An ambitious International Maritime Organization (IMO) project to establish a global network of Maritime Technology Cooperation Centers (MTCC) in developing countries is going ahead thanks to an $11 million funding contribution from the European Commission (EC).

The IMO is the United Nations specialized agency with responsibility for the safety and security of shipping and the prevention of marine pollution by ships.

The funds allocated by the EC is to support the implementation of a range of measures aimed at addressing energy efficiency and shipping emissions and contributing to the fight against climate change. This IMO energy-efficiency project is part of the commission’s broader climate financing portfolio aimed at helping less developed countries take climate actions in specific fields or sectors such as shipping.

“Working through the MTCCs, we have taken a novel approach to implementing this major project,” said Stefan Micallef, Director of IMO’s Marine Environment Division. “We welcome the EC contribution to this project which will form a cornerstone of continuing efforts by the organization to ensure effective implementation and enforcement of the energy-efficiency regulations worldwide, and the activities undertaken by the MTCCs should provide an important focus for the promotion of technical co-operation, capacity building and technology transfer relating to the improvement of ships’ energy efficiency.”

The aim of the project will be to help beneficiary countries limit and reduce greenhouse gas emissions from their shipping sectors through technical assistance and capacity building. It will encourage the uptake of innovative energy-efficiency technologies among a large number of users through the widespread dissemination of technical information and know-how. This will heighten the impact of technology transfer.

The four-year project will target five regions—Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, Latin America and the Pacific. These have been targeted for their significant number of Least Developed Countries and Small Island Developing States.

The heart of the project will be the establishment of five centers, one in each target region, with seed-funding support from the project. These will have a strong regional dimension, becoming centers of excellence for promoting the implementation of low-carbon technologies and operations in maritime transport. Each center is expected to be hosted by an existing institution with standing in the region. These host institutions will be selected through an open process of competitive bidding against a set of criteria and project deliverables.