Measuring what you emit

The standard approach to CO₂ reporting in maritime operations is indirect. Fuel consumption is measured, an emission factor is applied and a CO₂ figure is produced. The method is well established, widely accepted and, as a pilot project presented at HullPIC 2026 suggests, consistently produces higher emission figures than direct exhaust gas measurement. The difference, averaging 2.7% in this trial, applied across a large vessel’s annual fuel consumption and multiplied by EU Emissions Trading System allowance prices, translates into tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars per year.

The results were from a continuous emissions monitoring system installed on a medium-sized LPG tanker powered by a MAN Energy Solutions