The 80th Session of the International Maritime Organization´s (IMO) Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) met from 3 - 7 July 2023 in London to adopt a Revised Strategy on the Reductions of Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions from ships.
Ambassador and Permanent Representative of the Philippines to the IMO, Teodoro L. Locsin, Jr. successfully advocated for the inclusion of the protection of seafarers in the Revised Strategy. He stressed that seafarers are also key to the success of the Organization´s decarbonization goals. He said that seafarers have a vital role in adopting and carrying out sustainable shipping practices, and should not be forgotten, as the shipping industry transitions to a green economy.
His call to include seafarers in the revised strategy was not left unheeded by the Organization. In the MEPC Resolution which endorsed the Revised IMO Strategy, the significance of addressing the human element and the impact on seafarers and other maritime professionals in ensuring a safe implementation of the strategy was acknowledged. The Initial Strategy also included provisions that emphasize the need for a comprehensive approach to regulating safety aboard ships utilizing zero or near-zero GHG emission technologies, fuels and energy resources; and urge IMO to evaluate its instruments, guidance, and training standards to facilitate an equitable transition that leaves no one behind.
Under the IMO Revised Strategy, member states commit to reduce the total annual GHG from international shipping by at least 20%, striving for 30%, by 2030, compared to 2008 and by at least 70%, striving for 80%, by 2040, compared to 2008 levels.