PREVIEW: IMO's Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC 82) to convene on key environmental issues

Highlights

1. Tackling climate change - cutting GHG emissions from ships    
2. Energy efficiency of ships  
3. Ballast water management 
4. Addressing marine litter   
5. Designation of new Emission Control Areas  
6. Proposals for Particularly Sensitive Sea Areas   
7. Air pollution prevention   
8. Reducing underwater radiated noise from commercial shipping  
9. Pollution prevention and response 
10. Ship recycling 

 1. Tackling climate change - cutting GHG emissions from ships  

IMO continues to take concrete action to ensure that international shipping bears its fair share of responsibility in addressing climate change. It has already developed global regulations on energy efficiency for ships (read more). In July 2023, MEPC 80 adopted the 2023 IMO Strategy on Reduction of GHG Emissions from Ships, with enhanced ambitions to achieve net-zero emissions from international shipping by or around, i.e. close to, 2050.   

As part of the 2023 IMO GHG Strategy, a set of proposed binding “mid-term measures” for GHG reduction are currently being considered by Member States, with a view to adoption in late 2025, including:   

• a technical element, i.e., a global marine fuel standard regulating the phased reduction of a marine fuel's GHG intensity; and   
• an economic element, i.e., a maritime GHG emissions pricing mechanism.     

Draft IMO net-zero framework 

At MEPC 82, the Committee will continue its work to develop a draft legal framework to include candidate mid-term measures in Annex VI of the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL). Once finalized, this will be considered for adoption by MEPC in late 2025.  

Comprehensive impact assessment of mid-term measures to reduce GHG emissions  

The proposed mid-term measures will impact the world fleet and Member States, especially Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and Small Island Developing States (SIDS). To guide decision-making, a comprehensive impact assessment of the different proposed measures was conducted over the past year, focusing on the potential impacts of the candidate measures on the world fleet and on States.   

The Committee will discuss the findings of the comprehensive impact assessment, which are based on complex modelling of different combination scenarios of the technical and economic measures. The report offers a wealth of information to support decision-making. 

2. Energy efficiency of ships    

The Committee will continue its work to review the ‘short-term measures' currently in force to reduce GHG emissions from ships by enhancing the energy efficiency of the global fleet. These regulations, adopted in 2021 and effective since 1 January 2023, require ships to measure their energy efficiency by calculating their attained Energy Efficiency Existing Ship Index (EEXI), and to continuously improve their annual operational carbon intensity indicator (CII) as defined in their CII rating.   

The process to review the effectiveness of these short-term measures, as agreed by MEPC 80, is outlined below. MEPC 82 will commence the analysis of submissions received from Member States and industry groups from July 2023 (MEPC 80). 

• Data gathering stage (between MEPC 80 and MEPC 82):  This gathers Member States’ experiences with the implementation of the regulations, as well as proposals;  
• Data analysis stage: A working group at MEPC 82 will be analyzing this data, to be continued by a correspondence group;  
• Convention and Guidelines review stage: An intersessional working group will work on a review between MEPC 82 and MEPC 83 (Spring 2025). A working group at MEPC 83 will finalize the review process, with a view to the adoption of any necessary amendments/revisions to relevant instruments by the Committee. 

3. Ballast water management  

The International Convention for the Control and Management of Ships' Ballast Water and Sediments, 2004 (BWM Convention) aims to prevent the spread of potentially harmful aquatic organisms and pathogens in ships' ballast water. An on-going comprehensive review of the BWM Convention will result in a package of amendments to the Convention. Since the Committee’s last session (MEPC 81), a correspondence group has been working to prepare draft amendments to the BWM Convention and associated instruments.  

MEPC 82 will focus on topics that require in-person discussions to advance their resolution, in order to inform and facilitate the further work of the correspondence group. The Committee will also consider proposals relating to approval of modifications to ballast water management systems with existing type approval and to guidance for completing the ballast water record book. 

4. Addressing marine litter   

The Committee will embark on a review of the Action Plan to Address Marine Plastic Litter from Ships (resolution MEPC.310(73)) to assess its effectiveness. 

The Committee will also consider how to progress its work on the safe transport of plastic pellets by ship. The first step saw the approval of the Recommendations for the carriage of plastic pellets by sea in freight containers (MEPC.1/Circ.909) in March by MEPC 81. MEPC 82 is further expected to approve draft Guidelines on good practice relating to clean-up of plastic pellets from ship-source releases.  

MEPC 82 will begin discussions on the development of amendments to relevant mandatory instruments, as the second stage of the two-stage approach agreed by the Sub-Committee on Pollution Prevention and Response (PPR).  

5. Designation of Emission Control Areas  

The Committee will be invited to adopt amendments to MARPOL Annex VI for the designation of the following new Emission Control Areas (ECAs) for Nitrogen Oxides (NOx), Sulphur Oxides (Sox) and Particulate Matter (PM), as appropriate:   

• Canadian Arctic Waters; and   
• Norwegian Sea. 

ECAs are areas where special mandatory measures to regulate emissions from ships are required to prevent, reduce and control air pollution from NOx, SOx and PM, and their adverse impacts on human health and the environment. 

6. Proposed Particularly Sensitive Sea Areas   

The Committee will be invited to consider a proposal by Indonesia to designate the Nusa Penida Islands and Gili Matra Islands in Lombok Strait as a Particularly Sensitive Sea Area (PSSA). These areas fall within the Coral Triangle, a globally recognized marine biodiversity hotspot. The proposed PSSA aims to enhance protections for its unique and endangered species, safeguarding their critical habitats and the rich biodiversity, and to accommodate the anticipated growth in shipping traffic traversing the Lombok Strait. 

7. Air pollution prevention  

The Committee will consider, with a view to adoption, the following two resolutions prepared by PPR 11: 

• Guidance on best practice on recommendatory goal-based control measures to reduce the impact on the Arctic of Black Carbon emissions from international shipping 
• Guidelines on recommendatory Black Carbon emission measurement, monitoring and reporting.  

The Committee will also consider, with a view to approval, draft amendments to the NOx Technical Code 2008 and MARPOL Annex VI on the use of multiple engine operational profiles for a marine diesel engine, including clarifications of engine test cycles; as well as draft amendments to the NOx Technical Code 2008 on certification of an engine subject to substantial modification.  

8. Reducing underwater radiated noise (URN) from commercial shipping    

The Committee is expected to approve the draft Action plan for the reduction of underwater radiated noise from commercial shipping (URN Action Plan), which includes a three-year experience-building phase of application of the Revised URN Guidelines (MEPC.1/Circ.906); commissioning of studies to estimate URN emissions from the maritime sector; and the development of URN targets for ships, among other key tasks.  

In addition, the Committee is expected to approve amendments to the Revised URN Guidelines (MEPC.1/Circ.906) to include a URN management planning reference chart.  

9. Pollution prevention and response  

The Committee is expected to approve: 

• a Revised tank cleaning additives guidance note and reporting form; 
• Guidelines for developing a local oil/hazardous and noxious substances marine pollution contingency plan, for subsequent publication; and 
• Guidelines on mitigation measures to reduce risks of use and carriage for use of heavy fuel oil as fuel by ships in Arctic waters. 

10. Ship recycling 

The Committee will consider draft guidance on the implementation of the Hong Kong Convention (HKC) and the Basel Convention (BC), concerning the transboundary movement of ships intended for recycling, developed by the Secretariat at the request of the Committee.