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Facing environmental pressures, shippers should grasp and build the future of the global shipping in

  • Author:Hank
  • Source:sofreight
  • Release Date:2019-12-21
On December 18, 2019, a globalShippingThe major news of the industry not only occupies the front page headlines of global shipping media, but also rolls broadcasts on many non-shipping media. This is led by the International Shipping Association (ICS), in conjunction with the other 7 most influential international shipowners organizations, and submitted a bill to the International Maritime Organization (IMO), calling on governments and relevant agencies to support the establishment of a non-governmental organization. The government organizes the International Maritime Research and Development Board (IMRB) and operates the International Maritime Research and Development Fund (IMRF) through IMRB.

In addition to ICS, the other 7 global shipowner organizations are: Baltic Shipping Association (BIMCO), International Cruise Association (CLIA), International Dry Bulk Shipping Association (Intercargo), International Tanker Owners Association (Intertanko), International Ferry Association (Interferry), International Mail Tanker Association (IPTA), and World Shipping Council (WSC). After nearly a year of gestation, discussion and negotiation, the eight shipowners' organizations representing more than 90% of the global merchant shipping capacity finally reached an agreement and proposed the above motion to IMO, which can basically be said to express the overall opinion of the global shipping industry.

Brief introduction of the proposal to establish IMRB and IMRF

According to the proposal, the fund of IMRF will be realized through the mandatory collection of USD 2 per ton of marine fuel for ships operated by global shipping companies (including ship owners, ship operators, etc.). It should be made clear that this is not a “fuel tax” or “carbon emissions tax”, but rather a payment for raising IMRF funds. Once the bill is adopted by the IMO, shipping companies will need to pay the relevant fees through an automatic payment system based on their fuel delivery note (BDN). Each ship will have an account provided by IMRF, using the IMO ship number as an identifier to identify payment related issues, such as avoiding double payments. After confirming that the ship has contributed to IMRF, IMO will issue a confirmation letter, and the shipping company will submit the confirmation letter to the corresponding flag state to obtain the relevant ship certificate.

According to the content of the bill, eight international shipowners' organizations hope to formally establish IMRF in 2023. IMRF will be managed by IMRB, and IMRB will work under the supervision of IMO and the research project will be guided by the IMO Marine Environmental Protection Committee. It should be noted that IMRF and IMRB are not permanent projects, but are expected to last 10 to 15 years. The purpose is to raise US $ 5 billion in research and development funds in the next 10 years. Research and development of new zero-carbon technologies and propulsion systems that need to be deployed. In addition, IMRB's research focus will also include technical and safety issues related to refueling, new fuel use and storage.

The need for this global R & D fund

News about the establishment of IMRB and IMRF, in particular the mention of the mandatory levy of $ 2 per ton of marine fuel, has spread in the shipping industry in the past few days and has caused considerable waves. Some friends questioned why the eight international shipowners' organizations that represent the interests of shipowners have to “make things worse” when the global shipping market continues to be in a downturn, and then “wool” from the meager profits of shipowners and ship operators.

It is no exaggeration to say that the increasing attention of the international community to low-carbon emission reduction and environmental protection has led to the sustainable development of the global shipping industry. Therefore, the establishment of IMRB and IMRF is not only to make the international shipping industry worse, but rather these international shipowners' organizations hope to take effective and effective actions early, to “send carbon in the snow” for the sustainable development of global shipping, and to grasp and build The global shipping industry will try hard in the future.

As you may know, as a preliminary strategy for the shipping industry to reduce greenhouse gas emissions under the Paris Agreement, all IMO member states agreed in April 2018. Compared with 2008, carbon emissions per transport unit by 2030 Reduce by 40% and 70% by 2050. At the same time, total emissions will be reduced by 50% annually by 2050 compared to 2008. In response to this initial strategy, ICS and most international shipowners' organizations believe that the global shipping industry's problem of achieving the 2030 target is not big, and the real challenge is the carbon reduction target of 2050. In order to achieve this goal of reducing total emissions by 50%, the global merchant shipping fleet is in fact required to be 90% more carbon efficient than it is now. This means that either the global shipping industry can quickly find commercially viable zero-carbon fuels to replace fossil fuels, or it is necessary to be able to introduce large-scale zero-carbon merchant ships and use zero-carbon ship propulsion systems in the early 2030s.

