MEPC 72: Mandatory Slow(er) Steaming "Only Measure on the Table" for Shipping to Address GHG Emissions

A report suggests slower steaming could reduce Shipping GHGs by 33%. File Image / Pixabay

As Shipping contemplates efforts to reduce its GHGs emissions as part of implied obligations under the COP21 climate deal, the idea of imposing speed limits on the world's fleet is gaining momentum.

The idea will be presented next month when Member States meet at IMO Headquarters in London for the 72nd session of the Marine Environmental Protection Committee (MEPC 72), during which they are expected to adopt an initial strategy on the reduction of GHG emissions from the Shipping industry.

A study conducted last year by CE Delft concluded such a move could cut GHG emissions by 33% if vessels reduced their speed by 30%.

While this would increase voyage expenses due to additional sailing days, the costs would be offset by the reduced fuel cost and net additional expenses could be zero or even negative for shipowners, according to the report.

And as a Greek shipping conference was told last month, slower steaming would also have the benefit of stimulating demand for shipping capacity.

The idea has many other positives, chief among them being it would require near zero capital investment from shipowners, who of course have already been voluntarily slow steaming as part of their own efforts to reduce bunker consumption.

Enforcement would also be relatively trivial using existing vessel tracking systems - at least in theory.

"Speed limits is the only measure on the table that can deliver immediate greenhouse gas savings for the entire fleet and IMO must give it due consideration to save the sector's carbon budget," said Faig Abbasov, a campaigner for environmental group Transport & Environment (T&E).

More importantly, some Member States have already indicated they would accept such a measure: "Netherlands is not opposed to speed limits for shipping, as long as they don't distort trade," said Dirk-Jan Nieuwenhuis at Netherlands Embassy.

But it is Nieuwenhuis' latter point where the problems may lie.

Chile and Peru are among the nations expressing reservations over the idea on the back of concern from fresh fruit exporters over the impact on their trade. Increased voyage time could impact the quality of their product at the time of delivery, they say.

"We are really worried regarding the speed of vessels, because that could affect our exports," Rolando Drago, Chile's ambassador to London and head of delegation to the IMO, told Climate Home News.

The two nations have instead made a submission to IMO to consider the notion of "optimal speed" rather than simply a "speed reduction".

Denmark, meanwhile, has flat out dismissed the idea, according to a report by Motorship, with Danish Shipping CEO Anne Steffensen saying it would cause a market distortion to the benefit of inefficient ships.