The International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) has agreed a suite of actions to support the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) decarbonization strategy.
The decision, which was made during a meeting of national shipowners’ associations that took place last week in the Faroe Islands, will help the entire shipping community to contribute to the United Nations’ 1.5 degree climate change goal.
Bryan Comer examines the path towards zero-emission shipping in a recent Port Technology technical paper
Esben Poulsson, ICS Chairman, said: “It is imperative that IMO Member States adopt a new global regulation to mandate further short-term CO2 reduction measures at the next session of the Marine Environment Protection Committee in 2020.
“This should deliver further CO2 reductions by 2023 to help us meet the IMO target set for 2030.”
This will require truly massive investment in research and development, which ICS believes must be at the heart of the IMO GHG Strategy if the ambitious reduction targets that IMO Member States have set are to be met”, explained ICS Chairman Esben Poulsson.
— Center for Shipping and Global Logistics (@csglatklu) June 12, 2019
In addition to this, Poulsson also revealed that the ICS will work alongside a “coalition of governments” to deliver a comprehensive proposal to the IMO by September 2019.
The core of this proposal, according to a statement from the chairman, is the Super SEEMP concept, which will commit shipping companies to demonstrating their efforts at reducing fuel consumption and achieving other environmental goals.
Press Release: ICS to push for rapid action on further CO2 reduction by International Shipping https://t.co/HUOoENZwET During our AGM in the Faroe Islands ICS agreed a suite of actions in support of @IMOHQ strategy to decarbonise international #shipping pic.twitter.com/HC2ofjmR7O
— ICS shipping (@shippingics) June 18, 2019
Poulsson added: “By coming forward with an early proposal for immediate adoption we wish to support continuing IMO leadership on GHG emissions and quickly incentivise further action by shipping companies.
“We do not wish to limit proper consideration of other ideas such as speed reduction or the use of new CO2 reduction technologies.”
The ICS meeting also confirmed plans for the development of zero-carbon fuels and propulsion systems, both of which will be necessary to achieve the ambitious IMO target of cutting shipping’s total greenhouse gas emissions by 50% before 2050.
Read more:
