G-TRACE: Green Ship Active Blueprints - Technology and Regulation Adaptive for Customisable Efficiency Optimisation

The goal is to create an ecosystem where ship design specifications [new or retrofit] are not static documents but living adaptable green ship models that respond to user needs, market dynamics, and regulatory changes. This approach fosters innovation, sustainability, and efficiency in ship design and operations as well as a mean for monitoring industry’s decarbonisation transition progress.

The shift from evaluating emissions reductions based on ship design to direct measurement and verification of real operational emissions signifies a pivotal change in how the maritime industry approaches environmental regulations and sustainability. In light of these evolving regulatory demands, particularly within the EU's "Fit for 55" package and its ambitious climate and environmental policies, it is imperative for the vessel design process to undergo a transformation. This transformation should result in the creation of robust reference designs that incorporate advanced emission reduction and efficiency enhancement technologies (TRL 7 or higher), meeting or exceeding a minimum of 20% reduction in CO2 emissions compared to a 2022 baseline for equivalent vessels.

To accomplish this, G-TRACE proposes the development of a Green Ship (GS) Design Methodology (GSDM), characterized by an iterative, interactive, and cyclical approach. This methodology facilitates a seamless interplay between design and operations modelling, ultimately aligning with the expected business objectives and regulatory standards. Leveraging "Shipbuilding & Lifecycle Technology 4.0" advancements, which harness smart technologies, the methodology concurrently enhances design and construction processes, streamlines operational procedures, and promotes the long-term sustainability of ships.

The development of this methodology is set to be supported by Living Labs, real-world testing environments that allow for practical experimentation and validation. Additionally, the methodology will incorporate an industry Dataspace, which acts as a monitoring and data-sharing platform. It provides valuable insights into the progress of "greening" efforts within the shipping industry, enabling data-driven decision-making and improvements by both policy and business stakeholders.

Robust Green Ship reference design solutions will be achieved through:

- Integrated Green Ship Design and Operational Modelling Methodology enabling integration of real-time operational data from vessels into the design and simulation processes.
- Support Living Labs for short sea and ocean shipping and - inland waterway transport.
- Greening progress monitoring and Supports and GS Knowledge Hub and Dataspace.