CIMAC, the International Council on Combustion Engines, has been granted permission to attend committee meetings at the International Maritime Organization.
Having consultative status at the IMO means CIMAC will be able to contribute in discussions and debates within meetings, such as those of the maritime safety committee and the marine environment protection committee.
The association, founded in Paris in the 1950s but today based in Germany, brings together competing engine makers and propulsion solution providers to work on common standards within marine, power generation and train propulsion.
It has a global membership, with national associations as well as corporate members.
Secretary general Peter Muller-Baum said: “Within IMO, CIMAC will concentrate on digitalisation, non-shaftline propulsion, automation and system integration.
“Our members have a great deal of expertise in this area, and we are looking forward to the new tasks and will do our best in order to support the IMO.”
The IMO lists 89 international non-governmental organisations with consultative status. CIMAC is the 90th.
Eero Lehtovaara, CIMAC vice president of digitalisation and head of regulatory affairs at ABB Marine & Ports, said: “There are still many opportunities to optimise the status quo in shipping.
“Just think of efficiency gains through digitalisation, for example. We want to encourage the maritime industry to embrace digitalisation and implement it. We hope that closer cooperation can contribute to faster implementation.”
