14 - Shipping Industry’s Perspective

Summary

Reinforcing the view that shipping is indispensable to the world, this chapter briefly outlines the shipping industry’s perspective on a range of key topics, notably the issues tackled by the International Maritime Organization (IMO). The commitment of the shipping industry to the protection of the environment is unshaken. The global shipping industry fully respects the role of IMO as its global regulator and participates actively in the development of new and revised regulation to protect the environment. The industry’s focus is not on delaying regulation, but on ensuring that regulation is effective and fit for purpose. It is little recognized outside the industry that virtually every potential impact that a ship may have on its environment is already regulated to some degree under international law. Topics covered in the chapter includes the challenge of reducing CO₂ emissions from shipping, the response to the sulfur cap in fuels and ballast water regulations. The chapter also considers ship recycling regulations. Finally, the desire is expressed to preserve the role of IMO as the unique specialist agency for regulating shipping in the face of the trend towards increasing national and regional regulation.