Recently, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) formally released the Interim Guidelines on Safe Operation of Onshore Power Supply (OPS) Service in Port for Ships Engaged on International Voyages by Circular MSC.1/Circ.1675, which was compiled under the leadership of China. The Guidelines provides a global unified safety operation standard for the use of onshore power by ships in port engaged on international voyages, which successfully fills the gap of IMO in this field.

The Guidelines was complied after research by MSA Guangdong together with relevant units in shipping industry under the guidance of the P. R. China MSA, which fully absorbed the experience of safe operation of onshore power supply for ships calling at ports in China as well as the beneficial practices of international counterparts. Formulation of the Guidelines was approved by the 98th Maritime Safety Committee in 2017, included in the IMO work plan, after many rounds of discussion through meetings of the sub-committee on ship systems and equipment and other sub-committees, and release of the final version was ultimately approved by the 107th Maritime Safety Committee in 2023 after a period of 6 years.

The use of onshore power in port is an important measure for the control of air pollutant emissions from ships and the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions from ships, which will contribute to the implementation of IMO’s strategy for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions from ships. The release of the Guidelines marks another significant progress in enhancing China's international maritime institutional discourse power and influence.

Source: P. R. China MSA