Ship Efficiency Guide
One of the key drivers for greater environmental protection in shipping is, amongst other things, efficient ship operation. The International Maritime Organisation (IMO) has introduced regulations relating to sustainability and climate change, including the Energy Efficiency Design Index (EEDI), the Energy Efficiency Existing Ship Index (EEXI) and the Carbon Intensity Indicator (CII). In addition, both the European Union and the United Kingdom have introduced emissions trading schemes for CO₂ allowances – the EU ETS and the UK ETS. The IMO also intends to introduce an emissions trading scheme for international shipping. This will entail increased administrative burdens for shipping companies, shipowners, operators and charterers.
In order to assist smaller shipping companies with the implementation of the binding regulations, members of the Ship Efficiency specialist group of the Maritime Cluster Northern Germany (MCN) initiated the drafting of a guide, which was developed in collaboration with experts. First presented to the public in September 2022, the MCN Ship Efficiency Guide has been regularly updated and republished ever since.
The aim of the document is to provide an overview of the existing regulations in international maritime shipping and to outline technical options for improving ship operations that are suitable for enhancing efficiency not only in newbuilds, but especially in existing vessels.
Particular attention is paid to the question of how, amongst other things, modern CO₂-neutral and CO₂-free marine fuels can be used to meet the regulatory requirements of the IMO (International Maritime Organisation) regarding efficiency and sustainability. To this end, the guide provides detailed information on key fuels such as heavy fuel oil, marine diesel, LNG, LPG, methanol, ethanol, biofuel oil, CNSL, ammonia (refrigerated and pressurised), liquid hydrogen (LH2) and gaseous hydrogen (GH2).
Comparison tables – supported by colour-coded markings – illustrate the implications of the different fuels, including in terms of engine availability, the space required for tanks and the availability of bunkers. This is intended to provide an initial assessment of the feasibility of their use in marine engineering applications. Furthermore, the table uses traffic light colours to provide information on the current progress towards achieving the IMO’s 2050 targets.
In further assessment matrices, the guide highlights key technical approaches and measures for improving efficiency to decision-makers, alongside their impact on the most relevant key performance indicators – such as capital expenditure, return on investment, CII, EEDI, EEXI and the EU ETS – as well as the effects on speed, operating hours and payload. A new feature in this context is a matrix that illustrates which different technologies can be usefully combined.
“We are very proud of the findings that our specialist group and other experts have set out in writing,” emphasises Oliver Malmström, Head of the MCN Office in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. The Ship Efficiency specialist group is coordinated jointly with the MCN Office in Schleswig-Holstein. “The guide is intended to serve as a basis for decision-making and to provide a quick overview. At the same time, we would like to point out that technologies are changing rapidly, new ones are emerging, and we are continuously working on updates to the guide.”
Request a copy of the guide
Using the form below, you can request the latest edition of the MCN Guide Ship Efficiency. This is the 2026 edition of the guide, which has been comprehensively revised and restructured. Key updates include:
- Integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into the chapter ‘Digitalisation, Assistance and Performance Monitoring’
- Expanded coverage of marine fuels and energy carriers, including additives, blending options, and market statistics
- A new chapter, ‘Customer Feedback on Retrofit Technologies’, featuring practical experiences from shipping companies
- Appendix covering cybersecurity and cyber resilience, retrofit solutions for alternative marine fuels, and battery technologies for maritime applications