As a leading trade organization for tanker owners, INTERTANKO hosts events and panels throughout the year to bring together leaders in the tanker shipping space. INTERTANKO events foster collaboration among key maritime stakeholders and enable open discussion on key topics like sustainability, regulations, safety considerations, and more.

Q88 Product Manager Tor-Arne Berger recently attended INTERTANKO’s European Panel in Glasgow, Scotland, as well as its Vetting Forum and North American Panel in Stamford, Connecticut. Read on to learn more about some of the key topics covered at these recent events.

Sustainability

Decarbonization is among the most important topics in the maritime industry today, particularly as the IMO is set to review the 2050 emissions objectives again in July. The INTERTANKO European Panel provided an opportunity for members to discuss sustainability from both an ecological and commercial perspective, focusing particularly on environmental protection and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller Center for Zero Carbon Shipping presented on challenges and opportunities in reaching emissions targets by 2050, and other presentations touched on potential roadblocks like renewable energy availability. By discussing and understanding these challenges with other industry leaders, the tanker space is better equipped to work together to overcome them.

SIRE 2.0

SIRE 2.0 was another key focus during the recent INTERTANKO meetings, particularly regarding changes to the vetting process that will come as a result. SIRE 2.0 is designed to evolve the inspection process to improve safety outcomes in the long run. This involves considering the human element more deeply, minimizing potential human error that could cause safety repercussions. The Panel also discussed report interpretation and implementation timeline to help align tanker professionals around the impending requirements.

Sanctions & Regulatory Considerations

The INTERTANKO North American Panel, chaired by Oscar Pinto of Valles Steamship, involved a great deal of discussion on new sanctions, tariffs, and other global considerations that may impact the tanker industry. Presentations covered the US Russian Crude Oil Cap, the Panama Canal Authority’s imposition of Disruption Tariffs, the MARPOL Annex II Tank Washing Zero Discharge Strategy, ESG reporting, and other security considerations. INTERTANKO is focused on remaining ahead of industry regulations to represent the best interests of its members—for example, it plans to contact the Panama Canal Authority to clarify the purpose of its recently imposed tariffs and inquire about an appeals process.

Q88 Developments

Finally, at the INTERTANKO Vetting Forum in Stamford, Tor-Arne had the opportunity to present on ongoing product developments at Q88, such as Officer Matrix changes in line with the new OCIMF requirements, Q88 questionnaire revisions, and more. His presentation also covered changes that are taking shape as a result of HVPQ 6, as well as Q88’s collaboration with the INTERTANKO vetting committee on questionnaire updates. The revised Q88 questionnaire is expected to launch in Q2 of this year, and Q88 will keep clients up to date on any product enhancements. The Q88 team looks forward to attending the next INTERTANKO events, such as the next North American Panel tentatively scheduled for September, so we can continue to keep up with the latest changes and advancements in the tanker space and evolve our solutions accordingly. If you’re interested in learning more about Q88 and how we can help you navigate change in the industry, contact us.