ShipCalculators.com

Environment, Ocean Science & Decarbonization

Ocean Science & Maritime Decarbonization

This domain covers the ocean environment ships operate in and the technology cutting their emissions: physical oceanography, marine environmental protection and decarbonization. Pollution prevention runs through the MARPOL annexes and the Ballast Water Management Convention (in force 8 September 2017), with exhaust gas cleaning systems offered as an Annex VI equivalent to low-sulphur fuel. Decarbonization is measured by the operational Carbon Intensity Indicator under MEPC.352(78) and pursued through methanol and ammonia fuels, where methane slip from low-pressure dual-fuel engines erodes the well-to-wake gain. Particularly Sensitive Sea Areas designate the waters needing the strongest protection.

This portal covers the science and technology: oceanography, tides and waves, ecosystem protection and the fuels and engineering of decarbonization. The compliance and pricing view of the same emissions topics (CII as a rating, EU ETS, FuelEU) anchors in /regulation/.

Topic clusters

Tides, Waves & Hydrography

  • Wave spectra & sea state

    1 article, 1 calculator

Marine Environmental Protection

  • Air pollution control (NOx, SOx, VOC, scrubbers)

    8 articles, 3 calculators

  • Ballast water management

    1 article, 0 calculators

  • Operational discharges (oil, sewage, garbage, NLS)

    2 articles, 2 calculators

Marine Ecosystems & Protected Areas

  • Conservation designations & special areas

    3 articles, 0 calculators

  • Fisheries & blue economy

    1 article, 0 calculators

  • Particularly Sensitive Sea Areas (PSSA)

    13 articles, 0 calculators

  • Regional seas conventions

    17 articles, 0 calculators

Polar, Cryosphere & Climate Observation

  • Climate forcing metrics (GWP, black carbon)

    1 article, 1 calculator

  • Polar environmental protection

    4 articles, 51 calculators

Decarbonization, Emissions & Alternative Fuels

Featured articles

Calculators by subject

Tides, Waves & Hydrography

Marine Environmental Protection

Polar, Cryosphere & Climate Observation

Decarbonization, Emissions & Alternative Fuels

Common questions

What is the Ballast Water Management Convention?
The IMO BWM Convention, in force since 8 September 2017, requires ships to manage ballast water so transferred organisms are removed or killed; the D-2 standard sets numeric limits on viable organisms per cubic metre, met by an approved treatment system.
Do scrubbers let a ship keep burning high-sulphur fuel?
Yes. An exhaust gas cleaning system (scrubber) washes SOx out of the exhaust, accepted under MARPOL Annex VI Reg.4 as an equivalent to burning 0.50% sulphur fuel, though open-loop washwater discharge is now banned or restricted in many ports and coastal zones.
Why does methane slip matter for LNG and methanol engines?
Methane slip is unburned methane passing through low-pressure dual-fuel engines; because methane has a GWP100 of about 28 (IPCC AR5), even a few percent slip can cancel much of the CO2 saving counted on a well-to-wake basis.