21 March 2024 (Lloyd's List) - CHINA has established a Ship Energy Efficiency Centre in Shanghai to assist vessels under the country’s flag to comply with international emissions regulation.

China’s first dedicated body focusing solely on managing shipping’s carbon emissions will evaluate the industry's energy consumption, while advising local companies on adopting efficiency measures such as alternative fuels, according to a statement by the Shanghai Maritime Safety Administration, which will oversee the centre.

The MSA, which first revealed plans to create the efficiency centre to Lloyd’s List in July last year, expects the first round of carbon intensity ratings to be completed by the end of May.  

The centre will collect efficiency data and performing inspections on all China-flagged vessels above 400 gt, which will be collated into a country-wide database.

From January 2023, all ships have been mandated to calculate their attained Energy Efficiency Existing Ship Index and collect data for reporting their annual carbon intensity indicator ratings.

The widely recognised flaws of the new system are currently under review by the International Maritime Organization.

China has more than 1,000 vessels, equivalent to more than 5,000 gt, operating on international shipping routes and has been compliant with the new legislation since late 2022, according to the MSA.