THE International Maritime Organization’s GHG Working Group has finalised guidelines to support implementation of carbon intensity measures.

The 12th session of the Intersessional Working Group on Reduction of GHG Emissions from Ships (ISWG-GHG 12), meeting from 16 to 20 May also discussed a number of concrete proposals for mid-term measures and associated impact assessments, in the context of IMO’s work plan on the development mid-term GHG reduction measures.

Following what a statement from the IMO called “constructive discussions”, the Working Group agreed to advance towards the further development of a “basket of candidate mid-term measures” – integrating both technical (for example, a GHG fuel standard and/or enhancement of IMO’s carbon intensity measures) and carbon pricing (for example, through a market-based measure) elements.

The session, held remotely, was attended by more than 430 participants from some 80 member states, as well as from NGOs in consultative status with IMO.

The ISWG-GHG 12 report will be considered by the Marine Environment Protection Committee 78th Session (MEPC 78), which will take place from 6 to 10 June.

The ISWG-GHG 11 session report will also be submitted to MEPC 78, including an update on its work to develop marine fuel lifecycle GHG assessment guidelines, which would cover well-to-wake, including well-to-tank and tank-to-wake emission values, and how to conduct future assessments of possible impacts on States of IMO’s basket of candidate mid-term measures.