Page 19: of Marine News Magazine (January 2025)

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sizeable portion of revenues from car- prompted much of the research. follow-up workshop took place in Oc- bon tax schemes in OPS provision. Armed with the ? ndings, we are now tober during our conference in Mo-

Lack of suf? cient landside electricity heavily engaged in the IMO’s develop- rocco – the ? rst to be held in Africa. infrastructure has inhibited further or- ment of requirements for the carriage We aim to create a comprehensive ders for full-electric or hybrid ships for of BEVs. Fundamentally, we will dem- safety program that embraces what far too long, but now there are grow- onstrate that they pose no higher ? re was discussed in both sessions. This ing signs of change in Europe and not risk than combustion-engine vehicles; includes crew training, proper ticket- least, North America. San Francisco and furthermore, that a BEV ? re can ing to avoid overcrowding, cargo load-

Bay Ferry Systems operator WETA – be kept under control by conventional ing and stowage, incident reporting, the Water Emergency Transportation drencher systems. replacement of old tonnage and the

Authority – is set to operate the ? rst I am especially proud that Inter- crucial need for political will.

US battery-powered ferry ? eet after se- ferry also has a distinguished track Meanwhile, global geopolitical tur- curing local, state and federal funding record promoting safety in develop- moil has seen security issues zoom for its Rapid Electric Emission-Free ing nations, which started in 2008 into unprecedented focus. The logis-

Ferry program, which includes the with a pilot scheme in Bangladesh. tics chain is at risk from cyber-attacks construction of OPS facilities. An ini- Our Domestic Safety Committee has on maritime operational technology, tial ? ve vessels are to be ordered, with since taken this support to new levels. while stringent IT-based border con- the ? rst due to operate in 2026. Else- Most recently, following a project in trols introduced by the EU raise the where, Canada’s BC Ferries is pursuing the Philippines in 2019, our atten- prospect of lengthier port calls. plans to order up to seven hybrid ships tion has turned to Africa. Last April, With such a portfolio of work on – capable of full-electric conversion – we and the IMO co-hosted a two-day the horizon, it’s little wonder that In- due to enter service from 2029-2037 Africa Ferry Safety Seminar in Tanza- terferry activity is a journey, not a des- as more OPS comes on stream. nia. It was attended by more than 100 tination. But our safeguarding of the

Interferry is deeply involved in two pan-African ferry participants and ferry sector’s interests is assured by the other issues involving GHG emissions. 14 professionals from our worldwide mantra that has ? red our growth: we

The IMO’s Carbon Intensity Indicator operator and supplier membership. A are Stronger Together… (CII), which dictates the allowance of fuel burned per nautical mile, is a ma- jor concern because a particular ferry’s consumption will be greater on services with a high number of port calls due to operational acceleration and ma- noeuvring. We have recently proposed a balancing mechanism under which compliance is based on an operator’s ? eet average. We are also pushing hard for the IMO High-Speed Craft Code to be replaced by a High Speed and

Light Craft Code – because removing the current minimum speed require- ment will boost newbuild demand for low emissions lightweight craft.

Enhancing safety has always been central to Interferry’s lobbying mission.

We were participants in the European

Union (EU) 2019-2023 FIRE SAFE research project, which highlighted the risks and containment of ? res on ro-ro decks. The rapidly increasing market for Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs) www.marinelink.com MN 19|