The Marine Environment Protection
Committee (MEPC) of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) meets for its
64th session from 1 to 5 October 2012, at IMO Headquarters in London.
As well as discussing matters relating
to the implementation of energy-efficiency, ballast water management and
ship-recycling regulations, the MEPC will also consider formally designating
the Saba Bank, in the North-eastern Caribbean area of the Kingdom of the
Netherlands, as a Particularly Sensitive Sea Area (PSSA).
Work to continue on
energy-efficiency measures for ships
The MEPC is expected to continue its
work on further developing technical and operational measures relating to
energy-efficiency measures for ships, based on a work plan agreed at the last
session. This follows the adoption of the new chapter 4 of MARPOL Annex VI,
which enters into force on 1 January 2013 and includes new requirements
mandating the Energy Efficiency Design Index (EEDI), for new ships, and the
Ship Energy Efficiency Management Plan (SEEMP) for all ships.
This work will include the development
of guidelines for determining minimum propulsion power and speed to enable safe
manoeuvring in adverse weather conditions and the development of EEDI
frameworks for ships not covered by the current EEDI, e.g., ro-ro and cruise
passenger ships, and ships with non-conventional propulsion systems, e.g.,
diesel-electric or turbine propulsion. This work is expected to continue at
this session, based on submissions received.
Technical cooperation for
the implementation of mandatory energy-efficiency measures
Regulation 23 of chapter 4 of MARPOL
Annex VI on Promotion of technical co-operation and transfer of technology
relating to the improvement of energy efficiency of ships requires
Administrations, in co-operation with the Organization and other international
bodies, to promote and provide, as appropriate, support directly or through IMO
to States, especially developing States, that request technical assistance. It
also requires the Administration of a Party to MARPOL Annex VI to co-operate
actively with other Parties, subject to its national laws, regulations and
policies, to promote the development and transfer of technology and exchange of
information to States which request technical assistance, particularly
developing States.
The MEPC will further consider a draft
MEPC resolution on promotion of technical co-operation and transfer of
technology relating to the improvement of energy efficiency of ships. The
resolution is intended to provide a framework aimed at promoting and
facilitating technology transfer, to support the implementation of the new
regulations on energy efficiency for ships.
Market-based measures to
address the reduction of GHGs under discussion
The MEPC is expected to continue its
consideration of proposed market-based measures (MBMs) to reduce greenhouse gas
(GHG) emissions, which would complement the technical and operational measures
already adopted.
It is anticipated that the discussions
at MEPC will focus on an update of the GHG emissions’ estimate for
international shipping and the methodology and criteria for a comprehensive
impact assessment of the MBM proposals (following earlier, initial impact
assessments), with a view to studying in detail the direct and indirect impacts
on (consumers and industries in) developing countries of the introduction, and
non-introduction, of an MBM for international shipping under the auspices of
IMO.
Availability of fuel oil
to meet air pollution requirements to be considered
The MEPC will further consider matters
relating to the availability of fuel oil to meet the requirements set out in
the MARPOL Annex VI regulation on emissions of sulphur oxides (SOx) from ships.
Fuel oil sulphur content (expressed in
terms of % m/m – that is, by weight) is required to be a maximum of 3.50% m/m
(outside an Emission Control Area (ECA)), falling to 0.50% m/m on and after 1
January 2020. Depending on the outcome of a review, to be completed by 2018, as
to the availability of compliant fuel oil, this requirement could be deferred
to 1 January 2025.
The MEPC is expected to consider the
start date for this review.
It should be noted that, within ECAs,
fuel oil sulphur content (expressed in terms of % m/m – that is, by weight)
must be no more than 1.00% m/m; falling to 0.10% m/m on and after 1 January
2015.
Ballast water management
systems up for approval:
The MEPC will consider the reports of
the twenty-first, twenty-second and twenty-third meetings of the Joint Group of
Experts on the Scientific Aspects of Marine Environment Protection (GESAMP)
Ballast Water Working Group (held during 2012), with a view to granting basic
approval to five, and final approval to three, ballast water management systems
that make use of active substances.
