Decarbonization of Maritime Transportation: A Case Study for Turkish Ship Fleet

Climate change and global warming are among the most severe threats to the global ecosystem, caused by greenhouse gas emissions. Therefore, all industries that cause environmental emissions should collaborate in the struggle against climate change. In this context, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) approved the initial greenhouse gas strategy at the MEPC 72 session in April 2018 to achieve targets for 2050. With this strategy, the IMO aims to create and improve new regulations that can enhance energy efficiency to achieve their short-term, mid-term, and long-term goals. In this study, one of the novel terms, energy efficiency existing ship index (EEXI) values, has been calculated for the Turkish fleet to guide the maritime sector. The Turkish fleet in the study refers to the Turkish-owned vessels both sailing with a national or international flag. In accordance with this regulation, the number of Turkish fleets that were identified as either above or below the IMO reference lines has been determined. Additionally, EEXI values have been recalculated using the engine power limitation (EPL) method for ships that exceed the required limits, and the success rate of this method has been estimated. As a result, the application of EPL increased the number of ships below the Phase 2 reference line from 15.6 % to 53.1 %. To the best of our knowledge, this research, which has been carried out on all Turkish-owned ships, is the first study intended to serve as a guide for other ship owners in the global maritime industry regarding energy efficiency management.