Tag: black carbon

Recently, Russia has been actively engaged in identifying other pathways to circumvent its reliance on the Black Sea and evade the impact of sanctions. Consequently, Russia is increasingly shifting its focus towards the use of the Northern Sea Route (NSR).

As the International Maritime Organization (IMO) gathers today for a meeting of its Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC 80, July 3-7), the Clean Arctic Alliance called on IMO member states to adopt ambitious interim targets that will lead to a 50% reduction in shipping’s climate impact by 2030.

The Clean Arctic Alliance yesterday called on the IMO to radically reduce the impact of black carbon emissions from shipping on Arctic sea and glacier ice, by putting in place a compulsory requirement for ships across the whole Arctic to use cleaner fuels, by switching to distillate fuels.

Following MEPC79 outcome, the Clean Arctic Alliance welcomed progress to reduce the impact of GHGs and black carbon emissions from shipping on the Arctic, but called on IMO member states to act decisively to regulate black carbon emissions.

If Black Carbon was covered under “Fit for 55,” it could help reduce BC emissions from ships that call on EU ports, including those that sail the Arctic, suggest Dr. Liudmila Osipova and Dr. Bryan Comer, ICCT.

The threat to the Arctic from black carbon from shipping has been known for some time – and what happens in the Arctic doesn’t stay in the Arctic. When black carbon, is emitted from the exhausts of ships and settles onto snow and ice, it accelerates melting and the loss of reflectivity.

Responding to the publication of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report, Clean Arctic Alliance called IMO to make immediate cuts to black carbon emissions from shipping in the Arctic.

Non-governmental organisations are calling on the IMO to immediately reduce climate-warming emissions of black carbon from ships currently using heavy fuel oil in the Arctic by some 44%, by switching them to cleaner distillate fuels. 

Environmental group HFO-Arctic highlights the importance of reducing the impact of shipping in the region, referring to data showing an increase in black carbon emissions.

Now that the sulphur cap is effective, blending is the only economical method to produce low sulphur fuels, states Mr. Francisco Malta, Director at VM Industrials - Aderco Australia who explains that VLSFOs could increase black carbon emissions because of paraffinic hydrocarbons; thus, shipping industry needs to focus on fuel stability and address all issues.