Vol. 18 No. 3 May/June 2021

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Voicesfrom theSeafarers
Page 3

Gov’t meeting addresses Covid crisis
Kaiji Shinko Renmei ad hoc gathering hears about state of maritime industry
Maritime organization
reps make requests;
JSU President Morita
asks Diet members
to provide vaccines
to seafarers soon,
introduce smoothercrew rotations, tocontinue support inmaintaining seafarer
employment

On May 11, 2021,
Kaiji Shinko Renmei convened an ad
hoc meeting at theFirst Members’ Office Buildingof the House of Representatives
to hear on the current state of themaritime industry under the Covid-19 pandemic. On behalf of the
All Japan Seamen’s Union (JSU),
President Yasumi Morita participated in the meeting with a briefing on how seafarers are doing in
the grips of the pandemic and asking for early vaccine inoculations
and smoother crew rotations.
The ad hoc meeting was attended
by approximately 170 individuals, including some 100 lawmakers
from the upper and lower houses.
Others represented 11 organizations concerned with maritime affairs, such as the JSU, the Japanese
Shipowners’ Association, the Japan
Federation of Coastal Shipping Associations and the Japan Passengerboat Association. Also present were
officials from seven relevant governmental agencies, such as the ministries of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism; Health, Labourand Welfare (MHLW); and Justice.
After Mr. Seishiro Eto, chairman of
Kaiji Shinko Renmei, which is anassociation of Diet members who
promote maritime affairs, gave anaddress, and the leaders of the attending industry organizations
made requests, respectively.
At the beginning of the meeting,
Mr. Morita commented on thepassage of a bill to amend the national referendum law by the lower
house’s Research Commission on
the Constitution. He showed his
appreciation, as the law’s amendment would cast an eye on theparticularity of seafarers who workat sea. More specifically, the president was grateful to those who
had endeavored to arrange newenvironments, because a revised
national referendum law will allow
crewmembers on duty on board

Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga (fourth from right) receives the resolution from Kaiji Shinko Renmei Chairman Seishiro Eto (thirdfrom right). Photo shows (from left) JSU President Yasumi Morita, Shipbuilders’ Association of Japan Chairman Tamotsu Saito, Kaiji
Shinko Renmei Vice-Chairman and Director-General Ryu Shionoya, Japan Federation of Coastal Shipping Associations Chairman
Kokichi Kuribayashi, Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, Kaiji Shinko Renmei Chairman Seishiro Eto, Japanese Shipowners’ Association Vice-President Takashi Nakashima and Japan Passengerboat Association Vice-Chairman Takuji Kato.

flag-of-convenience ships and vessels carrying two or fewer Japanese
seafarers as well as students receiving on-board on-the-job training
to cast their ballots. Having doneso, he also made requests on 1) the
early administration of Covid-19
vaccines to seamen, 2) the rotationof crewmembers, and 3) the continuation of support to maintainemployment.
Early inoculation of Covid-19
vaccines to seafarers
Demanding the early inoculationof Covid-19 vaccines to seafarers,
President Morita explained thatwhen on duty on board vessels,
they have no way of immediately
receiving proper treatment even if
they are infected. Having said so, heintroduced a joint statement madeon March 25 by the International
Maritime Organization, the International Labour Organization, theWorld Health Organization andothers to ask for the early administration of vaccine shots to seafarers.
To ensure that society will continue
to work, the statement suggested
that seamen and aircraft crewmembers join medical workers so thatthey will also be eligible to receive
vaccine jabs on a priority basis.
Rotation of crewmembers
As for the rotation of crewmembers,
President Morita stated that thanks
to efforts by Japanese shipping companies and other relevant parties,
the number of mariners working
for long periods of time on board
ships of the Japanese commercial
fleet is on the decline. Japanese andother crewmembers can now get on
and off vessels early when shipping
routes are temporarily changed orwhen their vessels call ports where
they can do so, for example, he said.
The JSU leader added that nevertheless many non-Japanese seamen
are still forced to stay considerable
lengths of time on board ships.
Mr. Morita also introduced steps
taken in the international community, such as a resolution madein December 2020 by the United
Nations General Assembly and one
made by the ILO’s International
Labour Office. Depending upon
future coronavirus infection developments, he was concerned thatit could be more difficult to rotate
seafarers. As such, he demandedthat measures be taken to realize thesmoother rotation of not only Japanese crewmembers, but also thosecoming to Japan from overseas totake logistics responsibility.
Continuation of support tomaintain seafarer employment
In the Japanese shipping sector,
which covers domestic cargo andpassenger transport as well as ferry
operations, the volume of shipments and number of passengers
are both decreasing sharply due tothe pandemic, placing the sector
in a severe situation, according
to Mr. Morita, who called for thecontinuation of support needed
to maintain seafarer employment.
Kanji Shinko Renmei adopts
resolution, to submit it
to PM, other ministers
To meet demand from various or-

