ClassNK has added what it believes to be the world’s first notation, ‘a EA (CFP)’, as a new framework to make initiatives related to GHG emissions during ship construction visible, indicating that the carbon footprint (CFP) generated during ship construction has been calculated and undergone a third party verification.
Shipyards, shipowners, and shipping companies can externally demonstrate the environmental value of their vessels as environmentally friendly ships. The notation is prescribed in Environmental Guidelines (Edition 4.2) issued by ClassNK.
In response to growing interest in decarbonisation efforts by companies, initiatives to measure and disclose GHG emissions across entire supply chains, including Scope 3, are expanding. In the shipping industry, GHG emissions related to the construction of owned vessels are categorised as Scope 3 Category 2 (capital goods), increasing the importance of appropriately assessing and disclosing GHG emissions during ship construction.
However, it is not always easy to obtain detailed data on actual construction processes and materials for emissions during ship construction. Such emissions are often calculated using emission factors or default values, which may not fully reflect efforts such as the use of low carbon materials or emission reduction initiatives in the construction process.
Against this background, ClassNK has revised its Environmental Guidelines, which prescribe notations for various environmental initiatives, and has added the world’s first notation, ‘a EA (CFP)’ – Advanced Environmental Awareness: Carbon Footprint – indicating that the CFP during ship construction has been calculated and is subject to a third party verification.
By obtaining this notation, it becomes possible to clearly indicate that the CFP generated during ship construction has been calculated and is subject to a third-party verification by ClassNK. For shipyards, this enables them to externally demonstrate their efforts, supported by a third-party verification, to reduce environmental impact during ship construction, including the use of low carbon materials and emission reduction measures in construction processes. For shipowners and shipping companies, they can use emissions data that reflects efforts such as the use of low carbon materials and emission reduction measures in construction processes by using CFP data for ship construction that has been subject to a third-party verification by ClassNK. This is expected to support more accurate Scope 3 emissions disclosure compared with calculations based on general emission factors or default values.
As a third-party certification body, ClassNK says it will continue to support environmental initiatives through the development of standards, certification, and the provision of insights.
