IMO emissions target set out

News-in-print 1 Nov 2016 by WCN Editorial

The IMO has set out a new roadmap that defines specific tasks and timelines to reduce greenhouse gas emissions (GHG).

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At the 70th session of the IMO’s Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC), held in London, agreement was reached on putting in place in 2019 a mandatory global GHG data collection system. In addition, the MEPC agreed to a global 0.5% sulphur limit in 2020, and to the imposition of a Nitrogen Emission Control Area (NECA) in Europe covering the North Baltic Seas.

In terms of the data collection system, a four-stage programme has been adopted. This comprises:
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Ships starting to collect and collate data on emissions from January 2019.
Data analysis commencing no later than the autumn of 2020.
Based on the above, a list of decisions and recommendations to cut GHG. This will take place in 2022.
Adoption by 80th session of the MEPC.

“These important decisions demonstrate the global leadership of the IMO on regulation of ship emissions,” said Patrick Verhoeven, secretary general of the European Community Shipowners’ Associations. “The mandatory GHG data collection system will make it possible to define what will be the contribution of international shipping to the climate goals set by COP21 in Paris last year. The adoption of an initial strategy to meet the Paris targets is already planned for 2018, and an agreement on targets and measures, including an implementation plan, will come about in 2023 once real-time data have been analysed.”

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This complete item is approximately 2000 words in length, and appeared in the November 2016 issue of WorldCargo News, on page 17. To access this issue download the PDF here.