Africa and the Pacific region launched their own maritime technology cooperation centre as part of an IMO-EU project, aiming to establish a global network of centres to further promote the global efforts in addressing climate change.
The centres will be regional focal points for various activities, such as ensuring compliance with existing and future international energy-efficiency regulations, promoting uptake of low-carbon technologies and operations in maritime transport, and establishing voluntary pilot data-collection and reporting systems to feed back into the global regulatory process.
With these actions, they will play their part in supporting the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The African Maritime Technology Cooperation Centre (MTCC-Africa) follows other centres launches in Asia, the Caribbean and the Pacific regions earlier this year, with the Latin America MTCC expected to launch in the beginning of 2018. Together they form a network under the GMN project funded by the European Union and run by IMO.
Speaking at the launch event in Mombasa, Kenya, on 13 December, IMO Director of the Marine Environment Division, Stefan Micallef, welcomed the launch of MTCC-Africa and the importance of its mission to promote low-carbon shipping.
“Global efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from shipping rely heavily on improvements in energy efficiency and increased uptake of low-carbon technologies. Better energy efficiency means less fuel is used, and that means lower emissions. This is also good for the shipowner, because less fuel means less operational costs”, he stated.
Nancy Karigithu, principal secretary of Kenya Maritime and Shipping Affairs, noted that the centre would improve capacity for the African region in promoting ship energy efficiency technologies and operations. She also believes that this can play an important role in reducing harmful emissions from ships, in order to mitigate harmful effects of climate change.
MTCC-Africa will be hosted at the Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology.
The Pacific region has also launched its centre of excellence for low-carbon shipping technology.
Through Global Maritime Technology Cooperation Centre Network (GMN), these centres will develop and promote low-carbon maritime transport systems, supporting the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The Pacific centre (MTCC-Pacific) was launched in Suva, Fiji, on 12 December, where it will be hosted by the Pacific Community (SPC) in cooepration with the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP).
Fiji’s Minister for Forests and Acting Minister for Fisheries, the Hon. Osea Naiqamu, said: “Fiji is privileged to host the Maritime Technology Cooperation Centre in the Pacific on behalf of the Pacific. This centre of excellence will provide invaluable support to Pacific Island Countries and Territories towards progressing their respective priorities and commitments towards achieving sustainable transport and reducing greenhouse gas emissions”.
On 4th of December, the Directors of five regional Maritime Technology Cooperation Centres (MTCCs) signed a Memorandum of Understanding, to establish a global network of centres of excellence in marine technology.
The centres will be based in Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, Latin America and the Pacific.
