Abstract
The role of maritime transport in addressing the global sustainability imperative is increasingly recognized. Safe, secure, energy-efficient, affordable, reliable, low-carbon, climate-resilient and rule-based maritime transport systems contribute to achieving an economically efficient, socially equitable and environmentally sound development. However, for this role to effectively materialize, unsustainable maritime transport practices that result in wide-ranging external costs need to be addressed.
In the context of the ongoing implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the sustainable development goals (SDGs) and the Paris Agreement on climate change, there is a renewed opportunity to tap the sustainability potential of the maritime transport sector. Leveraging maritime transport in support of the sustainable development agenda requires that economic, social and environmental sustainability criteria be fully integrated and mainstreamed into relevant maritime transport planning processes, policies and investment decisions.
This chapter highlights key issues lying at the interface of maritime transport and sustainable development while emphasizing the role of the sector as a catalyst of a development path that promotes people, prosperity, environment and effective and relevant partnerships.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.
Buying options
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Learn about institutional subscriptionsNotes
- 1.
- 2.
- 3.
- 4.
- 5.
- 6.
- 7.
- 8.
- 9.
- 10.
- 11.
- 12.
- 13.
For additional information on UNCTAD’s work on Maritime Transport and Climate Change Impacts and Adaptation, see also http://unctad.org/en/Pages/DTL/TTL/Legal/Climate-Change-and-Maritime-Transport.aspx.
- 14.
For additional information see the proceedings of UNCTAD’s “Ad Hoc Expert Meeting on Measuring Shipping Connectivity and Performance: The Need for Statistics and Data”. 15 May 2017 http://unctad.org/en/pages/MeetingDetails.aspx?meetingid=1364.
- 15.
- 16.
- 17.
See relevant work by UN-Oceans. http://www.unoceans.org/activities/en.
- 18.
- 19.
- 20.
See http://www.imo.org/en/MediaCentre/PressBriefings/Pages/01-2016-MTCC-.aspx (accessed on 28 April 2018).
- 21.
For additional information, see http://unfccc.int/methods/emissions_from_intl_transport/items/1057.php (accessed 28 April 2018).
- 22.
- 23.
For additional information about the science of climate change and the impacts of climate change on transport, including coastal transport infrastructure, see, for example, relevant documentation about UNCTAD’s work carried out in the field and available for downloading at http://unctad.org/en/Pages/DTL/TTL/Legal/Climate-Change-and-Maritime-Transport.aspx (accessed 7 December 2018).
- 24.
See http://archive.iwlearn.net/globallast.imo.org (accessed 7 December 2018).
- 25.
See https://www.thegef.org/project/building-partnerships-assist-developing-countries-minimize-impacts-aquatic-biofouling (accessed 7 December 2018).
- 26.
See http://www.imo.org/en/MediaCentre/PressBriefings/Pages/21-BWM-EIF.aspx (accessed 7 December 2018).
- 27.
See http://www.iopcfunds.org/about-us (accessed 7 December).
- 28.
See http://cleanairasia.org (accessed 7 December 2018).
- 29.
See https://medium.com/wagovernor/leading-in-the-maritime-sector-washington-launches-maritime-blue-2050-initiative-d54f7d5730cc (accessed 7 December 2018).
- 30.
- 31.
- 32.
- 33.
- 34.
- 35.
- 36.
- 37.
- 38.
- 39.
- 40.
See, for example, http://www.greenport.com/news101/europe. See also http://www.greenport.com/congressamerica,
- 41.
- 42.
- 43.
- 44.
- 45.
- 46.
Abbreviations
- ASD:
-
Agenda for Sustainable Development
- BIMCO:
-
Baltic and International Maritime Council
- CO2 :
-
Carbon dioxide
- COP:
-
Conference of the Parties [of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change]
- DME:
-
Dimethyl ether
- DOALOS:
-
Division for Ocean Affairs and the Law of the Sea
- EU:
-
European Union
- IACS:
-
International Association of Classification Societies
- IAPH:
-
International Association of Ports and Harbors
- ICS:
-
International Chamber of Shipping
- INTERTANKO:
-
International Association of Independent Tanker Owners
- ITOPF:
-
International Tanker Owners Pollution Federation
- LNG:
-
Liquefied natural gas
- LPG:
-
Liquefied petroleum gas
- MEPC:
-
IMO Marine Environment Protection Committee
- NDCs:
-
Nationally determined contributions
- P&I Clubs:
-
Protection and Indemnity Clubs
- SDGs:
-
Sustainable development goals
- TEU:
-
Twenty-foot equivalent unit
- UNCTAD:
-
United Nations Conference on Trade and Development
- UNFCCC:
-
United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change
References
Alvik, S., Eide, M. S., Endresen, Ø., Hoffmann, P., Longva, T. (2010). Pathways to low carbon shipping. Abatement potential towards 2030. DNV.
Asariotis, R., Benamara, H., Mohos-Naray, V. (2017). Port industry survey on climate change impacts and adaptation. UNCTAD Research Paper No. 18. UNCTAD/SER.RP/2017/18. December.
DNV GL. (2017). Low carbon shipping towards 2050. Norway.
Enright, M. J. (2016). Developing China: The remarkable impact of foreign direct investment. London: Routledge.
EIA. (2017). International energy outlook 2017. U.S. Energy Information Administration. Norway.
European Commission. (2000). Directive 2000/59/EC of the European parliament and of the council on port reception facilities for ship-generated waste and cargo residues. 27 November. https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=celex:32000L0059.
European Commission. (2011). Roadmap to a single European transport area – towards a competitive and resource-efficient transport system. Brussels.
European Commission. (2017). On the feasibility of a financial instrument that would facilitate safe and sound ship recycling. Report from the Commission of the European Parliament and the council. COM (2017) 420 final. Brussels.
