IMSML Website Article 12/2025: Resolution MEPC.376(80) - 2023 IMO Strategy on Reduction of GHG Emissions from Ships (LCA Guidelines), PART 5 of 5, THE APPENDICES - APPENDIX 1-4

APPENDIX 1 - FUEL LIST WITH FUEL PATHWAY CODES

This is a very long part of the document. It stretches from Annex 14, p 23 all the way to p 48. The columns for the table found here are organised in the following manner:

[1] Order;

[2] Group;

[3] Fuel type;

[4] Feedback structure:

[a] Feedback type;

[b] Nature / carbon source.

[5] Conversion / Production process:

[a] Process type;

[b] Energy used in the process.

[6] Fuel Pathway Code.

Chemicals range from HFO (VLSFO) in Order 1, which is a heavy fuel oil that comes from Crude Oil (ie a Fossil Fuel)(see Annex 14, p23), all the way to Wind propulsion in Order 128 (see Annex 14, p 48).

APPENDIX 2 - INITIAL DEFAULT EMISSION FACTOR PER FUEL PATHWAY CODE

This is not as long as Appendix 1. The table starts from Annex 14, p 49 until Annex 14, p 53. The table’s columns are organised in the following manner:

[1] Order;

[2] Fuel type;

[3] Fuel pathway code;

[4] WtT GHG Intensity;

[5] LCV;

[6] Energy converter;

[7] Cf CO2;

[8] Cf CH4;

[9] Cf N20;

[10] Cslip / Cfug;

[11] ec gC O2eq;

[12] TtW GHG intensity;

[13] Note(s).

The table starts with Heavy Fuel OIl (ISO 8217 Grades RME, RMG and RMK) in Order 1 (see Resolution MEPC.364(79) Fourth IMO GHG Study)(see Annex 14, p 49). The table ends with Ammonia in Order 121.

APPENDIX 3 - ABBREVIATIONS AND GLOSSARY

This part of the document provides explanations for the acronyms used in the Guidelines. For example:

[1] AR - IPCC Assessment Report;

[2] DAC - Direct Air Capture;

Note, this caught my attention because as an audiophile, it also stands for Digital Analogue Converter in the Hi-Fi world.

[3] FLL - Fuel Lifecycle Label;

[4] IPCC - Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change;

[5] LCA - Life Cycle Assessment;

[6] TtW - Tank-to-wake;

[7] WtT - Well-to-tank;

[8] WtW - Well-to-wake;

[9] VOC - Volatile Organic Compounds.

Appendix 3 also contains a ‘glossary’ of terms. Among the notable terms are:

[1] Renewables:

[a] Any form of energy from solar, geophysical or biological sources that is replenished by natural processes at a rate that equals or exceeds its rate of use;

[b] Renewables are obtained from the continuing or repetitive flows of energy occurring in the natural environment and includes low-carbon technologies, eg solar energy, hydropower, wind, tide and waves, as well as ocean thermal energy, renewable fuels such as biomass.

[2] Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) framework - Determines the potential cradle to grave environmental impacts of:

[a] Products;

[b] Processes;

[c] Services;

[d] Processing;

[e] Transport;

[f] Use;

[g] Disposal.

[3] Well-to-Wake (WtW) - Studies that estimate the energy requirements and the resulting greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the production of a fuel and its use on a ship, based on the broader Life Cycle Assessment (MCA) methodology.

Note, the term ‘Well’ is a reference to fuels from all sources, because the term is most applicable to conventional crude oil resources, it is widely used and understood.

APPENDIX 4 - TEMPLATE FOR WELL-TO-TANK DEFAULT EMISSION FACTOR SUBMISSION

What is the aim of the template? To collect and present in a clear and structured manner the input data used to calculate a ‘default emission factor’ pathway, see Paragraph 1.0.

Is the default emission factor meant to represent the best available way to determining the high level assessment of carbon intensity of a feedstock-to-fuel value chain? No, it is not meant to represent the best available way to produce a fuel, rather a value potentially describing a feedstock production then converted in a standard plant, located in a generic region, see Paragraph 1.0.

