At the Global Sustainable Islands Summit on May 23, 2024, on Prince Edward Island, Honourable Carlos James, Minister of Tourism, Civil Aviation, Sustainable Development, and Culture, made a powerful call to the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and other relevant agencies to speed up the adoption of sustainable fuels in marine transportation.
The summit, co-hosted by the government of Prince Edward Island and Island Innovation, brought together policymakers, researchers, and industry leaders to discuss innovative solutions in sustainable energy. Minister James’s keynote address, titled “Travel – A Catalyst for Transformative Action on Innovation and Sustainability,” highlighted the critical need for maritime vessels to transition from traditional fuels to biofuels and, ultimately, zero-emission engines.
Minister James underscored the IMO’s pivotal role as the UN agency charged with ensuring shipping safety and security and preventing atmospheric pollution from ships. He praised the recent advisory opinion from the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea, which classified emissions from fossil fuels absorbed by oceans as marine pollution, but stressed that global enforcement and sanctions are necessary to drive the transition.
He pointed out that while modern fleets are increasingly being built to run on liquefied natural gas (LNG), which is cleaner than traditional marine fuels, LNG poses significant risks due to methane emissions. Methane, he noted, is over 80 times more potent than carbon dioxide in terms of its short-term warming effect. Thus, Minister James urged a rapid shift to more sustainable marine fuels to mitigate these environmental impacts.