Assessment of The Energy Performance of The Global Merchant Fleet and Its Consistency With Decarbonization Objectives: Implications For The Design of Future Shipbuilding

Progress towards the decarbonization of maritime transport and compliance with the 2030 Agenda requires a rigorous understanding of how energy efficiency criteria incorporated into ship design influence their operational environmental impact. This research, proposes an integrated analysis of the fleet operating in Europe, based on data from the European Monitoring, Reporting and Verification (MRV) system for CO2 emissions from civilian vessels over 5,000 GT. The objective is to assess whether the energy efficiency design parameters established by the IMO (EEDI/EEXI) provide an adequate basis for achieving operational performance levels compatible with emerging regulatory requirements, particularly those associated with the Carbon Intensity Indicator (CII). The study, will identify patterns, limitations, and gaps between theoretical efficiency potential and observed performance under real-world navigation conditions, providing evidence on the current fleet's ability to align with the emissions reduction trajectories projected for 2030 and 2050. Based on these results, technical implications for the design of future shipbuilding will be derived, underscoring the need to integrate energy efficiency, operational resilience, and environmental sustainability criteria from the initial design phases to ensure compatibility with international commitments to climate change mitigation and marine environmental protection.