Emissions to air

Overview of key issues

• Annex VI of MARPOL (SOX, NOX, VOC)
• Greenhouse gas emissions
• Energy efficiency
• Monitoring, reporting and verification (MRV)

SOx, NOx, VOC (Annex VI of MARPOL)
Annex VI of MARPOL sets specific limits on certain air emissions from ships and its engines.  Compliance with these standards can be achieved through the use of clean fuels or abatement technology. As a policy matter, the INTERTANKO Council has decided that promoting the global switch to marine gas oil is the best way to comply with these standards. However, it is recognised that each tanker owner has to decide which option is best for their tankers to comply with Annex VI requirements. To assist Members in deciding how best to comply with these requirements on their tankers, INTERTANKO provides advice and guidance on the costs benefits of the use of clean fuels, such as marine gas oil, and the alternative options of abatement technology.

Greenhouse gas emissions
IMO has adopted amendments to Annex VI of MARPOL which requires new ships to meet an Energy Efficiency Design Index (EEDI) to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from these ships. These requirements are to be met during the construction of the ship in the shipyard. To supplement these requirements, IMO has also adopted guidelines on the method of calculation of the EEDI for new ships. INTERTANKO played a very active role in the development of these requirements and guidelines to ensure new tankers were treated equally to other ship types.  INTERTANKO provides advice and guidance to Members to assist them in EEDI compliance on their tankers, so they can ensure that shipyards deliver more efficiently operated new tankers, resulting in a reduction of fuel consumption. IMO is currently revisiting the schedule for the enforcement of Phase 3 limits of the EEDI requirement and the possible introduction of Phase 4 level limits. INTERTANKO is involved on these developments.     

Energy efficiency
There are a number of Members States at IMO that feel that although IMO has adopted EEDI requirement for new ships, additional energy efficiency standards are necessary to further reduce GHG emissions from ships. As a result, IMO has established a three-step approach policy which comprises

1. Data Collection from ships (fuel consumption at sea/in port, distance travelled, time at sea/in port);
2. data assessment and analysis and;
3. additional measures and enforcement vehicles. In answer from pressures to make a commitment and adopt concrete planning for such additional measures (practically these seem to be measures on ships during operations), IMO has adopted a Roadmap according to which a final decision will be taken in 2023 with enforcement in 2025. INTERTANKO will be actively involved to protect Members’ interests.

EU Monitoring, Reporting & Verification (MRV)
In order to make progress on energy efficiency standards for ships, EU has adopted a similar approach as IMO which starts with Data Collection from ships. EU has adopted a regulation Regulation 2015/757- Monitoring, Reporting and Verification (MRV) of carbon dioxide emissions from maritime transport. The declared intent of EU is to use this information to establish a baseline of CO₂ emissions from shipping to evaluate including shipping into the EU Directive for Emissions Trading Scheme. INTERTANKO has been actively involved in the development of these requirements and will continue to do so to ensure that any MRV standards are realistic, not overly burdensome to Members and maintain tankers on an equal footing with other ship types. INTERTANKO, in cooperation with other industry stakeholders will make efforts to convince European Commission to align its MRV Regulation with the forthcoming provisions to be adopted by IMO.