Boost maritime transport to gain higher economic growth

Shipping Department increased energy efficiency in the design of new ships and adapting to new technologies ahead of World Maritime Day 2022: Commodore Md Nizamul Haque.

Shamsul Hoque Basunia & GR Parvez

Shipping is one of the largest contributors to the global economy, as more than 80% of global trade by volume, and 70% by value is transported by ship. These huge maritime transport activities accounts for a good amount of Green House Gas (GHG) emissions. According to the fourth IMO GHG study conducted in 2020, the maritime transport emitted 1,076 million tons of GHG in 2018. However, the studies conducted by IMO also says that there are opportunities for fuel savings in shipping by 25% to 75% with more efficient operations of existing ships, through increased energy efficiency in the design of new ships and adapting to new technologies. Director General of Shipping Department Commodore Md Nizamul Haque, (TAS), NGP,psc,BN said this in an exclusive interview with the Daily Tribunal which was given in the below to consider the readers’ interest.

With such emissions reduction potentials, energy efficiency and environmental performance are presently the main stream issues in shipping. It has also been an important issue within the IMO for a considerable period of time. The strict legislations on GHG emissions have turned the focus on energy efficiency and new technologies. As such, the theme of World Maritime Day for this year “New Technologies for Greener Shipping” is very timely and relevant as it reflects on the need to support a green transition of shipping into a sustainable future. The theme provides an opportunity to focus on the importance of a sustainable maritime transport and the need to build greener shipping with the use of advanced technology.

The theme for this year is further significant as it is linked to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDGs 13 and 14 on climate action and sustainable use of the oceans, seas and marine resources; SDG 9 on industry, innovation and infrastructure; and SDG 17, which highlights the importance of partnerships and implementation to achieve these goals.

As a regulatory body of the global shipping industry, IMO has adopted aspiring “IMO Green House Gas (GHG) Strategy 2018” maintaining consistency with the Paris Agreement temperature goals. While policy frameworks are already in place, innovation and adoption of new technologies are the only route to greener shipping. Indeed, the theme for this year is wisely chosen to support a green transition of the maritime transport into a sustainable future urging to leave no one behind.

The more than 50 international instruments adopted by IMO cover all aspects of international shipping including ship design, construction, equipment, crewing, navigation, operation and disposal of ships. Complying with these standards is definitely challenging for the industry. But nothing truly worthy is ever easy. IMO’s greatest achievement has been to create a level playing field through global regulations uniformly implemented, so that none of the ship operators can have undue advantages. Certainly, the theme for this year “New Technologies for Greener Shipping” will also encourage innovation and efficiency and contribute to the greener shipping without giving anyone undue advantages.

Since inception, IMO has worked to ensure that people all over the world can continue to benefit from shipping in a manner that meets the need of the global economy, and also changing expectations about safety, environmental protection, and social responsibility and so on. With shipping transporting more than 80 per cent of global trade to people and communities all over the world, it is clear that IMO’s actions have an impact far beyond the ships themselves.

Bangladesh being a maritime country is dependent on international shipping for transportation of her foreign trade commodities. About 98% of the export and import goods are transported by sea-going ships. Therefore, for a maritime and riverine country like Bangladesh, maintaining an efficient, greener waterborne transportation system is vital for her economic growth and social needs. It is expected that the present capability of this sector shall further be strengthened in order to ensure economic and social uplift of the country.

It can be noted that the country being a maritime one and having dependence on international shipping for transportation of export and import commodities became a member State of IMO soon after its independence. As a mark of co-operation with the global maritime community in promoting IMO objectives, Bangladesh became party to 25 conventions/protocols including the major safety conventions like SOLAS’74, Load Lines 1966, STCW’78, MARPOL 73/78 and took administrative and legal measures so that her ships, as well as ships visiting her ports comply with provisions of these conventions. Further, it is needless to mention that Bangladesh will ratify any new convention related to greener shipping that involve modern technology.

 Every year around 5,000 ocean-going ships call Bangladesh seaports and approximately 15,000 coastal and inland ships ply around our waterways to support the country’s grooming economy and business. Bangladesh is committed to ensure carbon neutral maritime transport in line with the UN-IMO GHG Strategy 2018. Bangladesh has already embarked upon various initiatives like lowering the Sulphur content from ship’s fuel, implementing the Ballast Water Management Convention, reducing marine plastic litter, increasing energy efficiency of ships and ports, and collecting IMO fuel oil data in line with various UN-IMO regulatory framework for a sustainable maritime future.

