Expectations ahead of the 76th session of the IMO Marine Environment Protection Committee MEPC were high, but the outcome is lagging behind and do not quite meet these expectations. This is how CIMAC, the global combustion engine industry association, comments on the outcome of the MEPC June meeting where important steps for the maritime sector to reduce Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions were postponed.
“The organization responsible for regulating shipping should take the necessary steps to speed up the process. Clear regulations are in the interest of all, including the maritime industry”, explains Dirk Bergmann, the Chairman of CIMAC’s Greenhouse Gas Strategy Group. “The initial IMO GHG Strategy, adopted in 2018, sets the target to halve GHG emission from ships by 2050, compared to 2008. We had hoped already for concrete and mandatory steps at the MEPC 75th session. On the positive side it is worth mentioning that the EEXI and CII measures were adopted. They build the basis to manage future decarbonization of international shipping”, he continues.
“Through a rather incoherent approach, the regulatory bodies are leaving the market without clear rules, which may lead to investments being postponed or not being made at all. Anyone investing in ships or port facilities wants to be sure that they will be able to meet the environmental requirements of the year 2050”, says Peter Müller-Baum, CIMAC Secretary General. He adds that as part of the Green Deal and its “Fit for 55” initiative, the European Commission is also looking at shipping. “Regulation at the European level is viewed with unease in the industry because no one wants a regulatory patchwork. A global solution would certainly be better than many individual solutions. But the EU is unlikely to stand by and watch” Müller-Baum expresses. He believes the EU, as the largest single market in the world, might now come up with its own regulatory proposal.
CIMAC will continue to closely follow the discussions around IMO, MEPC, and GHG preventions and comment as needed. As an international platform which includes major shipping companies CIMAC is willing to discuss these challenges informally to develop appropriate solutions. The topic will also have a high priority during the upcoming CIMAC Congress in Busan in 2022 (https://www.cimaccongress.com).