GSF says emissions data should be shipper friendly

Global Shippers Forum wants IMO to consider shippers needs as it develops carbon reporting requirements.    The Global Shippers’ Forum is calling for shippers’ carbon reporting requirements to be fully considered when the International Maritime Organization’s Marine Environment Protection Committee meets next week.
   As the maritime sector develops technical and operational measures to reduce emissions, GSF said it is “supporting progress towards establishing a data collection system for ships to measure maritime emissions.”
   GSF is a group that represents shippers worldwide and includes the largest shipper group in the U.S., the National Industrial Transportation League, as a member.
   It notes shippers are under increasing pressure to be able to report indirect carbon emissions to customers and require this data from ship operators.
   Chris Welsh, Secretary General of GSF, said, “Next week, we hope that the IMO’s special correspondence group taking this work forward will make further progress on a data collection system. A pragmatic and practical data collection system, based where possible on actual fuel consumption and distance traveled, will help identify where emissions need to be cut whilst assisting shippers in making carbon efficient supply chain decisions.”
   Welsh continued, “Shippers are increasingly required to measure, evaluate and report the carbon impact of global goods transportation for their customers. A standardized global system will help meet these requirements. As IMO continues this work, it is vital that shippers’ views are factored into proposals and existing methodologies and tools that are already supported by industry are considered.”
   In a statement, the group said, “As the European Commission also works on proposals for a monitoring, reporting and verification system from 2018 for all large ships that use EU ports, GSF welcomes the IMO’s decision to also establish a global system. Ultimately a global reporting system for ships is required as shipping remains a global industry.”