The session is being held with the participation of representatives of Iran’s Ports and Marine Organization (PMO) as well as the members of over 170 other countries.
The PMO representatives are scheduled to deliver a speech to elaborate on their views over marine environment protection.
During the second day of the session on Tuesday, the United Nations shipping agency approved measures to boost energy efficiency in vessels as part of efforts to reduce the industry’s carbon footprint, a UN spokeswoman said.
The measures, which aim to reduce the carbon intensity of existing ships, add to already agreed energy efficiency regulations for new vessels and aim to reduce the carbon intensity of international shipping by 40% by 2030 compared with 2008 levels.
The IMO has said it aims to reduce overall greenhouse gas emissions from ships by 50% from 2008 levels by 2050, but is under pressure to speed up the action.
Shipping officials have also said the industry must act now to meet the 2050 targets.
IMO Secretary-General Kitack Lim said on Monday at the start of MEPC that it was “of utmost importance that the IMO continues to deliver on the implementation of the initial GHG strategy by means of concrete measures”.
About 90% of world trade is transported by sea. Carbon emissions from shipping in the six-year period to 2018 accounted for 2.9% of the world’s CO2, the latest IMO-commissioned study showed in August.
The next MEPC session, scheduled for June 2021, is expected to formally adopt the new measures.
MR/PR
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