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Marpol Annex News

26 Feb 2024

IMO’s PPR11 Agrees Guidance on Key Environmental Issues

Source: IMO

The IMO’s Sub-Committee on Pollution Prevention and Response (PPR 11) agreed new guidance on several key environmental issues.Meeting from February 19 to 23, 2024, the following guidance will now be submitted to the Marine Environment Protection Committee for approval this March (MEPC 81) and October (MEPC 82):• the safe transport of plastic pellets by sea• best practices for cutting black carbon emissions from ships operating in or near the Arctic• reducing risks of use and carriage…

12 Sep 2023

IMO Provides Interim Guidance on Biofuels in Relation to CII

© Scanrail / Adobe Stock

The 80th session of the IMO’s Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC 80), held in July 2023, has approved the interim guidance on the use of biofuels.This is in relation to assigning CO2 Emission Conversion Factor (Cf) under the Carbon Intensity Indicator (CII) regulations and when reporting fuel consumption to the IMO Data Collection System (IMO DCS).Flag States are encouraged to apply the interim guidance on use of biofuels under regulations 26, 27 and 28 of MARPOL Annex…

17 Aug 2023

IBIA Appoints Dr. Edmund Hughes as Its New IMO Representative

Dr. Edmund Hughes. Photo courtesy IBIA/IMO

The International Bunker Industry Association (IBIA) announced the appointment of Dr. Edmund Hughes as its International Maritime Organization (IMO) Representative, effective from September 1, 2023. Dr. Hughes will succeed Unni Einemo.A prominent figure in the maritime community, many will recognize Edmund for his pivotal role as the Head of Air Pollution and Energy Efficiency in the Marine Environment Division at the IMO. His tenure there played a significant part in developing MARPOL Annex VI…

11 Jul 2023

MEPC 80: Action Taken on Range of Environmental Regulations

Source: IMO

The IMO’s MEPC 80 session adopted the 2023 IMO Strategy on Reduction of GHG Emissions from Ships and advanced other environmental initiatives.The revised IMO GHG Strategy includes an enhanced common ambition to reach net-zero GHG emissions from international shipping close to 2050, a commitment to ensure an uptake of alternative zero and near-zero GHG fuels by 2030, as well as indicative check-points for 2030 and 2040:1. to reduce the total annual GHG emissions from international shipping by at least 20%, striving for 30%, by 2030, compared to 2008; and2.

19 Jun 2023

IMO to Review GHG Strategy and More at MEPC 80

MEPC 79 (Source: IMO)

The IMO’s Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) - 80th session will meet at IMO Headquarters in London from July 3-7, and amongst key agenda items, the MEPC 80 session is expected to adopt an upgraded IMO greenhouse gas strategy.The revised IMO GHG Strategy will contain concrete greenhouse gas reduction targets for the sector and is expected to outline a range of technical and economic measures. Negotiations have been ongoing and will continue during the Intersessional Working Group on Reduction of GHG Emissions from Ships (ISWG-GHG 15)…

29 May 2023

IBIA Wants IMO to Improve New Flashpoint Regulations

Source: IBIA

The International Bunker Industry Association (IBIA) has submitted proposals to the Maritime Safety Committee (MSC 107) which will be meeting later this week in a bid to improve understanding and workability of new flashpoint regulations for fuel oil.MSC 107 will meet from 31 May to 9 June and will continue discussion on an agenda item for the development of further measures to enhance the safety of ships relating to the use of fuel oil. In essence, the aim is to introduce increased control on the supply of bunker fuels.

25 Apr 2023

US Coast Guard: Latvia Records Highest Detention Ratio in 2022

© Alexander / Adobe Stock

The US Coast Guard’s Office of Commercial Vessel Compliance has released its U.S. Port State Control Annual Report for 2022, with Latvia noted as having the highest detention ratio, ahead of Bolivia.The report lists highest risk flag administrations based on their 2020-2022 detention ratio as: Latvia (57.14%), Bolivia (31.25%), Togo (7.69%), Curacao (4.88%), Italy (3.39%), Turkey (2.90%) and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (2.30%).Medium risk flag administrations were Cyprus…

30 Mar 2023

Headwinds Hamper the Poseidon Principles

Copyright Bojan/AdobeStock

The Poseidon Principles provide a platform for financing shipping’s sustainable future, but the technical guidance underpinning the initiative remains under scrutiny.In July 2023, the International Maritime Organization’s Maritime Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) will consider revising the UN agency’s strategy on greenhouse gas emissions from ships. Moving on from a current target to reduce CO2 emissions from ships by at least 50% by 2050, based on 2008 levels,  influential administrations seek to accelerate towards net-zero or even zero by 2050.

