Acting to cut emissions from ships

IMO adopted the first set of international mandatory measures to improve ships' energy efficiency  on 15 July 2011. In the past decade, IMO has taken further action, including further regulatory measures and the adoption of the Initial IMO GHG strategy. To support their implementation, IMO has been executing a comprehensive capacity building and technical assistance programme, including a range of global projects.

IMO at COP - UNFCCC 

IMO will be present at the United Nations climate conference COP 27 (6-18 November). IMO is organizing, in collaboration with UNCTAD, IRENA and the World Bank, a side-event on 10 November during COP 27 on exploring opportunities for developing States in renewable fuel production for the maritime industry.

2018 Initial IMO GHG Strategy 

The IMO Initial Strategy on the reduction of GHG emissions from shipping sets key ambitions. This is a policy framework. The main goals are:

Cut annual greenhouse gas emissions from international shipping by at least half by 2050, compared with their level in 2008, and work towards phasing out GHG emissions from shipping entirely as soon as possible in this century. 

The Initial GHG Strategy envisages a reduction in carbon intensity of international shipping (to reduce CO2 emissions per transport work), as an average across international shipping, by at least 40% by 2030, pursuing efforts towards 70% by 2050, compared to 2008. 

IMO Member States have pledged to revise the Strategy in 2023.

Meeting the goals 

The Initial GHG Strategy includes a series of candidate short-, mid- and long-term measures, building on already-adopted mandatory energy-efficiency requirements for ships.Some have already been addressed.

Since the adoption of the Strategy, IMO has approved a Programme of follow-up actions of the Initial Strategy up to 2023 and made good progress with the consideration and implementation of some of the short-term GHG reduction measures included in the list of candidate measures.

These include:   

1.adoption of MEPC resolution to invite Member States to encourage voluntary cooperation between the port and shipping sectors to contribute to reducing GHG emissions from ships (resolution MEPC.323(74));

2.approval of the Procedure for assessing impacts on States of candidate measures (MEPC.1/Circ.885);

3.further improvement of the existing energy efficiency framework with a focus on EEDI and SEEMP, in particular by adoption of the amendments to MARPOL Annex VI on the early application of the EEDI Phase 3 requirements for certain ship types, which will enter into force in April 2022 (resolution MEPC.324(75));

4.adoption of the MEPC resolution on Encouragement of Member States to develop and submit voluntary national action plan to address GHG emissions from ships (resolution MEPC.327(75));

5.adoption by MEPC 76 of amendments to MARPOL Annex VI on the short-term goal-based carbon intensity reduction measure setting out technical and operational energy efficiency measures for ships (EEXI and CII - ship carbon intensity rules and rating system); together with approval of a comprehensive impact assessment;

6.commissioning, oversight and approval of the Fourth IMO GHG Study 2020;

7.initial development of life cycle GHG assessment guidelines by the Intersessional Working Group on Reduction of GHG Emissions from Ships (ISWG-GHG) ;

8.initial consideration of other candidate measures listed in the Initial Strategy, including proposal for the establishment of an International Maritime Research Board to coordinate and oversee R&D efforts; and

9.continued and enhanced technical cooperation and capacity-building activities,  including the establishment of a voluntary multi-donor trust fund to sustain the Organization's technical cooperation and capacity-building activities to support the implementation of the Initial Strategy ("GHG-TC Trust Fund").

Mid-term GHG measures

MEPC 76 in June 2021 adopted a work plan on the concrete way forward to make progress with candidate mid- and long-term measures, including measures to incentivize the move away from fossil fuels to low- and zero-carbon fuels to achieve decarbonization of international shipping. 

Support for developing countries

The Strategy promotes support for developing countries, especially small island developing States (SIDS) and least developed countries (LDCs).

Latest figures on GHG emissions from shipping 

The latest statistics can be found in the IMO 4th GHG study (2020)

Mandatory energy efficiency requirements - what ships must do

In 2011, IMO agreed to include a new chapter on "energy efficiency" in MARPOL Annex VI and adopted mandatory energy efficiency regulations for ships – Energy Efficiency Design Index (EEDI) for new ships, Ship Energy Efficiency Management Plan (SEEMP) for all ships.

The EEDI has subsequently been strengthened through further amendments.

In 2016 IMO adopted the mandatory IMO Data Collection System (DCS) for ships to collect and report fuel oil consumption data from ships over 5,000 gt  - first calendar year data collection completed in 2019.

A range of IMO-led global projects initiated since 2012 support developing countries in ratifying MARPOL Annex VI and to implement the energy efficiency measures and to support and encourage pilot projects, innovation and R&D.

In 2020, the IMO 2020 0.50% sulphur limit entered into force – cutting total sulphur oxide emissions from shipping by over 75%.

In June 2021, IMO adopted short-term measures to reduce carbon intensity of all ships by 40% by 2030, compared to 2008.

Short term measure to cut carbon intensity

The short-term measure is aimed at meeting the target set in the IMO Initial GHG Strategy – to reduce carbon intensity of all ships by 40% by 2030, compared to 2008. These will be mandatory measures under MARPOL Annex VI. They will bring in 

1.Attained Energy Efficiency Existing Ship Index (EEXI) is required to be calculated for ships of 400 gt and above, in accordance with the different values set for ship types and size categories. This indicates the energy efficiency of the ship compared to a baseline. Ships are required to meet a specific required Energy Efficiency Existing Ship Index (EEXI), which is based on a required reduction factor (expressed as a percentage relative to the EEDI baseline). 

2.Annual operational carbon intensity indicator (CII) and CII rating.

In simple terms, the short-term term measure are aimed at achieving the carbon intensity reduction aims of the IMO initial GHG Strategy.

They do this by requiring all ships to calculate their Energy Efficiency Existing Ship Index (EEXI) and to establish their annual operational carbon intensity indicator (CII) and CII rating

In other words, ships get a rating of their energy efficiency (A, B, C, D, E – where A is the best). A ship running on a low carbon fuel clearly gets a higher rating than one running on fossil fuel.

The key regulatory and implementation support steps

November 2022: 

EEXI survey requirements take effect

2023: 

Carbon intensity measures enter into effect

Revision of the IMO Initial GHG Strategy

Start of carbon intensity data (CII) collection under the short-term measure

2025:

EEDI phase 3 in effect- up to 30% reduction in carbon intensity for newbuild ship

2030:

IMO Initial GHG Strategy objective of 40% reduction of CO2 emissions per transport work compared to 2008, as an average across international shipping

2050:

IMO Initial GHG Strategy objectives of 50% reduction of the total annual GHG emissions and 70% reduction of CO₂ emissions per transport work compared to 2008 whilst pursuing efforts towards phasing them out - as a point on a pathway of CO₂ emissions reduction consistent with the Paris Agreement temperature goals

Sourse: IMO