Technological advancements that are combating shipping sector emissions will be presented at the Ocean Conference in New York by the recently appointed chair of the European Seaports Organisations (ESPO) Sustainability Committee in a bid to influence the IMO before key meetings take place in July.
Edvard Molitor, who is also the Environmental Manager at Gothenburg Port Authority, will meet leaders and government representatives from around the world from June 5-9, 2017, to address the impact of shipping on the climate.
International shipping is a major source of emissions of sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, carbon dioxide and particles – substances that harm human health and contribute to acidification of the marine environment.
Just how much impact campaigners such as Molitor will have had on changing current practices will be known once the IMO has concluded its forthcoming meeting on July 3-7 as part of a larger roadmap to develop a comprehensive strategy on reducing greenhouse gas emissions from ships.
Molitor said: “Emissions from international shipping can and must be reduced more quickly.
“If this is to be achieved, regulations need to be introduced globally and not locally, which is the case in many instances.
“The Swedish shipping industry is at the international forefront in environmental technology.
“The use of liquefied natural gas and methanol as fuels, scrubber systems for cleaning marine exhaust gases, and onshore power supply for vessels moored at the quayside, are just a few examples of initiatives designed to mitigate global emissions from shipping.”