22 Mar 2023

Headwinds for the Poseidon Principles

Copyright zwiebackesser/AdobeStock

The Poseidon Principles provide a platform for financing shipping’s sustainable future, but the technical guidance underpinning the initiative remains under scrutiny.In July 2023, the International Maritime Organization’s Maritime Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) will consider revising the UN agency’s strategy on greenhouse gas emissions from ships. Moving on from a current target to reduce CO2 emissions from ships by at least 50% by 2050, based on 2008 levels, influential…

23 Feb 2023

Propulsion Decisions or Smoke on The Water?

© geoffkuchera / Adobe Stock

In no uncertain terms, the goal of “future capable” ship’s propulsion is confusing. We have been pressed into a regulatory environment that asks us to reduce emissions, and in the same breath deliver power sufficient to meet commercial schedules and allow the vessel to weather a storm and be safe at sea. To reach that end, owners are presented with a basket of new alternative fuels to achieve the latest January 1, 2023 Carbon Intensity Indicator (CII) regulations. Add that most operators have no previous historical experience or data with these alternative fuels…

21 Feb 2023

Safe Bulkers Acquires Kamsarmax Newbuild

(File photo: Safe Bulkers)

Dry bulk shipping company Safe Bulkers announced it has reached a deal to acquire a 81,800 dwt, dry-bulk, Kamsarmax class vessel at an attractive price with a scheduled to be delivered from a Japanese shipyard in the second quarter of 2025.This vessel, a sister to a number of newbuilds in Safe Bulkers' orderbook, features advanced energy efficiency characteristics and lower fuel consumption, the company said. It is designed to meet the Phase 3 requirements of Energy Efficiency…

22 Nov 2022

Thome Opens Fleet Operations Hub in Mumbai

(Photo: The Thome Group)

The Thome Group announced the opening of its new operations hub at its office in Mumbai.The new hub, which complements the one opened in November 2017 at Thome Group’s head office in Singapore, boosts fleet support using a large video wall comprising of 10 LED monitors to display different monitoring and enterprise resource planning systems simultaneously.The Mumbai hub will be operational 24/7 being equipped with state-of-the-art resources such as video conferencing, CCTV, UPS…

08 Nov 2022

VIDEO: IMO Sec-Gen Pays Tribute to Late William O’Neil, IMO Secretary-General Emeritus

©IMO / YT Screenshot

International Maritime Organization's Secretary-General, Kitack Lim, used the annual IMO Awards ceremony as an opportunity to pay special tribute to the late William A. O'Neil, IMO Secretary-General Emeritus, who died in the United Kingdom on 29 October 2020, aged 93. O'Neil was Secretary-General of IMO from 1990 to 2003.Lim welcomed those attending the 2022 IMO Awards Ceremony, the first time since before the COVID-19 pandemic that the Awards have been held in-person. Addressing the audience…

01 Nov 2022

IMO Sec-Gen Marks Entry Into Force of Carbon Intensity Rules

©IMO

Amendments to the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL) Annex VI entered into force on Tuesday, November 1, 2022. Developed under the framework of the Initial IMO Strategy on Reduction of GHG Emissions from Ships agreed in 2018, these technical and operational amendments require ships to improve their energy efficiency in the short term and thereby reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. From January 1, 2023, it will be mandatory for all ships…

20 Jul 2022

DNV Verifies Signal Ocean Platform's Vessel Emissions Estimates

© Yellow Boat / Adobe Stock

The algorithm underpinning Signal Ocean's estimates of vessel CO2 emissions has been verified as meeting IMO guidelines by the independent classification society DNV.The calculation considers all aspects of any voyage as well as any route deviations already taken by any given available vessel. Other factors include the vessel’s size, age, speed, loading conditions, shipyard, use of scrubbers and the type of fuel used are also considered and represented in the algorithm's output.

05 Jul 2022

DNV Recognizes First Verified SEEMP III Vessel

(L to R): Jason Stefanatos, Regional Decarbonization Director, DNV, George Teriakidis, Area Manager East Mediterranean & Black Sea, DNV, Dimitrios Mattheou, CEO, Arcadia Shipmanagement Co Ltd., Ioannis Chiotopoulos, Senior Vice President, Regional Manager SE Europe, Middle East & Africa, DNV, Leonidas Karystios, Regional Business Development Director. (Photo: DNV)

Classification society DNV presented Arcadia Shipmanagement Co Ltd. with a certificate recognizing their vessel Aegean Myth as the first vessel globally to have a SEEMP III manual. The Ship Operational Carbon Intensity Plan or SEEMP Part III, is part of IMO’s strategy to reduce shipping’s greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and a verified SEEMP Part III must be kept on board from 1 January 2023.The SEEMP Part III, or Ship Operational Carbon Intensity Plan, was finalized with the latest amendments to MARPOL Annex VI and the associated Guidelines at MEPC 78 last month.

