Climate-neutral conversion: shipping company bosses call for global rules
At the UN Climate Change Conference in Dubai, the heads of all major container shipping companies called for concrete measures to regulate the climate-friendly conversion of shipping fleets. Among other things, there must be an end date for new ships powered exclusively by fossil fuels. In addition, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) must create the legal conditions for an accelerated transition to environmentally friendly fuels, according to a joint statement issued by Hapag-Lloyd in Hamburg on Friday. Global shipping is responsible for up to three percent of CO2 emissions.
Following lengthy debates, the IMO imposed climate neutrality on the industry by 2050 in the summer. Previously, the specialized agency of the United Nations had only set this target for the end of the century. The IMO sets globally binding rules for shipping. It remains to be seen what specific set of rules the IMO will use to achieve this goal. A level playing field is an important factor for globally operating shipping companies in order to prevent distortions of competition.
The declaration is supported by Rolf Habben Jansen (Hapag-Lloyd), Vincent Clerc (Maersk), Rodolphe Saadé (CMA CGM) and Søren Toft (MSC), among others. China's Cosco is the only one of the five largest container shipping companies not taking part.
The UN Climate Change Conference in Dubai also highlighted the need for the International Maritime Organization (IMO) to establish legal frameworks, as per the joint statement by Hapag-Lloyd, enabling a swift shift towards climate-friendly shipping fuels. The UN, recognizing the environmental impact of shipping, is pushing for a UN-led initiative to transition the industry towards UN-endorsed climate-neutral shipbuilding practices.
Source: www.dpa.com
