Green Ship Technology Conference
The 6th Annual Green Ship Technology (GST) conference will provide insight into the progress of measuring, managing and mitigating shipping’s contribution to climate change.
Coming shortly after the intercessional meeting of the IMO’s greenhouse gas working group and ahead of the 59th session of its Marine Environment Protection Committee in July, GST 2009 will hear the views of regulators in discussion and debate with industry organizations and shipping experts.
IMO Marine Environment Division director Miguel Palomares and the European Commission’s Mark Major are among those set to take part in this two day conference. Proceedings will be guided by chairman of the IMO MEPC, Andreas Chrysostomou. The conference takes place this year in Hamburg on March 24-25.
At issue is work to index shipping’s carbon emissions and reduce them in normal operations. But the industry must also consider the implications of applying market-based instruments such as emissions trading or a fuel levy.
“If the industry wants to retain control of its own destiny, then it is vital that we ourselves investigate fully all possible options for ship owners to ensure the most beneficial results are obtained for both the environment and industry,” said Robert Ashdown of the UK Chamber of Shipping who is among experts providing the industry perspective.
The conference will hear the industry’s view from those closest to the issue, including Gillian Reynolds of Lloyd’s Register, John Aitken of SEAat, Bryan Wood-Thomas of the World Shipping Council, BIMCO’s Niels-Bjorn Mortensen and David Tongue of ICS.
After the opening plenary session, the conference splits into complementary streams, the first examining advances in alternative propulsion technologies and technical solutions for more efficient ship operations.
The second stream considers the role of corporate social responsibility within environmental management and then, how ports and terminals are adapting to meet increasingly tough environmental demands.
Among the presentations are updates on propulsion projects including Hercules Beta, Greenwave, FellowSHIP and SkySails. The latest developments to hull design, pollution abatement and ballast water treatment technologies will also be considered.
To Paola Lancellotti, secretary general of the European Marine Equipment Council, this opportunity to study integration of equipment on the existing fleet will be one of the major points for the future.
The conference includes a Gala Dinner at the end of the first day, held aboard the Museum Ship Rickmer Rickmers and will also see the presentation of the second Green Ship Technology Award, which recognises the contribution made by the maritime industry towards improving and maintaining the marine environment.
Lloyd’s List events’ 6th Annual Green Ship Technology will be held at Le Royal Meridien Hotel, Hamburg, Germany, March 24-25, 2009.
(www.greenshiptechnology.com)