Industry Insight: IMO Secretary-General Kitack Lim Talks Vessel Efficiency Technology, LNG Bunkers

IMO Secretary-General Kitack Lim

Last November the International Maritime Organization (IMO) unanimously endorsed the appointment of the Republic of Korea's Kitack Lim as the next IMO Secretary-General.

As the IMO's eighth elected Secretary-General, Lim began his four year term effective January 1, 2016.

He recently spoke to Gibraltar Shipping on several issues, including vessel efficiency technology and LNG bunkers.

How important are new technologies in improving vessel efficiency?

New technologies and innovation are very important tools and can significantly enhance ships' energy efficiency.

IMO has set non-prescriptive regulations for the mandatory Energy Efficiency Design Index (EEDI) for new ships, so that ship designers are free to use imagina- tion, blue-sky thinking and innovative technology to meet the requirements and also achieve the most cost-efficient solutions.

We are also working proactively to encourage technology-transfer in the maritime sector and the focus is on cooperation and collaboration. We want to cement not just north-south technology cooperation, but south-south and south -north technology and information flow as well.

Two major IMO projects are supporting the increased uptake and implementation of energy-efficiency measures for shipping.

The first is the GloMEEP project, formally designated "Transforming the Global Maritime Transport Industry towards a Low Carbon Future through Improved Energy Efficiency". IMO is executing this Global Environment Facility (GEF)- funded GloMEEP project in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), following the signing of an agreement between IMO, the GEF and UNDP to allocate US$2.0 million to this two-year partnership project. A number of national workshops involving lead pilot countries have already been held under the project.

The second exciting project is the European Union-funded IMO project to establish a global network of Maritime Technology Cooperation Centres (MTCCs) in developing countries. The aim is to help beneficiary countries limit and reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from their shipping sectors through technical assistance and capacity building. It will encourage the uptake of innovative energy-efficiency technologies among a large number of users through the widespread dissemination of technical information and know-how and thereby heighten the impact of technology transfer. One of the goals will be to promote the uptake of low-carbon technologies and operations in the maritime sector through the implementation of pilot projects.

Both these projects will provide opportunities to evaluate existing as well as new and emerging technologies. So we might be looking at advanced hull coatings to prevent fouling, novel propulsion and powering systems, "smart ships" incorporating advanced communications and sensor technology into their operation, and so on.

It is an exciting time for shipping, as we look towards building capacity to implement technical and operational measures in developing countries, where shipping is increasingly concentrated. We should strive towards promoting a low -carbon maritime sector, to minimize the adverse impacts of shipping emissions on climate change, ocean acidification and local air quality.

What is the IMO's view on LNG being the "energy of the future"?

As an organization, IMO has not adopted a view on LNG specifically but has responded to changes in the industry by ensuring the development of appropriate global standards for new fuels or for alternative methods in order to meet compliance.

As environmental regulations strengthen, such as the air pollution regulations under MARPOL Annex VI, the market will decide how to respond. It will be up to ship operators to decide on which fuel to use or whether to use alternative, equivalent methods (such as scrubbers), so long as these are approved by the flag State as meeting the air pollutant requirements.

At the moment, the number of LNG-fuelled ships is relatively small. An IMO- commissioned study identified some 40 LNG-fuelled merchant ships in operation with a further 40 under construction or undertaking conversion.

The same study notes that the use of LNG is considered to have significant environmental advantages. An LNG-fuelled ship reduces the emissions of NOx by 85% to 90% (using a gas-only engine), and SOx and particles by close to 100% compared to conventional fuel oil. In addition, LNG-fuelled ships may result in a net reduction of GHG emissions.

Recognizing the increasing number of gas-fuelled ships, IMO has developed and adopted the International Code of Safety for Ships using Gases or other Low- flashpoint Fuels (IGF Code), which contains mandatory provisions for the arrangement, installation, control and monitoring of machinery, equipment and systems using low-flashpoint fuels, focusing initially on LNG. It becomes mandatory under amendments to the SOLAS Convention which will enter into force on 1 January 2017.

IMO has also adopted amendments to the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW), and STCW Code, to include new mandatory minimum requirements for the training and qualifications of masters, officers, ratings and other personnel on ships subject to the IGF Code. These amendments will enter into force on 1 January 2017.