Whats New 2018
Supporting the free-flow of trade
Standardization and harmonization are essential in order to achieve efficient shipping and seamless transport, particularly when it comes to electronic data exchange. IMO’s Facilitation Committee, which is meeting (5-8 June) at IMO Headquarters, is set to approve a revised format of the IMO Compendium on Facilitation and Electronic Business, including a completely revised and updated standard IMO data model set. Click for photos. more...
Looking ahead to new limit for sulphur content in ships’ fuel
A key IMO measure helping shipping secure its environmental sustainability is the forthcoming reduction in the global upper limit of permissible sulphur content in ships' fuel oil to 0.50%. “This is another landmark decision for both the environment and for human health. It demonstrates a clear commitment by IMO Member States to ensuring shipping meets its environmental obligations,” said IMO Secretary-General Kitack Lim, speaking at the Annual General Meeting of the Cyprus Shipping Chamber (31 May). more...
Successful voyages, sustainable planet
IMO Secretary-General Kitack Lim has highlighted the
important link between safe ship navigation and sustainability. Speaking at the
International Association of Marine Aids to Navigation and Lighthouse
Authorities (IALA) Conference in Incheon, Republic of Korea (27 May), Mr. Lim
addressed the theme: 'Successful voyages, Sustainable planet – A New Era for
Marine Aids to Navigation in a Connected World'. more...
IMO GHG strategy in focus at European Parliament
Members of the European Parliament and other stakeholders have been briefed on the Initial IMO Strategy on Reduction of GHG emissions from ships and the follow-up actions, including consideration of candidate short term measures. IMO’s Edmund Hughes outlined the key elements of the initial strategy in Brussels, Belgium (5 June). more...
Strengthening oil spill response in Namibia
Namibia has hosted a series of events addressing oil spill preparedness and response, with two back to back workshops in Swakopmund (22-24 May and 28-31 May) developed with a view to improve the national preparedness and response system in the country. A first workshop was held to provide participants with an overview of the essential skills needed to prepare for and respond to oil spills at an operational level including contingency planning and risk assessment. more...
Global Industry Alliance brainstorms emission-cutting solutions for shipping
Which technologies will best support shipping’s move to a low carbon future? How can first movers be incentivized to take-up emission reduction technologies? How can the effective implementation of “Just-in-Time” operation help ships optimize speed, avoid idle times outside ports and cut emissions? How can financial barriers related to implementation of new technological measures be overcome? These and other questions were on the agenda when the IMO-supported Global Industry Alliance to Support Low Carbon Shipping (GIA) met for the third meeting of the GIA Taskforce and an Ideas Generation Workshop (29-30 May). more...
Protecting Angola’s marine environment
A national workshop on the treaty covering dumping of wastes at sea, the London Protocol, is being held in Luanda, Angola (30-31 May). The workshop is raising awareness among stakeholders on the practical aspects of effective implementation of the London Protocol to protect the marine environment from the dumping of harmful wastes at sea. With more light being shed on the dramatic impact of marine litter on coastal areas, this workshop is yet another example of how IMO is tackling this problem. more...
IMO continues fight against marine litter
The damaging build-up of plastic litter in the oceans is increasingly recognised as a major threat to the global environment. Harrowing images of marine wildlife being trapped by plastic litter, or even ingesting it, are becoming tragically familiar. IMO's long track record of engagement in the fight against this insidious form of pollution was reinforced last year, when its governing Assembly of Member States placed the issue of marine plastic litter from shipping on the agenda of its leading environmental technical body, the Marine Environment Protection Committee. more...