ABS updates the Guide for Environmental Protection Notations

Classification Society ABS has revised its Guide for the Environmental Protection Notations for Vessels.

The Guide supersedes the ABS Guide for the Class Notation Environmental Safety (ES), but those vessels which currently have an ES Notation will continue to be eligible to maintain the ES Notation, provided the requirements contained within the ES Guide are satisfied.

The June 2022 update introduces ENVIRO-IDP Notation that may be assigned to ships that comply with the requirements in Section 6 of the Guide. The ENVIRO-IDP Notation indicates that the vessel's protective oil-to-sea seals and drydock inspections are in compliance with the specific requirements of the VGP as described in paragraphs 2.2 and 4.1.4 of the VGP 2013.

The Guide for the Environmental Protection Notations for Vessels

The Guide is for the use of designers, builders, Owners, and Operators in the marine industry. It specifies the ABS requirements and criteria for obtaining the optional notations Environmental Protection (ENVIRO) in Section 2, Environmental Protection Plus (ENVIRO+) in Sections 3, Low Emissions Vessel (LEV) in Section 4, NOx-Tier III Notation in Subsection 2/37, EEDI-Ph3 Notation in Section 5 and ENVIRO-IDP in Section 6.

The ENVIRO Notation identifies the level of compliance with international environmental protection requirements and integrates associated ABS requirements that influence environmental protection.

For the ENVIRO+ Notation, the Guide invokes compliance with more stringent criteria for environmental protection related to design characteristics, management and support systems, sea discharges, and air discharges.

The optional Notation LEV recognizes that the specified marine diesel engines on the vessel meet stricter gaseous and particulate emissions limits than those regulated by MARPOL Annex VI, while the NOx-Tier III Notation identifies that all marine diesel engines on the vessel are in compliance with the Tier III NOx limits of Regulation 13 of Annex VI of MARPOL 73/78, as outlined in Subsection 2/37.

The EEDI-Ph3 Notation indicates that the verified attained EEDI of a ship is less than or equal to the required EEDI value for EEDI Phase 3 determined in accordance with MARPOL Annex VI, Regulation 21 as amended by MEPC.324(75).

The effective date of the Guide is 01 June 2022.

If you need more information, please visit the ABS Rules and Guides page, where the document is available FOR FREE.