The EU, USA, and China will set the agenda for environmental regulations within maritime traffic in the coming years, with the IMO moving too slowly. This is the opinion of Rene B. Christensen, the new CEO of the Danish company Green Instruments.
Recently, the EU has demonstrated its ability to make decisions relatively quickly, whereas the IMO has been moving too slowly.
For many years, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) has been working to enhance maritime safety and implement regulations aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions and other pollutants harmful to the environment and climate. However, the decision-making process within the IMO is too slow, while the EU has demonstrated its ability to make decisions relatively quickly.
Therefore, it will be the EU, USA, and China that set the agenda and ensure greener shipping, according to Christensen. His company Green Instruments develops and manufactures advanced emission monitoring systems which contribute to more sustainable and safer shipping operations.
Also read: Green Instruments to supply detectors to shipyard to reduce ship fires
MRV is a good example
He points to the EU’s new MRV regulation (Monitoring, Reporting, and Verification) as a good example of the IMO losing influence and new regulations in the future coming from the EU, USA, and China. At the same time, the green transition is accelerating, benefiting the climate, environment, and shipowners.
‘It is simply taking too long to make decisions within the IMO, says Christensen. ‘In contrast, the EU has stepped up and quickly adopted the MRV regulation, which requires shipping companies to monitor, report, and verify their CO2, methane, and nitrous oxide emissions. I am confident that similar initiatives will come from the USA and China, as they too are unwilling to wait for decisions to be made within the IMO. This is a healthy development that will significantly impact emissions from the shipping industry.’
Also read: How new flue gas sensor measures ships’ black carbon emissions
Need for documentation is increasing
Due to the new EU regulations, shipping companies must be able to document their emissions when entering EU waters. Thus, shipowners have an additional incentive to install equipment that can measure their emissions and address documentation challenges and potential issues with meeting the emission limits.
Christensen: ‘The USA and China are also working on new legislation, bypassing the IMO entirely, so shipowners will have to deal with multiple regional regulations in the future. While regulations may vary from region to region, there is no doubt that a common denominator must be taken seriously: the need for documentation is increasing regardless of sailing region.’
Also read: MAMII calls for methane emission measurement standards
Documentation and financial gains
He senses great goodwill when speaking with people in the shipping industry, including shipowners, as they are now much more focused on contributing to greener shipping than they were just a few years ago. Many shipowners achieve financial benefits by measuring and documenting their ships’ emissions. If the emissions are not documented with industry-specific equipment, calculations are made, which are often very inaccurate.
‘In many cases, the calculations are higher than the actual emissions, and since shipowners pay fees based on emissions, they often save money when they precisely measure – and can document – their emissions. As the demand for documentation increases, many shipowners achieve financial gains by investing in measuring equipment, thereby contributing to protecting the environment and climate,’ explains Christensen.
Picture: Rene B. Christensen, CEO Green Instruments (by Green Instruments).
