IMO debates options to cut ship air pollution

2209, 21/11/06

An international working group reviewing air pollution from marine transport has developed "pretty firm ideas" on ways to cut emissions of sulphur oxides (SOx) and nitrogen oxides (NOx) from ships over the next decade. The group, which met in Oslo last week, will present final recommendations to the International maritime organisation (IMO) in July 2007.

On SOx, national delegates appear to have reached agreement to recommend a long-term global cap on the sulphur content of fuel of 0.5 per cent, sources at the meeting told ENDS. The deadline for achieving this may be set at 2015, with a possible intermediate goal of one per cent by 2010.

The current global cap is 4.5 per cent, although in practice average fuel sulphur content is 2.7 per cent. In the EU sulphur content is already limited to 1.5 per cent in three special protection areas: the North and Baltic seas and the English Channel.

Tanker association Intertanko made a radical proposal for all ships to switch from conventional fuels to marine diesel to meet the 0.5 per cent cap worldwide. This reportedly had the oil industry up in arms but was discussed as a serious option by delegates.

IMO secretary-general Efthimios E. Mitropoulos said the idea "may be as significant a change as when ships first changed from coal to oil." Some delegates suggested promoting sulphur scrubbers as an alternative to switching to marine diesel. Others proposed applying the cap only to existing special protection areas.

On NOx, the meeting agreed to recommend tougher controls on emissions from new engines, defined as those introduced after 1 January 2000, and first-ever controls on "existing" engines put into service before then. Discussions on particulate matter emissions saw less progress.

Follow-up: IMO http://www.imo.org/, tel: +44 20 7735 7611. http://www.imo.org/, tel: +44 20 7735 7611.

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