Tag: IMO

At its latest Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC 73), IMO approved, among others, the guidance on the development of a ship implementation plan for the consistent implementation of the 0.50% sulphur limit, also known as the 2020 sulphur cap, under MARPOL Annex V.

IMO’s Polar Code aims to ensure that ships operating in the Arctic and Antarctic areas consider extremes of temperature and make sure critical equipment remains operational. Draft guidance for navigation and communication equipment intended for use on ships operating in polar waters is expected to be finalized by the current session of the Sub-Committee on Navigation, Communications and Search and Rescue.

2019 kicked off with the data collection on fuel oil consumption, alternative mechanisms to comply with the 2020 Sulphur cap, the EU Ship Recycling Regulation, the IMSBC Code 2017 amendment as well as amendments designating North Sea and Baltic Sea as ECAs. With many more regulations and developments still yet to come, nations from all across the globe, ship operators and crew are going through a key period because of ten major issues that will have significant impact over the next ten years in the shipping industry.

On 11 January at IMO’s London headquarters, IMO and the United Nations System Staff College held a workshop for Member State delegations, aiming to help Member States gain a better understanding of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the role IMO can play in achieving them. 

There have been flare-ups in the maritime cyber security era over the last two years, when major cyber incidents begun striking industry’s operations. Theft of credentials is said to have increased significantly, with phishing and malware being the most popular cyber threats.

Taking into consideration the need for a more holistic approach towards gender diversity, shipping is constantly showing an increased interest in augmenting the role and presence of women in a traditionally male-dominated industry. According to WISTA, Norway was ranked first in gender equality in maritime, where women account for 42% on company boards.

Some major names in the shipping and oil industry aspire to raise $1 billion for a vehicle aimed at profiting from a clampdown on highly polluting marine fuels, pitching the investment vehicle as an insurance policy for shipowners or airlines against a spike in fuel costs, according to the Financial Times.

Autonomous ship is a marine vessel with sensors, automated navigation, propulsion and auxiliary systems, with the necessary decision logic to follow mission plans, sense the environment, adjust mission execution according to the environment, and potentially operate without human intervention. The maritime industry benefits by autonomous vessels since the latter includes operational efficiency, human error reduction, emission reduction, increased safety, and operational cost reduction. 

The IMO fuel oil consumption data collection system became effective on 1 March 2018, requiring from ships of 5,000 gross tonnage and above to submit to their Administration annual reports on fuel oil consumption. In accordance with the latest amendments to Chapter 4 of MARPOL Annex VI, from 1 January 2019, ships must collect fuel oil consumption data based on a methodology that must be included in the Ship Energy Efficiency Management Plan.

Cost Rica became the 112th State to accede to IMO's International Convention on Maritime Search and Rescue (SAR Convention). The worldwide ratification and implementation of IMO's International Convention on Maritime Search and Rescue is vital for the efforts to ensure the safety of international shipping.