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The Safe Navigation & Environment Committee (SNEC) has appealed to the International Maritime Organization (IMO) to urgently address the issue of Green House Gases (GHG).

Speaking at the 17th Asian Shipowners' Forum (ASF) was in Boao, China, SNEC Chairman, S. S. Teo presented an updated report on safe navigation and marine environment protection issues. Teo said the issue of GHG needed to be urgently reviewed, specifically those of Carbon Dioxide (CO2).

The ASF also noted that an IMO Intersessional meeting would be held on 23–27 June 2008 in Oslo to discuss technical, operational and market-based issues relating to GHG. Among the many short and long term measures to be discussed would be the development of a methodology for a CO2 emission baseline, CO2 design index and market based instrument such as a current proposal for a global bunker levy scheme and CO2 emission trading scheme.

The Intersessional Meeting is expected to urge the IMO to develop suitable GHG reduction measures for the shipping industry which also take into account the fact that world seaborne trade will continue to expand in the future.

Also discussed at the Asian Shipowners' Forum was the International Convention on Civil Liability for Bunker Oil Pollution Damage (2001) (Bunkers Convention), which will come into force on 21st November 2008. From this date, vessels of more than 1,000 gross tons and registered in a country that has ratified the Convention or enters or leaves a port of a country that has ratified the Convention, must carry a Certificate of Financial Responsibility issued by a state party to the Convention.

Currently, only 20 states have so far ratified the Bunkers Convention. Delegates urged both the States that have ratified the Convention and the International Group to urgently address the need to provide the relevant certificates to ships trading to Convention countries.

Speaking about the MARPOL Annex VI Review on Marine Air Emissions, the ASF said it was pleased that limits on the sulphur content of bunker fuel are goal-based and not prescriptive, and will be implemented over time, thus giving stakeholders time to make all the necessary adjustments and retrofits.

In a statement released after the forum, the ASF said "With clearly defined shortterm and long-term goals, it is hoped that it will encourage and stimulate further technological innovation into abatement technologies and other alternative means of reducing emissions which are practical and holistic."

The 17th Asian Shipowners' Forum (ASF) was attended by 132 delegates from the Shipowner Associations of Australia, China, Chinese Taipei, Hong Kong, Japan, Korea and from the Federation of ASEAN Shipowners' Associations, which comprises the Shipowner Associations of Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. The Forum was chaired by Wei Jiafu, Chairman of the China Shipowners' Association.

The 18th ASF will be held at Evergreen Plaza Hotel in Tainan, Taiwan from 25th to 27th May 2009.