Surveys of Air Lubrication System for Drag Reduction of Ships, to promote the application of air lubrication technology on board ships, in order to meet the increasingly stringent requirements of EEDI and EEXI in line with the GHG emission reduction strategic objectives.  

CCS has formed complete technical service capability through relevant ship projects. Now CCS can provide technical support and services for different parties in drag reduction system design, engineering adaptability analysis, design of monitoring systems, system and equipment installation and application, energy saving effect calculation and evaluation, etc.

8) Ballast water treatment  

Through years of research and accumulation, CCS has established a complete set of guidelines, from product approval to onboard application, to facilitate the application of regulations of the ballast water convention, including: Guidelines for Implementation of Ballast Water Management Convention, Guidelines for Type Approval of ship’s Ballast Water Management Systems, Guidelines for Development of Ship’s Ballast Water Management Plan and Guidelines for Survey and Certification for Ballast Water Management of Ships.

CCS can provide technical services and support to different interested parties such as designers and shipowners, including:

a.  Providing more comprehensive technical information for reference by relevant parties in selecting equipment according to different types of ballast water treatment systems on the market and their characteristics, including their applicable scope, installation space and other data, etc.

 b.  Analyzing the latest development of the ballast water convention, the implementation requirements of regional (US) ballast water control, changes in the way of ballast water control and management (PSC) and the problems existing in the current implementation of the ballast water Convention, and providing strategies and suggestions for the timing of ballast water treatment system and its installation.

c.  Providing installation and arrangement suggestions for ballast water treatment plants for different tonnage ships and different navigation areas based on the working principle of different types of ballast water treatment plants; providing additional requirements for installation and arrangement on tankers.

d.  Providing suggestions on the installation of ballast water treatment plants on ships navigating in The Waters of the United States based on the special requirements of USA on ballast water management system.