86 COMMENTARY JOHAN ROOS Director of regulatory affairs at Interferry Interferry has consultative status at the International Maritime Organization (IMO), which means it is deeply involved in helping to shape safety and environmental regulations in the global maritime industry. And in virtually every case, we do so on the basis of an unshakeable conviction that one size does not fit all. Ferries and ferry operations have unique characteristics that demand sector-specific considerations to be taken into account when developing and implementing regulations. Happily, regulators have yet again acknowledged this following our latest representations on aspects of greenhouse gas emissions and shipboard incident response. In autumn 2024, session 82 of the IMO Marine Environment Protection Committee met to address proposed revisions to the controversial Carbon Intensity Indicator (CII) regulation setting the allowance for fuel burned per nautical mile. The draft formula was a major concern for us because CII performance for a ferry making numerous port calls would be adversely affected by the fuel consumed during operational acceleration and manoeuvring, as well as time spent at berth. We submitted the idea of a balancing mechanism in which compliance is based on an operator’s fleet average. Our intervention, alongside concerns from other shipping segments, resulted in the measure being postponed from 2026 until at least 2030. On the greenhouse gases front, we have also been pressing for the IMO High-Speed Craft Code to be redesignated as a High Speed and Light Craft Code. The rationale behind this is that it does not make sense to have an IMO instrument that mandates high speed in a ship, when it’s actually the lower weight that is of interest for the operator. By removing the current minimum speed requirement, orders will flow for many more low-emissions lightweight craft, in particular providing new opportunities for hybrid and electric craft. As for safety issues, in January 2025 the eleventh annual session of the IMO ship design and construction sub-committee (SDC) considered revisions to interim explanatory notes assessing passenger ship capabilities after a fire or flooding casualty. Interferry’s main focus was on the Safe Return to Port (SRtP) provisions, which are to be finalised at SDC12 in January 2026. Why do we need sector-specific regulations? Interferry is lobbying the IMO to ensure it considers the unique operational requirements of the ferry industry when developing and implementing environmental and safety regulations Photo: iStock/venemama Interferry continues to focus on helping the global ferry industry to improve safety
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