Introduction
Incessant technological advancements and shifting environmental dynamics are metamorphosing the world we live in. These quintessential realities are leading to a transformative future with new risks that makes ‘Safety’ an existential imperative. The non-negotiable requirement of incorporating safety measures in maritime domain commensurate with the IMO’s objective of enhancing maritime security and safety owing to two key concerns: a) use of alternate fuels entailing efforts to diminish Green House Gas (GHG) emissions emanating from the ships; and b) introduction of new-cum-adapted technologies in shipping industry and their associated safety regulation measures.[1] By addressing these concerns, IMO strives to ensure smooth flow of seaborne trade by maintaining nay improving efficiency as well as safety of shipping to address demand of present generation and create a secure future for generations to come.
Safety- Sustainability Nexus
Ensuring safety to navigate the future highlights the inextricable link between sustainable development and safety. Therefore, the theme is highly interwoven with the United Nations ‘2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development’ and notably the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Important to the theme are the SDG 7 which focuses on clean energy research and technology to ensure clean and affordable energy; SDG 8 on furthering decent work and sustainable-cum-inclusive economic growth; and SDG 9 on developing resilient infrastructure, advancing innovation and fostering sustainable industrialization. Moreover, SDG13 on combating climate change and SDG 14 on conserving oceans and harnessing marine resources for sustainable development are pertinent in this regard.[2]
Safety Amidst Technological Advancements affecting maritime sector
Technological changes are revolutionizing the shipping industry at an unprecedented level. Adoption of new technologies and ever-enhancing automation and digitalization of shipping industry has been underway to optimize performance, increase efficiency and security in maritime domain, and concurrently curb the detrimental environmental impacts in order to achieve the goal of sustainability. These cutting-edge technologies are elevating competitiveness and efficiency of shipping industry that in turn enables to efficiently develop and operate ships, decrease costs, support higher cargo volumes, and maximize customer satisfaction.
In maritime realm, eight dominions have witnessed the incorporation of new technologies. These dominions entail Artificial Intelligence (AI), robotics, Internet of Things (IoT), automatic transport, augmented and virtual reality, big data, additive engineering, edge and cloud computing, 3-D Print as well as edge security. Most important are the maritime cyber technologies with use in off-shore and on-shore sectors. The emerging technologies are impacting cyber spaces of operations, infrastructure, and services and concurrently affecting maritime transport sector. Technological changes are also altering maritime port information systems evident in changes on port community system, terminal operating system, port road and traffic control information system, vessel’ traffic service, automated yard system, port-hinterland information modal system, gate appointment system, and intelligent operation system.[3]
The aforementioned technologies have increased the challenge of maritime cyber threats due to digitalization and mechanization of shipping industry. For that purpose, IMO passed resolution 428 (98) for addressing the existing lacunas in regulatory framework. This resolution is complemented by various regulations such as those formulated by International Baltic Council that focus on security of ships by prioritizing cyber risk management to ensure safety management in maritime domain. In 2020, US also issued national security plan to raise issues related to maritime cyber security. Various regional organization including BIMCO have formulated respective blue print to further compliance of IMO resolution on cyber security. Despite these efforts, international legal framework for ensuring safety against maritime cyber attacks and reduce cyber vulnerability is necessary.