If you follow the international news, you will notice that the new European Commission President Von Delaney recently released the so-called "European Green Deal" and hopes to include the shipping industry in the EU's carbon emissions trading system (EU ETS). . In fact, this approach will have a significant negative impact on IMO's ongoing greenhouse gas reduction efforts and will seriously disrupt the above-mentioned initial greenhouse gas reduction strategy.

As a responsible industry, the global shipping industry is also concerned and concerned about the adverse effects of greenhouse gas emissions on the global climate, and efforts have been made to reduce emissions. Therefore, although the international shipowners' organizations, including ICS, recognize the good intentions of the European Commission, they are very concerned that the relevant measures may be counterproductive in terms of global carbon reduction. At the same time, IMO has always opposed the inclusion of the maritime industry in the carbon trading system, which severely limits the amount of carbon emissions allowed by companies. If companies want to emit more carbon dioxide, they need to purchase additional credits, which will be a huge financial burden for shipping companies mainly based on SMEs.

In response to the European Commission ’s initiative to cover emissions regulation in the shipping industry, IMO Secretary-General Lin Zeji once said, “If we want to make real progress, we should not disrupt the IMO discussion process.” Because, like the European Union, this is not shipping. The long-term development of the industry is a regional environmental protection measure that will only disrupt the global environmental protection strategy that has been approved by IMO and is already in the process of implementation. Challenges and threats. Therefore, ISC and other international shipowners' organizations put forward this motion, which is actually a "self-help" action of the global shipping industry, in order to counteract the EU and other environmental protection groups that do not understand the characteristics of the development of the shipping industry.

According to rough estimates, the global shipping industry consumes about 250 million tons of fuel each year. Levying $ 2 per ton of fuel means that the target of $ 5 billion in core funding will be achieved within 10 years. Compared with a complex carbon trading scheme, raising funds through the proposal of the bill is a simpler, more convenient and efficient way, and has a lower actual cost.

China's support is crucial

Ensuring a unified and effective global regulatory system for the shipping industry is of great significance for the long-term healthy development of this ancient and modern global industry. The European Commission ’s measures to include the shipping industry in the carbon emissions agreement will undoubtedly affect the interests of all ocean-going ships, including the Chinese five-star red flag and the Hong Kong regional flag.

ICS Secretary-General Guy Platten said in an interview with the media, "We cannot leave the heavy task of resolving the climate crisis to others. We will not ask others to determine the future of the shipping industry. We should also take our own responsibility. At the same time, we also Ask governments around the world to support our efforts. "

Therefore, ICS has reason to believe that the Chinese government and the Chinese shipping industry will certainly work with the international shipping industry to defend IMO's core role in the current global shipping control system. This is the most effective way for IMO member states to actively support the establishment of IMRB and IMRF when relevant meetings are held in IMO, so as to prove to the EU and other environmental groups that IMO and the global shipping industry can shoulder the environmental protection industry and reduce greenhouse gases for the world. Emissions contribute.

As I mentioned in my first blog on December 6, China ’s influence in the global shipping industry is growing day by day. The IMRB and IMRF proposals proposed by the eight international shipowner organizations to the IMO happened to be the in-depth participation of the Chinese government and the shipping industry in influencing the development of international shipping rules, effectively responding to global challenges for the international shipping industry, and guiding the orderly transformation of the international shipping order To promote the establishment of a community with a shared future in the global shipping market and provide a great opportunity for "Chinese wisdom". ICS sincerely looks forward to working with the Chinese government and the shipping industry to inject new momentum into the green development of global shipping.
面对环保压力,航运人要把握及打造全球航运业未来