ICS: CO2 Emissions "High" on Shipping Industry's Priority List

ICS says the focus on shipping emissions is reflected by the agenda for the 2016 International Shipping Conference, which is set for September 7.

The International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) Monday said that reducing CO2 emissions is "high on the list of priorities" for the shipping industry - a reality that the organisation says is reflected in the agenda for its 2016 International Shipping Conference.

The conference, which is scheduled for September 7, is set to feature Kitack Lim, Secretary-General of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), Ian Parry, Principal Environmental Fiscal Policy Expert, International Monetary Fund (IMF), and Esben Poulsson, ICS' new Chairman, among others.

The conference will feature an "all parties" session on CO2 emissions, which will be chaired by John Adams, the Managing Director for Teekay Shipping Glasgow Ltd (Teekay) and Chairman of the Bahamas Shipowners’ Association, and include the views from representation of regulators, NGOs, and ship operators.

ICS notes that Kathy Metcalf, President, Chamber of Shipping of America, will also be addressing anticipated challenges of the Ballast Water Convention at the conference, while Guy Platten, the UK Chamber of Shipping's CEO, will be discussing the implications of Brexit on the shipping industry.

The conference is also set to include discussion on over-capacity in the market, featuring Olaf Merk of the OECD International Transport Forum, and a cross discipline panel, as well as sessions on seafarer supply issues, managing corruption, shipowner liability, and NATO's response to piracy and refugees situations.

"The issues on the table today cover a broad spectrum and affect us all," said Simon Bennett, Policy and External Relations Director at ICS.

"It is important to fully debate them at all levels and across all sectors of the shipping community," he added, noting that the 2016 ICS International Shipping Conference provides "the ideal opportunity" for all interested parties to come together to share ideas and opinions.

In November, ICS said that "aggressive" fuel efficiency efforts being implemented by the global shipping industry, coupled with CO2 reduction measures by the IMO, are capable of delivering "far more ambitious" reductions in CO2 emissions than current government targets.