CII optimisation in the ZeroNorth platform: powering up sustainability decision-making

Next year will see yet another addition to the list of environmental regulations facing the shipping industry: the Carbon Intensity Indicator (CII), which aims to support the IMO’s longer-term objective of reducing the carbon intensity of international shipping by 40% by 2030, compared to 2008 levels.

From 2023, the CII requirements come into force for vessels above 5,000 GT. CII measures how efficiently a vessel transports goods or passengers, and takes the form of an annual rating ranging from A to E, not unlike domestic appliances. These rating thresholds will become increasingly stringent towards the end of the decade, in support of the IMO’s goals. 

As shipping becomes increasingly influenced by charterers, shippers, institutions, and consumers seeking to be more sustainable and meet decarbonisation targets, the reality is that vessels with a low Carbon Intensity Indicator (CII) rating could soon cease to be commercially attractive. Ship owners and operators must therefore look to sustain or improve operational efficiency or risk their commerciality. 

To help shipping companies navigate these new regulations, and in support of our mission to make global trade green, in December 2021 ZeroNorth launched an industry-first CII analytics and optimisation service.

Building on this, we have now integrated CII analytics and optimisation into our platform, to not only provide ship operators access to real-time forecasting of CII-related performance and enable our customers to simulate a vessel’s future CII rating, but also to recommend alternative voyage routing options that balance commercial needs and carbon emissions to improve - or maintain - a vessel’s CII rating.

By combining in-depth analysis of all the factors affecting voyage and vessel performance – including vessel type and deadweight tonnage - with sophisticated algorithms and human expertise, owners and operators can access a clear view of the CII, emissions, and revenue consequences of their decisions and obtain full insight into both fleet and vessel CII performance. The software also calculates and provides a CII rating for both the year-to-date and year-by-year performance and will proactively alert an operator or manager when a vessel is at risk of becoming non-compliant in the future.

With the addition of the CII Analytics & Optimisation tool, our platform now provides the critical transparency and voyage optimisation insights required to analyse, forecast, and proactively improve a fleet’s CII performance, with customisable CII goals for operators to reach the full potential of every vessel - proactively optimising safety, profitability, and emissions.

The great benefit of ZeroNorth’s CII optimisation service is that it helps ship operators to visualise the best routing option from a commercial perspective while keeping the effect on their vessel’s CII rating in mind, which is crucial to achieve the optimal balance between commerciality and reduction of emissions. 

With the rating thresholds set to become increasingly stringent towards 2030, doing nothing is not an option if owners and operators want their vessels to remain commercially viable. By using ZeroNorth’s unique depth of analysis and comprehensive level of integration, shipping companies can begin to improve revenue and reduce their emissions while effectively preparing for a profitable and sustainable future.