2 weeks Ago By Janelle Cowo
Press Release – April 15, 2025 – The Belize Port Authority (BPA) under the Ministry of Public Utilities, Energy & Logistics and the International Merchant Marine Registry of Belize (IMMARBE) recently participated in two critical international climate meetings convened by the International Maritime Organization (IMO): the 19th Session of the Intersessional Working Group on the Reduction of Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Ships (ISWG-GHG 19) and the 83rd Session of the Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC 83). These sessions were held at the IMO Headquarters in London, United Kingdom. Belize’s delegation was proudly represented by Mr Lawrence Thompson, Chairman; Mr Kaylon Young, Acting Ports Commissioner; and Ms Jaeda Sutherland, Project & Research Officer, all representatives of the Belize Port Authority.
They were joined by Mr Anique Sabal, Technical/Seafarers Manager at the International Merchant Marine Registry of Belize (IMMARBE), and Major Lloyd Jones, Technical Consultant. Belize has assumed a leadership role on behalf of a block of Caribbean IMO Member States, ensuring the region’s unified voice is heard in the ongoing negotiations on maritime climate regulation. This leadership is made possible through the Caribbean Shipping Lanes Project, housed at the Shridath Ramphal Centre of the University of the West Indies, with support from the United Nations Foundation.
BPA’s active participation in IMO negotiations reinforces Belize’s national commitment to sustainable maritime governance and its strategic interest in addressing the global climate crisis. As the United Nations’ specialized agency for international shipping, the IMO adopted a Revised Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Strategy in July 2023. This strategy outlines more ambitious targets for reducing emissions from international shipping, intending to reach net-zero emissions around 2050.
The negotiations underway focus on implementing a “basket of candidate mid-term GHG measures” that include a technical measure focusing on a Global Fuel Intensity Standard, which would require ships to progressively shift toward low and zero-carbon fuels, as well as an economic measure with a potential global GHG pricing mechanism, such as a levy or emissions trading scheme, which would assign a cost to carbon emissions from ships. These measures are expected to have far-reaching implications for global shipping, trade, and port operations, making it crucial for countries like Belize to voice our concerns. The Belize delegation continues to engage in bilateral meetings with key international partners to advocate for the needs of Small Island Developing States (SIDS) and Least Developed Countries (LDCs), ensuring that the realities of our region are not overlooked.
Belize’s presence at these sessions underscores our unwavering commitment to ensuring that our national interests and those of the wider Caribbean region are actively represented and defended in international climate policymaking. As the maritime sector transitions toward decarbonization, Belize will continue to play a proactive role in shaping equitable policies that support sustainable development and safeguard the livelihoods of our people..
