MEPC 62: The world can afford sustainable shipping - Bunker World

Posted - July 8. 2011 14:08 GMT - Dennis M. King - Environmental Economics Professor, University of Maryland - Bunker World

It is always worth considering the potential costs and related economic impacts of new environmental regulations affecting global shipping. However, claims by some shipping industry groups that pending IMO ballast water regulations or a proposed carbon levy on bunker fuel will impose unbearable economic hardships on businesses and households around the world seem far-fetched. Let’s take a look at the basic numbers.
It is estimated that widespread compliance with IMO ballast water regulations will require more than 50,000 merchant ships to install on-board ballast water treatment (BWT) systems at a cost of about $1 million each.
For a few years after implementation the IMO's tiered schedule of compliance deadlines could result in as many as 15,000 merchant ships per year installing BWT systems so the annual cost to the shipping industry during those peak years will be about $15 billion.
Once the existing global fleet is in compliance, of course, compliance costs will decline significantly to around $3 billion or so annually and be associated primarily with installation of treatment systems on newly built ships.

Complete Posting at:
http://www.bunkerworld.com/forum/blogs/Dennis-King/104704/MEPC-62-The-world-can-afford-sustainable-shipping

International Chamber of Shipping to call on governments to support CO2 emissions reduction measures - Hellenic Shipping News Worldwide

Posted - July 7, 2011 - Hellenic Shipping News Worldwide

The International Chamber of Shipping (ICS), which represents all sectors and trades and over 80% of world merchant tonnage, is calling on governments to support a crucial vote, next week, at the London-based UN International Maritime Organization
(IMO), to help shipping deliver meaningful CO2 emissions reductions on a global basis.
ICS member national shipowners’ associations are lobbying their governments hard to ensure that they support the adoption of global rules on technical and operational measures, which ICS believes will deliver at least a 20% reduction in CO2 emissions by 2020, per tonne-km of trade carried by sea.
“Every vote will count.” explained ICS Secretary General, Peter Hinchliffe.
“We appreciate that some developing countries - in our view mistakenly - are concerned that a positive IMO decision on technical measures, that will apply to all ships equally, regardless of flag, might somehow prejudice their positions at the high level UN Climate Change negotiations. But any failure to agree at IMO will make discussions on the reduction of shipping’s emissions far more difficult. As well as being bad for the environment, a ‘no’ vote will threaten the ‘level playing field’ in international shipping with the risk of very serious market distortions.”
A package of technical and operational measures has been already been developed by governments, and is being put forward for adoption by the IMO Marine Environment Protection Committee (meeting from 11 -15 July) as amendments to Annex VI of the MARPOL Convention. Most importantly this package includes the Energy Efficiency Design Index (EEDI) and the use of Ship Energy Efficiency Management Plans (SEEMP).
Agreement at IMO will be vital to maintain the principle of global rules for a global industry, which cannot be guaranteed if emission reduction measures are left entirely to the high level climate change talks at UNFCCC, or if unilateral action is taken by the European Commission, which will be the likely result if agreement is not reached by governments at IMO next week.

Complete Story at:
http://www.hellenicshippingnews.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=34086:international-chamber-of-shipping-to-call-on-governments-to-support-co2-emissions-reduction-measures-&catid=46:top-story-b&Itemid=151

Cutting greenhouse emissions from shipping - Baird Maritime

Posted - Monday, 04 July 2011 09:17

European Commission Vice-President Siim Kallas and Climate Action Commissioner Connie Hedegaard met last Tuesday with representatives of the shipping industry, EU member states and the European Parliament to discuss how to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from shipping. Participants called for the adoption of the Energy Efficient Design Index (EEDI) developed by the International Maritime Organization (IMO).
The EEDI contains technical requirements to improve the design of new ships to reduce both fuel consumption and emissions. EU officials believe that adoption of the index would send a positive signal that international negotiations at the IMO can deliver concrete contributions to combating climate change. Some countries have so far refused to engage constructively in the debate at the IMO. At last week’s meeting discussions focused on how these talks can yield genuine results. Specifically, the meeting looked at other multi-regional co-operation initiatives on transport and environment issues, and how these experiences could be applied to reduce emissions from ships.
The EU has pledged to reduce total greenhouse gas emissions by at least 20 percent across all sectors by 2020. Under the legislation, if no international agreement is approved covering international maritime emissions by the end of 2011, the commission should make a proposal to include these in the EU reduction commitment.
"It is high time for an agreement in the IMO,” said Hedegaard. “Much as we prefer a global solution, the member states and the European Parliament have asked the Commission to present a possible proposal to reduce shipping emissions for 2012 in the case that the IMO fails to find a solution. Today's meeting is a part of the necessary engagement to move forward."

Source:
http://www.bairdmaritime.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=10560:cutting-greenhouse-emissions-from-shipping&catid=76:marine-environment&Itemid=212

Shipping-emission curbs delay sought - mb.com.ph

Posted - By MICHELLE WIESE BOCKMANN (BLOOMBERG) - July 4, 2011, 2:31am

MANILA, Philippines — China, Saudi Arabia and South Africa want developing nations excluded from rules designed to cut the 870 million metric tons of carbon emitted by ships every year.
The United Nations’ International Maritime Organization meets from July 11 to set the emissions standards that may apply from 2013. Developing nations should either be exempt from those rules for five years or be assigned half the targets until 2021, the three countries said in a proposal last month to the IMO, a copy of which was obtained by Bloomberg.
International shipping accounts for about 2.7 percent of global emissions of carbon dioxide, making it the most efficient form of mass transport, the London-based IMO said in a report in 2009. About 90 percent of global trade moves by sea, the Round Table of International Shipping Associations estimates. Owners are considering liquefied natural gas as an alternative to the heavy fuel oil they currently use to power ships.
“What’s at stake is the ability of the IMO to regulate carbon,” said Simon Bennett, external affairs director for the London-based International Chamber of Shipping, whose members represent 80 percent of the global fleet. “If not adopted on a uniform basis, we stand to have chaos because you will have different standards applying to different ships depending on where they are registered.”
Lee Adamson, a London-based spokesman for the IMO, declined to comment.

