Main Issues and Technical measures on IMO strategy for GHG Reduction

Abstract

Requirements and regulations concerning the emissions of ships are expected to be strengthened to realize a better global environment although ships are relatively efficient and eco-friendly means of freight transportation. In April 2018, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) established an initial strategy to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from oceangoing ships, and set the GHG reduction target to at least 50% by 2050 compared to those in 2008. In order to comply with the IMO regulations, shipping companies are responding to carbon emission regulations by reducing speed of the ships or optimizing the navigation route, and shipbuilding industries are commercializing LNG dual fuel propulsion systems and various energy saving devices (fin, stator, rudder bulb, air-lubrication system, etc.). Ultimately, decarbonization in the shipping sector can be achieved by using low and zero carbon fuels. Major European countries argue that hundreds of zero-carbon fuel propulsion ships should be introduced from 2030 to meet the IMO greenhouse gas reduction target by 2050, but technology is immature yet. Even though Ammonia is one of the most technically mature fuels for ship propulsion, a considerable amount of time is expected to commercialize green ammonia production facilities and bunkering infrastructure after the engines and major equipment for Ammonia-fueld ships are fully developed. There is no disagreement over the need to introduce zero-carbon fueled vessels, but it is also necessary to review the technical and economic feasibility of onboard carbon capture and storage system (OCCS) as a stepping stone in order to reduce carbon intensity by at least 40% by 2030. This presentation summarizes the current major issues on GHG reduction in Marine Environmental Protection Committee (MEPC). It also introduces an overview of various eco-friendly technologies for oceangoing ships. In particular, the current technical maturity and applicability of low-carbon/zero-carbon alternative fuels and OCCS are reviewed, and some directions of research and development with respect to large-scale vessels are proposed in order to respond to IMO mid-term and long-term measures.