African Maritime Organizations Should Embrace IMO’s GHG Emissions -Oluteye, Transport, Energy Expert
To maintain a toxic free environment in African Ports, Dola Oluteye, a Senior Researcher in Transport and Energy Policy at UCL has urged African maritime sector to engage with International Maritime organization’s (IMO) Greenhouse Gas Emissions (GHG) strategy in order to understand the policy and financial implications, shape a unified African perspective , access funds for energy transition and compliance in international trade.
Oluteye while delivering her paper during the African Shipowners Association (ASA) quarterly webinar pointed that maritime sector in Africa has a very low profile and there is need to figure out how to elevate the Marine and Blue Economy because Africa has abundant renewable resources in its waters.
She said there is an ongoing conversation and negotiation on the GHG Emissions reduction strategy within the Intersessional Working Group (ISWG) which presents an opportunity to examine the landscape of positions, similarities and differences between member states as they approach the Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC).
Oluteye emphasized that to reduce GHG Emissions,specifically carbon dioxide , African maritime sector needs to change the fuels that are used by ships and ports. She added that this means the entire technology of ships as regards the mechanical engineering system need to have a complete change.
“We are beginning to retrofit existing vessels to be able to accommodate its new renewable Zero Emissions Fuel.” she said.
She revealed that the measure is to encourage people to begin to think about a transition from old ships to new ships adding that by 2030 which is the short term, Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) will be in use and fuel will no longer be viable.
“For African ship owners, this means that the domestic vessels may not immediately be affected but compliance planning for international operations must start now to ensure a smooth transition especially when we consider the fact that it is going to hit them in the pocket.
“If Africa is not contributing significantly to the GHG Emissions , then the money needs to flow back because of the people that polluted the environment” she said.
