WASHINGTON/LONDON: The World Shipping Council (WSC) has identified six zero emission pathways for the IMO’s Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) to consider at its next meeting in June.

The WSC says there will be no single or simple fuel technology solution, no single party that can set the pace, nor single regulation that will ensure a successful energy transition for the global maritime industry.

“Liner shipping understands the shared responsibility for GHG reductions in the maritime sector, and we don’t underestimate the challenge,” said WSC president and CEO John Butler. “We are committed to decarbonising shipping and have multiple ideas and projects in the pipeline. But to be able make these investments, to take the necessary risks, we – and all other maritime actors – need a regulatory framework that addresses the key strategic issues.”

In a submission to the IMO, the WSC is advocating six steps on a path to zero emissions:

• A global price on carbon combined with dependable and broad-based ‘buy down’ programmes that effectively level the playing field among newer low and zero GHG ships and the tens of thousands of ships that will still be burning conventional fuels. This will play a large role in making it possible for companies to put zero GHG ships on the water and to operate them competitively.

• Transparent well-to-wake life cycle analysis of fuels, breaking out well-to-tank emissions and tank-to-wake emissions, combined with regulatory mechanisms to incentivize first- movers for use of alternative fuels that offer significant GHG reductions even if they are not available from fully renewable sources from the start.

• Integrated development of global production and supply of zero GHG fuels through partnerships between IMO member states and energy providers, as well as regulatory provisions that allow for flexibility in the initial stages of the energy transition, given that zero GHG fuels will not be available at the same time around the globe.

• A Green Corridors Programme to accelerate an equitable fuel and technology transition, introducing zero GHG ships and fuels across trade lanes where the necessary shoreside energy infrastructure is first available. This will speed development of best practices and encourage IMO member states and interested parties to focus on government-to- government initiatives and coordinated public-private investments to build the necessary production facilities and supply infrastructure.

• New build standards that support the energy transition, such as requiring ships built after a certain date to be able to operate on zero GHG fuels or not allowing the construction of vessels that can only operate on fossil fuels after a certain date.

• Applied R&D for shipboard and shoreside systems that allow the safe use of zero GHG fuels is necessary to put zero emission ships on the water. To avoid accidents and stranded assets, a significant increase in the level of R&D effort and investment is needed to develop the technologies necessary to use the most promising fuels onboard transoceanic ships.

“These are complicated matters and we do not pretend to have all the answers. What we do know is that we must develop these critical pathways together to address the climate challenge and transition the fleet to zero GHG ships,” Butler added.

In November last year the MEPC agreed to revise its Initial IMO Strategy on Reduction of GHG emissions from ships - and consider a final draft in 2023.