The IMO is a United Nations (UN) specialised agency with responsibility for safe, secure and environmentally-friendly shipping. It has now launched a video showing how the Global MTCC Network (GMN) initiative is uniting technology centres in targeted regions into a global network. The aim of the project is to promote technologies and operations to improve energy efficiency in the maritime sector.
Five Maritime Technology Co-ordination Centres (MTCCs) have been established in Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, Latin America and the Pacific. They are aiming to become centres of excellence for their regions, working with partners to develop technical cooperation, capacity building and technology transfer. They will then share the results and their experiences throughout the network to ensure a common approach to the global issue of energy efficiency in the shipping sector.
The main beneficiaries of this initiative will be developing countries, particularly those nations that are the least developed and also small island developing states.
“This project is one of the building blocks that will help shipping becoming greener” said Magda Kopczynska, Director, DG MOVE, European Commission.
Vivian Rambarath-Parasram, Head of MTCC-Caribbean, added that it is an opportunity to build partnership to mitigate the impacts of climate change in the maritime sector.
Improved energy efficiency means less fuel is used, and that means less harmful emissions. According to estimates cited by the Second IMO GHG Study 2009, ships’ energy consumption and CO2 emissions could be reduced by up to 75 percent by applying operational measures and implementing existing technologies.
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