The International Bunker Industry Association’s members, along with the wider shipping industry, are actively pursuing operational energy efficiency improvements as part of goals consistent with the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) 2023 Strategy on Reduction of Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions from Ships, sources IBIA.
CII Rating
With the IMO’s initial Carbon Intensity Indicator (CII) ratings applied to ships, like others. IBIA has noted the current inadequacies of CII methodology to appropriately reflect the service of bunker vessels which predominantly operate over short distances (duration) in port areas. IBIA seeks a CII methodology that is accurate, reliable, and implemented in a manner that fully reflects the intent of the IMO Strategy for its members’ bunker vessels that undertake a vital role in supporting international trading commercial ships.
IBIA agrees with other industry associations that to achieve the IMO’s intent, the CII must be appropriate for each shipping sector. A one-size-fits-all instrument, as the CII is currently designed, has inherent flaws that have resulted in the introduction of goals that, because of the way CII is calculated, penalize vessels that undertake short voyages (duration).
The IMO’s Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) at its 81st session in March 2024, publicly acknowledged significant concerns raised by IMO Member States and industry, recognizing “shortcomings and unintended consequences of the CII mechanism and the general agreement that these concerns should be fully considered and addressed during the CII review process”.
Amending Current Mechanism
IBIA supports the calls to amend the current CII mechanism, especially in view of the likely expected strengthening of the CII requirements after 2026, to avoid unintended consequences that are contradictory to IMO’s key principle of a maintaining a “level playing field” through the regulation of international shipping.
IBIA looks forward to the commencement of the CII “data analysis stage” at MEPC 82 in September following the “data gathering stage” and to that end has proposed through a submission to that meeting an amendment of the current CII methodology and formula to incorporate a short voyage (duration) correction factor that will go some way to address the service duty of bunker vessel when they support international shipping.
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Source: IBIA
