26 September is World Maritime Day 2024. This year’s theme ‘Navigating the future: safety first’ reflects the International Maritime Organization's (IMO) work to enhance maritime safety and security, in tandem with the protection of the marine environment. The theme also provides the opportunity to focus on the safety implications arising from the introduction of alternative fuels including measures to reduce GHG emissions from ships.
Ipieca has long been an IMO observer, supporting the IMO’s work across a number of areas, including reducing shipping fuels’ emissions, alternative lower-carbon shipping fuels and marine spill preparedness and response.
Working together on shipping emissions reduction
Ipieca supports IMO to address emissions from shipping, providing life cycle analysis of shipping fuels, technical inputs on enhanced fuel and engine systems and analysis on how to make cleaner marine fuels available to ship owners.
In July 2023, the IMO adopted the landmark revision of its Initial GHG Strategy aiming to reach net-zero GHG emissions around 2050. Ipieca provided industry technical feedback and actively participated in discussions to support the revision.
Alternative fuels health and safety
Technological solutions for more sustainable shipping must also consider their potential impact on seafarers and marine personnel.
Ipieca is currently working on a suite of factsheets on preparedness and response to accidental releases of alternative fuels:
- Biomass-based diesel fuels
- Condensates
- Non floating oils
- Very low and ultra-low sulphur fuel oils
Ipieca, in collaboration with the IMO and the international shipping community, published a guidance on safe handling and operational issues related to The supply and use of <0.50%-sulphur marine fuel.
Collaborating to enhance marine spill preparedness and response
Established in 1996, the joint Ipieca-IMO Global Initiative now provides training in 80 countries to develop national structures and capability for marine spill preparedness and response. Ipieca also works closely with the IMO Marine Environment Protection Committee on issues related to marine spill preparedness and response.
