Speaking at the AGM, ICS Chairman, Esben Poulsson, said: "It is imperative that IMO member states adopt a new global regulation to mandate further short term CO2 reduction measures at the next session of the Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) in 2020. This should deliver further CO2 reductions by 2023 to help us meet the IMO target set for 2030. We will work with a broad coalition of governments to produce a comprehensive proposal that can be submitted to IMO in September this year.
"The core of this proposal will be the Super SEEMP concept, whereby shipping companies globally will have to demonstrate they are doing absolutely everything possible to reduce fuel consumption, strictly enforced via flag state audits of Ship Energy Efficiency Management Plans (SEEMP). But we also agreed to incorporate elements of the many other good proposals made by governments at the last round of IMO discussions on CO2 reduction in May.
"By coming forward with an early proposal for immediate adoption we wish to support continuing IMO leadership on GHG emissions and quickly incentivise further action by shipping companies. We do not wish to limit proper consideration of other ideas such as speed reduction or the use of new CO2 reduction technologies," he said.
The ICS AGM also confirmed the vital importance of research and development of zero-carbon fuels and propulsion systems that will be necessary to achieve the ambitious IMO target of cutting shipping’s total GHG emissions by 50% by 2050 regardless of maritime trade growth, and continuing to work with other industry stakeholders to explore how R&D can best be rapidly accelerated.
ICS members reiterated their commitment to the successful implementation of the IMO global sulfur cap from 1st January, 2020, noting ICS' plans to revise its comprehensive guidance to shipowners on ensuring compliance, to take account of recent IMO decisions. This is notwithstanding continuing uncertainty about the worldwide availability of safe and compliant low sulfur fuels, and the operational challenges associated with using new 0.5% max sulfur blends.
Poulsson added: "Our meeting welcomed the decision of the IMO Maritime Safety Committee last week, at which ICS led shipowner representation, to adopt an MSC resolution addressing safety and fuel quality issues associated with the sulfur cap." (see story above).
This MSC Resolution on 'Recommended Interim Measures to Enhance the Safety of Ships Relating to the Use of Oil Fuel' means that bunker suppliers will be 'encouraged' by maritime administrations to provide only low sulfur fuels that meet the latest ISO Standard, ie ISO 8217:2017 plus the ISO Publicly Available Specification (PAS 23263), which is currently still under development. In addition, the resolution should result in administrations taking action against fuel suppliers whenever failures to provide safe fuel take place, with instances to be reported to IMO.
ICS remained concerned about continuing delays with the publication of the latest ISO Publicly Available Specification for low sulfur fuels, and related quality and safety issues where control depends on these standards being quickly finalised and distributed, given that the industry is only six months away from full global implementation.
Poulsson stressed “It is vital that everyone concerned, including governments, ISO, oil producers and bunker suppliers redouble their efforts to ensure that safe and compatible fuels – including 0.5% blends for those ships that choose to use them – will be available in every port worldwide.”
In addition, the meeting elected Lasse Kristoffersen (Norway) as a new ICS Vice Chairman, serving alongside John Adams (Bahamas), Emanuele Grimaldi (Italy) and Mark Martecchini (Liberia) in support of Poulsson (Singapore).