It is to mention that under the leadership of Honorable Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Bangladesh is on the edge of technological revolution and shipping industry is not left behind. This age-old industry which, till the last decade, was hesitant to harness new technology, has now taken up all-round modernization with a vengeance under our Honorable Prime Minister. Ports, Ships, deep sea infrastructures, water ways are being equipped with most modern technologies to face the challenges of upcoming changes and diversity. The Government of Bangladesh has taken various initiatives to enhance greener shipping.

Establishment of the Global Maritime Distress and Safety System and Integrated Maritime Navigation System (EGIMNS) project is being implemented by the Department of Shipping. On completion of the project, Bangladesh will be able to communicate and monitor vessels plying in our territorial waters round the clock, increase their safety & security, prevent pollution and conduct prompt search and rescue operations for distress vessels. Modern Aid to Navigation will be provided and apart from that an ultimate surveillance and broadcast of navigational warnings will be ensured. Unauthorized activities such as illegal fishing, smuggling etc. will be reduced which will eventually strengthen our blue economy.

With the policy support and guidance from the Ministry of Shipping the number of our seafarers is on the rise and so does our national fleets. With the visionary and sagacious leadership of our Honorable Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, we are sailing towards the destination of vision-2041 in the correct path of digitization and transparency. Our digitization effort is helping all the stakeholders specially the seafarers to get their services online, thereby helping them to get the unfettered services during the COVID 19 pandemic and post pandemic era.

With the use of newer technology, Bangladesh has the opportunity to take our country to a new height after our success in macroeconomic indicators. The sooner we adapt to it with a proper understanding, the better our maritime sector will be able to reap its benefits to ensure socio- economic sustainability and achieving our SDG goals.

It is a fact that Bangladesh is one of the most vulnerable nations to the impacts of global climate change in the coming decades which possesses a significant threat to the economic development of the country. Due to the impact of climate change summers are becoming hotter, monsoon irregular, untimely rainfall, heavy rainfall over short period causing water logging and landslides, very little rainfall in dry seasons, increased river flow and inundation during monsoon, recurrence of floods, crop damage due to flash floods and monsoon floods, crop failure due to drought, etc. Unless action is taken to limit carbon emission in the atmosphere, South Asia including Bangladesh will suffer more droughts and floods, rising sea levels and declines in food production.

However, to address the challenges due to climate change, Bangladesh is adopting a two-fold strategy     against     climate     change     impacts.     The     main      focus      of   Bangladesh’s activities is on increasing resilience to the impacts of climate change. At the same time, the country is also working to achieve lower GreenHouse Gases (GHG) emissions, as well as more resilient development. It is to mention that Bangladesh has established the Bangladesh Climate Change Trust Fund (BCCTF) and the Bangladesh Climate Change Resilience Fund (BCCRF).

It is noteworthy to mention that the Government of Bangladesh has already prepared the Bangladesh Climate Change Strategy and Action Plan (BCCSAP) in the year 2009; and in 2018, Bangladesh has prepared its Implementation Roadmap for the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) to manage growing emissions without compromising the required development and to allow Bangladesh to play its role in global efforts to limit temperature rise to two degrees or preferably 1.5 degrees above pre-industrial levels. The message of the World Maritime Day 2022 is clear and applicable for all shipping nations and stakeholders. Therefore, the similar requirements apply to our shipping industry as well. Although IMO conventions virtually relate to international shipping, the expertise developed by Member States in this field may be applied to inland waterways transport as well. Bangladesh has a large inland, coastal and fishing fleet plying in our maritime territory. We need to monitor and improve the environmental fitness of these vessels by adopting new technologies. More importantly, Bangladesh needs to take proactive actions by capacity building to ensure its shipping green future. Programs of IMO shall not bring any positive result unless these are implemented with renewed efforts and the right attitude of all concerned. Attention and assistance of all the Member States are essential to maintain IMO’s technical cooperation program. As the people of today live in an interdependent world, no nation can achieve an international objective singly or regionally. As such, let us hope that with the assistance and cooperation from all corners, the World Maritime Day 2022 theme will enable a variety of initiatives that promote inclusive innovation and adoption of new technologies to support the demands for a greener transition of the shipping industries.