The European Union is pushing forward for a new set of measures that will create a more stringent legislative framework on cutting emissions from ships. The said measures are expected to be unveiled in the coming months, Bloomberg reports.
Triggered by the inability of the International Maritime Organization to provide unique and timely solutions, officials from Brussels believe that the EU should assume the leading role in tailoring the road map for all relevant stakeholders from the maritime industry.
“We are including different types of measures, ranging from measurement, reporting and verification, to technical standards, to setting baselines. These options are all on the table” , Elina Bardram, head of the international carbon market unit at the European Commission said while speaking at a seminar in Brussels today.
According to Bardram, the EU aims to create a level playing field for the industry players offering incentives for those who join the cause.
Numerous steps on curbing emissions have been undertaken by the IMO, that fully recognizes the “urgency” to reduce greenhouse gases from shipping, Andreas Chrysostomou, chairman of IMO’s Marine Environment Protection Committee pointed out, referring to introduced mandatory efficiency measures and establishment of a group to evaluate proposals on market-based mechanisms.
The fact is that the exact target for reducing the emissions is not quite clear with regard to the participants in the shipping industry; however, a possible direction is seen in the IMO’s regulations, namely the Energy Efficiency Design Index (EEDI) and Ship Energy Efficiency Management Plan (SEEMP).
The world’s maritime transport accounts for 3 % in the overall pollution scale which might double by 2050.
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World Maritime News Staff, September 19, 2012