The shipping industry plays a vital role in the global economy, accounting for approximately 90% of world trade. However, maritime activity also has a significant impact on the environment, especially in terms of air emissions and ocean pollution. To minimize this damage, the sector is regulated by international standards, which seek to promote more sustainable practices and protect the marine ecosystem.
Among the main international regulatory frameworks are the MARPOL Convention and the Hong Kong Amendments, which address different aspects of maritime pollution and sustainable ship management. In this article, we explore how these regulations work and the impact they have on the global shipping industry.
MARPOL Convention: The Pillar of Maritime Environmental Protection
The International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships, better known as MARPOL, is one of the most important environmental regulations in the maritime sector. Adopted in 1973 by the International Maritime Organization (IMO), MARPOL aims to prevent pollution of the marine environment, both through accidents and regular ship operations.
Image: International Maritime Organization (IMO)
The convention covers six main factors, which deal with different sources of pollution:
- I: Prevention of oil pollution;
- II: Control of pollution by liquid harmful substances transported in bulk;
- III: Prevention of pollution by packaged dangerous substances;
- IV: Prevention of pollution from ship sewage;
- V: Prevention of pollution by ship litter;
- VI: Air pollution prevention, which includes limits on emissions of sulfur oxides (SOx), nitrogen oxides (NOx), and greenhouse gases.
Annex VI of MARPOL, updated with the regulation known as IMO 2020, is particularly relevant for reducing atmospheric emissions, as it establishes that the sulfur content in marine fuels must be reduced to 0.5%, a measure that has with the aim of reducing air pollution and improving the quality of life in coastal areas.
Hong Kong Amendments: The Sustainable Dismantling of Ships
Another important regulatory framework is the Hong Kong Convention for the Safe and Environmentally Sound Recycling of Ships, adopted in 2009, which will come into force in June 2025. This convention sets international standards to ensure that, at the end of their useful life, ships are dismantled in an environmentally correct and safe manner.
Image: Jo Kassis
The Hong Kong Amendments were designed to protect the environment and human health during the ship dismantling process. These standards determine that ships must be built and maintained in a way that facilitates their future recycling. Furthermore, the shipyards where dismantling takes place must comply with strict safety and hazardous waste management standards.
European Commission: Fit for 55
Fit for 55, part of the European Green Deal, establishes a series of legislative proposals with the aim of reducing the European Union’s greenhouse gas emissions by 55% by 2030. In the maritime sector, these guidelines directly impact decarbonization targets , requiring companies to adopt more stringent measures, such as the use of alternative fuels and energy efficiency technologies. The integration of the shipping sector into this plan is crucial for the EU to achieve climate neutrality by 2050, promoting cleaner and more sustainable maritime trade.
Image: European Commission
REPowerEU
The REPowerEU plan, launched in 2022, aims to reduce Europe’s dependence on fossil fuels, especially from external sources, and accelerate the transition to renewable energy. In the maritime sector, this means a greater emphasis on the adoption of alternative fuels, such as green hydrogen and liquefied natural gas (LNG), as well as encouraging the use of electric propulsion technologies.
Image: European Commission
REPowerEU supports the transformation of the shipping industry towards energy independence, promoting a cleaner and more efficient maritime fleet, in line with the European Union’s climate objectives.
Net zero industry Act
The Net Zero Industry Act is a European Union initiative that aims to strengthen the production of clean technologies, essential to achieving carbon neutrality goals by 2050.
Image: European Commission
In the maritime sector, this legislation promotes innovation and the development of technological solutions that accelerate the transition to renewable energy and low-carbon fuels. The adoption of clean technologies, such as electric propulsion systems and biofuels, is crucial to decarbonizing the shipping sector and aligning with EU environmental objectives, facilitating a transition to a more sustainable and globally competitive shipping industry.
Environmental protection in the maritime sector is a shared responsibility, and compliance with international standards is an important step towards ensuring that future generations can continue to benefit from robust and environmentally friendly global maritime trade.
The Project Roteiro Naval Carbono Zero (RNCZ) is committed to the decarbonization of the sector, promoting innovative solutions towards a more sustainable naval future.
