IMO’s Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC 70) is this week discussing proposals to adopt a mandatory regulation for ships to record and report their fuel consumption (24-28 October 2016).
The requirements for ships to record and report their fuel consumption were approved at the last session. Also on the agenda is a decision on the implementation date (2020 or 2025) for the global 0.50% m/m sulphur cap for fuel oil. With the Ballast Water Management Convention entering into force in September 2017, implementation of the treaty will be under consideration.
The MEPC is expected to consider revised Guidelines for approval of ballast water management systems. Also up for discussion are proposals to designate a Particularly Sensitive Sea Area (PSSA) in Papua New Guinea and to designate the North Sea and Baltic Sea as emission control areas for nitrogen oxides (NOx).
The MEPC was opened by Secretary-General Kitack Lim and is being chaired by Arsenio Dominguez (Panama).
Agenda Highlights
Adoption of mandatory data collection system for fuel consumption
The MEPC is expected to consider with a view to adoption, mandatory MARPOL Annex VI requirements for ships to record and report their fuel consumption, which were approved at the last session.
Energy efficiency of international shipping
The MEPC is expected to continue to build on the solid work the Organization has undertaken to address greenhouse gas emissions from international shipping. To date, IMO is the only Organization to have adopted energy-efficiency measures that are legally binding across an entire global industry. Energy-efficiency design standards for new ships and associated operational energy-efficiency measures for existing ships became mandatory in 2013, with the entry into force of relevant amendments to MARPOL Annex VI.
Reduction of GHG emissions from ships
Following a wide-ranging discussion on future work to further address greenhouse gas emissions from ships, at MEPC 69, the Committee is expected to establish a working group at MEPC 70 for an in-depth debate on how to progress the matter.
Global sulphur cap implementation date to be considered
The MEPC agreed at its last session, in principle, to take a decision at MEPC 70 on the implementation date for the global 0.50% m/m sulphur cap for fuel oil, based on the outcome of a review which has been submitted to the session. A Steering Committee consisting of 13 Member States, one intergovernmental organisation and six international non-governmental organizations has overseen the review.
Designation of the North Sea and Baltic Sea as emission control areas for nitrogen oxides (NOx)
The MEPC will be invited to consider the designation of the North Sea and the Baltic Sea as emission control areas (ECA) for nitrogen oxides (NOx) under regulation 13 of MARPOL Annex VI. EU ports have called IMO to support this new NOx ECAs proposal
Bunker delivery note amendments set for approval
The MEPC will be invited to consider, for approval with a view to future adoption, draft amendments to the MARPOL Annex VI bunker delivery note relating to the supply of marine fuel oil to ships which have fitted alternative mechanisms to address sulphur emissions requirements.
Interpretations for SCRs under NOx Technical Code
The MEPC will be invited to approve draft unified interpretations to the NOx Technical Code 2008 related to the approval of selective catalytic reduction systems to meet NOx standards.
Adoption of other amendments to MARPOL
The MEPC is expected to consider with a view to adoption: Amendments to MARPOL Annex I to update Form B of the Supplement to the International Oil Pollution Prevention Certificate, in relation to segregated ballast tanks; Amendments to MARPOL Annex V related to products which are hazardous to the marine environment (HME) substances and Form of Garbage Record Book
Implementation of the BWM Convention
On the agenda for the session is the review of the Guidelines for approval of ballast water management systems (G8), taking into account the outcome of work carried out in a correspondence group and an intersessional working group which will meet during the week preceding MEPC 70.
Further information may be found here. Follow the conversation on Twitter #MEPC70 @IMOHQ.
Source & Image credit: IMO
