RS takes part in the IMO Expert Workshop on reducing greenhouse gas emissions

RS took part in the IMO ad-hoc Expert Workshop on candidate mid-term GHG reduction measures, held in a hybrid format on May 25-26, 2023, and moderated by Dr. Harry Conway (Liberia), Chair of the IMO Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC).

The meeting brought together over 200 experts from IMO Member States as well as delegates from international organizations and national institutes: UNCTAD, ICCT, Ricardo, OECD, Mærsk McKinney Møller Center for Zero Carbon Shipping, Clarksons Research, Universities of Singapore and Sao Paulo, etc.

During the Workshop, preliminary proposals for the technical and economic elements of mid-term measures were analyzed, along with their possible combinations, such as the following:

• EU Emissions Trading System (proposed by the EU countries)
• International Maritime Sustainability Funding and Reward (IMSF&R) mechanism (Brazil and PRC);
• IMO Maritime Sustainability Fund (International Chamber of Shipping);
• a feebate Zero-Emission Shipping Incentive Scheme ZESIS (Japan);
• a combination of the GFS (GHG Fuel Standard) and a levy (EU countries),
• etc.

The feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed measures in achieving the long-term goals of the IMO Greenhouse Gas Strategy were discussed, as well as their potential impact on IMO member states.

The majority of the participants affirmed the importance of combining a technical measure (e.g. the GFS) with an economic element (e.g. a levy or a feebate).

A more detailed discussion of the proposals will follow at the 15th meeting of the Intersessional Working Group on Reduction of GHG Emissions from Ships (ISWG-GHG 15) at the end of June 2023 and then during the 80th session of the MEPC in July 2023.