Sustainable Shipping for a Sustainable Planet

 

Here's my first award-winning essay, Enjoy!

Sustainable Shipping for a Sustainable Planet

The overexploitation of natural resources and upsetting ecological balance as a result of excessive pollution done by humanity is now tilting the earth towards a breaking point. Sadly, there seems to be no going back from this looming death trap unless there is a rapid response aimed at mitigating and undoing the mess. To achieve this, the shipping industry has to lead and remain at the forefront of the quest for sustainability. The farther shipping is from sustainability, the more herculean the tasks to realize the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030 and ultimately, the more unlikely we would achieve a sustainable planet soon. 

Shipping is regarded as the most effective and cost-efficient method of international transportation. It is also crucial for world prosperity as it transports about 80 percent of world trade; however, the downside is that it heavily relies on diesel which has a high global warming potential. The existing means of propelling vessels can no longer be acceptable (especially with the continuous expansion of the shipping industry) because of its adverse impact on climate, human health and society. Therefore, there has to be an application of sustainable development alongside the incorporation of social and environmental responsibility to mitigate this minus of the maritime industry on the ecosystem. This is very important if we must realize sustainable earth. 

‘Sustainable earth’ is simply the earth whose biodiversity is managed and protected by humanity so that current and future generations would have the things they need to live a decent life. The United Nations (UN) drafted a plan in 2015  the SDGs to enable to humanity arrive at this green earth in 2030. These goals can only be achieved with a sustainable transport sector, supporting world trade and facilitating the global economy. In a robust effort to speed up the 2030 realization, the International Maritime Organization (IMO), a specialized agency of the UN responsible for measures to improve the security and safety of international shipping and to prevent marine pollution from ships, dedicated the last years World Maritime Day to this cause -  ‘Sustainable Shipping for a Sustainable Planet’. 

If there is no effective intervention, global emissions of greenhouse gas (GHG) from marine fuels are projected to increase to between 50 percent and 250 percent by 2050, mainly due to the expansion of world trade [1]. This is no surprise as 80 percent of ships currently use heavy fuel oil which is very much carbon-intensive [2]. The World Bank estimates that a single large shipping vessel produces as much sulphur as 50 million cars [3].

Commendably, the IMO has said it is working to reduce CO2 emissions per transport work across international shipping by at least 40 percent by 2030, pursuing efforts towards 70 percent by 2050 and total GHG emissions should be reduced by at least 50 percent by 2050 [1]. This is a huge step towards sustainable shipping, but how can the shipping industry bring this goal to reality?  

There has to be a transition from the use of conventional marine fuels to sustainable fuels and eventually renewable alternative energy sources. There needs to be wide adoption of Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) as a marine fuel due to its ability to reduce CO2 emissions, almost mitigate sulphur emissions and reduce emissions of less potent GHGs. Vessels should also adopt the use of electricity as a partial or full source of power. Adequate measures should be taken to enable renewable energy sources  wind and solar, commercially viable and acceptable. Alternative energy sources, if widely accepted in the maritime industry can greatly reduce GHG emissions in line with SDG 13. 

More so, energy efficiency measures (irrespective of the source of power) can play a significant role in reducing GHG emissions from existing and future vessels if tenaciously and effectively applied. Speed reduction and optimization measures should be improved as the speed of a ship have a direct relationship with the emissions from the ship. The Ship Energy Efficiency Management Plan (SEEMP) for existing vessels and the Energy Design Efficiency Index (EEDI) for new ships are laudable plans by the IMO to inculcate energy efficiency in the shipping sector; however, these plans need to be updated to meet up with variations to increase its efficacy. These are steps that would enable de-carbonization in the shipping industry in tandem with SDGs 7 and 9. 

Furthermore, sustainable shipping is not limited to the atmospheric aspect, but also the marine aspect. The shipping industry is responsible for about 20 percent of marine pollution which damages sea life and negatively impacts human health. The IMOs Marine Environmental Protection Committee (MEPC) responsible for the regulation and prevention of marine pollution has taken steps via various regulations to mitigate marine pollution, but a lot still needs to be done. To begin with, procedures to dispose-off waste in an environmentally friendly manner should be included in the waste management manuals of vessels, upgraded and competent technology should be widely accepted and applied in ballast water treatment. Also, effective waste recycling should be adopted on all vessels.

However, to attain the desired result from various strategies, the IMO has to overturn some obstacles that stand in the way of sustainability. 

The vanguard of these obstacles is the issue of high cost in adopting sustainability regulations of the IMO which has a high tendency to disrupt competition. The price of new vessels and retrofitting for the cause of making use of marine fuels that have low global warming potential is high compared to conventional ships. The case is the same with electric-powered ships. There needs to be an approval and establishment of a Research and Development board to develop environmentally cost-friendly power alternatives in the shipping industry.

As environmental standards and regulations must be agreed and accepted globally so as not to distort competition, facilitator measures by institutional bodies at local levels such as allocation of subsidies and introduction of supporting policies, also play a key role in attracting investments thus accelerating technical feasibility and commercial visibility of green measures. All these steps in conjunction with current efforts could eventually enable de-carbonization in the shipping sector. 

Here in Nigeria, the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) is leading similar efforts. Being the agency of government responsible for regulation and coordination of the provision of maritime services locally, it has played an active and key role in achieving sustainability (alongside the IMO) in the Nigerian maritime industry. No wonder, Nigeria is the Model Technology Cooperation Centre (MTCC) focal point leader for West Africa. The agreement with the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) and appointment of Marine Litter Marshals are meritorious steps to steer Nigeria, a developing country in the direction of sustainability. 

In conclusion, the maritime community plays a key role in the effective transition to a sustainable future. If the task of building a sustainable planet is neglected and our planet is pushed to the edge, it would eventually turn on us. In this COVID-19 era that is characterized by limitations here and there, we need to build up greater momentum for a more effective stride as we address issues that could set us back in the attainment of sustainability in the shipping sector. Remember, when we invest in sustainable shipping, we have a sustainable planet and when we have a sustainable planet, shipping becomes more valuable and economically relevant to human existence