In line with IMO’s Initial Strategy for decarbonisation of shipping industry, Greece has come forward with a concrete proposal for a short-term, prescriptive measure to improve the operational energy efficiency of existing ships, to be considered at the forthcoming meeting of the IMO’s intersessional technical group in November.
The IMO’s so-called GHG initial strategy, adopted in April 2018, envisages for the first time, a reduction in total GHG emissions from global shipping by at least 50% by 2050 compared to 2008.
Building on an existing proposal backed by the ICS and IMO Member States, Greece’s submission supplements the strengthened Ship Energy Efficiency Management Plan (super SEEMP) in a way that ensures the accomplishment of the IMO 2030 Target, which envisages a 40% cut in CO2 emissions by 2030.
This is because it guarantees, through the provision of one mandatory requirement for every ship of a particular sector, that there would be no intentional or unintentional circumventions of set technical requirements, which might otherwise be possible, for example, when providing various goal-based options.
The proposed measure prescribes the limit of the main engine power that ships over 5,000 GT can use under normal circumstances to maintain the level of CO2 emissions from ships at a historical low (2012) over a three-year phase-in period, commencing before 2023.
The sectoral prescriptive approach it takes prescribes that bulk carriers and tankers reduce their main engine power by 50% and container ships by 66%.
Greece’s proposal is simple, transparent, easily enforceable and accommodates sectoral specificities without distorting competition, which is a paramount consideration. Moreover, it allows for early action and beginning of implementation prior to 2023, leads to direct absolute GHG emissions reductions, to SOx, NOx and underwater noise reductions, while it also factors in safety and allows for medium to long-term innovation, rewarding more efficient ships. Above all, it lays the foundation for the shipping industry to truly decarbonize by engineering the behavioral change required by all commercial operators of vessels to shift to zero-carbon technologi
es or alternative fuels when these become broadly available,
…the President of the UGS, Mr. Theodore Veniamis underlined.
As informed, the measure includes a review clause to allow for rectifying action by the IMO, if necessary.
Meanwhile, the proposal is primarily compatible with the modus operandi of bulk/tramp shipping, where charterers play a determining role in the ship’s operation and this is why the shipowners’ commitment alone to a ship’s operational efficiency through goal-based measures, KPIs etc may not be enough to effect a change in the ship’s carbon footprint.
Charterers should clearly be obliged to adhere to any measure adopted to reduce GHG emissions from ships,
…Mr. Veniamis concluded.
