Dr. Edmund Hughes
Dr Hughes is Director of Green Marine Associates Ltd. an independent consultancy based in the UK specialising in maritime policy development, regulatory implementation and risk management with a focus on the control of emissions from ships. Recently, he has supported the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) in its work to develop regulatory measures for international shipping to address GHG emissions from ships including a ‘Fund and Reward’ mechanism and a Simplified Global Fuel Standard. His current work also includes working as a Specialist Adviser to the UK Parliament’s House of Commons Environmental Audit Committee for its inquiry into ‘Net zero aviation and shipping’.
Previously, Dr Hughes was Head, Air Pollution and Energy Efficiency in the Marine Environment Division of the International Maritime Organization (IMO). As a member of the IMO Secretariat he was responsible for MARPOL Annex VI, the International Regulations for the Prevention of Air Pollution from Ships, including regulations on controlling emissions to air including IMO 2020 and energy efficiency for ships. He was also responsible for IMO’s work to address GHG emissions from international shipping which included being Secretary to the IMO working group that developed the Initial IMO Strategy on Reduction of GHG emissions from ships adopted in 2018.
Prior to joining the IMO, Dr Hughes worked in the UK civil service for some eight years. This included six years at the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA), where he held policy roles in safety management (ISM Code) and environment (Ballast Water Management and Air Pollution) including preparing and overseeing the implementation into UK law of IMO and EU instruments: MARPOL Annex VI and EU Sulphur Directive
respectively.
When in the UK civil service Dr Hughes spent two years in HM Treasury, the UK’s Finance and Economics Ministry, where he worked on risk management and corporate governance for the public sector. Before joining the civil service he worked in academia researching engineering design and systems failure at the University of Bath. He has a PhD and an engineering degree from Cranfield University in the UK.