IMO 2023 strategy-Where are we and what’s next?

Abstract

Maritime decarbonisation has been on the agenda for a long time. It is recognised as very important, even if the contribution of ships to global warming is relatively small. The International Maritime Organization (IMO) is the most authoritative international body on this issue, whose work is followed with interest and whose decisions are at the centre of academic and political debate. After many milestones in maritime decarbonisation, which started in 1997, IMO drawn a comprehensive roadmap with the Initial GHG Strategy published in 2018 and revised this roadmap with the 2023 GHG Strategy. The 2023 GHG Strategy was also developed concurrently with the LCA Guidelines, recognising the life cycle approach as an essential component for achiveing the objectives. This study aims to comprehensively evaluate the 2023 GHG Strategy and the Guidelines and provide a critical perspective on the opportunities and challenges the maritime sector may face in the future. The study also provides some recommendations for future developments.