"The global focus on decarbonising the shipping industry has in many respects diverted attention away from the ongoing advances being made in improving the industry’s overall environmental performance. This is especially the case with pollution prevention and biodiversity. In a time when owners’ and managers’ resources are focused on air emission reductions and efficiency gains, the need for clear guidance and uniform regulations on other issues is even more crucial. The Committee has delivered, in 2020, its most industrious period of work, issuing six environmental guidance documents.

“There are obvious benefits to Members and the wider tanker industry in developing such guides and it is equally important that this work has benefits beyond INTERTANKO’s Membership and in particular how such work can be used to influence the governance of the tanker industry. The Committee will, in 2021, therefore focus its attention on the IMO, the EC and national authorities where legislation remains impractical or lags the industry’s leadership. Through this Committee, INTERTANKO has provided submissions to the IMO, the US EPA and the EC on issues as diverse as the discharge of cargo residues to port reception facilities, vessel incidental discharges and ballast water record book entries. 

“Away from the regulatory work, the Committee also presided over the launch of INTERTANKO’s Environmental Performance and Monitoring Database at the end of 2020 and will continue to streamline this tool for the benefit of both Member companies as well as the industry, offering an opportunity to track the tanker industry’s environmental performance on over 20 environmental aspects. This will certainly lend itself well as the industry meets the demands for greater transparency on environmental, social and governance practices in the coming years.” Ole Christian Schroder, Chairman

Main aims

• To develop understanding of environmental issues
• To participate and inform, so that issues directly affecting tanker operations are better represented by INTERTANKO for the benefit of its Members
• To proactively develop environmental policies for INTERTANKO to follow up at IMO and elsewhere
• To establish effective dialogue with environmental groups

Main issues

• Ballast Water Management *
• Biofouling and Antifouling
• United States Vessel Incidental Discharge Act (VIDA) 
• Port Reception Facilities
• Environmental Performance and Monitoring
• Ship Recycling
• Liaison with environmental organisations
• Environmental projects and information sharing
• Air emissions *
• Waste Management and MARPOL Annex V
• Integrated Bilge Treatment Systems (IBTS) * 
• Sustainability

* items jointly addressed with ISTEC

What is the Committee looking to achieve this year?

• Issue guidance on asbestos management
• Pursue standardised guidance on entries in the ballast water record book at the IMO
• Monitor the enforcement of the EU SRR with a view to issuing further guidance to Members.
• Actively engage with the IMO on the revision of the IMO’s Biofouling Guidelines.
• Maintain engagement with the European Commission on the implementation of the Port Reception Facilities Directive and EU Ship Recycling Regulation.
• Collate, compare and distribute to Members information on the various sustainability and ESG-related reporting initiatives.

Chairman: Ole Christian Schroder, Chairman
Secretary: Tim Wilkins