ABS launches industry’s first sustainability guide for offshore operations

The American Bureau of Shipping has launched detailed requirements for greener offshore operations in the first sustainability guide to target the offshore industry.

Developed by working with major offshore industry clients, ABS launched a revised sustainability guide expanded with offshore asset compliance requirements.

The updated ABS Guide for Sustainability Notations addresses topside functions on offshore assets such as emissions and discharge based on feedback from ABS clients including ExxonMobil, SBM and MODEC.

The guide outlines how carbon reduction technologies such as zero-flaring and zero-methane slip policies can enable assets to receive the SUSTAIN-2 notation. The ABS-classed Liza Unity FPSO for ExxonMobil in Guyana was the first FPSO in the world to receive the SUSTAIN-1 notation from ABS.

“As the leading class for offshore assets worldwide, ABS has a key role to play in supporting the industry through the energy transition. The revisions to the guide are a key component of that and an example of how together we can develop a more sustainable industry,” said Miguel Hernandez, ABS Senior Vice President, Global Offshore.

“ABS is a leading sustainability advisor in the industry, and we are also the leader in offshore services with a rich history of offshore experience. This update to our guide to address offshore emissions further supports our clients in meeting our industry’s sustainability objectives,” said Georgios Plevrakis, ABS Vice President, Global Sustainability.

Download a copy of the ABS Guide for Sustainability Notations here. Additional ABS guidance on emissions from floating production installations (FPIs) can be found in the Emissions Reduction Insights for FPIs here. More information on ABS FPSO services is available here.