IMO INTERNATIONAL MARITIME ORGANIZATION

IMO: OCEAN CARBON CLEANUP TARGETS UNITED NATIONS INTERNATIONAL MARITIME ORGANIZATION

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In 2018 historic targets were agreed within International Maritime Organization (IMO) to cut the total net global GHG emissions from international shipping by at least 50% by 2050, to reduce carbon intensity by at least 40% by 2030 compared to a 2008 benchmark and to completely decarbonise shipping by the end of the century.

This is a tough call, but is achievable with a move to renewable energy combined with a gradual phasing out of fossil fuels, though at first with shipping adding solar panels and small wind turbines to supplement dirty power sources. Such moves will require flexible thinking on the part of operators, inevitably with strict enforcement, should the existing fleet be patched instead of replaced.

Presently shipping accounts for around 2.5% of global GHG emissions and although ships are becoming more efficient, due to increasing global trade this contribution is increasing. These emissions are more than any EU state and if the sector was a country, it would rank as the sixth highest in the world. In 2015, shipping accounted for 13% of overall EU greenhouse gas emissions from the transport sector.

Overwhelmingly, long distance shipping accounts for the majority of GHG emissions and its decarbonisation is particularly challenging. It is expected that solutions will need to combine a variety of technologies, operational practices, energy sources and efficiency measures.

HOW DO WE GET THERE ?

The European Commission envisage that working together with, for example operators, ship builders, marine equipment manufacturers, fuel and energy suppliers and others research will address the development of technologies combined with operational practices to substantially reduce GHG emissions from long distance shipping in line with the IMO's targets, without increasing other forms of pollution.

Excluding fuel development, a wide range of potential solutions can be proposed including the use of wind and solar assistance combined with efficiency improvements and other alternate energies.

Solutions can be proposed in combination and should take into account the likely availability of infrastructure (including bunkering) on long distance routes. Solutions should also take into account the CO2 equivalent from any reduction of black carbon emissions.

HORIZON CALL: SEPTEMBER 2019 - JANUARY 2020 - DECARBONISING LONG DISTANCE SHIPPING

In relation to the above targets and the above call, costs, GHG reductions and any other potential waste streams will need to be convincingly analysed using real data and testing programmes in addition to theoretical analysis.

Implications for the provision of new infrastructures would need tol be quantified and assessed.

To at least TRL5, technologies, systems and practices should be tested at full scale on operational shipping. The differences between predicted and measured data should be identified.

Any reduction in GHG emissions that are founded upon innovative operational practices would need to be robustly benchmarked against the current state of the art, for example concerning ship routings and speeds through the use of “big” AIS “data“ and/or other satellite data.

A robust communication strategy would need to be developed and implemented so as to ensure wider public engagement as well as a strong engagement with the global shipping sector and its customers.

Cooperation with IMO and EU activities and fora concerning the decarbonisation of shipping is encouraged to build upon and cooperate with any related activities and research. Such projects should request funding in the range of €5 to 10 million euros to allow specific challenges to be addressed appropriately.

THE EXPECTED IMPACTS:

1. Development of innovative solutions to decarbonise shipping that exceed the IMO’s 2050 target to decarbonise by 50% and which are applicable to ship types that are the largest emitters of GHGs such as: bulk carriers, tankers, container ships, cruise ships and passenger liners.

2. Establishment of robust benchmarks and methods which will provide wide confidence of the “real world” impacts from any specific GHG reduction measure including potential scalability and any secondary environmental impacts.

3. Improve the competitiveness of European maritime industries and shipping companies within the field of green shipping. Increase the awareness and take up by end users.

4. Provide evidence to policy makers within EU and globally concerning infrastructure requirements necessary to meet the 2050 decarbonisations target.

Shipping’ can be considered as truly an international industry. This is because it serves more than 90% of the world’s trade by the cargo transportation and other merchant ships that do so cleanly and cost effectively. As a result, any particular ship can be governed by a management chain that spans many countries, also these ships spend most of their times at sea between various jurisdictions. Therefore, it was felt in the beginning of the last century that there was a need of a universal governing body that in turn laid down rules and standards to regulate the shipping process and the industry worldwide. Thus the International maritime organization came into being.

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