Top Maritime Trends of 2020: Decarbonization is Blowing in the Wind
The global shipping industry is going to face a big challenge during the coming years when regulators, investors and stakeholders demand the drastic reduction of CO2 and other GHG emissions during ship operations. But in reality, the change is already underway.Since 2013, any newbuild ship over 400GRT has been obliged to comply with a specific Energy Efficiency limits – the well-known Energy Efficiency Design Index (EEDI). It is about to enter an accelerating phase propelled by the recently released IMO GHG reduction strategy.
European Commission to Limit Sulphur Emissions
On July 15, the European Commission published the proposed amendments of the "sulphur directive." Ministers of the EU member states and members of European parliament will begin debates on the directive in the autumn. The proposal is based on the decision made by the International Maritime Organization IMO in 2008 to set the more stringent limits of sulphur content of the bunker fuel and emissions. The severe consequences it will cause to the North Europe have become clear afterwards. The dramatic increase in sea freight prices will cause the modal-back shift from the sea transport to roads and will move the industrial investments away from the Northern Europe. It will cause the distortion of the competition and the final environmental benefit could be negative.
Brunswick Marine Innovation Center Opens In Singapore
Brunswick New Technologies (BNT) is preparing to test and pilot a new generation of electronics solutions for the marine and recreational industries at its Marine Innovation Center opening today in Raffles Marina, Singapore. "We believe this latest venture in Singapore will further solidify and extend our leadership efforts in marine innovation by enabling Brunswick New Technologies the opportunity to test its applications in real-world situations," said George W. Buckley, chairman and chief executive officer of Brunswick Corporation. BNT, a unit of Brunswick Corporation, was recently formed to focus on developing growth initiatives in software and electronics applications. T.J. Chung is president of Brunswick New Technologies.
