In the past few years, the environmental impact of shipyard operations, including shipbuilding, maintenance, retrofitting, and dismantling, has come under increased scrutiny by stakeholders, government and regulatory bodies, environmental advocacy groups and the public.
The EcoShipyard (ESY) project aims to address these concerns and pave the way for a shipbuilding roadmap process that minimizes environmental impacts, adds decision support to a ship’s lifecycle and ensures compliance with EU regulations and directives.
Key Challenges Addressed by the ESY Project
- Environmental Impact Reduction
Shipyards significantly impact the environment due to operational processes and the technologies they use, leading to the emission of GHGs, solid waste and other pollutants that pose risks to marine ecosystems and water quality.
The ESY project assesses these environmental impacts from traditional shipyard operations throughout the non-operational shipbuilding, retrofit/repair and end-of-life phases as well as from other general shipyard processes.
It does so by developing a Shipyard Environmental Performance Index (SEPI), which quantitatively evaluates a shipyard’s environmental performance and helps identify areas for improvement, of up to 40% improvement compared to the index baseline. A series of case studies will be demonstrated, providing a comparison between the environmental impact of conventional and advanced shipyard processes and technologies.
- Efficiency and Productivity
Improving a shipyard’s efficiency and productivity is also important. This can be done by simulating and analysing workflows, identifying not just inefficiencies but also risks. The Digital Twin Shipyard (DTS) model will do just that, encompassing shipyard processes, energy use, waste and emissions. It aims to i) improve the ship design process by allowing for the simulation and testing of different ship designs, ii) increase efficiency by simulating and optimizing various shipyard processes and iii) enhance safety by identifying potential hazards and mitigating risks.
- Environmental Awareness and Personnel Skillsets
Training programs that focus on sustainability practices are empowering for personnel working in shipyards. Upskilling/reskilling enhances their skills and knowledge in modern, environmentally friendly technologies and processes. This in turn improves job satisfaction and productivity, ensuring that shipyard personnel is well equipped to implement sustainable practices. To that end, the ESY project will establish a Living Lab Cluster (LLC) that will provide hands-on training on sustainable shipyard practices to various stakeholders, as well as organize specific demonstration, dissemination, and promotion activities, as joint events/fairs, conferences, workshops and seminars.
- Compliance with EU Environmental and Climate Goals
The maritime industry faces increasing pressure to comply with stringent EU environmental and climate regulations. The ESY project directly addresses this challenge by establishing a blueprint for an EU Material Passport for waterborne transport assets that classifies the ship circularity readiness level. This passport serves as a comprehensive digital document that details all the non-hazardous materials used in the construction of a vessel, including their origins, characteristics, and recyclability. A circular business model will also be produced to help implement and maintain the Material Passport
Conclusion
The Eco Shipyard (ESY) project addresses key issues such as environmental impact reduction, efficiency enhancement, skillset improvement, and regulatory compliance. The ESY project’s initiatives like SEPI, DTS, the LLC and Material passport ultimately aim in aligning shipyards with EU environmental laws and directives, but also at setting a precedence for environmental excellence and operational sustainability in shipbuilding.
