On March 18th, the 81st session of the Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) opened at the International Maritime Organization (IMO). This technical committee, responsible for environmental regulations, must, among other things, define the implementation modalities of the decarbonization strategy to achieve zero emissions by 2050.
Other topics will include the adoption of new amendments to the MARPOL convention to introduce a reporting procedure in case of container loss, specific recommendations for the transport of plastic pellets in containers, and a review of the ballast water convention that entered into force in 2017, taking into account lessons learned.
The committee will also have to decide on two new proposals for Sulphur Emission Control Areas (SECA) in Canadian Arctic waters and the Norwegian Sea, and prepare for the entry into force on June 26, 2025, of the Hong Kong Convention on Ship Recycling. To conclude this session, the committee is expected to establish the initial steps of a comprehensive plan to reduce underwater noise.
