The International Chamber of Shipping has hit out at governments for failing to agree on key climate-change initiatives at a crunch environment meeting this month.
ICS secretary general Guy Platten accused this week's International Maritime Organization Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) of "kicking the can down the road", as it sent key decarbonisation measures for further deliberation.
At the meeting, the IMO agreed to revise its decarbonisation targets but failed to commit to a statement that it would aim for net-zero greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) from shipping by 2050.
The IMO also agreed that a proposal for the establishment of a $5bn International Maritime Research Fund (IMRF), through a $2-per-tonne levy on fuel, requires further deliberation.
Platten said the establishment of the IMRF is a matter of urgency for the development of technology to allow the shipping industry to decarbonise.
"There was a clear recognition from many more countries that there is an urgent need to significantly increase R&D spending. But we are disappointed that insufficient time was dedicated to allow IMO member states to take a decision on the $5bn fund at this session," Platten said.
He described the immediate establishment of the IMRF as a "no-brainer".
"We do not have time to prevaricate," Platten said.
The MEPC meeting agreed that the IMRF should be reviewed again at an Intersessional Working Group on the Reduction of GHG Emissions from Ships.
Other market-based measures — including a carbon levy on fuel sales and a cap-and-trade scheme — were also sent for further work.
The World Shipping Council (WSC) said the IMO had failed to follow up on the urgency expressed at the recent COP26 meeting.
Walk the talk
The WSC said it was "disappointing to watch the same governments that were making lofty statements at COP26 just days ago, again fail to walk the talk when it comes to real action at the IMO."
WSC chief executive John Butler said: "Our challenge as a hard-to-abate sector is that the technology and fuels needed for a transition to zero are not yet available."
He added: "That is why IMO member countries' inexplicable stalling around the IMRF is so dangerous."
IMO secretary general Kitack Lim said the MEPC meeting had shown resolve in agreeing to initiate a revision of its GHG reduction targets. He said the review would be completed as planned in 2023.
Lead by example
"The steps you have taken at this session have been truly important, particularly, after COP26. At the start of the session, I asked you to be brave and let our industry lead by example and provide tangible progress in our efforts to decarbonise international shipping," Lim said.
"You have made your resolve evident as you have initiated the revision of our initial GHG strategy with a view to being adopted by MEPC 80 in 2023," he said.
The MEPC meeting also agreed that member states should urge ship operators to voluntarily use distillate or other cleaner alternative fuels when operating in or near the Arctic to reduce black carbon emissions.
