On November 23, 2022 North Bund Forum-"Safety and Cooperation" Forum, organized by the Maritime Safety Administration of Ministry of Transport (MOT), was Held in Shanghai. 130 guest representatives at home and abroad from intergovernmental and non-governmental international organizations, foreign maritime administrations, administrative departments of transportation industry, relevant embassies and consulates in China, relevant government departments of Shanghai, related enterprises of shipping industry chain, research institutes, industry associations, etc., discussed maritime policies, shared their experiences and achievements, and helped promote global maritime governance with the theme of "Shipping and Environment: Work Together for Future Development of Maritime Safety" on-line or off-line. The forum also released the results related to ships’ energy consumption data and carbon intensity management.
Li Guoping, chief safety officer of MOT and Director General of Maritime Safety Administration, said in his keynote speech that the forum on "Safety and Cooperation" was held to implement the spirit reflected in President Xi Jinping’s congratulatory letter to the North Bund Forum. Facing the future development direction and needs of shipping, we need to widely pool wisdom and strength to better integrate development and safety, and provide stronger support and guarantee for the new development of green, intelligent and resilient global shipping industry. Li Guoping pointed out that we need to adhere to the consensus, with a profound grasp of the situation and requirements for the development of shipping; adhere to open cooperation to create a transformation pattern of shipping industry based on multi-party efforts and progress; adhere to the full range of duties to provide a strong guarantee for the transformation of the shipping industry with high-quality development of maritime.
IMO Maritime Goodwill Ambassador Xu Zuyuan proposed the following initiatives for the future path of shipping safety development in his keynote speech: First, understanding scientifically and using rationally. We need to focus on the interactive development of shipping and the environment, and actively take responsibility for the work of global challenges, such as the protection of marine environment and climate change mitigation; second, taking active adaptation and focusing on protection. We will shift from unilateral marine pollution prevention and control to a comprehensive environmental protection regulation system that integrates water and air, so as to promote shipping industry to high-quality development which is green, low-carbon, intelligent; third, working together to build consensus. We will follow the new trend of development, and ensure the stability and smooth flow of global industrial and supply chain.
Zhang Xiaojie, Director of the Technical Cooperation Division of IMO, pointed out that IMO's technical cooperation activities provide an important way for the organization and its member states to make a positive contribution to the sustainable development goals of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Through the Integrated Technical Cooperation Program, IMO ensures that developing countries will better participate in the shipping industry, thereby contributing to their respective socio-economic development goals. Currently, IMO remains committed to rule-making, especially in the areas of reducing greenhouse gas emissions from ships to address climate change, combating marine litter and plastic pollution, and the automation and digital transformation of the shipping industry. And strengthening capacity building in developing countries through technical cooperation has become a priority for IMO.
Teo Eng Dih, Director General of MPA, said that Singapore will achieve the plan of full maritime 5G coverage of major anchorages, waterways, terminals and boarding area by mid-2025, which will greatly expand ship-to-shore communication as well as remote control and monitoring capabilities, and provide more opportunities to improve safety of maritime navigation. He also pointed out that it is necessary to build a strong safety culture so that MPA can unit unions, enterprises, employers and customers by reinforcing collective responsibility for maritime safety within Singapore; and to promote the development of safety culture in the international arena, and set key safety standards for global maritime industry. MPA is ready to work with China and other partners to seize new opportunities to strengthen shipping and maritime safety and build a safer and better future for maritime personnel.
Xie Qunwei, director of Shanghai Maritime Safety Administration and office director of Shanghai Combined Port Management Committee, believed that green and low-carbon intelligence of shipping is an important force to accelerate the construction of a strong transportation country, the main battlefield of competing for the next round of industrial development dominance, and the power source to promote the modernization of maritime governance capacity. It is a systematic and long-term project to promote green, low-carbon and intelligent development of shipping. Shanghai Maritime Safety Administration will work with colleagues in the industry, sticking to honesty and innovation, accelerating the construction of a new pattern of water traffic safety governance. With better governance, better service, higher efficiency, we will safeguard the construction of Shanghai International Shipping Center and high-quality development of shipping.
The "Safety and Cooperation" Forum deeply implements the new development philosophy, promotes cooperation and exchange on shipping safety, and facilitates high-quality global shipping. Adhering to the direction of high-end, professionalism and internationalization, the forum closely combines the current new situation and changes in the development of the international shipping industry, providing an exchange platform for the industry to explore industry hot spots, discuss maritime policies and share experience, and jointly promoting global maritime governance.
The ships’ energy consumption data and the latest policy of carbon intensity management from MOT was released at the special forum. In order to implement the vision of " Emission Peak, Carbon Neutrality" and effectively implement the IMO Carbon Intensity Rules for International Shipping, the Maritime Safety Administration of MOT continues to carry out research on energy efficiency management technology and operational measures for Chinese international navigation ships, and makes in-depth discussions on short-, medium- and long-term measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from ships. The Regulation on Ships’ Energy Consumption Data and Carbon Intensity issued by Maritime Safety Administration of MOT systematically and comprehensively stipulates the requirements for ships’ energy consumption data and carbon intensity management, providing institutional guarantee for the green and low-carbon development of shipping.
Reprinted from: China Transportation News Network