IBIA Hires Former IMO Emissions Chief as IMO Representative

Hughes served as the IMO's head of air pollution and energy efficiency until February 2020. Image Credit: IMO

IBIA has hired former IMO emissions chief Edmund Hughes to replace Unni Einemo as the bunker industry's representative at the UN body regulating it at the global level.

Hughes will take on the role from September 1, an IBIA representative told Ship & Bunker on Thursday.

Hughes worked for the IMO from 2010 to 2020, serving as its head of air pollution and energy efficiency from 2013 to 2020 as the organisation drew up its plan to impose a 0.50% sulfur limit on bunker fuel, as well as its initial strategy on the reduction of GHG emissions from shipping.

Since then he has worked on a variety of consulting projects, as well as serving as a specialist adviser to the UK parliament's Environmental Audit Committee.

"In his tenure at the IMO, Edmund was instrumental in the development of MARPOL Annex VI, encompassing critical regulations such as IMO 2020 and strategic advancements in ships' energy efficiency," IBIA said in an emailed statement on Thursday.

"His commitment to the industry further stood out when he undertook the Secretary role for the IMO working group that rolled out the Initial IMO Strategy on GHG emission reductions from ships in 2018.

"He brings to IBIA exceptional knowledge in maritime policy, primarily focused on controlling ship emissions."

Unni Einemo departed as IBIA director and IMO representative this month to take up a role at nuclear technology firm Core Power. IBIA has yet to announce a replacement director.

IBIA has held consultative status at the IMO since 2005.

Einemo had engaged heavily in the technical detail of the various IMO regulations affecting the bunker industry in her time at IBIA, regularly speaking at meetings of the organisation's committees to put across the industry's view. This workload will not get any lighter in the coming years, as the industry prepares to hear the detail of how the IMO's new GHG strategy will be implemented and what medium-term measures will be imposed to secure decarbonisation.

Hughes will be speaking at the IBIA Annual Convention 2023 in Dubai in November. 

The convention will be held at the Queen Elizabeth II Hotel in Dubai on November 7-9. For more information, click here.