Complete Story at:
http://www.mb.com.ph/articles/325276/shippingemission-curbs-delay-sought

International approach needed to reduce shipping emissions -Science, Technology and Innovation Projects

Posted - Published: Wednesday, 29th June 2011 by Adelle Kehoe - Science, Technology and Innovation Projects

Yesterday saw the meeting of the European Vice-President Siim Kallas and Climate Action Commissioner Connie Hedegaard with the shipping industry, Member States and the European Parliament where it was discussed and debated how to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the shipping industry. Short, medium and long term solutions were discussed and the need for a uniformed, international approach was recognized as the most important factor in moving forwards.
The EU has famously committed itself to reducing total greenhouse gas emissions by at least 20% across all sectors by 2020. At which time (2008), there was no international agreement on the inclusion of the international maritime emissions and it was made clear that if no formal legislation was in place by the end of 2011, the Commission should make a proposal to include these in the EU reduction commitment.
Vice-President Kallas said: "We have recognized in our White Paper on Transport that shipping must contribute to our efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. For a global sector such as maritime transport, measures which are the most environmentally effective and make economic sense can best be achieved through the IMO. The EU will continue its efforts to achieve an international solution. We look forward to working together with other countries, regions and organizations to tackle this challenge successfully without delay."
The International Maritime Organization (IMO) – is the United Nations specialized agency with responsibility for the safety and security of shipping and the prevention of marine pollution by ships. The IMO have called for the adoption of their ‘Energy Efficient Design Index’ at the next meeting of the IMO's Marine Environment Protection Committee in July. The index contains technical requirements to improve the design of new ships in order to reduce both their fuel consumption and emissions. The adoption of the index would give a positive signal that international negotiations at IMO can deliver concrete contributions to combating climate change.

Complete Story at:
http://www.projectsmagazine.eu.com/news/international_approach_needed_to_reduce_shipping_emissions

GHG challenge awaits new IMO chief - Carbpn Positive

Posted - Thursday, 30 June 2011 - Carbon Positive

Many in shipping have been looking for clues as to industry’s regulatory future in the election this week of a new chief of International Maritime Organization (IMO), Japan’s Koji Sekimizu, currently director of the IMO's maritime safety division. On the thorny issue of greenhouse-gas (GHG) regulation, the IMO is currently exploring market-based measures (MBMs) to cut emissions and mulling a decision to make energy efficiency standards in ship design and operation mandatory. It appears any big decisions on market measures for international shipping will be made under the Sekimizu reign between 2012 and 2015.
It is hard to gauge how his appointment will affect the direction of such regulation. Certainly, he can’t be seen to be using his position to push Japan’s MBM proposal for a bunker levy scheme designed to reward energy efficiency in ships. As to Semikizu’s ability to oversee resolution in shipping’s GHG emissions challenge, which has eluded his predecessors up to now, opinions differ.
Lloyds List comments: “As a long-time insider Mr Semikizu might not be the Richard Branson-style candidate to shake up the organization, as many people appeared to favour in a Lloyd’s List’s poll. But he is highly respected within the IMO and that might be in his favour when it comes to making difficult decisions as the organization seeks to deal with the diverse range of challenges it faces in the next few years that he will be secretary-general.”
The European Union, meanwhile, continues its consultation program over a plan to implement regional regulation to reduce shipping GHG emissions. EU Transport Commissioner Siim Kallas and Climate Commissioner Connie Hedegaard met with shipping industry and government officials this week to discuss options.

Complete Story at:
http://www.carbonpositive.net/viewarticle.aspx?articleID=2345

Global maritime carbon deal 'dead in the water - EurActiv.com

Posted - Published 30 June 2011 - EurActiv.com

EU officials believe that a global deal to cut maritime carbon emissions is currently unachievable and are instead talking up an initiative by the Bahamas to regulate the world's shipping fleets as an alternative.

EU officials believe that a global deal to cut maritime carbon emissions is currently unachievable and are instead talking up an initiative by the Bahamas to regulate the world's shipping fleets as an alternative.
"We have nothing in the global [talks] and it is unrealistic to expect a MBM [Market-Based Measure] deal this year, next year, the year after, and maybe the year after that also," one senior EU source told EurActiv.
"On the other hand we have a political commitment to do something regionally if nothing happens globally," he said.
Throughout 2011, the EU is consulting with stakeholders on policy alternatives, including bringing shipping into the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS), if no accord is reached.
But as the Chinese airlines row rumbles on, there is little appetite for another spat in Brussels.
"The aviation [dispute] shows us that this is probably not the right way to go because if it fails, what have we won beside bad blood and bitterness?" one EU official told EurActiv.
The Bahamas initiative, which was originally mooted in March, was "a positive alternative" to unilateralism, according to EU Transport Commissioner Siim Kallas.
"We are looking for solutions that involve partners," he told EurActiv. "I don't think that a unilateral solution can be a good answer because it can create a lot of political resistance."
But environmentalists believe that the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) is too closely aligned with vested interests to ensure effective implementation of emissions reduction measures.

Complete Story at:
http://www.euractiv.com/en/climate-environment/global-maritime-carbon-deal-dead-water-news-506074