EMEA News
BIMCO Adds Voice to Criticism of EU CO2 Law
BIMCO has criticised a move by the European Union (EU) to require shippers to report certain data on carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from 2018, saying the data will not be of value in reducing CO2 emissions and would negatively impact global agreement on the issue.
The new rules on monitoring, reporting and verification (MRV) are said to apply to all ships over 5,000 gross tonnes calling EU ports, regardless of flag or ownership.
"BIMCO believes that the EU MRV system will create additional red tape for shipping without any positive impact on the environment and may well negatively affect the prospect of an international agreement on the issue in [International Maritime Organization] IMO."
Disclosable information is understood to include CO2 emissions, distance sailed and cargo carried.
BIMCO said that the new rules imposed further "red tape" on shippers and that the inclusion of a requirement to report on cargo-related factors would create problems related to data reliability, confidentiality, and reporting responsibilities and obligations.
"We view the EU MRV Regulation as unhelpful in terms of reaching an international agreement on the crucial issue of CO2 monitoring," said Lars Robert Pedersen, BIMCO's Deputy Secretary General.
"We also find it hard to see how the cargo data required from ships will be of value as it relates to past commercial utilisation of ships and serves no purpose for limiting future CO2 emissions or assessing ships' future performance capabilities."
Lobbyist Transport & Environment yesterday said the law had been approved by the European Parliament, but was "weak" as it does not include provisions for reducing CO2 emissions, only monitoring them.
The International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) also said this week unilateral action by the EU on CO2 emissions could jeopardise negotiations at a global level.
