Leading international maritime associations and organisations have announced that they reiterate their strong support for adoption of the IMO’s “Net-Zero Framework” by the world’s governments.
The IMO Framework is subject to a vote at the critical Extraordinary Session of the IMO Marine Environment Protection Committee next week (14-17 October).
The Asian Shipowners’ Association, the European Shipowners, the International Association of Ports & Harbours, the International Bunker Industry Associations, the International Chamber of Shipping, International Transport Workers’ Federation, and the World Shipping Council have made the joint declaration.
The group have asserted that the global industry remains fully committed to working collaboratively with IMO Member States to successfully implement the regulatory package. The new measures would drive the industry towards achieving net zero Greenhouse Gas Emissions by, or close to 2050, with incentives to de-risk investment in new green marine fuels to accelerate the total decarbonisation of international shipping.
“Only global rules will decarbonise a global industry. Without the Framework, shipping would risk a growing patchwork of unilateral regulations, increasing costs without effectively contributing to decarbonisation. With the support of the industry, this is a unique and historic opportunity to put in place a comprehensive global framework,” the group said.
Extraordinary times, Extraordinary Session
The new package, if passed, will take the form of an amendment to Annex VI of MARPOL (the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships). Annex VI deals with air pollution from shipping.
Earlier this year in April, to comply with administrative provisions within MARPOL, a vote was held and passed at the IMO which approved the circulation to IMO of the proposed changes. Should there be a vote at the upcoming Extraordinary Session, only the Contracting Parties to MARPOL Annex VI have the right to vote on the proposed changes. There are currently 108 eligible Contracting Parties.
For the changes to be adopted, there needs to be a two-thirds majority vote in favour by eligible voters that are “present and voting”.
So, as Dr. Edmund Hughes PhD, IBIA Representative to the IMO, explains, should 100 Contracting Parties attend the meeting, and then only 90 of those vote, then the required majority to approve the amendments is 61 “yes” votes. Dr Hughes notes that there 57 Contracting Parties that voted “yes” at the previous April vote to distribute the proposed changes.
The declarants
The Asian Shipowners Association is an organisation of the shipowners’ associations from ASEAN*, China, Cook Islands, Hong Kong, Japan and Korea, representing around 50% of the world merchant fleet.
The European Community Shipowners’ Association represents 22 national shipowners’ associations based in the EU and Norway. European shipowners control 35 % of the global commercial fleet.
The International Association of Ports and Harbors (IAPH) has developed into a global alliance of 201 port authorities as well as 175 port-related businesses, with members in 94 different countries; member ports handle over one third of the world’s sea-borne trade and well over 60% of the world container traffic.
The International Bunker Industry Association represents stakeholders in the marine fuel chain and has members in more than 70 countries.
The International Transport Workers’ Federation is an association of trade unions with more than 700 affiliated unions from 150 countries.
The International Chamber of Shipping has members from around 40 countries and represents national shipowner associations that, together, account for over 80% of the world’s merchant fleet (disclosure: Shipping Australia is an associate member of the International Chamber of Shipping).
The World Shipping Council represents the global container shipping industry.
