According to a new study, container ships can reduce fuel consumption and resulting CO2 emissions per trip by 14 percent by using just-in-time (JIT) arrivals.

JIT is an important tool that can help a ship achieve the required Carbon Intensity Indicator (CII) and associated CII classification in accordance with the International Maritime Organization (IMO) Short Term Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Reduction Measure, which will come into effect at a later date.

“JIT, along with other operational measures, may be included in the Enhanced Ship Energy Efficiency Management Plan (SEEMP), which will play a pivotal role in the implementation of the IMO's recent energy efficiency measures.”

The study, commissioned by IMO-Norway GreenVoyage2050's Global Industry Alliance to Support Low Carbon Shipping (Low Carbon GIA) and conducted by MarineTraffic and Energy and Environmental Research Associates (EERA), uses AIS data from calendar year 2019 ( pre-pandemic).

“In fighting climate change, global shipping has a steep mountain to climb, and we must use all levers to deliver in accordance with the Paris Agreement,” said Captain Andreas M. van der Wurff, Port Optimization Manager, A.P. Moller- Maersk and chair of the Low Carbon GIA Ship-Port Interface workstream. “The study underlines that while we are working to accelerate and scale the availability of the future green fuels, significant short-term emission reductions can be achieved by bringing ships, terminals and ports together to exchange standardized data and achieve Just In Time- to facilitate arrivals.”

The 20 container ships in the backup are 89 less than the record of 109 on January 9, 2022. "To put it another way, 0 container ships are within 40 miles of LA and LB awaiting a berth, which is great because normal pre-COVID stood 0-1."

At the port level, clear improvements can be seen in Spain, Italy and Greece, while at the other end of the scale there is not much improvement in Rotterdam and Hamburg, according to the Sea-Intelligence report.