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Shipowners stress need for global framework following EU proposals
The International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) has urged the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) to pursue a global framework to address the reduction of shipping’s CO2 emissions following proposals by the European Commission for unilateral regional regulations that will apply to international shipping trading to the EU.
In a written submission to the IMO, the trade association for shipowners suggest that IMO Member States should initially focus on developing regulations for the mandatory reporting of fuel consumption and CO2 emissions by internationally trading ships, deferring further discussions on how the information collected might subsequently be used to develop additional efficiency measures. The latter include politically controversial proposals for developing tools to measure and benchmark the operational efficiency of individual ships, or even the development of Market Based Measures through which ships might be charged depending on how efficient they are deemed to be.
The ICS hopes that if governments can agree to approach their work in distinct stages, IMO Member States can proceed towards the early adoption of mandatory CO2 monitoring and reporting measures that would be enforced worldwide.
“The recent impasse at IMO on making further progress is due to difficulties unconnected with shipping and imported from the UNFCCC,” explains ICS secretary general, Peter Hinchliffe.
“However, the IMO is now confronted by the danger of unilateral action by the European Union which is already considering a draft regulation on monitoring and reporting of ships’ emissions which risks destroying the possibility of a global approach towards shipping and CO2.”
“We are a global industry requiring global rules,” added Hinchliffe.
The ICS submission, which has involved several weeks of negotiations between ICS member national shipowners’ associations, is intended to suggest a possible way forward so that the IMO can demonstrate that it is indeed making progress to ensure that a global approach is maintained towards this critically important issue.
