For the past few years shipowners have been preparing for the IMO2020 Sulphur cap and put significant efforts in place to ensure smooth transition without disruption to customers.

2019 HANSA Forum in Hamburg focused on what comes next after 2020. Big investments in research and development are needed to further reduce greenhouse gas emissions from shipping. The ambitious goal set by the UN IMO to half the emissions by 2050 requires innovative solutions to meet the demand for alternative fuels, and to further develop low-carbon technologies to enhance shipdesign.

Image: MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company

In his keynote on 21 November, Bud Darr, MSC Group’s Executive Vice President, Maritime Policy & Government Affairs, highlighted the challenges shipowners face in meeting these goals and regulations. To comply with the new limits, MSC has opted for a combination of compliant low-Sulphur fuels and hybrid exhaust gas cleaning systems. Currently, LNG is not a viable option for MSC due the limited LNG bunkering facilities available at ports.

MSC’s fleet was greatly enhanced in recent years by a retrofitting programme. We have invested extensively in the latest low-carbon technologies, such as new energy-efficient propellers and bows to reduce fuel consumption and therefore improve our energy efficiency. In addition, we continuously monitor our environmental performance and have implemented a number of operational measures to further reduce our CO2 emissions to meet expected new regulations and goals set by the IMO.

Container shipping sector is essential for global trade and development. There is no one size fits all solution to decarbonise the shipping industry, but diverse range of solutions are required to enable the container shipping sector to meet low-carbon ambitions by 2050. MSC is a responsible company that continues to make significant investments in increasing our efficiency and maximising our environmental performance.
Source: MSC – Mediterranean Shipping Company SA