ABB introduces CO2e Calculator for vessel emission transparency

ABB has launched a digital tool enabling shipowners, operators and designers to estimate the emission-reduction impact of various ABB technologies used on board ships in scenarios specified by the user, when compared with alternative solutions.

The CO₂e (carbon dioxide equivalent) Calculator is applicable to five ABB solutions for the maritime industry – Azipod electric propulsion, energy storage, Onboard DC Grid power system platform, shaft generator and shore connection.

The CO₂e Calculator demonstrates the estimated reductions in CO₂e emissions that result from powering a vessel with Azipod propulsors rather than with a traditional shaftline system. It covers typical scenarios for cruise ships, yachts, ferries, offshore support vessels and other vessel types with similar operational profiles.

When applied to ABB’s energy storage system, the tool shows the emissions reductions a vessel can achieve using batteries charged from the shoreside grid rather than a conventional combustion engine running on fossil fuels.

For Onboard DC Grid, it shows the estimated emission-reduction benefit of the solution’s variable-speed function for internal combustion engines compared with a fixed-speed function.

The CO₂e Calculator also estimates how much a shaft generator installed on the main engine shaft can reduce emissions when compared with auxiliary engines driven by the auxiliary generator.

Finally, the tool calculates the estimated reduction in emissions that can be achieved by drawing from the shoreside utility grid instead of generating electric power using onboard generators.

“ABB has a long history of developing energy-efficient solutions for the maritime industry, and now we can demonstrate the tangible emission-reduction impact of those products to our customers,” said Tommi Lempiäinen, head of strategy and sustainability at ABB Marine & Ports. “With this level of transparency, shipowners are empowered to make informed decisions on which solutions to invest in – calculated for the specific scenario in question. This is a small but nonetheless significant step within the framework of our broader commitment to driving maritime decarbonization in accordance with the IMO’s net zero ambitions.”

For more key equipment and services updates from the electric and hybrid marine technology industry, click here.