Onshore power draft guidelines under review

The IMO’s Sub-Committee on Ship Systems and Equipment (SSE), which meets 2-6 March, will finalise the onshore power guidelines as IMO addresses the need for global standards for the process of providing shoreside electrical power to a ship at berth, while its main and auxiliary engines are turned off.

In addition to choosing cleaner, greener fuels, utilising onshore power, or cold ironing, is another solution to reduce air pollution and emissions from ships, as well as limiting local noise.

The SSE sub-committee is also working to prevent accidents related to lifting appliances and anchor handling winches, which have caused harm to operators and damage to ships, cargo, shore-based structures and subsea structures, as well as to the marine environment.

The session is set to complete draft guidelines for lifting appliances, as well as draft guidelines for anchor handling winches. The guidelines will complement draft SOLAS regulations which are due to be submitted to the Maritime Safety Committee (MSC) for approval and adoption.

The SSE 7 meeting was opened by IMO Secretary-General Kitack Lim and is being chaired by Umut Senturk, vice chairman of SSE.