SUSTAINABLE SHIPPING FOR A SUSTAINABLE PLANET

SUSTAINABLE SHIPPING FOR A SUSTAINABLE PLANET Captain Kirton Huggins Curriculum Development and Training Manager

The theme for World Maritime Day 2020 is “Sustainable Shipping for a Sustainable Planet”. The focus for a sustainable planet was initiated in 2012 with the United Nations (UN) Conference, Rio+20 to address the issues of Green House Gases (GHGs) from exhaust emissions of the various modes of transport. Though shipping accounts for 3% of global emissions of GHGs, the adverse effects to climate control prompted the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) to mandate countries and ship owners to further reduce exhaust emissions from their ships initially 10% by 2020 and a further reduction of 50% by 2050. Focus on sustainable shipping became prevalent due to the challenges countries and ship owners faced with the measures adopted.

The definition of sustainable development was proffered in the Brundtland Report of the World Commission on Environment and Development in 1987 as, ‘Sustainable development meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.’ The guidelines for this broad objective were developed under three pillars in compliance with those developed by the UN for a sustainable planet. The three pillars pertain to Economic / Social / Environmental factors (loosely termed “profit, people and planet”) that embodies sustainability for everyone. Regarding sustainable shipping, the following summarises the pillars:

Focuses on the utilization of diverse energy sources to ensure resources are used more efficiently and reduce the emission of GHGs. Developments towards these objectives are already a reality.

Concurrent with the development of the Economic Pillar is the enhancement in the quality of life for seafarers. Already the adoption of the Maritime Labour Convention (MLC) addresses these factors together with gender diversity in making a seafaring career a viable and attractive one.

This pillar addresses the protection of the marine environment as specified under the MARPOL Convention with Regulations adopted for ballast water, pollution from ship generated waste inclusive of exhaust emissions, garbage and sewerage.

It is to be noted that these Pillars are applicable to all facets of human existence that culminates into a sustainable development approach that embodies the concepts of Blue and Green Economies. There are

however inherent cost effective challenges to be faced with these developments. The proliferation of conventions, instruments, regulations and annexes adopted with tight timelines, by IMO together with legislative measures by individual countries, increases the operational costs. Ship owners are however expected to maintain affordable fees for shipping to be viable to the consumer. Mitigating the challenges are grave concerns.

The incentives visualized are deemed to be in the long term. The new measures towards decarbonisation and eradication of the use of fossil fuels, is expected to reduce operational costs through greater efficiency of machinery and energy resources inclusive of additional cargo carrying space. Profit margins are therefore expected to increase.

It is noteworthy to mention that developments in accordance with the above are progressing at a rapid rate. Currently there are vessels in service being propelled by electricity similar to vehicles ashore as battery banks replaces fuel tanks. It is estimated that new built ships after 2030 will not be using fossil fuels.

Yara Birkeland – Battery Powered Container Vessel Photo courtesy Yara