Turnkey Solution to MRV: V-PER Approved "MRV-Ready" by Tecnitas

These days most shipping companies are struggling to fulfill the MRV (monitoring, reporting & verifying) of CO2 emissions requirements recently imposed by the EU. MRV challenges ship operators in a dual way: First of all, suitable measurement procedures have to be implemented. Secondly, a compliant monitoring process has to be put into effect that, together with the regularly generated reports, must be verified by independent and accredited verifiers.

Now there is a relief of this burden: V-PER – the Vessel Performance Management System made by SkySails Marine Performance GmbH of Hamburg – has been officially certified “MRV-ready” by Bureau Veritas’ subsidiary Tecnitas. Using V-PER, shipping companies can thus easily and conveniently satisfy all of the most recently approved data collection and reporting requirements. “Instead of developing their individual MRV processes, ship owners can now revert to V-PER as a certified turnkey solution”, explains Stefan Höner, Director of Services North & Central Europe / Marine and Offshore at Bureau Veritas S.A.. “Drawing upon the data collected and evaluations made by V-PER, we prepare all of the documentation needed for issuing the compliance documents and submit these to the accredited verifiers on behalf of our customers”, adds SkySails’ CTO Stephan Brabeck.

At first glance, MRV imposes additional work and expense to ship owners. But taking a closer look, there is also a lot to gain: „MRV aims to reduce CO2 emissions from shipping and thus to improve its energy efficiency in an ongoing continuous improvement cycle”, explains Stefan Höner, Bureau Veritas. “As a comprehensive performance management system, V-PER collects and evaluates vessel data in a holistic way, allowing not only to easily fulfill MRV requirements but also to improve your fleet’s energy efficiency and profitability at the same time”, adds SkySails’ Stephan Brabeck.

And there is convincing reference: “Using V-PER’s speed optimization feature for two years now, we’ve reduced average fuel consumption by 0.9 tons from 6.7 tons to 5.8 tons per day,” explains Heino Schepers, CEO of ship owning company HS Schifffahrt based in Haren/Germany. With V-PER ship owners can thus turn the MRV challenge into an opportunity for improving their bottom line.

“However, our experience also shows that change management is the key success factor to effective performance management,” reports Stephan Brabeck. “Improving energy efficiency is a process and thus it is not just about buying the right technology or tool but all about changing people’s behavior.” This is why next to providing a reliable, high-performance and flexible Performance Management Toolbox, SkySails Marine Performance focuses on consulting and services and regards itself as long-term partner in performance management. And Brabeck adds: “From training, consulting and supporting our customer’s employees, as well as sourcing and implementing dedicated performance managers inside our customer’s organizations, all the way to being the outsourced performance management department: We deliver the required support to make performance management work.”

MRV background: The EU has approved requirements for ships to track their CO2 emissions. These new arrangements will take effect in January 2018 and apply to all ships of more than 5,000 gross tons calling in EU and EFTA ports. The reported CO2 emissions, together with additional data, are to be verified by accredited verifiers and sent to the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA). The aggregated ship emission and efficiency data will be published annually by the EU.

About SkySails Marine Performance

SkySails is a green shipping pioneer and the first mover in the development of products that increase energy efficiency in the shipping industry. In 2009 and 2011 SkySails was recognized as “Technology of the Year” at the Sustainable Shipping Awards. Numerous renowned shipping companies put their trust in SkySails and its long-standing experience in the collection, transmission and analysis of data on seagoing ships.

Headquartered in Hamburg, Germany, SkySails Marine Performance GmbH is a subsidiary of SkySails Group, which was established in Hamburg in 2001 and is well-known as the developer and manufacturer of the SkySails towing-kite wind propulsion system for ships.

Building on SkySails’ many years of experience in the measurement, transmission and analysis of seagoing ships’ fuel consumption, propulsion and weather data, SkySails Marine Performance GmbH engineered the Vessel Performance Manager and then launched this system for optimizing ship operations in late 2011. Since then about 200 systems have been sold to a number of notable shipping companies.

SkySails currently employs some 50 people from a wide range of disciplines and specialties, including experienced seamen, shipbuilders, naval architects, software engineers and management professionals. For more information, please visit www.skysails.com.

About Tecnitas & Bureau Veritas

Created in 1828, Bureau Veritas is a global leader in Testing, Inspection and Certification (TIC), delivering high quality services to help clients meet the growing challenges of quality, safety, environmental protection and social responsibility.

It is by far the largest and most global Group involved in ship classification and offshore verification and certification in the world. The Marine & Offshore division of Bureau Veritas is an important part of the Group. lts global network is at the heart of Bureau Veritas' local presence in every country on earth and its expertise is shared across the Group. Bureau Veritas delivers high quality services to help clients meet the growing challenges of quality, safety, environmentaI protection and social responsibility.

As a trusted partner, Bureau Veritas offers innovative solutions, that go beyond simple compliance with regulations and standards, reducing risk, improving performance and promoting sustainable development. Through its eight global businesses, Bureau Veritas has developed the industry's widest array of world-class services to clients, wherever they operate.

Bureau Veritas has close to 69.000 employees in around 1.400 offices and laboratories located in 140 countries. ln 2016, it reported revenue of 4,55 billion euros.

In Germany Bureau Veritas has been represented since 1850 and today has 17 offices with 900 employees.

For more information, please visit www.bureauveritas.com.