MEPC 79 preview: MED emission control area; further on GHG

The IMO Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) - 79th session will meet in-person session (with hybrid participation) from December 12th to 16th, 2022.

MEPC 79 preview

Adoption of mandatory MARPOL amendments

Designation of the Mediterranean Sea, as a whole, as an Emission Control Area for Sulphur Oxides and particular matter
Mandatory garbage record books for smaller ships
Protecting Arctic waters - regional arrangements for port reception facilities
Fuel flashpoint in Bunker delivery note

Tackling climate change - cutting GHG emissions from ships

Revision of initial IMO GHG Strategy
Development of mid-term measures including technical and economic measures
Finalization of the review of the Procedure of assessing possible impact on States
Development of Lifecycle GHG assessment guidelines
Proposals related to onboard CO₂ capture
Revision of the IMO Fuel Consumption Monitoring Data Collection System (IMO DCS)

Energy efficiency of ships

Report of fuel oil consumption data submitted to the IMO Ship Fuel Oil Consumption Database in GISIS (reporting year: 2021); proposed amendment to the 2018 Guidelines on the method of calculation of the Attained Energy Efficiency Design Index (EEDI); EEDI phase 4

Air pollution prevention

Bunker fuel license; biofuels and NOx emissions; exhaust gas cleaning systems (EGCS)

Ballast water management

Various proposals for amendments and unified interpretations; consideration of various operational matters affecting implementation of the BWM Convention; approval of ballast water management systems

Particularly Sensitive Sea Areas

Proposal for designation of a particular sensitive sea area in the North-Western Mediterranean Sea to protect cetaceans from international shipping

Other matters

Proposals for new outputs

Arrangements for media and working hours

MEPC 79 arrangements including media accreditation

Adoption of amendments

Designating Mediterranean Sea as an Emission Control Area for Sulphur Oxides

The MEPC is expected to adopt amendments to designate the Mediterranean Sea, as a whole, as an Emission Control Area for Sulphur Oxides and particular matter, under MARPOL Annex VI.

In such an Emission Control Area, the limit for sulphur in fuel oil used on board ships is 0.10% mass by mass (m/m), while outside these areas the limit is 0.50% m/m.

The MEPC will decide on the entry into force date. The amendment is expected to enter into force on 1 May 2024, with the new limit taking effect from 1 May 2025.

Contracting Parties to the Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment and the Coastal Region of the Mediterranean (Barcelona Convention) and its Protocols agreed in December 2021 to bring forward the proposal to IMO.

There are currently four designated Emission Control Areas for Sulphur Oxides and particular matter worldwide: the Baltic Sea area; the North Sea area; the North American area (covering designated coastal areas off the United States and Canada); and the United States Caribbean Sea area (around Puerto Rico and the United States Virgin Islands).

Mandatory garbage record books for smaller ships

The MEPC is expected to adopt amendments to MARPOL Annex V to make the Garbage Record Book mandatory also for ships of 100 gross tonnage and above and less than 400 gross tonnage.

This extends the requirement for mandatory garbage record books to smaller ships, which will be required to keep records of their garbage handling operations, namely discharges to a reception facility ashore or to other ships, garbage incineration, permitted discharges of garbage into the sea, and accidental or other exceptional discharged or loss of garbage into the sea.

Strategy to address marine plastic litter from ships

MEPC 77 adopted the Strategy to address marine plastic litter from ships, which sets out the following outcomes as key goals: reduction of marine plastic litter generated from, and retrieved by, fishing vessels; reduction of shipping's contribution to marine plastic litter; and improvement of the effectiveness of port reception and facilities and treatment in reducing marine plastic litter.

Actions have been agreed, to be completed by 2025, which relate to all ships, including fishing vessels.

The action plan supports IMO's commitment to meeting the targets set in the UN 2030 Sustainable Development Goal 14 (SDG 14) on the oceans.

