A global network of maritime technology cooperation centres has completed an array of pilot projects over the last three years, aiming to drive forward the changes which are necessary to reduce GHG emissions from shipping.
The International Energy Agency has created an independent high-level global commission to examine how progress on energy efficiency can be quickly accelerated through new and stronger policy action. IEA calculates that with the right policies, the global economy could double in size by 2040 while still maintaining broadly the same level of energy use as today.
The Global Industry Alliance (GIA) -a key IMO initiative supporting ship decarbonization- is set to be extended to 2023, in line with the timeframe of IMO’s Initial GHG Strategy. The extension follows two years of good progress by the initiative, whose 6th Task Force meeting took place in Gothenberg, Sweden, on 25 June.
During the CIMAC conference in Vancouver, Dr Alexander Knafl, MAN Energy Solutions, presented the results of a new study which analyzes the potential of hybrid power solutions ahead of tightening regulations on greenhouse gas emissions.
For the first time since the Industrial Revolution, the UK is being supplied with more power from zero-carbon sources than fossil fuels. This milestone has been achieved during the first five months of 2019. As UK’s National Grid says, clean energy is responsible for 48% of generation, in comparison to 47% from coal and gas, while the rest is biomass.
The Union of Greek Shipowners applauds the progress made by the Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC 74) of the United Nations International Maritime Organization (UN IMO) with regard to the issues related to the challenges stemming from the implementation of the new 0.5% sulphur limit on marine fuels.
As UN IMO Marine Environment and protection Committee 74 (MEPC 74) meeting is taking place this week, the Union of Greek Shipowners (UGS) calls all stakeholders to take on responsibility and contribute to global policy making and commit to reaching attainable, workable and sustainable solutions to the problems related to the 2020 global sulphur cap in marine fuels and the issue of the GHG emissions reduction from ships.
About 100 maritime companies and nine NGOs sent an open letter to IMO on the need of implementing speed restrictions for all commercial ships. The letter said ‘As the initial step we express our strong support for the IMO implementing mandatory regulation of global ship speeds differentiated across ship type and size categories’.
The Marine Environment Protection Committee’s (MEPC), 74th session is scheduled to take place in 13-17 May 2019. The key subjects to be discussed will be adoption of amendments to IMO mandatory instruments, reduction of greenhouse gas emissions from ships, implementation of the sulphur 2020 limit, marine plastic litter action plan, ballast water management Convention implementation, approval of guidance and other matters, technical cooperation and capacity building and seminar on ship recycling.
The Energy Observer, a former race boat powered with autonomous navigation with hydrogen, was docked in the Port of Amsterdam. The catamaran has been sailing for about six years, with 101 stops in 50 countries. The goal is to test hydrogen under extreme weather conditions. The vessels does not emit GHG and it is very quiet.
