New report claims slow steaming is ‘closest thing to a silver bullet’ for IMO
On the eve of the latest round of UN ship climate negotiations at the International Maritime Organization (IMO) in London, a new report published by Seas at Risk and Transport & Environment maintains slower ship speeds would massively reduce the damage shipping is causing to human health, nature and the climate.
The report describes how a 20% reduction in ship speed would reduce underwater noise pollution by 66%, and the chance of a fatal collision between a ship and a whale by 78%. Both noise and whale strikes are having a serious impact on the health of the marine environment.
“Reduced ship speed means reduced fuel burn, resulting not just in reductions in GHG emissions but also big reductions in black carbon, sulfur and nitrogen oxides,” a release from the two organizations stated.
IMO member states are meeting this week to discuss short term measures to cut shipping’s carbon footprint. Slow steaming regulations, championed by President Emmanuel Macron of France, are up for debate as are ship power limitations.
“Speed reduction is the closest thing to a silver bullet the IMO will ever see,” said John Maggs from Seas at Risk. “Delegates attending this week’s IMO climate negotiations have on the table proposals to reduce ship speed that would not just make a big dent in shipping’s climate impact but would massively reduce air pollution, underwater noise pollution, and the incidence of fatal collisions between whales and ships, all issues that the IMO must also deal with.”
“Killing four birds with one stone is pretty good, but when you add in that it saves shipowners money on their fuel bill, it really is a no-brainer,” said Faig Abbasov from Transport & Environment.
