INTERCARGO acknowledges the technical and operational measures adopted at the 76th session of the IMO’s Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC 76) to reduce Greenhouse Gas (GHG) of international shipping but warns that there can be no compromise when it comes to safety.

Dimitris Fafalios, Chairman of INTERCARGO says: “We note the measures adopted by IMO thus far but must remind the industry that bulk carriers are highly efficient, and already operate within very tightly defined technical and operational parameters. Bulk operators are faced with the very real dilemma of determining exactly how to further improve the operational performance of already efficient ships, especially following adoption of the technological solutions currently available.

“Imposing further technical and operational constraints beyond given limits that cannot be overridden in practice, inevitably brings forward safety considerations that cannot be ignored. INTERCARGO will be closely looking into these safety dimensions associated with shipping’s decarbonisation and will bring them forward to IMO’s Committees as needed for their due consideration.”

INTERCARGO has actively participated in the IMO deliberations leading up to MEPC 76, expressing the views of its members on the short-term measures developed by IMO for carbon intensity reduction. The Association is fully committed to IMO’s strategy and ambition in reducing GHG emissions by ships and will continue to represent the views of quality owners and operators in the bulk carrier sector.