In demonstrating its ongoing commitment to supporting the work of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), and within its remit as the Organization’s principal technical advisor, IACS will actively participate in the forthcoming 81st session of the IMO’s Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC 81), which will meet at the IMO Headquarters in London, from Monday 18 to 22 March 2024.
Noting the work IACS Members perform as Recognized Organizations of IMO Member States, verifying compliance of ships with IMO agreed requirements, and with a view to achieve clarity for all parties, IACS co-sponsored the following papers:
MEPC 81/3/6 comments on the draft amendments to MARPOL Annex VI regulation 13.2.2. The co-sponsors noted that the proposed amendments refer to “a Party”, which follows the precedent in paragraph 7.1 of the same regulation. However, the paper clarifies that since the matter involves conversion of ships in service, the decision must be made by the flag Administration, i.e. “the Administration”, not “a Party” to the convention. The same applies to the draft 2023 Guidelines as required by regulation 13.2.2, in respect of non-identical replacement engines not required to meet the Tier III limit and the unified interpretation and guidelines given in the draft revision of circular MEPC.1/Circ.795.
MEPC 81/4/6 provides draft guidance for the temporary storage of treated sewage and grey water in ballast water tanks. It takes into consideration related documents drafted for and discussed in prior sessions and seeks to incorporate such considerations into a revised guidance for the Committee’s consideration and action as needed.
MEPC 81/6/7 proposes a correction to the definition of capacity appearing in the CII Guidelines, G5, to clarify an identified discrepancy between the 2022 Guidelines on operational carbon intensity indicators and the calculation methods (CII Guidelines, G1) and the 2022 Interim Guidelines on correction factors and voyage adjustments for CII calculations (CII Guidelines, G5).
IACS will also contribute to the deliberations under agenda item 5 (Air Pollution Prevention).