Bulk carriers mostly score low CII in 2023

More than half of bulk carriers scored carbon intensity indicator (CII) grades of C or lower on an A-E scale in 2023, according to International Maritime Organization (IMO) data.

About 61pc, or 9,127 of all bulk carriers sized 5,000 gross tonnes (gt) and over that reported their energy efficiency, scored C, D or E on the CII scale in 2023, according to the IMO data.

IMO's CII regulation, which came into force in January 2023, requires vessels over 5,000 gt to report their carbon intensity, which is then scored from A to E. A and B vessel scores are regarded as superior energy efficiency, while C, D and E are considered moderate to inferior scores.

The scoring levels are lowered yearly by about 2pc, so even a vessel with no change in CII could drop from from C to D in one year. If a vessel receives a D score three years in a row or E score in the previous year, the vessel owner must submit a corrective actions plan. To improve its CII score, a ship owner could reduce its speed and burn low-carbon fuels, among other solutions.

Global marine fuel demand from vessels of 5,000 gt and above dropped by 1pc to 211.1mn t in 2023, down from 213.4mn t in 2022, according to the latest IMO data. The drop could be attributed to the global economic slow-down in 2023, as well as vessels employing slow steaming to reduce marine fuel consumption.

Residual fuel oil bunker demand was down by 2pc to 170.9mn t in 2023 from the previous year, according to IMO data. The IMO does not report separately high-sulphur and low-sulphur fuel oil demand. Global marine gasoil (MGO) demand fell by 6pc to 26.6mn t. An increase in methanol and LNG for bunkering demand offset some of the conventional marine fuel declines. LNG for bunkering demand rose by 18pc to 12.9mn t and methanol increased by 2.6 times to 93,876t.

In 2023, container ships, bulk carriers and tankers accounted for 31pc, 30pc and 21pc, respectively, of global residual fuel oil bunker demand. Containers ships and bulk carriers accounted for the majority of the MGO demand, 18pc and 15pc, respectively. Tankers accounted for 93pc, or 87,319t, of total methanol demand and LNG carriers accounted for 89pc of LNG for bunkering demand, or 11.5mn t.

By Stefka Wechsler