Page 13 - Port of Hamburg Magazine - 02.18

One question, two answers...
‘Port of Hamburg Magazine’ put five questions on maritime energy transition and the related future challenges to Ralf Nagel, Chief Executive Officer of the German Shipowners’ Association and Malte Siegert, Head of Environmental Policy at the Hamburg regional association of NABU – Nature and Biodiversity Conservation Union.
In April the IMO - International Maritime Organ- isation decided that shipping should at least halve its global CO2 emissions by the year 2050. Reactions were mixed, for no firm, global solu- tions were agreed. Are responsible governments now to protect the climate by framing regulations that are just regionally binding? What would be the advantages and disadvantages?
Malte Siegert: Ocean shipping was not covered by the Paris Agreement which, however praisewor- thy in itself, failed in that area. To that extent, the commitment from the IMO is welcome. Whether it produces anything must remain to be seen. If ships were operated as shore installations in Europe, they would need to be shut down immediately. That says a lot. We need effective emissions trading in relation
to climate gases and more regulations on atmospher- ic emissions; if necessary, with special solutions for Europe. Were all ports in Europe to agree, these – like those in California – could frame more regula- tions with transitional periods. The IMO would not be needed for that; ultimately, after all, the goods need to land somewhere. Ports need to exploit their own strengths and exert more pressure.
Ralf Nagel: The IMO climate strategy underpins ocean shipping’s leading role in the battle against cli- mate change. So reactions to the decision were whol- ly positive. We are actually the first industry to have internationally binding figures on CO2 reduction. The European Commission and the European Parliament have expressed satisfaction with the results. Viole- ta Bulc, European Transport Commissioner, has just
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Port of Hamburg Magazine | June 2018 | 13