Does a default emission factor have to capture process movement, with respect to current production? No, neither does it need to capture process movement with respect to innovative technologies, see Paragraph 1.0.

What are the goals of default emission factors? There are two goals:

[1] Allow for a carbon intensity comparison among different technologies, see Paragraph 1.1;

[2] Allow for operators to demonstrate lower core life cycle emissions compared to the default core life cycle, through a certification process, see Paragraph 1.2.

Can operators (eg fuel producers) ask to be certified in order to prove better performances than the default emission factor? Yes, a certified actual value can be obtained where the default emission factor is not a representation of the best available technology, see Paragraph 2.

What other circumstance could actual values be also used? When the fuel producer has defined a new pathway that does not have a default core life cycle emission factor, see Paragraph 2.

PATHWAY DESCRIPTION

What information is the pathway modelled on? The model aims at providing information on (see Paragraph 4):

[1] The type of feedstock used;

[2] A description of the technology used for converting such feedstock in the final fuel;

[3] Any other relevant information (consistently with the system boundary of the LCA Guidelines).

How should the Well-to-Tank (WtT) pathway be described? Paragraph 5 described the generic Well-to-Tank supply chain in the following stages:

[1] Feedstock extraction / cultivation / acquisition / recovery;

[2] Feedstock (early) processing / transformation at source;

[3] Feedstock transport to conversion site;

[4] Feedstock conversion to product fuel;

[5] Product fuel transport / storage / delivery / retail / storage / bunkering;

[6] Fuel bunkering.

Note, details may be added to the appendices, fort example:

[a] Location;

[b] Production capacity;

[c] Age of production facility or facilities.

INPUT DESCRIPTION

This part prioritises clear presentation of the input used for the modelling exercise, see Paragraph 6. The following should be reported (see Paragraph 7):

[1] Data source;

[2] Model used.

Should data for each pathway used be reported? Yes, for example whether it is based on a lipid feedstock production and conversion, see Paragraph 8. The tabulation format used is ‘pathway specific’, but can be adapted as and when needed, see Paragraph 8.

Should all the inputs and corresponding outputs be documented? Yes, the conversion process is of great significance, see Table 2. For example, all the needed steps to pre-treat the feedstock in order to be able to convert it into fuel, via the selected conversion process has to be documented, see Table 2.

What does Table 3 deal with? The inputs for regional electricity generations mixes, including:

[1] Residual oil;

[2] Natural gas;

[3] Coal;

[4] Nuclear power;

[5] Biomass;

[6] Hydroelectric;

[7] Geothermal;

[8] Wind;

[9] Wind;

[10] Solar PV;

[11]] Others.

What are the contents of Table 4? Inputs for the transportation of feedstock and fuels. The fuel used is an important input and is documented as part of the ‘Data Source / Model’ used. In particular, the specific energy efficiency and energy converter has to be documented (if available).

MAIN RESULTS

The modelled pathway results are presented using the following format:

[1] Table 5 - Fuel Identification;

[2] Table 6 - Proposed default emission factors for a particular feedstock which are converted via a particular pathway;

[3] Paragraph 10 - Adding a brief description of the pathway;

[4] Paragraph 11 - Writing a brief description of the technology used;

[5] Paragraph 12 - Adding references using the APA Format.

Thank you for reading IMSML Website Article 12/2024

Stay tuned for the next IMSML Website Article 13/2025: Resolution MEPC.377(80) - 2023 IMO Strategy on Reduction of GHG Emissions from Ships (2023 IMO GHG Strategy)

Signing-off for today,

Dr Irwin Ooi Ui Joo, LL.B(Hons.)(Glamorgan); LL.M (Cardiff); Ph.D (Cardiff); CMILT

Professor of Maritime and Transport Law

Head of the Centre for Advocacy and Dispute Resolution

Faculty of Law

Universiti Teknologi MARA Shah Alam

Selangor, Malaysia

Tuesday,  25 March 2025

Note that I am the corresponding author for the IMSML Website Articles. My official email address is: uijoo310@uitm.edu.my