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The Maritime Industry Authority will pilot test in August a platform that will quantify energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions in the maritime sector
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The Maritime Energy Demand Information and Analysis Software will collect, compute, and communicate energy consumption and emissions data across the maritime sector in real time
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MEDIANS will also help the maritime sector align with national commitments and global agreements aimed at reducing GHG emissions
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Pilot testing with shipping lines will start in August and is eyed for completion by December 2025
The Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) will pilot test in August a platform that will quantify energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) in the maritime sector.
The Maritime Energy Demand Information and Analysis Software (MEDIANS) is a critical step towards data-driven and sustainable maritime policy-making, according to the presentation of MARINA Management Information Systems Service director Joseph Victor Generato during the 199th Maritime Forum by The Maritime League on July 8.
Generato said currently, the maritime industry lacks a bottom-up approach to accurately measure the actual energy demand and emission of ships, which means effectivity of regulations or clean fuel transitions cannot be evaluated and realistic targets or actionable policy support cannot be set.
“There is a clear emergent need for a reliable data-driven tool to address these challenges,” Generato said, adding that this is where MEDIANS comes in.
MEDIANS will collect, compute, and communicate energy consumption and emissions data across the maritime sector in real time, and make that data useful for regulation, compliance, policy design, and even investment decisions on cleaner ships.
By establishing a reliable baseline of current energy use and pollutant output, MEDIANS enables stakeholders to understand the present environmental impact of maritime operations. The data is also critical in identifying areas that require improvement and measuring progress overtime.
MEDIANS will also provide robust and data-driven insights that policymakers can use to create more effective and targeted regulations or programs. Instead of relying on estimates or assumptions, decisions are grounded in real time and historical data collected through the system, resulting in policies that are more responsive to actual conditions and challenges in the maritime industry.
Moreover, MEDIANS will also help the maritime sector align with national commitments and global agreements aimed at reducing GHG emissions, promoting cleaner energy use, and minimizing the industry’s ecological footprint.
The system is part of the broader effort to modernize the maritime industry through digital technologies, as outlined in the Maritime Industry Development Plan 2028.
MEDIANS is a core component of the Science and Technology for Maritime Transport Applications project developed by MARINA in partnership with the Department of Science and Technology-Philippine Council for Industry, Energy and Emerging Technology Research and Development (DOST-PCIEERD) and the University of the Philippines Diliman (UPD).
On June 18, MARINA, DOST-PCIEERD, and UPD formally signed the technology transfer agreement for MEDIANS.
Pilot testing with shipping lines will start in August and is eyed for completion by December 2025.
MEDIANS has four core modules:
- Ship registry module – captures operational and technical details of all registered ships.
- Voyage reporting module – captures voyage-level activity and fuel usage.
- Energy demand module—calculates the annual energy use of each ship using fuel-based or power-based methods
- Emission module – calculates multiple GHGs and pollutants such as carbon dioxide, nitric oxide, sulfur oxide, particulate matter, methane, and others.
It also has a database on operational ports in the country, an emissions factor database that links to fuel and engine type, and a ship registry and ship types database.
MEDIANS complements MARINA’s digital solutions, such as the Maritime Route Rationalization Information System and MARINA Blockchain-Enabled Automated Certification System. – Roumina Pablo
READ: MARINA, World Bank link up to decarbonize, modernize ferries
