23rd March 2024 – 29th March 2024
- LOCAL NEWS
1. CYPRUS MARINE CLUB Interview with the President of OLYMPIA OCEAN CARRIERS AND Vice President of the Cyprus Union of Shipowners Mr. George Mouskas
On Friday, 29th March 2024, the Cyprus Marine Club (CMC) hosted an interview with the President of Olympia Ocean Carriers and Vice President of the Cyprus Union of Shipowners, Mr. George Mouskas.
The role of the interview Moderator took up Mrs. Julia Paczkowska, General Secretary of the Cyprus Marine Club who challenged Mr. Mouskas with a dozen thought-provoking questions. Our Vice President had the opportunity to talk about shipping and present to the audience his personal views on the regulations affecting the maritime sector, his business philosophy, market prognosis, EU ETS, and IMO credibility. He elaborated on the strongest and weakest points of the Cyprus Flag, the situation on the Red Sea- the havoc caused by Houthi and how their actions affect commercial shipping. Mr. Mouskas also shared his views on the effectiveness of sanctions imposed on Russia since the beginning of the war in Ukraine and other key topics concerning the shipping industry. Mr. Mouskas also shared the inspiring success story of his father, Mr. Kyriacos Mouskas’ which left the audience emotional. When Mr. Mouskas was also asked how he measures success to add that integrity, honesty, and respect are the core values to which he attributes his accomplishments.
The interview, followed by dinner took place at the Gazebo Mare in Limassol Marina and was attended by 150 members and guests including Mr. Stephen Cotton - General Secretary of ITF, and Mr. Polys Hajioannou – Vice President of CUS.
For more details, we draw your attention to the relevant Press Release issued by the Cyprus Marine Club attached hereto as Attachment 1.
- INTERNATIONAL NEWS
2. MEPC 81 - developments of significance, IMO agrees possible outline for maritime “net-zero framework”
Further to last week’s report on the outcome of the eighty-first session of the Maritime Environment Protection Committee (MEPC 81), held in London from 18 to 22 March 2024, several organizations and media outlets, including BIMCO published reports highlighting the developments of significance in MEPC 81.
The BIMCO report points out that, after the agreement at the last MEPC on IMO’s strategy for reduction on GHG emissions from ships this session of MEPC was tasked to work on measures to implement the strategy’s levels of ambition.
IMO has agreed on an illustration of a possible draft outline of an “IMO net-zero framework” for cutting greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) from international shipping, which marks a step forward in the legal process towards adopting global regulations, referred to as “mid-term GHG reduction measures”, that will help achieve the targets contained in the 2023 IMO Strategy on the Reduction of GHG Emissions from Ships.
Furthermore, at MEPC 81 BIMCO, along with the co-sponsors of their written submission, called on IMO to solve legal inconsistencies in ship recycling conventions and made a strong request to the MEPC for more legal certainty on the application of the Hong Kong Convention before entry into force in June 2025.
The specific request included that clarification and assurance is sought to ensure that shipowners and parties operating in compliance with the Hong Kong Convention will not be sanctioned as a violation of the Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal (the Basel Convention). According to BIMCO, the submission gained significant support from member states who requested the IMO Secretariat to continue and strengthen the cooperation with the Secretariat of the Basel Convention to cater for any information and assistance needed to ensure clear and robust implementation of the HKC.
According to other reports, MEPC 81 also adopted:
- Amendments to Ballast Water Management Convention regarding the use of electronic water record books
- Amendments to MARPOL Protocol I Article V for the reporting procedures of lost containers .
- Amendments to MARPOL Annex VI on low-flashpoint fuels and other fuel oil related issues; marine diesel engine replacing a steam system; accessibility of the data in the IMO Ship Fuel Consumption Database (IMO DCS) ; inclusion of data on transport work and enhanced level of granularity in the IMO DCS. Consequential amendments to SEEMP 2022 Guidelines.
At the conclusion of MEPC81, IMO Secretary-General Mr. Arsenio Dominguez said: “Your Committee is indeed a forum to consider issues of critical relevance for all parts of the marine environment, and this week you made very important progress”.
Relevant Articles:
BIMCO 25/3 - MEPC 81-developments of significance
Bureau Veritas/MEPC-81th session-summary-report
Safety4Sea 26/3 - MEPC 81 highlights: Industry’s response
Safety4Sea 26/3 - IMO MEPC 81 Outcome: Key dates/milestones
3. EU Waste Shipment Regulation: Final adoption and next steps
On Monday, 25th March 2024, the European Council unanimously voted to adopt the revised Waste Shipment Regulation. The text of the Regulation, which now becomes EU law, aims to reduce shipments of problematic waste to outside the EU, update shipment procedures to reflect the objectives of the circular economy and climate neutrality, to make use of electronic submission and exchange of information, and to improve enforcement and tackle illegal shipments.
The regulation bans the shipments of all waste destined for disposal within the EU, except if agreed and authorised under the prior written notification and consent procedure (‘PIC’). In particular, under the new rules, waste shipments between EU countries will require the permission of national governments in both the dispatching and receiving countries. In contrast, procedures concerning waste recycling will be eased and accelerated.
The new law imposes stricter restrictions on the export of waste to countries that are not members of the EU or the OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development). Waste can only be sent to non-OECD countries if the recipient country confirms that it is willing to receive the shipments and can guarantee that the waste will be treated in a sustainable and environmentally sound manner. Waste management procedures in these countries must be independently audited and the Commission will have monitoring powers. The waste shipment regulation implements into EU law the provisions of the Basel Convention on the control of transboundary movements of hazardous wastes and their disposal, as well as the related OECD decision.
The vote by the Council on the 25th March 2024 closes the adoption procedure. The regulation will now be signed by the co-legislators. It will then be published in the EU’s Official Journal in mid - April and enter into force on the twentieth day following publication. The Commission will then contact the yards located in non-OECD countries to inform them that the legislative process ended and to ask them to confirm their application to be added to the EU SRR list, and, after the yards have confirmed their interest, the Commission will sign a contract with the auditor to go and audit the concerned yards. The revised Waste Shipping Regulation is considered a major development in the debate regarding the legal framework of recycling of EU flag ships to non OECD recycling yards, since the EC and member states were convinced about the need to increase the capacity of yards located in non OECD countries allowed for the recycling of EU ships and avoid a punitive legal framework for EU shipowners .
As previously explained, in Cyprus, the competent authority is the Cyprus Deputy Ministry of Shipping, which is responsible for the application of the Regulation. The Ministry examines the parties’ compliance with the provisions of the Regulation, including the notification procedures and the provision of information regarding the recycling yards.
Our Union is examining, in close cooperation with the Cyprus Administration, how the adoption of the Regulation will affect National law, obligations and procedures.
Relevant Articles:
REGULATION OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL on shipments of waste
Euractiv 27/3 - Europe finalises rules for more recycling less waste exports
4. US TREASURY REPORT
The US Treasury Report for all actions reported is hereby attached.
Related Article:
Attachment 2: US Treasury Report for week 23/3/2024 - 29/03/2024
5. PIRACY REPORT
The Piracy Report for all actions reported is hereby attached.
Related Article:
Attachment 3: Worldwide Threat to Shipping (WTS) Report, for the period between 28 February - 27 March 2024
Nothing important to report from ILO and Parliament of Representatives.