Issue Summary

There are several aspects to the air emissions issue: the recently adopted revisions to MARPOL Annex VI controlling the emission of SOx and NOx; and the reduction of green house gases from ships which itself can be split into two distinct policy areas - technical and economic measures.

Intercargo Policy

Intercargo is supportive of practical measures to reduce air emissions and works with policy makers and the wider industry to introduce cost effective measures that will effectively reduce emissions, maintain the levels of safety and not distort trade. Intercargo supports the development of such measures at the IMO and believes any measure should be equally applicable to all ships.

Summary of Recent Developments (see below for full briefings)

Annex VI

The revised Annex VI was adopted at MEPC 58 in October 2008. The latest meeting, MEPC 59 in July 2009, developed further supporting information and guidelines with regard to: survey and certification, fuel oil sampling, exhaust gas cleaning systems and port state control.

In addition a proposal for a 200 nm Emission Control Area for the coastal waters of the United States and Canada was approved with a view to adoption at MEPC 60. If full approval goes ahead as expected the North American ECA is anticipated to enter into force in August 2012.

GHG Technical Measures

The IMO has been developing several technical measures over the last few sessions and MEPC 59  developed these further and agreed to issue the following: Interim guidelines on the method of calculation of the Energy Efficiency Design Index (EEDI) for new ships; Interim guidelines on the voluntary verification of the Energy Efficiency Design Index (EEDI); Guidance in the development of a Ship Energy Efficiency Management Plan (SEEMP, formally SEMP); Guidelines on the voluntary use of the Energy Efficiency Operational Index (EEOI). 

GHG Market Based Measures

MEPC 60 had an in depth discussion on market based measures considering the concepts proposed: the Danish proposal for a ‘compensation fund’ raised from a fuel levy; various types of emission trading schemes; and a new proposal from the US on the establishment of mandatory efficiency standards for new and existing ships utilising the Energy Efficiency Design Index (EEDI).

The issue will be considered further at MEPC 60 (March 2010) taking into account the outcome of COP 15 (the UNFCCC talks being held in Copenhagen in Dec 2009).  MEPC 60 will consider further the methodology and criteria for feasibility studies and impact assessments in relation to international shipping. Taking into account such studies it is anticipated that market based measures could be developed further at subsequent sessions of the Committee.