Tackling shipping emissions and its regulation on the agenda

Maritime transport causes about 4% of global man-made CO2 emissions, which makes its carbon footprint approximately as high as Germany’s.

But whilst there is currently no regulation of international maritime transport emissions, this is currently under discussion in the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and at the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), according to Europa, the EC’s official website.

Meanwhile, a report published this week by the EC’s Joint Research Centre (JRC), provides the first comprehensive overview of methodologies for estimating air emissions from shipping, describes technological solutions and analyses policy options for reducing carbon emissions and air pollution in this sector.

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“This JRC report underlines why pollution from shipping, like that from many other sources, needs to be reduced both to help tackle climate change and to prevent severe damage to human health. It also discusses options for how a combination of technological innovation and market-based policies could deliver the reductions needed. This study is also a perfect example of how the scientific work done by the commission’s Joint Research Centre can help drive political progress towards the EU’s Innovation Union and Europe 2020 goals,” said Research, Innovation and Science Commissioner, Máire-Geoghegan-Quinn.

Although maritime transport has the lowest ratio of CO2 emissions per ton-kilometre transported compared to other modes of transport, its greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are expected to increase from the current level of around 1 giga-tonne per year by an estimated 150–200% over the next four decades, Europa warned.

Furthermore, it explained that the shipping sector is a source of air pollution.

Unless measures are taken, air pollution over the main shipping routes will increase due to an estimated 10–20% rise in sulphur dioxide emissions in the next two years, Europa said.

Marine fuel oil has very high sulphur content, which ranges from a global average of 27,000 ppm (parts per million) to 10,000 ppm in Sulphur Emission Control Areas (SECAs).

However, with a new agreement in the IMO, ships in the Baltic and North Sea SECAS will have to use fuel with only 0.1% of sulphur content by 2015, as is already the case in the EU ports due to EU legislation.

The new JRC Reference Report contributes to raising awareness of the environmental impacts, including on health, of worldwide shipping. It analyses the methodological issues raised within the scientific community about assessing the impacts of the maritime sector on the environment, and identifies shortcomings in reliable and comprehensive sources of information. A detailed assessment of the cost efficiency and abatement potential of each technological option described in the report is also provided.

However, to achieve significant improvements in the reduction of carbon emissions and air pollution, technological (fuel- and engine-related) solutions should be supplemented with other measures, Europa said.

Market-based options addressing both regional and global measures must also be investigated. The report analyses how the introduction of market-based policies, such as a GHG Emission Trading Scheme (ETS) for the shipping sector at an international level, could be used.

The Europe 2020 strategy includes, as a headline target for 2020, the commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 20% compared to 1990 levels or by 30%, if the conditions are right. The scope of this commitment is set out in the EU’s climate and energy legislation.

According to this legislation, all sectors of the economy should contribute to achieving these emission reductions, including international maritime shipping and aviation.

In the event that the community has approved no international agreement, which includes international maritime emissions in its reduction targets, by 2011, the commission should include international maritime emissions in the community reduction commitment, with the aim of the proposed act coming into force by 2013.