ganizations, relevant governmental authorities spoke of policies
needed for the maritime industry
under the Covid-19 crisis, thecurrent state of virus infections,the prevention measures taken
at seaports and airports, relevantbudgets and financial assistance.
The MHLW said that Japan’s vaccine rollout is being advanced inaccordance with a sequence of
medical workers, elderly citizens,
those with underlying medical
conditions and working at elderly
facilities and so on. The healthministry added that Tokyo willproceed with a program to let
those from the maritime industry
get vaccine shots as soon as possible. In respect to the provisionof the employment adjustment
subsidies in and after July, which
are scheduled to come to an end
at the end of June, the ministry
said that it will make an appropriate decision when looking at employment climates.
During the meeting, membersof Kaiji Shinko Renmei asked
questions on relevant subjects.
Many of them agreed with and indicated they will underpin the requests made by the industry organizations, including those for the
early administration of Covid-19
vaccines to seamen and the continuation of the employment adjustment subsidies in and after July.
Opinions from lawmakers“With the issue of rotating crewmembers, not only oceangoingshipping, but deep-sea tuna andbonito fishing are also struggling

to cope. We need to strongly raise
our voices.”“Seamen cannot always havemedical treatment when on duty
at sea. To involve the MLIT’s
Maritime Bureau and make special arrangements to inoculate vaccines to seafarers, it is necessary toconsider giving them a status toindicate they are crucial for Japan’s
welfare.”“Passenger ships are an inevitable mean of transport for thenation. To keep clusters of Covid
cases from occurring, vaccine administrations should not be held
off for relevant parties including
crewmembers. They should betreated appropriately.”“Concerning vaccine inoculations for seamen, I hope that necessary procedures will be completed as soon as possible.”“It is widely agreed the employment adjustment subsidies will be
extended and that it is necessary togive vaccine shots as soon as possible. To this end, bipartisan actions
need to be taken.”“Nothing is more important
than protecting industry and employment. If asked to make anappropriate judgment on the employment adjustment subsidies, I
would say that an extension is the
only option.”
Having exchanged such opinions, the ad hoc meeting adopted
a resolution that reflects requests
from various organizations. After
agreeing to immediately submit itto the prime and other ministers
in charge, the meeting came to an
end.

MARITIME NEWS(2)

MAY/JUNE 2021

Kaiji Shinko Renmei adopts resolution on Covid-19
To help restore maritime industry; JSU head Morita joins heavyweights
Kaiji Shinko Renmei demands actions taken
for seafarers working hard as usual under
COVID-19 crisis to maintain stable maritime transport to/from Japan, supply edible
fishery products, fulfill other important tasks
Resolution presented in sequence to Chief
Cabinet Secretary Katsunobu Kato, MHLW
Minister Norihisa Tamura on May 17;
MLIT Minister Kazuyoshi Akaba on May
18; Deputy PM/MOF Minister Taro Aso on
May 20O

n May 13, 2021,
executives of Kaiji
ShinkoRenmei,which consists ofDiet members from different political parties and representatives
from maritime organizations, visited the Japanese Prime Minister’s
Office to present a resolution directly to Prime Minister Yoshihide
Suga.
The Kaiji Shinko Renmei resolution comprises six requests
agreed upon earlier at an ad hoc
meeting of the association to
overcome the coronavirus pandemic and reinvigorate the maritime industry. Prime Minister
Suga accepted the resolution from
Mr. Seishiro Eto, president of
Kaiji Shinko Renmei (a Liberal
Democratic Party member of theHouse of Representatives and anhonorary political advisor to the
All-Japan Seamen’s Union); Mr.
Ryu Shionoya, vice-president of
Kaiji Shinko Renmei (another
LDP lower house member); andleaders from five maritime-related organizations. The JSU was
represented by President Yasumi

