Prevention of Air Pollution from Ships

The recent IMO document MEPC 59/INF.28, which is dated June 22, 2009 is a report by the IMO secretariat on June 2009 sessions of the subsidiary bodies of the UNFCCC that continued the intensive negotiation phase leading up to the Copenhagen Climate Change Conference (COP 15) later this year, which is tasked with agreeing on a post-2012 climate regime.

One of the drafts for submission to COP 15, suggests the following alternatives for the greenhouse gas emission scenario for marine:

IMO shall be encouraged to continue without delay its activities for the development of policies and measures to reduce GHG emissions, and specifically: [To achieve, through the use of its policies and mechanisms, total GHG emmission reductions which are at least as ambitious as the total GHG emmission reductions under the convention;]

Alternative text:

Recognizing that in order to achieve a necessary two degree scenario, global greenhouse gas emissions should follow a pathway that includes a peak year no later than 2015 and results in emission reductions of 50-85% by 2050, in accordance with findings in the 4th Assessment Report of the IPCC.

In the June issue of "Shipping World & Shipbuilder" M.A.N. state that the energy demand for shipping one TEU has dropped by 84% between 1960 and 2008. This reduction is a result of increased carrying capacity of ships and increases in hull form, coating and propulsion efficiencies. MAN suggests further 33% GHG reductions can be obtained by shifting from marine fuel to natural gas.

How will domestic shipowners deal with future GHG emission limits?