DNV's environmental reporting tool
http://3bl.dnv.com
Have crappy screen shot image if you want it
Class society DNV has developed an interesting web tool to help shipping companies report their environmental data, such as their air emissions of different substances, their waste emissions, their fuel consumption, chemicals handling and ballast water.

The development is part of DNV's "Triple Bottom Line" initiative - where shipping companies report on their financial, environmental and social performance, not just their financial performance.

The idea is that it makes it easier for shipping companies to produce environmental plans and commit to them. They can also use it to support their environment management systems such as ISO 14001.

The software handles all the fairly complex calculations - eg from the amount and type of fuel consumed, or distance travelled it can work out what your emissions of Nitrous Oxides, sulphur oxides and carbon dioxide are.

For example, the Norwegian government introduced legislation in October 2003 which requires ships to specify in advance what amount and type of waste they will want to dispose of in harbours, under its FOR 1243 rules. 

"We've had some Norwegian shipping companies lately that have got specific demands from their customers for environmental reports," says Knut Helle, product manager of Environmental Solutions with DNV Software.

Uses can configure the system to their specific needs. The reports can be made for specific vessels, or for the total fleet or the total for the company (including activities on shore). 

The system has already been trialled by Barber Shipmanagement, entering data for a survey ship off West Africa, now considering it for possible use by the whole Wilhelmsen Group.

The software has many different parameters that might be useful. 

Customers can have reports in any way they want, such as Word and Excel, or show it in whatever kind of chart they like.

They can also run simulations on it, for example to find out how much emissions they will make when using a certain type of fuel.

DNV makes a yearly charge for using the software and another for setting it up.