Morita, one of the heavyweightsfrom major maritime affairs entities present. President Morita
asked Prime Minister Suga to takeactions for the seafarers who continue to work hard in the midstof the Covid-19 crisis to maintainstable maritime transport to andfrom Japan, supply edible fisheryproducts and fulfill other important tasks. More specifically, theJSU leader demanded that 1) seafarers receive coronavirus vaccines
immediately, 2) that the issue ofcrew rotations be addressed, and3) that necessary support be continued to maintain employment.
Having received the resolution,
Prime Minister Suga affirmed thatthe maritime industry is one ofJapan’s key industry and indicatedthat he will strive to live up to therequests.
After meeting with the prime
minister, the Kaiji Shinko Renmeidelegation made requests in accordance with its resolution successively with relevant Cabinet
ministers. The delegation submitted the resolution to Chief Cabinet Secretary Katsunobu Kato andOpening remarks made by Kaiji Shinko Renmei Chairman
Seishiro Eto.

The ad hoc meeting of Kaiji Shinko Renmei.

Health, Labour and Welfare Minister Norihisa Tamura on May 17;
Land, Infrastructure, Transport
and Tourism Minister Kazuyoshi
Akaba on May 18; and Deputy
Prime and Finance Minister Taro
Aso on May 20. On behalf of the
JSU, President Morita strongly
demanded that measures be taken
for the seafarers.
Details of resolution1) Due to a spike in coronavirus infections, the maritime industry is in an extremely severebusiness condition. To maintainthe employment of seafarers, whoare essential workers, and thoseworking in shipbuilding, at ports
and harbors and in warehousing
services, we will strive to extend
the special measures of the employment adjustment subsidies tomake them available in and after
July. We will also work to enhancemeasures to provide financing
necessary for maintaining business operations.
2) To help the business conditions of the shipbuilding andship machinery and equipment
industries pick up soon, in particular, we will endeavor to enrichbudgets to promote the construction of more public-sector vessels; stimulate the introductionof ships meeting future demand,such as LNG-powered and othereco-friendly ships; and develop
new shipbuilding markets for offshore wind power generation andothers.

3) We will work to have a bill
to partially amend the Marine
Transportation Act and other statutes to reinforce the foundationof the maritime industry passed
and legislated soon. It would
underpin regional economy andemployment as well as enhance
the international competitivenessof the maritime industry, which
is a foundation of the people ofJapan’s lives and economic activities.
4) We will make efforts to get
vaccine inoculations to seafarers,
who remain on duty as essential
workers, realized immediately inconsideration of their working
patterns.
5) As for the getting the rota-tion of crews, we will take actions
to do it smoothly not only for Japanese crewmembers, but also forforeigners who come to and fromJapan to engage in logistics.
6) As it concerns the Joint Ownership Shipbuilding Scheme by
the Japan Railway Construction,
Transport and Technology Agency (JRTT), from which financial
and technical support can both beavailable for the construction ofhigh-quality, advanced newbuildings, support must be enhanced
for, for example, conducting reviews according to requests fromshipowners.
Other objectives included thepromotion of building replacements for domestic-trade ships.

JSU President Yasumi Morita speaks at the meeting.

SEAFARERS’ CORNER

MAY/JUNE 2021

(3)

VOICES from SEAFARERS

Signing off crew of MV SPRING LIBERTY
On this critical conditions of pandemic, we were required to go to the government designated quarantine
facility. Thanks to our beloved company and to the authorities who had facilitated our repatriation. We are hoping each of every seafarers should receive a vaccine before
joining a vessel.

.Officers and crew of MV MOL EXPERIENCE
Exercise has a great deal in boosting the immune system. Even with or without an outbreak of pandemic, weneed to sturdy our immune system to thwart the extent of
any infections. Please always be safe everyone.

Officer and crew of MV MELODIA
Everybody are caught in between a harsh condition
where in every man hope for a healthy and safety surroundings. We are hoping some vaccinations of toughkind to prevent us getting infected by contagious diseases
in every port. Thanks in advance.

Signing off crew of MV HSL PERTH
Signing off is a norm of every ship when seafarers had
reached their end of contracts. Though there is a pandemic, the disembarking crew are extending their appreciation
to the authorities who had arranged this earnest repatriation likely possible. Thank you.

Officers and crew of MV SAMMY
Labor day is a distinct occasion in commemorating therole and contributions of every workers /seafarers to theworld’s economy. As an honor of our safety and protection
against the current corona virus, a well-founded vaccination should be administered to us.

Crew members of MV HORAI BRIDGE
Working together has an influence in lessening the loadof our contracts and sometimes relieve anxiety from covid-19. To our fellow seafarers and friends, may we ask
you to maintain your health protocols in preventing the
spread of corona virus.

