The IAPH Environmental Ship Index (ESI) Technical Advisory Group met in London 12-14 February to review the development status and timeline of the upcoming changes to the scheme, coming online in 2026. From January next year, ESI’s revised and expanded offering will take into account a range of potential emissions, introduce a new GHG methodology, and reward innovation and application of zero-emissions techniques onboard vessels.

Among the many items discussed over the three-day gathering were progress against a range of technical development items, as well as support materials for incentive providers and incentive receivers throughout the transition period. The meetings were chaired by Bruce Anderson of IAPH associate member Starcrest Consulting, with key technical input provided by colleagues from the scheme’s administrator, Green Award Foundation, and Panthalassa, the environmental consultancy supporting the current development of ESI.

All three days were well attended, with representatives from Port of Amsterdam, Port of Antwerp-Bruges, Port of Barcelona, Hamburg Port Authority, Port of Long Beach, Port of Los Angeles, and Port of Rotterdam. In 2026, the main ESI score for air emission will transfer to ‘ESI Core’ and accordingly all Incentive Providers (IPs) are advised to look at adjusting their incentives accordingly, as the scores may vary significantly. ESI’s administrator Green Award Foundation has created a useful tool to assist IPs during the transition period. The Score Simulator for ESI Core can enhance an IP’s understanding of how a ship’s score might change in 2026, when ESI Core goes online, as well as how to suitably modify the incentives the IP makes available. Incentive Providers can access it by logging into their ESI IP account via the ‘Info’ tab on the ESI site, where a new tab has been added, named ‘ESI Core Simulator’. Here, users will find a link to the simulator, as well as more information on how to use it, in the form of a manual and case study.
Source: IAPH