A new set of toolkits to assess and address emissions from ships and ports is now available from the International Maritime Organization (IMO), the global regulatory body for shipping.
The Ship Emissions Toolkit and Port Emissions Toolkit have been developed under the GEF-UNDP-IMO Global Maritime Energy Efficiency Partnerships (GloMEEP) Project, in collaboration with its strategic partners, the Institute of Marine Engineering, Science and Technology (IMarEST) and the International Association of Ports and Harbors (IAPH).
"To reduce emissions across the maritime sector, national authorities need to first quantify those emissions and then develop a strategy to reduce them," said a press release from IMO.
Astrid Dispert, GloMEEP Technical Adviser, said the guides - available free to download from the GloMEEP website - would help support countries seeking to develop and strengthen national policy and regulatory frameworks related to the prevention of air pollution and the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions from ships.
“Both the ship and port emission toolkits provide practical guidance on assessing emissions so that a national emission reduction strategy for the maritime sector can be developed. The GloMEEP guides provide a wealth of information on assessment techniques and how to develop a national strategy, as well as links to further practical guidance,” Dispert said.
Both toolkits have been developed through extensive testing and feedback from practical use of the toolkit guides during national and regional training activities held in the 10 lead pilot countries participating in the GloMEEP project. “We have been very pleased to work with the GloMEEP countries and both IMarEST and IAPH on these toolkits,” Dispert said.
The Ship Emissions Toolkit provides a structured framework, as well as decision support tools for evaluating emissions reduction opportunities in maritime transport. It offers guidance to countries seeking to develop and strengthen national policy and regulatory frameworks related to the prevention of air pollution and the reduction of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from ships.