IMO Secretary-General, Kitack Lim, called all Member States and overall the maritime industry, including shipping and ports, to follow IMO’s ambitious attempts on reducing GHG shipping emissions from global shipping. The strategy supports the complete phase out of GHG emissions from vessels, which is in line with the Paris Agreement and a drop by 50% in emissions by 2050, according to IMO’s GHG strategy.
Specifically, Secretary General, speaking at the High Level Conference on Climate Change and Oceans Preservation, in Brussels, Belgium, on 19 February, commented that the shipping sector has to focus on technology transfer and research and development.
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He added that investment in port infrastructure is equally important in reducing shipping emissions.
Specifically, as discussed at the Future Port congress, Bilbao ports are considered key players in the maritime transport system when it comes to meeting ambitious emissions reduction.
We need IMO’s Member States to come together as one; we need the Member States to bring forward concrete proposals to IMO.
… Secretary General, Lim stated.
In addition, IMO’s strategy includes candidate measures that might need to be applied in order to accomplish the targets in the short, medium and long terms.
Mr. Lim noted that the initial steps – the candidate short-term measures – are likely to include strengthening the Energy Efficiency Design Index (EEDI) and the Shipboard Energy Efficiency Management Plans (SEEMP) for ships, as well as gathering information under the fuel-oil data collection scheme.
Moreover, the Secretary-General addressed the importance of making zero-carbon ships more attractive and to make investments into innovatine, sustainable technologies and alternative fuels.
He noted that the 2020 sulphur cap regulation shall be seen as an accomplishment for the environment and human health and also as a proxy carbon price.
The Conference was opened by Mr. Charles Michel, Prime Minister of Belgium, and H.S.H. Prince Albert II of Monaco.
On the sidelines of the Conference, Secretary-General Lim met H.S.H. Prince Albert II of Monaco. Monaco hosts the International Hydrographic Organization (IHO). IMO and IHO collaborate on a number of areas, particularly when it comes to the provision of hydrographic charts for ships.
