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French CO2 reporting requirements 'a real concern': ICS

French CO2 reporting requirements 'a real concern': ICS
The International Chamber of Shipping has expressed concern over a new requirement for foreign shipowners to provide French customers with fleet CO2 information.

Article L. 1431-3 of the French Transport Code, which came into effect for foreign shipping companies in October, represents a challenge to consistent regulation, and also undermines IMO’s authority as the governing body of international shipping, according to ICS. The body cites the IMO Marine Environment Protection Committee’s ongoing development of global fuel consumption and CO2 monitoring regulations.

“We anticipate that the methodology for reporting that will be agreed by IMO Member States through amendments to the MARPOL Convention will be very different to the methodology specified by the new French requirements,” said ICS external relations director Simon Bennett. "The immediate implementation of these French regulations is a real concern."

The development of a global system for the monitoring and reporting of CO2 emissions from ships will be considered by the next meeting of the IMO Marine Environment Protection Committee in March 2014. It is also the subject of a draft EU Regulation proposed by the European Commission.

“The IMO requirements… will be the product of international consensus. The global maritime transport system would be very challenged indeed by the administrative burden of providing information that required the use of different methodologies and national formats for reporting given that cargo ships can call at a very large number of countries during the course of a year.” .