The 75th session of IMO Marine Environment Protection Committee was held remotely from Nov 16 to 20, 2020.

The session was attended by representatives from Member States including DPR Korea; representatives from other UN programmes and specialized agencies; observers from IGOs with agreements of cooperation; and non-governmental organizations in consultative status.

In his opening address, the Secretary General of IMO mentioned that the session being held remotely owing to the Covid-19 pandemic would defer several agenda items to the next session and address main agenda items only including the consideration of amendments to essential IMO Instruments and measures to reduce GHG emission from ships.

The most intensely discussed item was the consideration of measures to reduce GHG emission from ships.

Since the measures to reduce GHG emission from ships need to be adopted before 2023 for the implementation of initial IMO GHG strategy, this session extensively discussed the technical and operational measures to reduce GHG emission from ships proposed by several Member States.

It also adopted amendments to MARPOL 73/78, BWM Convention, 2004, AFS Convention, 2001 and other marine environment related IMO instruments.

The 76th session of MEPC was tentatively scheduled to be held from June 14 to 18, 2021.