EMEA News
Greek Shipowners: Slow Steaming Mooted as Way Forward on Shipping Emissions
Incorporating slow steaming as standard merits serious consideration, a Greek shipping conference was told.
Speakers at the Capital Link Greek Shipping forum held in Athens raised the issue in debates about regulation and shipping emissions, maritime news provider Lloyd's List reports.
European Communities' Shipowners' Associations chairman Panos Laskaridis told the meeting that reducing speed should be on the table as a way of addressing emissions.
Another owner, Intertanko chairman Nikolas Tsakos, echoed the same thoughts.
"Slow steaming is a way to control our environmental footprint and we should look into it," Tsakos was quoted as saying at the same event.
Slow steaming was widely adopted by ship owners and operators in the era of high bunker fuel prices prior to the current low price environment.
In addition to reducing emissions from shipping, the tactic of slow steaming stimulated demand for shipping capacity.
Slow steaming broadly defined would see ships moving at up to 10 knots below their average speed.
In addition, the Athens event heard that the international seagoing fleet was in danger of moving to the Far East where conditions were seen as being more beneficial to the industry.