ICS releases vaccination roadmap to quicken jab rolloutAs the United States,
Netherlands
andother nations begin
to roll out vaccines
to all seafarers, the International
Chamber of Shipping (ICS) has
today published a vaccination
roadmap framework to help establish vaccination hubs dedicated to seafarers across the world,
alongside other major maritimeNGOs.
To date, 16 states in the U.S.
have begun vaccination programs for nonnative crew delivering goods in their ports. Other
European countries are set tofollow suit in the coming weeks
and months due to successful
vaccinations programs for theirown population, including theNetherlands which will launch a
vaccination program for all seafarers, regardless of nationality,
sailing under the Dutch flag from
mid-June.
To help governments andcompanies responsible for creating hubs, the 21-page document
has information on vaccine eligibility, implementation, distribution, administration and legal
issues.
Seafarers are a unique population with their own requirements
for international travel. To pro-tect the health of seafarers, passengers and the general public,
and to minimize disruptions to
trade and global supply chains,
vaccination of seafarers is essential.
Guy Platten, secretary-generalof the International Chamber of
Shipping, commented:“The pace of Covid-19 vaccine
production is a modern marvel,
but the world is reeling over distribution delays. Soon, seafarers
will be delivering the vaccine bysea freight. Already they delivercritical PPE, safety boxes, syringes, and other medical materials
for the vaccine rollout. Seafarers
must be prioritised for the vaccine to not further exacerbatedelivery delays.”
While industry bodies areworking with authorities at a national, regional and international
level to prioritize rapid access tovaccinations for seafarers, a roadmap dedicated to seafarer vaccination will help to achieve global
immunization.
The document can be used byshipping companies (their agentsand representatives, including
crew agencies), maritime administrations and national healthauthorities, in liaison with otherauthorities (such as local cus-

toms, immigration, border control, seaport and civil aviation)and seafarers, during the planning and roll-out stages of thevaccination program.
The roadmap allows governments, regions and companies
responsible for port authorities
to expedite putting proceduresin place to create vaccine hubs,
once they are ready to begin
vaccine rollout to seafarers.
Port authorities will work incollaboration with other stakeholders, including shipowners,
charities and medical staff toensure effective vaccine implementation.
These learnings can be translated and replicated globallywhen other countries are in theposition to do the same. The
roadmap will allow countries to
do so quickly, by allowing governments, companies and otherstakeholders to learn from thebest practice of others.

cination available (roughly 60%of the seafaring population);• emanate from countries
which currently have not prioritized seafarers in their vaccination campaigns.

Eligibility

National and local authorities,
ships and seafarers and welfare
providers should contributeto forming a multidisciplinary
team. This will be required toestablish-and implement a seafarer vaccination roadmap, fromestablishing a center to rolling

The vaccination program will betargeted at seafarers who:
• need to leave their vessels andreturn home;• emanate from countries
which currently do not have vac-

Types of vaccination
With over 50 vaccines in clinical
trials, it is recommended that thevaccination administered should
be on the World Health Organization (WHO) list of vaccines.
Due to the transient profile of international seafarers, single dose
vaccines are strongly preferredunder this roadmap.
However, it is recognized thatthese may not always be available in certain countries. Shoulda second dose be needed, plans
should be developed for the second injection to be received in atimely manner.
Implementing the roadmap

out the program.
Establishing a vaccination site
Sites for vaccination hubs will
be chosen based on their efficient crew access, plentiful
vaccine supply and appropriate
infrastructure support to supply and store vaccines. A site
could be a port or an airport,
or in existing medical facilities
that are already used as a vaccination center.
Legal and liability
considerations
Vaccination requires an individual’s informed and voluntary
consent. If an employed seafarer
refuses vaccination, employers
should consider the reasons given
carefully. Employers may consider not allowing unvaccinated employees to work. Each case willneed to be considered on its own
facts and an individual response
made accordingly.
Due to the complexity of legal
issues involved in vaccination ofseafarers, it is suggested that interested stakeholders review theInternational Chamber of Shipping (ICS) guidance on the subject. (Source: ICS)

(4)ADVISORIES/WARNINGS

Bad diet makes seafarers less productiveUpact on your work performance,”
he said. “Energy comes from glucose, which can be found in almost
everything we eat. However, therate at which our bodies convert
food into glucose—which ourbrains need to keep us alert—isdependent on what we consume.”
Foods such as bread, pasta andcereal release glucose quickly,
causing a spike and then slump
in energy. High-fat meals involving cheeseburgers and French fries
provide more sustained energy, but
the body has to work harder tobreak them down – reducing oxygen levels in the brain and making
someone feel groggy.
“Vitamins and minerals affect

