Shipping Industry : Greenhouse Gases Emission Reduction Strategy
By
Egbert Adolf Naintin Dato ’ Hj . Baharin bin Dato ’ Abdul Hamid Muhammad Shuhaimi bin Abd Rahman Marine Department Malaysia
COVER FEATURE
The global annual temperature has increased at an average rate of 0.08 ° C ( 0.14 ° F ) per decade since 1880 and over twice that rate (+ 0.18 ° C /+ 0.32 ° F ) since 1981 ( NOAA , 2020 ). Scientists believe that this situation , if not controlled , and climate change stopped , in four decades ’ time the surface of the earth will be very different than it is today .
The energy derived from the sun shapes the environment on earth in which we live . The earth becomes warmer due to the presence of water in liquid form as a result of the photosynthesis process driven by the absorption of sunlight . However , current human activities contribute to the increasing amount of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases ( GHG ), thus heightening the greenhouse effect , which leads to the rise in the earth ’ s temperature and the consequent climate change .
Transportation of people and goods is one of the main activities carried out on a daily basis . Transportation activities account for about 14 % of total GHG emissions globally . GHG emissions from these activities mainly involve petroleumbased fuels that are consumed to power land , sea , and air vehicles . According to the International Council on Clean Transportation ( ICCT ), shipping is considered an efficient method of transporting goods compared with other modes of transport , based on the amount of carbon dioxide emitted per ton for each cargo per mile ( cargo / mile ). While shipping does generate less carbon dioxide per ton for each cargo / mile than any other mode of transport ( Wang & Lutsey , 2013 ), the fact that shipping does contribute to GHG emissions cannot be denied .
Understanding the importance of managing GHG emissions from a shipping perspective , the International Maritime Organisation ( IMO ), a United Nations specialised agency which currently has 174 Member States including Malaysia , has undertaken studies to understand the amount of emission produced by ships . In the 4 th IMOGHG study , it was reported that international shipping contributed about 2 % of global carbon dioxide emissions ( IMO , 2020 ). International shipping is recognised as the main mode of transport for global trade and handles about 80 % of global trade which is essential to a nation ’ s economic growth ( UNCTAD , 2020 ). The IMO in its report has estimated , depending on future economic and energy developments , maritime carbon dioxide emissions from shipping to increase by up to 50 % by 2050 , relative to 2018 , unless further action is taken ( IMO , 2020 ).
MARPOL CONVENTION
Given the global nature of the shipping industry , measures to reduce GHG emissions from ships need to be an international effort . The IMO is tasked to create regulatory frameworks for the shipping industry that are effective , universally adopted and implemented through Member States ’ national legislations . One of the solutions to address GHG emissions from ships was the introduction in 1973 of the International
21