- IMO organized an Expert Workshop, GHG-EW 4, on 14 and 15 December 2023. Its aim was to bolster the ongoing development of the IMO Life Cycle GHG Intensity Assessment (LCA) framework.
- The workshop concentrated specifically on addressing sustainability, certification, and third-party verification matters pertaining to marine fuels.
Fuel Sustainability
At MEPC 80 in July 2023, upon adopting the IMO LCA Guidelines, the Secretariat was tasked to conduct a thorough review of prevailing practices concerning sustainability aspects, certification, and third-party verification issues.
This directive led to the organization of an expert workshop focusing on the life cycle GHG intensity of marine fuels, utilizing insights gleaned from the review as a springboard for discussions.
LCA Methodologies
Experts’ presentations and discussions were structured in three blocks:
- existing practices on sustainability aspects, certification and third-party verification;
- sustainability aspects in the IMO LCA framework, including possible approaches to operationalize a risk-based approach for Indirect Land Use Change (ILUC); and
- possible approaches to the certification and third-party verification of marine fuels in the IMO LCA framework.
The workshop provided opportunities to exchange up-to-date information on relevant LCA methodologies and experts’ views on how to operationalize the LCA framework.
GHG Strategy
In 2023, IMO emphasized GHG reduction measures for marine fuels in LCA guidelines. The workshop hosted 350 participants, fostering discussions and document sharing to enhance understanding of sustainability and certification in LCAs.
Presentation slides are available on the IMODOCS portal for future reference in ISWG-GHG 16 (11-15 March 2024) and MEPC 81 (18-22 March 2024). Moderated by Mr. Kohei Iwaki from Japan, Chair of MEPC’s Working Group on Air Pollution and Energy Efficiency.
Chain Of Custody Models
Insights on utilizing “Chain of Custody models” for fuel sustainability and emissions reduction in shipping were discussed post a roundtable by Low Carbon GIA on December 13th.
These models refer to traceability systems governing the physical connection between low-emission fuel and end-users.
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Source: IMO
