INTERCARGO has shared a pre-brief regarding key topics the Intersessional Working Group on Air Pollution and Energy Efficiency (ISWG-APEE 1) will explore on 2-4 April 2025, and calls for simplicity as IMO climate talks intensify, ahead of critical ISWG-GHG-19 and MEPC 83 meetings.
The Intersessional Working Group on Air Pollution and Energy Efficiency (ISWG-APEE) reports to the IMO’s Maritime Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) and is tasked to consider matters related to the short-term GHG reduction measure and more specifically to the CII Review. ISWG-APEE 1 (2-4 April) will produce a report on their deliberations which will be considered by MEPC 83 (7-11 April 2024).
The key topics that will be discussed at ISWG-APEE 1 include:
- Identified challenges/gaps in the short-term GHG reduction measure
- Development of draft amendments to existing instruments and/or development of new instruments, as appropriate, with a view to finalization
The agenda item considers various submissions related to the ongoing review of the short-term GHG reduction measures, particularly the Carbon Intensity Indicator (CII) framework.
Key themes include:
- Bahamas, Liberia, ICS, BIMCO and INTERCARGO submission: propose revised reference lines excluding idle emissions and present an analysis carried out using Data from a total of 2,250 bulk carriers. The authors propose revised reference lines excluding idle emissions and present an analysis carried out using the ABS’ and DNV’s 2019 IMO DCS data, for the ship types of tankers, bulk carriers, containerships, LNG carriers, general cargo ships and gas carriers.
- Operational Challenges: Several papers highlight the need for adjustments to account for idle time, port waiting, and short voyages. RINA and others propose metric revisions to exclude non-propulsion emissions from CII calculations.
- Work Plans & SEEMP Enhancements: The EU and UK propose suggestions to strengthen SEEMP as an alternative to rigid CII-based enforcement.
- Mid-Term Measures & Overlap: Some submissions argue for integrating mid-term measures with short-term adjustments to ensure a coherent regulatory framework beyond 2030.
- Transparency & Data Access: Proposals vary on making IMO DCS data public, with some advocating for anonymized access while others caution against premature database expansion.
Discussions at ISWG-APEE 1 and MEPC 83 will shape the future direction of short-term GHG measures, particularly in refining CII methodologies and ensuring fair and effective regulatory mechanisms.
However, with ISWG-GHG-19 and MEPC 83 in the coming weeks, INTERCARGO cautions against overly complicated mechanisms and believes that key priorities for the upcoming negotiations should be simplicity, predictability and implementation readiness:
- As complex measures gain traction in discussions, INTERCARGO continues to advocate for a clear, predictable carbon price that shipping companies can easily integrate into business planning.
- The measures to be adopted at MEPC 83 need to be able to be supported by equally practical implementation guidelines and meet realistic implementation timelines.
We fully support ambitious environmental goals, but the measures adopted must be practical and implementable also for tramp and bulk shipping. As negotiations intensify, we urge Member States to focus on solutions that will deliver real emissions reductions without compromising operational efficiency and the smooth global transportation of essential goods.
…said Kostas Gkonis, Secretary General, INTERCARGO highlighting that the upcoming ISWG-GHG-19 and MEPC 83 meetings represent a pivotal moment for maritime decarbonisation.
