Washington-based financial institute World Bank Group (WBG) says maritime transport has been ‘largely absent’ from the public debate on transport and climate change.
“Tackling emissions from the shipping industry is just as critical as it is for other modes of transport,” notes Dr Nancy Vandycke, Program Manager, Sustainable Mobility for All (SuM4All), at WBG.
“First, international maritime transport accounts for the lion’s share of global freight transport: ships carry around 80% of the volume of all world trade and 70% of its value.
“In addition, although shipping is considered the most energy-efficient mode of transport, it still uses huge amounts of so-called bunker fuels, a byproduct of crude oil refining that takes a heavy toll on the environment.”
According to Dr Vandycke, shipping emissions will rank as the 6th largest greenhouse gas (GHG) emitter worldwide, between Japan and Germany, if the sector was a country of its own.
The International Maritime Organization (IMO) estimates carbon emissions from shipping could increase by 50% to 250% under a business-as-usual scenario.
“While the sector’s share in global emissions is currently at 2-3%, the demand for maritime transport is soaring – and so are emissions. From 2015 to 2016 alone, the slowest year in more than a decade, the world’s fleet still grew by more than 3.5%,” she says.
The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), meanwhile, has already adopted the Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA) to address carbon emissions from international flights in 2016.
“If the shipping sector does not follow suit quickly, its carbon emissions are forecasted to make up 10%-17% of global GHG emissions by 2050, posing a significant threat to the Paris Agreement’s goal of keeping global warming well below 2°C,” she highlights.
The World Bank is part of two global initiatives that have recently joined forces to support the shipping industry on this journey: The Sustainable Mobility for All and the Carbon Pricing Leadership Coalition, says Dr Vandycke.
“Building an alliance of progressive maritime stakeholders to explore, discuss, and evaluate the potential of possible emissions reduction strategies is key,” she notes.
“As Roman philosopher Seneca once said: ‘If one does not know to which port one is sailing, no wind is favorable.’”
Publication date: 12 January, 2018
Tugboat is powered by an electric propulsion system that combines e5Lab-developed large-capacity lithium-ion batteries and a diesel engine.
Development part of results from the EU-funded FReSMe project to convert CO2 to methanol via steel production to power marine transport.
‘Making major alteration to the engines is not simple liking decide to change the paint color scheme of the ship,’ says Captain Saleem Alavi.
Agreement with Silverstream will see Drydocks World-Dubai become an approved installation provider of Silverstream’s technology on a wide variety of retrofit projects.
She is the first vessel in CLdN fleet to be fitted with the system and will return to service from Zeebrugge, Belgium, as from 27 February, says the logistics specialist.
Although use of bio-LNG for bunkering is still in its early days, many firms and port authorities across Europe are planning new bio-LNG production plants or are planning to use bio-LNG as a bunker fuel.
Transferred shares of 40 subsidiaries to BVI firm after tribunal awarded claims in favour of Trinity Seatrading; YSPL has also filed a civil complaint against DNV and Liberian ship registry at Nanjing Maritime Court.
ADNOC L&S, Gulf Energy Maritime, Cockett Marine Oil, Mideast/Bahri Ship Management and VPS experts present their views on biofuel bunker hurdles at the VPS Biofuels Seminar in Dubai on 16 March.
‘Bunker barges operate in very local areas so these vessels call at port very often which means it will be a good fit for women with families,’ states Elpi Petraki, President of WISTA International.
“Our Singapore branch is under preparation and is expected to start business at the republic before June 2023,” Managing Director Darcy Wong tells bunkering publication Manifold Times in an interview.
Development to supply B35 biodiesel blend officially takes effect on 1 February; local bunker suppliers will be able to deliver updated spec within March onwards, once current stocks of B30 avails run out.
VPS, Global Centre for Maritime Decarbonisation, Wilhelmsen Ship Management, and INTERTANKO executives offered a multitude of perspectives to 73 attendees during the VPS Biofuels Seminar, reports Manifold Times.
