Our Ocean Conference, Panama - side event

Our Ocean, US-side event:

"Decarbonizing Shipping: A Pathway to Achieve the Paris Climate Goals and Promote Sustainable Blue and Green Economies"

Panama

3 March 2023

Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen,

It is a pleasure to provide framing remarks at this side event on "Decarbonizing Shipping: A Pathway to Achieve the Paris Climate Goals and Promote Sustainable Blue and Green Economies".

I would like to thank our hosts for the invitation.

Maritime transport continues to be the most economic and environmentally sustainable mode of transportation for large volumes of cargo. This is a certainty, even in uncertain times.

As the global regulator for shipping, IMO continues to ensure that the maritime sector delivers global trade safely, securely, efficiently, and sustainably.

Next Monday, we will mark the 75th anniversary of the adoption of the IMO Convention, which established the Organization.

As we continue on shipping's journey towards sustainability, shipping must embrace decarbonization, alongside digitalization and innovative technology – all the while ensuring the human element is kept front and centre of the technological transition.

As the whole world unites to fight climate change, the biggest challenge facing shipping is reducing its Greenhouse Gas emissions.

The next five months are crucial to ensure that IMO showcases its global leadership towards efforts to decarbonize shipping.

We must lead the way and provide a global framework for the maritime industry to strive for green shipping and at the same time, we must ensure we leave no one behind.

As you are aware, IMO Member States are currently actively engaged in the process of upgrading the Initial IMO Strategy on Reduction of GHG Emissions from Ships with adoption scheduled for this July.

The revised strategy, containing a basket of technical and economic measures, will provide the necessary certainty for all stakeholders to invest in future fuels and ship related technologies setting the way towards decarbonizing shipping.

I believe that IMO Member States must be ambitious and bold enough to upgrade the vision and level of ambition taking into account the messages from the latest IPCC climate report to achieve the goals set in the Paris Agreement.

IMO is, alongside, working to support Member States in their implementation of measures agreed, to ensure that no one is left behind in this transition towards a decarbonized future for shipping.

I see great opportunities for many countries to be part of the new green future that will see low and zero-carbon fuels being produced and supplied globally, but also from retrofitting ships and digitalizing port operations.

Knowledge sharing is critical to the attainment of our common objectives.

We can all learn from each other. And IMO is ready to support this process.

The time to act is now.

Ladies and gentlemen,

At this pivotal time in history, shipping is undergoing complex and substantial change.

By working together collaboratively and cooperatively, we can harness this transition to make shipping greener, more resilient, more efficient and more sustainable, for the benefit of all.

Thank you.

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