Emission allocation problems in the maritime logistics chain

Abstract

A rational model for emission allocation is a prerequisite for the correct measuring and reporting of the emission footprint in the choice among alternative logistics options. While much attention has been paid to national emission allocations, there has been less focus on cargo-level allocations. In this study, we propose an analytical framework for emission allocation in the maritime logistics chain. This framework provides an entire procedure for the emission allocation of logistics chains with different structures and transported cargoes. A set of universal principles are proposed to form the basis for any rational emission allocation scheme. This includes Completeness, No Redundancy, Simplicity, Fairness, Individual Rationality, Motivation, and Consistency. Three application examples are presented to illustrate this framework: a single logistics chain without return cargo, a single chain with return cargo, and partly uniform cargo with or without return cargo (container shipping). For each of these, different allocation schemes are tested and discussed.

Decarbonizing maritime transport: A Ro-Pax case study

“…The authors noted the difficulty in allocating emissions in the case of Ro-Pax vessels (cargo and passengers), and opted to exclude these ships from the calculation. Similar concerns on allocating emissions in Ro-Pax services have been raised and three main types have been proposed: weight, volume, or economic value (Zhu et al, 2014).…”

Empty Container Management at Ports Considering Pollution, Repair Options, and Street-Turns

“…Pollution. In order to incorporate emissions as a planning objective, we need to implement a clear polluter pay principle in emissions allocation [34]. In this case, we have to distinguish between sea and land side repositioning.…”

Emission allocation issues in repositioning transportation

“…There have been several contributions concerning how to distribute different types of emissions among nations (Buhaug et al, 2009;IPCC, 2006;ISO, 2012;WRI & WBCSD, 2004). Further, several calculation schemes have been proposed for carbon footprint reporting in the areas of supply chains or logistics (BSI, 2011(BSI, , 2012Leonardi, McKinnon, & Palmer, 2010;MAR-LEN, 2010;McKinnon, 2010;Zhu, Erikstad, & Nowark, 2013).…”

“…Three types of schemes are considered relevant for allocating the emissions in this network: (Leonardi et al, 2010;Zhu et al, 2013):…”

“…As presented in Table 1, unit emissions are highly dependent on the selection of allocation scheme. In order to support the selection, the following principles should be taken into account (Zhu et al, 2013):…”