Danish shipping supports IMO solution
SHIPPING: The Danish Shipowners’ Association is together with the international shipping industry firmly committed to reducing its CO2 emissions, but is in need of the global political will to follow that ambition.
In July 2011 IMO agreed on a set of operational and technical measures thereby making shipping the first sector to be covered by global measures to reduce its CO2 emissions. The package includes a system of energy efficiency design indexing (EEDI) for new ships
and will lead to close to 30% emission reductions by 2030 compared to “business as usual”. Moreover, as an operational measure IMO agreed on a Ship Energy Efficiency Management Plan (SEEMP) for use by all ships which on a daily operational basis will lead to CO2 reductions.
This agreement demonstrates that governments worldwide see IMO as the most effective means to reduce CO2 emissions from shipping.
The EU has made it clear that should no agreement be found at the global level before the end of 2011, a proposal for a regional measure will be tabled. It is the clear preference of
Danish as well as the majority of the international shipping industry that an international compensation fund linked to fuel consumption, rather than a system based on emissions trading should be agreed upon in a global regulatory framework. A regional measure, for instance including shipping in the EU emission trading system, will cause administrative burdens and be difficult to enforce due to the complex nature of shipping. Moreover, a non global measure is less climate effective as most shipping activity takes place outside European waters and could consequently create a situation where operators avoid calling EU ports.
Source: Danish Shipowners’ Association /maritimedanmark.dk12;00
