SSI "Cautiously Optimistic" Following MEPC 70

SSI says that it is "critical" that work continue ahead of MEPC 71.

The Sustainable Shipping Initiative (SSI) today said it is "cautiously optimistic" about progress made at the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) 70th session of the Marine Environmental Protection Committee (MEPC 70).

As Ship & Bunker has reported, MEPC 70 late last week agreed to develop a Road Map for addressing CO2 emissions from international shipping, with initial CO2 reduction commitments to be agreed to by 2018.

"The development of a GHG emissions reduction roadmap to 2023, and the adoption of an initial strategy with short, medium and long-term measures in 2018 is a positive step forwards for the shipping industry," said Ian Petty, General Manager of SSI.

"However, significant work still needs to be conducted to maintain momentum and enable the industry to agree on the level of ambition for emissions reduction."

Despite the 2018 date for initial commitments, SSI says that it is "critical" that work to enable the IMO member states to agree an "appropriate level of ambition" is completed ahead of MEPC 71 - slated for May 2017 - including an assessment of future predicted shipping demand, a detailed cost-benefit analysis, and an understanding of current and future capabilities for emissions reductions.

SSI says it welcomes the integration of the IMO’s third GHG study (2012) with the Monitoring, Reporting and Verification (MRV) data collection scheme, as well as the provision for the development of a fourth GHG study from 2012 to 2018 in order to fill data gaps.

Further, SSI says that, based on research conducted with the University College of London’s Energy Institute and SSI's own Roadmap for a sustainable industry, the organisation says the average Energy Efficiency Operational Indicators (EEOI) should be reduced by 80 percent on 2012 levels by 2050, requiring a 25 to 30 percent emissions reduction every decade from now until 2040.

"We must be under no illusions that while defining a roadmap is progress, the challenge to reduce shipping’s impact on climate change remains significant," said Petty.

"There can be no stalling or derailing of plans. The industry must now continue to work together with purpose and urgency to put in place the elements that will define its contribution to global emissions reduction, so that the real process for action and implementation can begin."

Prior to MEPC 70, SSI earlier this month urged IMO to take action to align shipping industry regulations with the climate agreement reached at COP 21 in Paris last year.