IMO further energy efficiency measures

“A number of studies including IMO MEPC 63/INF.2 by Bazari and Longva (2011) and the Third IMO GHG Study 2014 indicate that successful implementation of the shipping technical and operational energy efficiency regulations could reduce shipping GHG emissions significantly, but on their own they are not sufficient to prevent the rising trend in shipping GHG emissions under all existing growth scenarios. Consequently, the IMO began working on further technical and operational measures including the development of a global shipping data collection system for energy efficiency as a first step priority area. Since April 2014 as a result of MEPC 67 and 68 meetings, IMO reached preliminary conclusions on a general description of such a global data collection system. Based on results of the relevant MEPC working group deliberations, the data collection and reporting requirements would apply to ships involved in international shipping over a certain size threshold and regardless of their flag State”. (IMO: Module 1. 2016, 58-59.)

“The draft developed data collection system identifies three core elements including: (1) data collection by ships, (2) flag State functions in relation to data collected including verification and (3) establishment of a centralized database by the IMO. As it stands now (2015), the following features are under considerations for the IMO data collection system:

  • Applicable to ships of gross tonnage more than 5000 GT
  • Annual reporting
  • IMO number for ship identification
  • Confidentiality of some data such as transport work will be observed.
  • Guidelines will be developed to deal with various details of data collection and verification activities.
  • Registered owner will be responsible for submission of data to Administration
  • Administration will be responsible for verification (can be delegated to Recognized Organizations).
  • A Statement of Compliance (SoC) will be issued by the Administration to each ship annually.
  • PSC (Port State Control) will examine SoC for enforcement
  • In addition to ship’s fuel consumption, other data may be collected such as transport work and distance sailed.

Thus in summary, beginning at a specific date, ships should annually submit their data to a centralized database maintained and managed by the IMO. Flag States should put in place mechanism(s) to ensure compliance by the ships entitled to fly their flag with the annual data collection requirements; and that data included in annual reports is sent to the centralized database. The compliance system of the flag State should have provisions for the transfer of ownership and change of flag. The above is the current general agreement; however, this is a work-in-progress at the IMO that is planned to be finalised in the future (expected by MEPC 70 in late 2016). It is worth noting that EU has already legislated an MRV (Measurement, Reporting and Verification) system for shipping that has similarities to IMO current work”. (IMO: Module 1. 2016, 58-59.)