IMO has developed a final version for amendments to MARPOL
After long debates and negotiations, the IMOs Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC 62) has developed a final version for amendments to MARPOL Annex VI aimed to reduce ships greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The adoption may be reached by the end of this week through consensus rather than though voting. Therefore, as an interim report, below is a brief description of the amendments which MEPC 62 may adopt.
The consensus for the adoption of these amendments to MARPOL is reached by adding two additional provisions: one promoting technical cooperation and transfer of technology, the other providing an waiver so that Administrations could chose to delay the enforcement of the amendments for up to 4 years.
The amendments, due to come into force 1 January 2013, can be summed up as follows:
1. New ship (building contract as from 1 January 2013 and delivery not later than 30 June 2015) will have to meet a required Energy Efficiency Design Index (EEDI). In addition, all ships, new and existing are required to keep onboard a ship specific Ship Energy Efficiency Management Plan (SEEMP) which may form part of the ship’s Safety Management System (SMS). The SEEMP shall be developed taking into account guidelines developed by IMO.
2. However, a new provision will allow Administrations to delay the enforcement of these amendments with up to 4 years. This means that ships built under the flag of such Administrations would not be bound to have an EEDI certification if their building contract is before 1 January 2017.
3. The regulation has a set of initial values for the required EEDI which are individualised for each ship type through a reference line. The reference line of each ship type will also give the value of the required EEDI for each ships size. Finally, the regulation includes a stepby-step phase-in scheme for reduction of the required EEDI values as follows:
- Initial phase : 1 Jan 2013 31 Dec 2014 0% (i.e. values as required by the initial Reference line)
- Phase 1 : 1 Jan 2015 31 Dec 2019 10% reduction from the initial Reference line
- Phase 2 : 1 Jan 2020 31 Dec 2024 20% reduction from the initial Reference line
- Phase 3 : 1 Jan 2025 onwards 30% reduction from the initial Reference line
4. The regulation requires assessment that the installed propulsion power shall not be less than the propulsion power needed to maintain the manoeuvrability of the ship under adverse conditions as defined in the guidelines to be developed by IMO.
5. The regulation also provides that, at the beginning of Phase 1, IMO shall review the status of technological developments and, if proven necessary, adjust the time periods and reduction rates set out in Phases 2 and 3.
6. With regard to tankers, the regulation applies to tankers of 4,000 dwt and above. The regulation will not apply to ships which have diesel-electric propulsion, turbine propulsion or hybrid propulsion systems until such time as the method of calculation of attained EEDI of these categories of ships is established in the guidelines on the method of calculation of the attained energy efficient design index for new ship, and the EEDI reference lines for these categories of ships are established.
Due to the long deliberations, MEPC 62 has had no time to finalise the guidelines associated with these amendments. Therefore, it has been agreed to have a new intersessional meeting (provisionally for 7 11 November 2011).
Source : INTERTANKO
