IACS Council maintains focus on decarb safety

Chaired by Nick Brown of Lloyd’s Register, who will conclude his own term at the helm of the IACS Council in December 2023, the session focused on digitalisation, decarbonisation and the potentially significant impact of the EU’s Maritime Safety Package on classification societies’ work as Recognised Organisations.

Nick Brown noted that “IACS’ significant contributions to safe decarbonisation, both in terms of keeping safety at the forefront of IMO discussions and through the substantive technical contributions it is making to support the introduction of alternative fuels and technologies, demonstrate the value that a non-commercial, impartial association brings to this debate.”

Brown noted that the IMO has recently decided to adopt a new output to develop a framework for the safe decarbonisation of shipping, the result of a two-year effort by IACS to ensure that critical safety concerns were not overlooked in the collective drive to lower carbon emissions as far and as quickly as possible. In support of the work at IMO, the meeting also noted the rapid progress being made by the Safe Decarbonisation Panel with regards to alternative fuels and new technologies along with the provision of expert input to a wide range of industry and regulatory forums addressing CO2 reduction measures

The meeting also agreed to sign a Letter of Intent with the Singapore MPA to collaborate in the acceleration of the safe and practical implementation of low or zero carbon technologies, through increased co-operation and information sharing. Recognising the power of digitalisation to support and drive decarbonisation, the C87 meeting also committed to optimising its various working groups engaged in the digital transformation of the industry to ensure IACS plays its full role in supporting industry on this journey.

The meeting recognised the potentially significant impact that the EU’s Maritime Safety Package could have on their work as Recognised Organisations. The meeting committed to work constructively with the Commission on its development. Also in an EU context, the meeting also reviewed IACS’ ongoing contributions to EU environmental legislation stemming from the ‘Fit for 55 package’ and particularly around the inclusion of shipping in the EU ETS and the Fuel EU Maritime Regulation.