The Path to Decarbonization: Tracking CO2 Emissions from Tugboats

International waste requires an international approach. That’s why organizations such as the IMO have instated the 2050 goal, with checkpoints along the way. The soonest checkpoint is 2030, with a 40% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions as compared to 2008.  In addition to international commitments, local ports have also become focal points for emissions reductions.  

Achieving these goals has its own set of challenges between operational, technical, and financial barriers. For ports, these challenges often center around upgrading infrastructure and implementing advanced emissions-reducing technologies, while being transparent about the success of these efforts. 

The unique challenges for towage companies in this respect include issues of operational efficiency and cost barriers. Energy-efficient technologies typically come with high upfront costs, making it challenging to align with short-term business objectives.

While facing these barriers, tugboat companies must also comply with new 2023 regulations. These operators are required to track their Energy Efficiency Existing Ship Index (EEXI) ratings, though only for their tugs exceeding 400 GT. Moreover, offshore vessels over 400 GT (which a selection of tugs will fall under) operating in the EU will also be subjected to the EU-MRV scheme to measure and report emissions.

Accurate measurement and monitoring of tugboat decarbonization is crucial for carbon reduction. In order to reduce emissions from ships, they need to be tracked, recorded, and monitored to accurately report numbers and define the best reduction practices. 

The unique characteristics of tugboats and their varying operations make compliance with standard regulations like EEXI and EU-MRV challenging. These systems often look at the power used per the size of the vessel. Tugboats, however, are typically comparable in size, but have strong variance in power (and fuel consumption) which means a GT to fuel consumption is meaningless for this class.  For tugboats, transitioning to lower emissions requires detailed understanding of these ships’ unique operational profiles. Tugboats operate in short bursts of high-intensity, meaning that traditional metrics meant for long-distance vessels are not entirely transferable. To ensure this data is relevant and actionable, it must be tailored to the tugboats themselves.