Europe still open
to seafarers tojoin their vessels

ICS record book to track ships’ cooks training

Seafarers around the world canstill travel to Europe to join vessels—even from countries facing
fresh Covid-19 outbreaks such as
India, where daily cases hit morethan 300,000 in mid-May.
“Getting seafarers into or outof Europe isn’t a problem at the
moment,” said Peter Smit, CoCEO of Boers Crew Services, theNetherlands-based shipping crewtransport services operator for
Northern Europe.
“If a seafarer flies from, say,
Manila into Amsterdam, we canget them to the port for a crewchange. They will, of course, need
to be tested for Covid-19 andmost likely be quarantined in a
hotel. But if the test result comesback negative, it’s no problem forthem to join the vessel.”
Mr. Smit, whose company helps
transport shipping crewmembers
to and from ports in The Netherlands, Belgium and Germany,
added that the same process applies to seafarers who want to fly
out of Europe after leaving their
ship. “It’s almost the same procedure, only a quarantined stay ina hotel isn’t, in most cases, necessary.”
While getting seafarers into Europe remains relatively straightforward, carrying out crew changes isproving more difficult, according
to Mr. Smit.
“We haven’t had to changemuch in terms of how we operate, but it is definitely more
complicated to arrange a crewchange in Europe, because of
the rules put in place by immigration and health authorities,”
he said.
“Seafarers from most nonSchengen areas need a Schengenvisa, but with some of the embassies closed because of Covid-19,
we can arrange visas on arrival
when entering Europe.” (Source:
Boers Crew Services)

Ships’ cooks have a unique role
on board a vessel and it is widely
known that a well fed crew is essential to the effective running ofa ship. Ensuring every ship has aproperly trained and experienced
cook on board is vital. To support both employers and ships’
cooks, the International Chamberof Shipping (ICS) has produced abrand new record book to enableships’ cooks to track their career
progression and communicate
their expertise and experience toemployers and colleagues. Thisis the first global resource to helpcooks on board demonstrate competency and record their training
and experience as they develop
their careers at sea.
The new Training Record Book
for Ships’ Cooks can be used byan individual to demonstrate thatthey have followed a structured
training programme and have an
understanding of the core competencies required to safely prepare
nutritious and appropriate food

our mental and physical health,”
said Nichole Stylianou, Nutritionist at MCTC. “Food provides
the body with essential nutrients,
which can only be obtained directly from diet. For example, Vitamin
C lowers cortisol levels, which is a
stress hormone, while complex carbohydrates increase the productionof serotonin, commonly known as
the happiness chemical.”Sven Schröder, Business Development Director at MCTC, saida balanced, nutritious diet would
give seafarers the energy they needed to work safely and efficiently.
“The best way to provide that is
to outsource to a catering management company that understands

how eating the right foods canhave a positive impact on someone’s productivity,” he added.
MCTC offers a full Catering
Management Program covering
a vessel’s entire catering management needs such as ordering
supplies, recipe planning, menu
management, health and nutrition – all of which reduce vessel
running costs. It also provides
a Catering Competency Development Program, designed toincrease standards in the galley
through a safe food handling andnutrition course; onshore upgrading culinary course; trade tests;
briefings; onboard visits and crew
conferences. (Source: MCTC)

nhealthy eating cancut productivity levels among seafarers
by 20%, highlighting
the need for shipping companies
to hire a catering management provider that specializes in preparing
and serving nutritious food.
Christian Ioannou, Managing
Director of MCTC, the leadinginternational catering management and training provider, believes this startling statistic fromthe World Health Organizationmust be taken seriously by vesselowners, managers and operators
around the world.
“Studies from recent years showthat what you eat has a direct im-

during a voyage. It will also act asa record of their experience and career progression and can be used at
any level and in any country, bothon board and at maritime catering
academies.
The new record book has been
written based on the competence
requirements of the ILO Guidelines on the training of ships’
cooks, enabling evidence of competency to be recorded in all key
areas identified by the ILO. It covers both practical and safety skills
such as specific cooking techniquesand dealing with allergies and foodintolerances.
Natalie Shaw, Director of Employment Affairs for the International Chamber of Shipping says:“Seafarers live and work on board
ship and mealtimes serve to influence attitudes regarding long periods at sea. Ships’ cooks are essential
to the efficient and safe running ofany vessel. It is difficult to overestimate how important food andnutrition are to seafarers. Not only

