The short-term measure to reduce carbon intensity was adopted as amendments to MARPOL Annex VI in June 2021 and includes the Energy Efficiency Existing Ship Index (EEXI); annual operational carbon intensity indicator (CII) rating and an enhanced Ship Energy Efficiency Management Plan (SEEMP). The new and updated guidelines will supplement (or replace) guidelines already adopted to support the implementation of the EEXI and CII regulations. These guidelines provide additional clarity to Administrations implementing the regulations and to the shipping industry.
Based on the outcome of a Correspondence Group on Carbon Intensity reduction attended by more than 300 experts in 2021 and 2022, the Working Group finalized the following guidelines/guidance, for adoption/approval by the Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC 78, 6 to 10 June 2022):
- 2022 Guidelines for the development of a Ship Energy Efficiency Management Plan (SEEMP)
- Guidelines for the verification and company audits by the Administration of Part III of the Ship Energy Efficiency Management Plan (SEEMP)
- 2022 Guidelines for Administration verification of ship fuel oil consumption data and operational carbon intensity
- 2022 Guidelines for the development and management of the IMO Ship Fuel Oil Consumption Database
- Guidance for the submission of data to the IMO data collection system from a State not Party to MARPOL Annex VI
- 2022 Guidelines on the method of calculation of the attained Energy Efficiency Existing Ship Index (EEXI)
- 2022 Guidelines on survey and certification of the attained Energy Efficiency Existing Ship Index (EEXI)
- Guidance on methods, procedures and verification of in-service performance measurements for EEXI calculation
- 2022 Interim Guidelines on Correction Factors and Voyage Adjustments for CII Calculations (CII Guidelines, G5)
- 2022 Guidelines on Operational Carbon Intensity Indicators and the Calculation Methods (CII Guidelines, G1)
- 2022 Guidelines on the Reference Lines for use with Operation Carbon Intensity Indicators (CII Reference Lines Guidelines, G2)
- 2022 Guidelines on the Operational Carbon Intensity Rating of Ships (CII Rating Guidelines, G4)
The Working Group also discussed draft amendments to the Procedures for port State control, 2021 (resolution A.1155(32)), related to enforcement of the short-term GHG reduction measure by Port State Control authorities. The Group agreed to refer the draft amendments prepared by the Correspondence Group to the Sub-Committee on Implementation of IMO Instruments (III 8, 25 to 29 July) for further consideration. In particular, the III Sub-Committee is requested to consider the issue of what is regarded as a detainable deficiency in relation to the CII rating and to advise MEPC 79 accordingly.
Proposals for mid- and long-term measures – moving to phase II of the Work plan on the development of mid-term measures
The Working Group considered in detail various proposals for mid-term measures and welcomed the proposals, their initial impact assessments, and other relevant documents (22 submissions to the Working Group as well as submissions referred from the MEPC).
The various proposals received support from several delegations, and the Group recognized that all these proposals contained valuable elements.
The Working Group supported, in general, the further development of a “basket of candidate mid-term measures”, integrating both various technical and carbon pricing elements while recognizing the necessary flexibility.
In accordance with Phase II of the Work plan, the Group agreed to continue its work by means of assessing, in particular, the (1) feasibility, (2) effectiveness to deliver the long-term levels of ambition and (3) potential impacts on States, of the “basket of candidate mid-term measures”.
The Group noted that there would be a need for additional information to support the development of the basket of candidate measures during Phase II. The Group also invited the proponents of the different candidate measures to work together intersessional with a view to exploring how different elements of these proposals could be combined within the “basket”, and invited Member States and international organizations to submit new documents to a future session, including refined proposals to that purpose.