The MEPC is expected to reiterate the
need for those countries that have not yet done so to ratify the International
Convention for the Control and Management of Ships’ Ballast Water and
Sediments, 2004, to achieve its entry into force at the earliest opportunity.
To date, 36 States, with an aggregate merchant shipping tonnage of 29.07 per
cent of the world total, have ratified the Convention. The Convention will
enter into force twelve months after the date on which not fewer than 30
States, the combined merchant fleets of which constitute not less than 35 per
cent of the gross tonnage of the world’s merchant shipping, have become Parties
to it.
The Committee will also consider a
number of proposals related to the practical implementation of the Convention,
aimed at harmonizing the type-approval and sampling procedures, and eliminating
uncertainties with regard to compliance and preventing the possibility of
improperly penalizing ships’ crew members.
Specific proposals related to highly
specialized ships will also be examined by the MEPC, with a view to developing
specific guidance for offshore support vessels and mobile offshore units, in
anticipation of the entry into force of the BWM Convention.
Recycling of ships – guidelines to be considered:
The MEPC is expected to consider draft
Guidelines for Survey and Certification of Ships under the Hong Kong Convention
(Survey and Certification Guidelines) and Guidelines for Inspection of Ships
under the Hong Kong Convention (Inspection Guidelines), which have been further
developed by the intersessional correspondence group on Ship-Recycling
Guidelines.
These guidelines, along with other
guidelines already adopted, are intended to assist ship-recycling facilities
and shipping companies to commence introducing voluntary improvements to meet
the requirements of the Hong Kong International Convention for the Safe and
Environmentally Sound Recycling of Ships, which was adopted in May 2009. The
treaty will enter into force 24 months after ratification by 15 States,
representing 40 per cent of world merchant shipping by gross tonnage, and
combined maximum annual ship-recycling volume not less than 3 per cent of their
combined tonnage. Efforts are being made to encourage Member Governments to
ratify the Hong Kong Convention at their earliest convenience.
Saba Bank PSSA designation
to be considered:
The MEPC will consider formally
designating the Saba Bank, in the North-eastern Caribbean area of the Kingdom
of the Netherlands, as a Particularly Sensitive Sea Area (PSSA), following
approval in principle at the last session.
Associated Protective Measures were
approved by the Sub Committee on Safety of Navigation (NAV), at its meeting in
July 2012, namely, the establishment of a new mandatory ‘no anchoring’ area for
all ships and a new ‘area to be avoided’ (for ships of 300 gross tonnage or
over) in the proposed PSSA.
Amendments to the IBC Code
set for adoption:
The MEPC will consider, for adoption,
draft amendments to chapters 17, 18 and 19 of the International Code for the
Construction and Equipment of Ships carrying Dangerous Chemicals in Bulk (IBC
Code), which have been already been approved for adoption by the Maritime
Safety Committee (MSC 90).
Sewage treatment plant
guideline set for adoption
The MEPC is expected to consider for
adoption draft 2012 Guidelines on implementation of effluent standards and
performance tests for sewage treatment plants, which are intended to provide
guidance on the implementation of new requirements (coming into effect from 1
January 2016) for sewage treatment plants installed on passenger ships
operating in MARPOL Annex IV special areas.
Mandatory audit scheme:
approval of draft III Code and MARPOL amendments expected
The MEPC is expected to approve the
draft IMO Instruments Implementation Code (III Code), which sets the standard
for the IMO audit scheme, and to approve draft amendments to MARPOL to make the
III Code and auditing mandatory under that treaty.
The aim is to adopt the MARPOL
amendments in 2014, once the III Code has been formally adopted by the IMO
Assembly, in 2013.
Recognized organizations
code to be approved:
The MEPC is expected to approve the
draft Code for Recognized Organizations (ROs) and related draft amendments to
MARPOL (Annexes I and II) to make it mandatory, for adoption at a future
session.
The Code will provide a consolidated
text containing criteria against which ROs (which may be authorized by flag
States to carry out surveys and issue certificates on their behalf) are
assessed and authorized/recognized, and give guidance for subsequent monitoring
of ROs by Administrations.
Source:
28 September 2012
http://www.turkishmaritime.com.tr/news_detail.php?id=15355
