A new and first-time study of the historical development of the efficiency of new ships shows that, in fact, the efficiency of new ships has actually deteriorated since 1990 by 10% on average. This finding is relevant in three ways. First, it once more demonstrates the failure of market forces to reduce ship and shipping emissions and emphasizes the need for regulation.

More specifically, it demonstrates the need for tighter 2020 standards for new ships.

The International Maritime Organisation (IMO) is currently reviewing whether the efficiency standard for new ships in 2020 in still appropriate. This study shows that the current standard, a 20% improvement of efficiency compared with the 1999-2008 average, does little more than bringing the efficiency of new ships in 2020 back to levels seen around 1990. This would imply a 30-year stagnation of efficiency improvement, meaning that reducing shipping volumes would be the only avenue for net reductions of emissions.

Thirdly, the evident deterioration in average ship efficiency over the past decade and the expected 30-year standstill between 1990 and 2020 stands in marked contrast to other transport modes. New cars, for instance, are subject to legislation and currently are becoming around 2% more fuel efficient per year and are expected to use around 30% less fuel in 2020 than they did in 1990.



Acceptable in the 80s…
and 90s but downhill after
A study by CE Delft for T&E and Seas at Risk analysed the development of the design efficiency of new ships (as measured by their efficiency indicator values (EIV)) built over the last 50 years. The analysis shows that ships built in the 1970s were characterised by deteriorating or constantly poor design efficiency. Design efficiency improved considerably for all ship types and all size categories in the 1980s, reaching an optimum in the 1990s.

However, in the 2000s, design efficiency deteriorated again, wiping out much of the gains of the 1980s. This analysis suggests that significant swings in design efficiency have occurred within a relatively short time frame.
(Source : European Federation for Transport and Environment, Seas At Risk)