Shipping currently accounts for 2.3 % of global CO₂ emissions. However, all the future scenarios in the IMO Third GHG study 2014 anticipate rising emissions; from 50-250% by 2050 under a business as usual scenario. The Paris Agreement temperature (stabilising temperatures to well below 2^oC and aiming for 1.5^oC) goals place a challenging decarbonisation burden on all sectors. 

The IMO’s vision is to phase out greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions as soon as possible within the end of this century. The aim is to reduce total emissions from shipping by 50% in 2050, and to reduce the average carbon intensity by 40% in 2030 and 70% in 2050, compared to 2008.

This MEPC 72 Brief provides an overview of a number of issues progressed at the IMO Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) which concluded its one-week session April 13th, 2018. 

The Committee adopted an initial IMO GHG Strategy. Amendments to regulation 14 of MARPOL Annex VI and the form of the Supplement to the IAPP Certificate concerning the prohibition on the carriage of non-compliant fuel oil for combustion purposes for propulsion or operation on board a ship, were approved with a view to adoption at MEPC 73. Exemptions for ships equipped with an equivalent arrangement were also approved. Revisions to the reference line parameters for determining the EEDI for Ro-Ro Cargo and Ro-Ro Passenger Ship under MARPOL Annex VI were adopted.