Source: BIMCO
What on earth do we mean when we use the word "sustainable?" It is a term that is bandied about endlessly; part of the language of environmentalism that has intruded itself since such matters became important. We may think we know what it means, but its imprecision in this particular context tends to render it largely meaningless, apart from giving an impression of environmental gravitas, to the extent that something 'sustainable' will hopefully not harm our environment too much. It is an example of how the meaning of words change over time. In reality, it is a word that will mean largely what the person using it wishes to convey!
It is the same with the 'eco' ship, which is a term given, with a veneer of hope, by shipbuilders anxious to present their products in a new and attractive light, to encourage owners to purchase them and keep their shipyards in operation, despite the gross oversupply of shipping across the world. Here again, we may think that we know what the shipbuilders mean in this context, but there is a lack of definition of what constitutes 'economy'.
There is nothing new about shipbuilders branding their products 'economy' in order to meet the climate of the times. British shipyards, in the inter-war years, were adept in producing their 'economy' designs. But in those days, what was on offer was probably better understood - it was a cheap, no-frills ship that was slow and would consume very little fuel. The owner knew what he was getting.
The 'eco' ships on offer currently might be considered reasonably inexpensive, as shipbuilding prices have fallen from the previous heights. They will tend to be what a few years ago might be described as 'standard', with a limited variety of equipment choices available in the specification. But they will also offer more economical machinery and a hullform and underwater hydrodynamics which will offer improved performance; therein lies the complexity.
