SEEMP Part I, II and III overview for absolute beginners

IMO has been at the forefront of efforts meant to stem climate change and global warming. By working on a multi-facet plan, the IMO intends to reduce the impact of the international shipping sector on environmental degradation.

Ship energy efficiency has been at the core of IMO’s agenda to work in this direction. In this article, we look at SEEMP, an action plan by IMO to improve the energy efficiency of the global fleet. Let’s begin.

What is the Ship Energy Efficiency Management Plan?

The Ship Energy Efficiency Management Plan (SEEMP) is a cost-effective mechanism of the IMO to help the shipping industry manage and reduce harmful greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions over a timeline that works for all stakeholders.

The plan was made mandatory in the Marine Environment Protection Committee’s 62nd (MEPC 62) session that took place in July 2011. At this conference, the committee and the parties also adopted additional measures for Marpol Annex VI such as the Energy Efficiency Design Index (EEDI).

These measures are a gateway to a greener and more sustainable future that can set the foundation for further improvements in an already efficient transport mode.

Aims of SEEMP

While the overall aim of a SEEMP as a GHG emissions reduction mechanism is well understood, it still sounds vague and uncoordinated without actionable suggestions and goals.

The aims of a SEEMP have, therefore, been further divided into the following three objectives

1. To push companies to develop practices that reduce the carbon intensity of their vessels by focusing on the energy efficiency of their ships and ship management plan.
2. To select a methodology to collect the data and the process to share this data with the flag state or a recognized organization (RO). The data must be as per the requirement of regulation 27.1 of MARPOL Annex VI. [1]
3. To settle on a method to calculate the annual operational carbon intensity indicator (CII) and the process to share it with the flag state. The method must be in line with regulation 28.1 of MARPOL Annex VI. [2]

Parts of SEEMP

SEEMP consists of three parts. They are known as:

1. SEEMP Part I
2. SEEMP Part II
3. SEEMP Part III

What is SEEMP Part I?

This part applies to ships of 400 GT and above. The aim is to monitor and describe ways to reduce the carbon emissions by introducing efficient operational and ship management practices.

The ship owners or ship operators must develop a ship-specific SEEMP and place it on each vessel in its fleet.

To do this, the company may use its Environmental Management System (EMS) which lays down procedures for different ship types to select the best measures for controlling their environmental impact.

SEEMP Part I must have a specific framework and structure that incorporates the following four steps: Planning, Implementation, Monitoring and Self-evaluation and improvement. We shall dig deeper into this topic in subsequent articles.

What is SEEMP Part II?

This part applies to ships of 5000 GT and above. In this part, the vessels are required to specify the methodology to collect pertinent data and develop processes to share the same with the flag state.

The focus is on energy efficiency. The vessels are to collect, aggregate and report data such as the annual fuel consumption, distance travelled and hours underway to determine their fuel efficiency.

This part also lays down the importance of data quality control measures and a standardized data reporting format.

The data is shared with the flag state. The flag state then shares it with IMO’s data collection system for fuel oil consumption of ships.

What is SEEMP Part III?

SEEMP Part III focuses on establishing an energy efficiency operational indicator (CII rating) using the data collected in part II.

With this measure, we can evaluate the fleet efficiency performance across various types and sizes using the same energy efficiency measures.

The SEEMP must manage operations and implement methods and new technologies (e.g. waste heat recovery systems) to create a comprehensive energy management policy. It should take into account the current energy consumption and project reduction criteria based on it for upcoming years.

Once the plan is ready, it must be submitted to the ship’s flag state for verification. This process is known as the SEEMP Part III verification. The due date for the submission of this plan was 31st December 2023.

FAQ

What is EEOI?

EEOI stands for Energy Efficiency Operational Indicators. These are operational efficiency measures developed by IMO to calculate the efficiency of merchant ships. They use factors such as the distance travelled, cargo carried and fuel a vessel uses over a certain period. Ship owners can improve the EEOI for their vessels by improving the technical efficiency and optimizing for factors such as speed and weather.

Is SEEMP mandatory?

Ship energy efficiency management plan (SEEMP) is mandatory for all vessels of 400 GT and above. Vessels >400 GT and <5000 GT require only SEEMP Part I. All vessels above 5000 GT must carry SEEMP Part II and SEEMP Part III. SEEMP Part III has become mandatory since 1st January 2023. Regulation 26 of MARPOL Annex VI.

Which vessels must have SEEMP Part III on board?

All vessels of 5000 GT and above must carry an approved SEEMP Part III on board. SEEMP Part III is ship-specific and contains the plan to maintain or upgrade the CII rating for a vessel through improvements in operational efficiency over the next three years.

What is enhanced SEEMP?

While SEEMP was first introduced in the year 2013, it has since been refined and improved. The new 2023 version of the SEEMP is therefore sometimes known as the Enhanced SEEMP.

References

[1] Regulation 27.1

MARPOL Annex VI Regulation 27.1 reads as follows: “From the calendar year 2019, each ship of 5,000 gross tonnage and above shall collect the data specified in appendix IX to this Annex, for that and each subsequent calendar year or portion thereof, as appropriate, according to the methodology included in the SEEMP.”

Appendix IX Information to be submitted to the IMO Ship Fuel Oil Consumption Database Appendix IX reads as follows: “Fuel oil consumption, by fuel oil type in metric tonnes and methods used for collecting fuel oil consumption data”

[2] Regulation 28.1

After the end of the calendar year 2023 and after the end of each following calendar year, each ship of 5,000 gross tonnage and above which falls into one or more of the categories in regulations 2.2.5, 2.2.7, 2.2.9, 2.2.11, 2.2.14 to 2.2.16, 2.2.22, and 2.2.26 to 2.2.29 of this Annex shall calculate the attained annual operational CII over a 12-month period from 1 January to 31 December for the preceding calendar year, using the data collected in accordance with regulation 27 of this Annex, taking into account the guidelines to be developed by the Organization