Gota, S., Peet, K., Windisch, E., Bongardt, D., Eichhorst, U. (2016). Proposed avenues for NDCs. Increasing the potential of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) for ambitious action on transport and climate change. November. http://www.ppmc-transport.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Proposed-Avenues-for-NDCs-November-2016version.pdf. Accessed 28 Apr 2018
GSF. (2015). CO2 emissions from the maritime sector. GSF policy statement for COP21 Paris. Global Shippers Forum. December 2015. https://www.globalshippersforum.com/media/1217/gsf_maritime_policy_statement_cop21_paris_2015.pdf. Accessed 28 Apr 2018
ICCT. (2011). Reducing greenhouse gas emissions from ships cost effectiveness of available options. White Paper. International Council for Clean Transportation. July. https://www.theicct.org/sites/default/files/publications/ICCT_GHGfromships_jun2011.pdf. Accessed 28 Apr 2018.
IEA, Energy Efficiency. (2017). Market Report Series. https://www.iea.org/publications/freepublications/publication/Energy_Efficiency_2017.pdf.
IMO. (2014). Third IMO GHG study 2014. Executive summary and final report. London: International Maritime Organization.
IMO. (2016). Amendments to the annex of the protocol of 1997 to amend the international convention for the prevention of pollution from ships, 1973, as modified by the protocol of 1978 relating thereto, annex 3, resolution mepc. 278(70) (MEPC 70/18/Add.1) Adopted on 28 October 2016.
IMO. (2017). Considerations of how to progress the matter of reduction of GHG emissions from ships. Note by the Secretariat. ISWG-GHG1/2. International Maritime Organization. London, 21 February.
IMO. (2018). Report of the Marine Environment Protection Committee on it its Seventieth Session, Road Map for Developing a Comprehensive IMO Strategy on, Reduction of GHG Emissions from Ships, MEPC 70/18/Add.1,Annex 11, page 1, https://www.mardep.gov.hk/en/msnote/pdf/msin1707anx3.pdf
Lloyd’s Register. (2016). Low carbon pathways 2050. https://www.lr.org/en/insights/sustainability/low-carbon-pathways. Accessed 28 Apr 2018.
McKinnon, A. (2016). UNCTAD workshop on sustainable freight transport and finance. Nairobi.
MDS Transmodal. (2017). New mega alliances. http://www.mdst.co.uk/articles/pages/container_shipping_may_17. Accessed 28 Apr 2018.
OECD. (2017a). CO2 emissions from fuel combustion: Overview. Paris: Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development/International Energy Agency.
OECD. (2017b). Energy efficiency market 2017. Paris: Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development/International Energy Agency (2017).
OECD. (2017c). ITF transport outlook. Paris: OCED Publishing.
OECD. (2017d). Tracking clean energy progress 2017: Energy technology perspectives 2017. Excerpt informing energy sector transformations. Paris: Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development/International Energy Agency (2017).
Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. (2018). Main economic indicators. Available at http://www.oecd.org/std/oecdmaineconomicindicatorsmei.htm. Accessed April 2018.
Psaraftis, H. N. (2018). Decarbonization of maritime transport: to be or not to be? Maritime Economics and Logistics. https://doi.org/10.1057/s41278-018-0098-8.
Susantono, B. (2012). Sustainable freight transport policy in Indonesia. Presentation of the Vice Minister for Transportation Republic of Indonesia, at the UNCTAD XIII side event: Paving the Way for Sustainable Freight Transport, Doha, 25 April 2012.
The Marine Professional. (2015). Banks more likely to finance efficient ships. 22 April.
UNCTAD. (2012). Liability and compensation for ship-source oil pollution: An overview of the international legal framework for oil pollution damage from tankers. Studies in Transport Law and Policy – 2012 No. 1. New York.
UNCTAD. (2014). Closing the distance: Partnerships for sustainable and resilient transport systems in SIDS. New York. 2014. https://unctad.org/en/PublicationsLibrary/dtltlb2014d2_en.pdf.
UNCTAD. (2015). Sustainable freight transport systems: Opportunities for developing countries. Note by the UNCTAD secretariat. Geneva. TD/B/C.I/MEM.7/11.
UNCTAD. (2016). Review of maritime transport 2016. New York. October 2016.
UNCTAD. (2017). Trade logistics and the 2030 agenda for sustainable development, note by the UNCTAD secretariat. Geneva. TD/B/C.I/MEM.7/14.
UNCTAD. (2018). Review of maritime transport 2018. New York. October 2018. https://unctad.org/en/PublicationsLibrary/rmt2018_en.pdf
UNDP. (2013). Human development report 2013. The rise of the South: Human progress in a diverse world. New York.
United Nations. (2015). The road to dignity by 2030: ending poverty, transforming all lives and protecting the planet. Synthesis report of the Secretary-General on the post-2015 sustainable development agenda. New York. December 2014, A/69/700.
United Nations. (2016). Mobilizing sustainable transport for development. Secretary-General’s High-Level Advisory Group on Sustainable Transport. New York. 2016.
World Trade Statistical Review and WTO. (2018). Trade statistics and outlook strong trade growth in 2018 rests on policy choices, Press Release 820, 12 April 2018.
Acknowledgment
The views represented in this chapter are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the UNCTAD secretariat.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2019 Springer Nature Switzerland AG
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Benamara, H., Hoffmann, J., Youssef, F. (2019). Maritime Transport: The Sustainability Imperative. In: Psaraftis, H. (eds) Sustainable Shipping. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-04330-8_1
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-04330-8_1
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-030-04329-2
Online ISBN: 978-3-030-04330-8
eBook Packages: Business and ManagementBusiness and Management (R0)