On one hand such technological innovation offers industrial boons but on the other hand it raises the concerns of safety in shipping industry. Safety in maritime domain has remained the core agenda of IMO since its creation in 1948. To regulate maritime safety, IMO adopted the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) in 1974 with the key objective to set international criteria for development, equipment, as well as operation of ships to ensure safety. This regulatory framework has been instrumental in ensuring safety standards all across the globe; however, the framework is incessantly evolving as gaps in it have become palpable owing to emerging challenges. It is imperative to anticipate the technological innovation in shipping industry to make the safety regulatory framework more holistic and efficient.[4]
Another important technological innovation is autonomous weapons and safety at sea. A pertinent example in this regard is Maritime Autonomous Surface Ships (MASS Code) which is goal-based code to regulate autonomous shipping and simultaneously ensure maritime safety. IMO carried out scoping exercise with respect to Maritime Autonomous Surface Ships to analyze applicability of various IMO instruments on different degree of automation. Degree one included ‘Ship with automated processes and decision support’; degree two of automation entailed ‘remotely controlled vessels with seafarers on board’; automation’s degree three was ‘remotely controlled ships without seafarers on board; whereas last degree four was ‘fully autonomous ships’. The scoping exercise highlighted different facets of issues linked to automation such as security, safety, human agency, pilotage, protection of marine environment, port interaction, response to incidents, liability as well as compensation in case of accident and damage. In May 2024, Maritime Safety Committee (MSC) agreed to adopt non-mandatory MASS code by May 2024 and mandatory MASS code by 2030. [5]
Nexus of new technologies and regulatory framework is also evident from use of merging technologies for mitigating climate change. Secretariat for ‘London Convention and Protocol on Prevention of Pollution from Dumping of Wastes at Sea’ is advocating use of innovative technologies such as marine geoengineering and carbon sequestration in sub-seabed formations. [6]
Safety and Environmental Consideration w.r.t Maritime Sector
More than 90% of global trade is carried through shipping that is most environmentally friendly mode of transportation. Decreasing GHG emissions and ameliorating ships’ safety work in tandem as both are prerequisites for making maritime industry efficacious, safe and sustainable. For that purpose, IMO has adopted GHG reduction strategy that entails risk’ assessment, transition to alternate fuels coupled with regulatory measures for risk mitigation.
The first IMO strategy for reducing GHG Emissions enacted in 2018 established a framework to phase out emissions of GHG from international shipping. Moreover, operational as well as technical amendments to MARPOL also direct states to further energy efficiency of ships at short term basis. The key aim of all these measures is to fulfill targets regarding carbon intensity reduction as documented in the Initial GHG Strategy given by IMO. Key target include requirement for all ships to measure Energy Efficiency Existing Ship Index (EEXI) from January 2023 and to concurrently calculate Carbon Intensity Indicator (CII) alongside CII rating. [7] It implies rating of ships in terms of energy efficiency ranked as A, B, C, D, and E whereby A ranks highest and E ranks lowest, with high ranking given to ships using low-carbon fuels.
‘2023 IMO Strategy on Reduction of GHG Emissions from Ships’ has charted various numerical targets with the purpose to diminish GHG emissions from shipping; additionally, it has also developed indicative checkpoints. Targets to be achieved include net-zero gas emissions by 2050, 5-10% incorporation of fuels emitting zero GHG by 2030, and 40% decrease in CO2 emissions in terms of transport work by 2030. Moreover, indicative checkpoints include 20 to 30% decrease in GHG emissions by 2030 in addition to 70 to 80% decrease in emissions by 2040. [8]
The GHG Strategy given by the IMO provides comprehensive view of different measures to materialize the aforementioned stated targets for GHG reduction. These measures are broadly classified into ‘Technical Element’ thatincludes goal-based marine fuel standard (GFS) with the objective to reduce intensity of marine fuels’ intensity in terms of GHG emission; and ‘Economic Element’ predicated on carbon pricing mechanism to reduce maritime GHG emissions. Various measures are indispensable to curb ship-based emissions ranging from economic and operational to regulatory and technical. Such measures notably include efficacious-cum-safe bunkering of either low carbon or zero carbon fuels (alternative fuels); renewable sources providing onshore power supply; port calls’ optimization entailing expediting just-in-time of ships, and incentivizing sustainable shipping.
In order to bring about decarbonization of shipping sector, alternate fuels such as low or zero-carbon fuels are also indispensable. Developing states all across the global owing to their enormous potential can supply such alternate fuels for shipping industry. These fuels coupled with the propulsion options can be based upon wind energy, methanol, hydrogen, fuel cells, electric power, biofuels, and ammonia. However, fuel choice is contingent to various aspects for instance pricing, safety, emission’s lifecycle, regulatory framework, challenges of supply chain, infrastructure availability, and implementation challenges.