10 Mar 2022

Chris-Marine Launches Shaft Power Limitation Solution for EEXI Compliance

(Image: Chris-Marine)

Chris-Marine announced the launch of its ShaPoLi solution aiming to help customers comply with the EEXI regulations and monitor and optimize their ship CII ratings.From January 2023, the revised MARPOL Annex VI will enter into force and all existing ships of 400 GT and above must comply with the new EEXI requirements. This means that shipowners must decide on and implement a viable energy efficiency solution to act in accordance with the new regulations.To help its customers adhere to the new energy efficiency requirements…

13 Jan 2022

Is Baltic Sea Special Area for Passenger Ships Really Special?

Photo copyright Baranov/AdobeStock

The persistent eutrophication (being too rich in nutrients) of the Baltic Sea prompted the IMO’s Baltic Member States to tackle shipping’s < 0.1% contribution by designating the Baltic Sea as the first Special Area under Annex IV of IMO’s MARPOL Convention [1]. Passenger ships must give sewage to wastewater treatment works (WWTWs) ashore via the port reception facilities (PRFs) or operate a nutrient removal sewage treatment plant (STP) on board prior to discharge. It has been perceived as a positive move. But how special is the Special Area?Rules at sea vs.

10 Nov 2021

Wärtsilä to Supply Scrubbers for Trasmed GLE S.L. RoPax Pair

(Photo: Wärtsilä)

Wärtsilä Exhaust Treatment will install its open loop exhaust gas abatement technology on two roll-on/roll-off passenger ferries owned by Spanish company Trasmed GLE S.L., which is part of the multinational logistics company Grimaldi Group.Trasmed GLE S.L. has selected four of Wärtsilä’s I-SOx open loop scrubbers with exhaust de-plume systems for the RoPax vessels Volcan del Teide and Ciudad de Granada, which operate in the Mediterranean Sea. Each vessel will have four scrubbers installed, one on each main engine.

27 Jul 2021

Moving Forward with Emissions - Is it Tiers, Tears or Fears?

© Alan Smillie / Adobe Stock

As International Maritime Organization (IMO) and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) emissions requirements continue throughout the IMO Emission Control Areas (ECA), they are also forcing postponement of many new construction decisions as vessel owners and operators continue to tread cautiously along the path forward. The Marpol Annex VI program looked to correct emissions requirements while working with petroleum fuels. Technology developers continue best efforts to advance long-term solutions to reach the latest IMO zero emissions greenhouse gas (GHG) goals of 2050.

02 Jul 2021

Raytheon Anschütz Debuts New ECDIS Features

(Image: Raytheon AnschĂĽtz)

Raytheon Anschütz has released a range of new features for electronic chart display and information systems (ECDIS) to improve specialized mission capabilities such as tactical operation and collaboration.The so-called "Plus Features" include a variety of navigational aids and overlays, which are typically required for coast guard or naval ships, offshore and research ships and megayachts.Raytheon Anschütz , a business of Raytheon Technologies, said other key features include:Search and rescue (SAR) operations based on IMO (International Maritime Organization) IAMSAR Manual Volume III…

18 May 2021

Reflections on the Trends That Have Shaped the Maritime Industry

© videotrinkets /AdobeStock

This will be my last monthly article for Maritime Reporter & Engineering News. I started writing these articles in early 2002, just over 19 years ago and during that time I have written over 228 articles, missing only one month when my grandson was hospitalized. (I have also written about 6,200 of my (almost) daily newsletters.) Early articles were focused on maritime security, which was still in evolution following the horrific terrorist incidents in New York, Pennsylvania, and Washington, DC.

10 May 2021

OPINION: Regulating Grey Water ... the Time is Now

© lancesagar/AdobeStock

The IMO’s MARPOL Annex IV is being revised to confirm the lifetime performance of Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs). This may finally bring about grey water regulation – a necessity that is long overdue.Black Water and Grey WaterA ship’s sewage (black water) is collected from toilets, urinals and hospitals. The IMO’s MARPOL Annex IV prohibits its discharge, except when treated by an STP or discharged at > 12nm from the nearest land. A ship’s grey water, collected from showers, wash basins…

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