The MEPC will be invited to consider the recommendations from the review of the terms of reference for the IMO Study on marine plastic litter from ships.

Capacity building to address marine plastic litter from ships

GloLitter Partnerships, a project between the Government of Norway, IMO and FAO is supporting developing countries, including Small Islands Developing States (SIDS) and Least Developed Countries (LDCs), in identifying opportunities for the prevention and reduction of marine litter.

Protecting seas in the Arctic - regional arrangements for port reception facilities

The MEPC is expected to adopt draft amendments to the MARPOL annexes to allow States with ports in the Arctic region to enter into regional arrangements for port reception facilities.

The draft amendments relate to MARPOL Annexes I (oil), II (noxious liquid substances), IV (sewage), V (garbage) and VI (air pollution).

Related draft amendments to the 2012 Guidelines for the development of a regional reception facility plan (resolution MEPC.221(63)) were also agreed.

Fuel flashpoint in bunker delivery note - amendments

The MEPC is expected to adopt draft amendments to appendix V of MARPOL Annex VI, to include flashpoint of fuel oil or a statement that the flashpoint has been measured at or above 70ºC as mandatory information in the bunker delivery note (BDN).

Tackling climate change - cutting GHG emissions from ships
Background:

IMO is committed to cutting GHG emissions from ships. Mandatory energy efficiency measures were first adopted in 2011 and have been strengthened since The Initial IMO Strategy on Reduction of GHG Emissions from Shipping was adopted in 2018, setting out a clear pathway towards decarbonization of international shipping. (see /Cutting-GHG-emissions.aspx ).

On 1 November 2022, the "short -term measure" to reduce ships' carbon intensity entered into force, introducing the Energy Efficiency Existing Ship Index (EEXI); the annual operational carbon intensity indicator (CII) rating and an enhanced Ship Energy Efficiency Management Plan (SEEMP). (see CII-and-EEXI-entry-into-force.aspx ).

At MEPC 77, Member States agreed to initiate the process of revision of the Initial IMO GHG Strategy, towards adopting a strengthened revised Strategy in mid-2023 at MEPC 80.

The MEPC will consider the report of the 13th sessions of the Intersessional Working Group on Reduction of GHG Emissions from Ships (ISWG-GHG 13), which meets 5-9 December 2022.

A working group on Reduction of GHG emissions from ships is expected to be established. The terms of reference for the group will be decided by the MEPC.

Revision of the initial IMO GHG Strategy

The MEPC 79 session will have for consideration a number of documents providing concrete proposals and comments related to the revision of the Initial IMO GHG Strategy. MEPC 79 will be preceded by a ISWG-GHG 13.

Mid-term measures including possible technical and economic measures

The MEPC 76 session adopted a work plan on the concrete way forward to make progress with candidate mid- and long-term measures, including measures to incentivize the move away from fossil fuels to low- and zero-carbon fuels to achieve decarbonization of international shipping.

The IWSG-GHG 13 will report on its progress in the further development of a "basket of candidate mid-term measures" – integrating both technical (for example, a GHG fuel standard and/or enhancement of IMO's carbon intensity measures) and carbon pricing (for example, a market-based measure) elements. Further discussion is expected during the MEPC 79 session, including in the working group.

Impact assessments of candidate measures

MEPC is expected to finalize the revision of the Procedure on assessing impacts on States of candidate GHG reduction measures, taking into account the experience of the comprehensive impact assessment of the IMO short-term GHG reduction measure.

MEPC will also consider the methodology used for the impact assessment of the short-term measure which could be annexed to the existing MEPC.1/Circ.885. The Committee will also further discuss possible options of how to keep the impacts of a measure under review.

Lifecycle GHG assessment guidelines

The MEPC is expected to consider the further development of the draft guidelines on life cycle GHG intensity of marine fuels, taking into account the interim report of the Correspondence Group on Marine Fuel Life Cycle GHG Analysis.

