Shipping's GHG emissions - what next?

Captains,

Last week's Cancun conference resulted in some resolutions. I haven't come across anything specific to greenhouse gas emissions from ships, however, December hasn't been void of other news related to ship emissions. A draft IMO regulation, a new tanker design, and a web site that calculates ship efficiencies hit the news.

RADM W

Richard Branson's Carbon War Room Takes Aim at 60,000 Ships

BY ARIEL SCHWARTZTue Dec 7, 2010

Sir Richard Branson, chairman of the Virgin Group and visionary industrialist, has decided to keep tabs on the carbon emissions of the gargantuan shipping industry. Branson's nonprofit Carbon War Room this week announced the creation of ShippingEfficiency.org, a site that ranks approximately 60,000 container ships, tankers, bulk carriers, cargo ships, cruise ships, and ferries with efficiency ratings.

LNG Heralds New Era for Oil Shipments

December 6, 2010 | United Kingdom, London

DNV's new VLCC concept - the "Triality" (image © DNV/Making Waves)

34% less CO2, 80% less NOx, 95% less PM and SOx

Det Norske Veritas AS (DNV) has introduced a new crude oil tanker concept that is fuelled by liquefied natural gas (LNG), has a hull shape that removes the need for ballast water and will almost eliminate local air pollution. This concept vessel also recovers hundreds of tons of cargo vapours on each voyage and represents a major step towards the new environmental era for the tanker shipping industry. The concept vessel, named Triality, has been developed through a DNV innovation project.

As its name indicates, Triality fulfils three main goals: it is environmentally superior to a conventional crude oil tanker, its new solutions are feasible and based on well known technology, and it is financially attractive compared to conventional crude oil tankers operating on heavy fuel oil.

IMO takes action pre-COP16

02 Dec 2010

The International Maritime Organization (IMO) has circulated proposed draft regulations to make mandatory technical and operational measures - previously proposed on a volutary basis - to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases (GHGs) from ships on international trade.

The move follows a request by a number of States Parties to Annex VI of the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution by Ships (MARPOL) to circulate the draft text.

The circulation of the proposed amendments to all 169 IMO Member States and three Associate Members comes as IMO prepares to participate in the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Cancún, Mexico (COP 16/CMP 6), where it will seek to ensure that the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Parties continue to entrust IMO, which is the United Nations specialist agency with responsibility for safety and security at sea and protecting the environment from any negative impact that may derive from shipping, with developing and enacting global regulations to control GHG emissions from ships engaged in international trade.

Int'l Maritime Organization to audit government maritime services

Captains,

Secretary General Mitropoulos, head of the International Maritime Organization in London, plans to audit government maritime services. Flag states like Panama and Liberia, port states like United States and China, and coastal states like Canada and Indonesia will certainly take notice of this announcement. U.S. Coast Guard has been active in the voluntary audit scheme for the last several years.

RDML W

IMO to make audits mandatory

04 Dec 2009

IMO's Efthimios Mitropoulos

THE IMO told Fairplay today its voluntary audit scheme will be made mandatory.

The scheme is intended to provide the IMO with information on members so it can determine which of them is in the greatest need of technical aid and which will benefit from “capacity building”, an IMO representative explained.

The audit scheme, designed to address safety and environmental concerns, will become mandatory in 2014.

In the meantime, IMO secretary-general Efthimios Mitropoulos will urge members to volunteer for audits “so that lessons can continue to be learned”, the IMO representative said.

Funds for the IMO to carry out this work are now in place too: the budget for the next two years is £61.1M ($101M).

USA maritime leadership continues in London at IMO

Excerpts from Adm Allen's speech at the General Assembly this week:

U.S. Delegation to the International Maritime Organization

I am Admiral Thad Allen, Commandant of the United States Coast Guard.

Since our inclusion as an IMO member state, the United States has made significant contributions to advance IMO?s objectives of marine safety, security, and environmental protection and we will continue to do so. We are committed because the marine transportation system is an absolutely essential link in the global supply chain.

We are a maritime nation. My service, the U.S. Coast Guard, was founded to provide maritime safety, security, and environmental stewardship for a fledgling nation. We quickly learned that our values, economy, and security were tied to the oceans and waterways that funneled into our ports. Those ports, over 360 of them today, have become essential hubs in the global marketplace.

As a flag state, port state, and coastal state, the United States satisfies the requirements for election under Category ?A?. We are a leader in providing international shipping services. In addition to the U.S. flag fleet, the United States is one of the top five ship owning countries in the world. We have some of the world?s busiest ports and rank second in terms of overall port calls by the world?s ships.

We continue to work at IMO with the international community to address the most pressing issues of the day including air emissions from ships, climate change, piracy in waters off Somalia and the Gulf of Aden where United States forces have demonstrated resolve to address this threat, and goal-based standards for new ship construction.

After the tragic terrorist attacks in the United States on September 11th, 2001, we engaged the IMO to develop the International Ship and Port Facility Security Code. This Code has led to the broad international effort to increase global shipping security. To improve maritime awareness for vessel safety and security, we are voluntarily hosting the international data exchange for the long-range identification and tracking system.

We regularly send highly qualified delegations to IMO meetings and several U.S. personnel have held leadership positions within IMO committees. American subject matter experts assisted in the meetings that produced the Djibouti Code of Conduct and the U. S. Coast Guard also posts a permanent officer at the World Maritime University in Malmo, Sweden, where I have personally delivered a graduation address.z

Recognizing our financial obligations, the United States has remained current on its payments of assessed contributions and made voluntary offerings to various IMO projects. Over the past five years, we provided $1.4 million in funding for the International Maritime Security Trust fund. We provide support and training expertise to help developing countries safeguard their own maritime interests and contribute to international governance.

As a member of the Council, the United States has been a strong advocate for an efficient and forward looking IMO. We will continue to support transparency in all financial and regulatory matters, accountability by adhering to internal and external audits, and the highest ethical standards.

Within the United States, President Obama recently acknowledged just how vital the oceans are to our way of life when he formed the Ocean Policy Task Force. This multi-agency group is creating a governance framework to responsibly manage competing oceanic interests.

When I testified before the United States Senate, I stressed the need to align the Task Force?s domestic policies with the international community. We appreciate that the oceans are indeed the last global commons. We share those waters with all of you and many of the challenges we face extend beyond the reach of individual nations. To facilitate trade and mitigate threats, the global community must work together.

We are committed to working within the IMO framework and with all of the member nations to meet these challenges. This is our obligation so we can leave a better world for our children to inherit.