does good food enable the seafarer
to perform duties effectively, it
is also crucial to maintaining thehealth and morale of crews.
“Indeed the quality of food onboard is so essential to crew welfare that it is documented in the
ILO Maritime Labour Convention (MLC), which recognises how
important it is to have and serve
sufficient food and drinking waterof appropriate quality on board by
qualified and trained catering personnel.”
The Training Record Book for
Ships’ Cooks is the first global resource available to the industry
and is an essential companion to
the formal training undertaken by
ships’ cooks both on board and onshore. Ships’ cooks have very varied backgrounds ranging from theprofessional chef on a cruise ship
through to the reserve ship’s cook
covering the mess when the ship’s
cook is on shore leave, and thisnew record book supports those at
all levels. (Source: ICS)

Panama reaffirms commitment to int’l compliance
The Panama Maritime Authority(AMP), the entity responsible forthe administration of the Panama
Ship Registry, has bolstered its
operation for strengthening theapplication of its procedures, especially those related to due diligenceand international compliance ofits fleet. The AMP has reinforced
methodologies, acquired new tools,
trained personnel and created newareas within the Directorate General of Merchant Marine, while
implementing the highest international standards that guarantee theinternational compliance of the
fleet. Recently, Panama participatedin the experts’ meeting on the Full
Implementation of the Maritime
Resolutions of the UN Security
Council, of the Democratic People’s
Republic of Korea (DPRK).
The experts’ meeting also considered the registration of ships,
access to ports and the provision ofservices to ships registered with the
DPRK. The purpose of this activity, organized by Panama, reaffirms
its commitment to international
compliance by the United States
and the Netherlands. It brought
together representatives of governments and authorities interested in
exchanging information, improving efforts for the implementationof maritime regulations and incorporating omitted elements regarding their compliance.
With 53 countries represented
at the meeting, Panama reiterated
its commitment to international
compliance such as:• Strengthening due diligenceand its application.
• The Implementation, Control
and Enforcement of International
Measures Section has been created to follow up on international
norms and measures, through theverification of the official sites oforganizations such as the UN’s Security Council.
• The review and update of the
flagging procedure, its requirements and controls, by the Ship
Registry’s Vessel Registration Department.
• The constant communication
with Panama-flagged shipowners for urging them to keep theirLong-Range Identification andTracking System and Automatic
Identification System equipment
active, as well as to stay out of conflict areas where their commercial
operations could be compromised.
These implementations and actions are to ensure that vessels andcompanies that own and operate
vessels flying the Panamanian flag
comply with international regulations on terrorism, money laundering and other illicit activities.
(Source: Panama Maritime Authority)

MAY/JUNE 2021

Shipping to fallshort of NZE
The maritime shipping industry
will fall short of achieving net
zero greenhouse gas emissions(NZE) by 2050, the International Energy Agency (IEA) said in areport.
The shipping industry is expected to miss its net zero carbon
dioxide (CO2) target “due to alack of available low-carbon options on the market and the long
lifetime of vessels (typically 25 to
35 years)”, the IEA in a report on
Tuesday.
This comes despite a growing
stream of pledges and commitments from policymakers andindustry stakeholders to achieve
zero emissions by 2050 in the
global shipping industry.
The IEA now expects emissions
from the maritime shipping industry, which was responsible forabout 880 million tons of CO2
emissions in 2019 and 830 million tonnes in the following year,
to decline by 6% annually to 120
million tons of CO2 in 2050.
About 90% of world trade istransported by sea, and the UN
shipping agency—the International Maritime Organization(IMO)—aims to reduce overall
greenhouse gas emissions by 50%
from 2008 levels by 2050.
In the short-term, considerable
emission reductions in shipping
are possible through operational
efficiencies such as reduced voyage speeds and wind assistance
while in the medium-term, lowcarbon fuels such as biofuels, hydrogen and ammonia will play asignificant role, according to the
IEA.
“Ammonia and hydrogen are
the main low-carbon fuels forshipping adopted over the next
three decades in the NZE, their
combined share of total energy
consumption in shipping reaching around 60% in 2050,” said
the IEA.
Biofuels are expected to provide
almost 20% of total shipping energy needs in 2050 while electrification will play a “very minorrole”, it said. (Source: Reuters, reporting by Roslan Khasawneh; editing by Emelia Sithole-Matarise)

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