Global Shippers’ Forum welcomes data collection change at IMO
Global Shippers' Forum has welcomed progress made by the International Maritime Organisation's (IMO) Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) 68 on the development of a data collection system for ships to help reduce carbon emissions, GSF said in its press release.
At MEPC 67 in October, delegates agreed that a system based on fuel consumption only could be introduced. But last week at MEPC 68 a plan to consider energy efficiency metrics such as transport work was supported. This will help shippers report their emissions in the supply chain.
An inter-sessional group will now be formed to conduct an analysis of the different types of activity data that could be calculated and to evaluate the options for whether energy efficiency metrics can be applied.
Secretary General of the GSF, Chris Welsh, said: "We are pleased to see that energy efficiency metrics are back on the agenda and will be subject to further investigation. Overall this is a very pleasing outcome and GSF has made progress in raising the profile of shippers' needs in this debate."
GSF had previously submitted a technical paper to MEPC 68 expressing concern that a data collection system restricted to collecting data on fuel consumption would fail to assist shippers in reporting on their supply chain emissions.
Representatives of ship owners remain concerned over the confidentiality of data and this will need to be further considered. IMO also needs to decide if the data collection system will be voluntary or mandatory.
The inter-sessional group's report will be submitted to MEPC 69 scheduled for early 2016.