ISWG-GHG 11 reported progress in developing draft Lifecycle GHG assessment guidelines (LCA guidelines) which will allow for a Well-to-Wake calculation, including Well-to-Tank and Tank-to-Wake emission factors, of total GHG emissions related to the production and use of alternative marine fuels.

Proposals related to onboard CO₂ capture

The MEPC will consider proposals related to onboard CO₂ capture. MEPC 78 discussed proposals related to on-board CO₂ capture system and invited interested Member States and international organizations to submit further information and concrete proposals to future sessions.

Revision of the IMO Fuel Consumption Monitoring Data Collection System (IMO DCS)

ISWG-GHG 13 is expected to discuss a proposal on the future revision of the IMO Data Collection System of annual fuel consumption looking into possible future changes of the IMO GISIS reporting module, including enhanced transparency and additional reporting parameters.

Energy efficiency of ships

The MEPC will be invited to consider the report of fuel oil consumption data submitted to the IMO Ship Fuel Oil Consumption Database in GISIS (reporting year: 2021). (Read more on the DCS.).

The MEPC will also consider proposed amendment to the 2018 Guidelines on the method of calculation of the Attained Energy Efficiency Design Index (EEDI) for new ships; and the report of the Correspondence Group on the Possible Introduction of EEDI Phase 4. (Read more on EEDI).

Air pollution prevention

The MEPC is expected to consider documents which have been submitted in relation to possible bunker fuel licensing system: the impact of the use of biofuels on NO_x emissions; and exhaust gas cleaning systems (EGCS).

Ballast water management

The MEPC is expected to consider proposals relating to:

Application of the BWM Convention to ships operating at ports with challenging water quality.
Temporary storage of treated sewage and grey water in ballast tanks.
Amendments to the Form of the Ballast Water Record Book (BWRB) and further actions relating to the BWRB.
Amendments to the example ballast water reporting form.
Proposed unified interpretations to parts of the BWMS Code, regulation E-1 of the BWM Convention and the Form of the International Ballast Water Management Certificate.
Application of the BWM Convention to specific ship types.
Approval of ballast water management systems which make use of Active Substances based on the outcome of GESAMP-BWWG 42.

Particularly Sensitive Sea Areas

Designation of a particular sensitive sea area in the North-Western Mediterranean Sea to protect cetaceans from international shipping

The MEPC is expected to consider a proposal to designate a particular sensitive sea area in the North-Western Mediterranean Sea to protect cetaceans from international shipping. The proposal is submitted by France, Italy, Monaco and Spain.

The submitters state that the aim of the proposed NW Med PSSA is to protect cetaceans from the risk of ship collisions, ship-generated pollution and to increase awareness on a critically important area for the fin whale and the sperm whale.

The proposed PSSA encompasses the whole Pelagos Sanctuary and the Spanish cetacean corridor, which are already designated as Special Protected Areas of Mediterranean Importance (SPAMIs) under the Barcelona Convention and the UN Mediterranean Action Plan dedicated to the conservation of cetaceans.

Other matters

Work programme proposals

The MEPC is expected to consider proposals for new outputs, including:

Proposal for a new output for the revision of MARPOL Annex II in order to improve the effectiveness of cargo tank stripping, tank washing operations and prewash procedures for products with a high melting point and/or high viscosity.
Proposal for a new output to amend the Revised guidelines and specifications for pollution prevention equipment for machinery space bilges of ships (resolution MEPC.107(49)).
Ship-to-ship oil transfers conducted on the high seas and proposed new output for the revision of chapter 8 of MARPOL Annex I.

Media and MEPC 79 arrangements

MEPC - 79th session, 12-16 December 2022 will be held in person, complemented by hybrid facilities allowing remote participation.

Time: 09.30 am to 5.30 pm London Time each weekday - breaks at 11:00-11:30; 12:30-2:30; 4:00-4:30. A number of presentations will take place at lunch time/evenings.

Working groups

The MEPC is expected to establish the following groups: