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Today at the 80th session of Marine Environment and Protection Committee (MEPC) of the IMO, a historic agreement has been made by the adoption of a new 2023 IMO Strategy on Reduction of GHG Emission from Ships. It is envisaged this landmark decision will create new ambition within the maritime industry and drive innovative technical and operational measures in support of the new strategy.

OCIMF will issue a full report summarising all MEPC 80 discussions in due course. In the meantime, a high-level summary of the main differences between the International Maritime Organization (IMO) Strategy 2018 and 2023 follows.

1. Vision: While both strategies express the IMO's commitment to reducing GHG emissions and aim to phase them out, the 2023 strategy introduces the concept of promoting "a just and equitable transition."

 

2. Levels of ambition:

  • Both strategies seek to reduce the CO2 emissions per transport work, as average across international shipping, with a reduction target of at least 40% by 2030 compared to 2008.
  • The 2023 strategy introduces the objective of increasing the uptake of zero or near-zero GHG emission technologies, fuels and/or energy sources to at least 5%, striving for 10%, of the energy used by international shipping by 2030.
  • While the 2018 strategy seeks to reduce total annual GHG emissions from international shipping by at least 50% by 2050 compared to 2008, the 2023 strategy goes further, aiming for net-zero GHG emissions by around 2050.

 

3. Indicative checkpoints: The 2018 strategy does not specify any indicative checkpoints. The 2023 strategy introduces checkpoints to reduce total annual GHG emissions from international shipping by at least 20%, striving for 30% by 2030, and by at least 70%, striving for 80%, by 2040, compared to 2008.

 

The table below contains the original words of both strategies.

 

Aspect

IMO Strategy 2018

IMO Strategy 2023

Vision

IMO remains committed to reducing GHG emissions from international shipping and, as a matter of urgency, aims to phase them out as soon as possible in this century.

IMO remains committed to reducing GHG emissions from international shipping and, as a matter of urgency, aims to phase them out as soon as possible, while promoting, in the context of this Strategy, a just and equitable transition.

Levels of ambition
  • Carbon intensity of the ship to decline through implementation of further phases of the energy efficiency design index (EEDI) for new ships to review with the aim to strengthen the energy efficiency design requirements for ships with the percentage improvement for each phase to be determined for each ship type, as appropriate;
  • Carbon intensity of international shipping to decline to reduce CO2 emissions per transport work, as an average across international shipping, by at least 40% by 2030, pursuing efforts towards 70% by 2050, compared to 2008; and
  • GHG emissions from international shipping to peak and decline to peak GHG emissions from international shipping as soon as possible and to reduce the total annual GHG emissions by at least 50% by 2050 compared to 2008 whilst pursuing efforts towards phasing them out as called for in the Vision as a point on a pathway of CO2 emissions reduction consistent with the Paris Agreement temperature goals.
  • Carbon intensity of the ship to decline through further improvement of the energy efficiency for new ships to review with the aim of strengthening the energy efficiency design requirements for ships;
  • Carbon intensity of international shipping to decline to reduce CO2 emissions per transport work, as an average across international shipping, by at least 40% by 2030, compared to 2008;

 

  • Uptake of zero or near-zero GHG emission technologies, fuels and/or energy sources to increase uptake of zero or near-zero GHG emission technologies, fuels and/or energy sources to represent at least 5%, striving for 10%, of the energy used by international shipping by 2030; and

 

  • GHG emissions from international shipping to reach net zero to peak GHG emissions from international shipping as soon as possible and to reach net-zero GHG emissions by or around, i.e., close to, 2050, taking into account different national circumstances whilst pursuing efforts towards phasing them out as called for in the Vision consistent with the long-term temperature goal set out in Article 2 of the Paris Agreement.

Indicative checkpoints

None
  • To reduce the total annual GHG emissions from international shipping by at least 20%, striving for 30%, by 2030, compared to 2008; and
  • To reduce the total annual GHG emissions from international shipping by at least 70%, striving for 80%, by 2040, compared to 2008.

 

If you have any questions or comments, feel free to contact Filipe Santana This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and Abhijit Aul This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.