At the International Maritime Organization’s Marine Environment Protection Committee meeting this week (IMO’s MEPC 77, 22-26 Nov. 2021), INTERCARGO said:

“Given the harsh realities and the tremendous challenges of decarbonisation and of the associated energy transition, from technological, economic, and societal points of view,

INTERCARGO fully supports the drive and the ambition to achieve zero emission shipping by 2050.

However, shipowners will only deliver such a target with a drastic and urgently needed acceleration in the commercial development of the required technologies, fuels, propulsion systems and related infrastructure.

IMO’s MEPC 77 is the place for governments / Member States to take action and adopt the necessary measures:

1.      In the short term, an immediate priority is the approval of the industry proposal for the “Establishment of an International Maritime Research and Development Board and an IMO Maritime Research Fund” – as set out in paper MEPC 77/7/6 cosponsored by INTERCARGO.

2.      INTERCARGO has also, jointly with ICS, put forward a proposal for a global levy on carbon emissions from ships as a medium-term Market Based Measure, in order to accelerate the uptake and deployment of zero-carbon technologies and fuels – as set out in paper ISWG-GHG 10/5/2.

In conclusion, INTERCARGO supports the IMO in meeting the shared, global challenge of delivering on the shipping industry’s decarbonisation agenda
and, in representing the dry bulk ship owners, managers and operators, invites IMO’s MEPC 77 to take action as appropriate.”