Various production methods are used for producing either low-carbon or zero-carbon fuels, for example hydrogen-based fuels and biofuels that in turn have substantial ramifications on environment. Staunch international framework for holistic evaluation of GHG intensity is important to switch towards these alternate fuels. In terms of methodology, Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) provides comprehensive overview of GHG emissions at different stages ranging from production of fuel to utilization of fuel by ship that is also termed as ‘Well-to-Wake’. Aforementioned assessment mechanism is bifurcated into ‘Well-to-Tank’ that includes GHG emission from production phase till delivery of fuel to respective ship (also called as upstream emission); and ‘Tank-to-Propeller’ or ‘Tank-to-Wake’ that includes GHG emissions from use of fuel by ship till exhaustion (also referred to as downstream emissions). [9] Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) adopted the resolution 376 (80) which led to formulation of LCA guidelines referred to as ‘Guidelines on Life Cycle GHG Intensity of Marine Fuels’ that enshrine various methodologies for measuring GHG emissions for different marine energy and fuel sources. Such guidelines emphasize fuel certification, sustainability criteria, emission factors, as well as on-board capture technologies.[10]
Besides IMO, European Union has also been taking significant steps in achieving decarbonization of shipping industry. For instance, EU Emission Trading System (ETS) is now applicable on maritime domain after 2023 reforms. The EU ETS has been expanded to encompass emissions from large ships arriving at and departing from EU ports, regardless of their flag. This system initially targets vessels with a gross tonnage of 5,000 or more that carry goods and passengers. In 2027, the scope will expand to include ships engaged in offshore activities, such as oil and gas exploration and maritime construction, also with a gross tonnage of 5,000 or more. Consistent with the regulations for other sectors within the EU ETS, shipping companies are required to actively monitor their emissions and acquire and surrender EU allowances (EUAs) for each ton of reported greenhouse gas emissions. This initiative builds on the EU Monitoring, Reporting, and Verification system for the maritime industry, which was established in 2015 as a preliminary step to address greenhouse gas emissions in the sector.[11]
Conclusion
Incorporation of new technologies and transition to alternate fuels in maritime sector has been continuously revolutionizing the maritime industry but simultaneously posing challenge of safety regulation. International organizations, notably IMO is striving to maintain equilibrium between maritime industry and safety. However, it is important to formulate and implement staunch regulatory framework to mitigate risks linked to innovative technologies and further sustainable shipping. Resultantly, it will ensure smooth flow of international trade and curb the impact of climate change. This necessitates collaborative mechanism involving various stakeholder, including policy makers, international community, and people involved in shipping sector at different tiers. The path ahead requires unwavering resolve to ensure adaptability and improvement so that boons of alternate fuels and technological innovation can be harnessed without compromising operational integrity and safety.
[1] IMO, “World Maritime Theme 2024: “Navigating the Future: Safety First!” International Maritime Organization.
[2] Kypriotaki, Anastasia. “Navigating the Future: Safety First! is 2024’s World Maritime Theme.” SAFETY4SEA.
[3] Maleeha Zeba Khan, & Faisal Sadiq. “Emerging Cyber Technologies in the Maritime Domain: Challenges for Maritime Security and ‘Order at Sea”. Beacon Journal 2(1).
[4] IMO, “International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS), 1974.” International Maritime Organization.
[5] IMO, “Autonomous Shipping.” International Maritime Organization.
[6] UN. ‘New Maritime Technologies: Challenges and Opportunities.
[7] IMO, “IMO’s Work to Cut GHG Emissions from Ships.” International Maritime Organization.
[8] International Maritime Organization, “2023 IMO Strategy on Reduction of GHG Emissions from Ships.”.
[9] IMO, “Guidelines on Life Cycle GHG Intensity of Marine Fuels (LCA Guidelines).” International Maritime Organization.
[10] Marine Regulation News, MEPC.376(80): Guidelines on Life Cycle GHG Intensity of Marine Fuels (LCA Guidelines).
[11]European Commission, “Reducing Emissions from the Shipping Sector.” Climate Action.
