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Maersk Line''s green milestone
2009/3/3
Maersk Line has announced that the company''s environment protection initiative to switch over to cleaner fuel at North America''s west coast ports has reached the milestone of the 1,000th vessel call, the Hindu Business Line reported.
As many as 111 vessels have participated since the programme was launched in 2006.
The initiative, it is claimed, has reduced the shipping line''s vessel-related air emissions by over 2,400 tonnes when calling at the ports of Los Angeles and Oakland in California and Tacoma in Washington and Vancouver in Canada.
Also, the line has achieved 86 percent annual reduction in particulate matter, a 95 percent reduction in sulphur oxides and a 12 percent in nitrogen oxides.
While the world''s largest container operator’s voluntary environment initiative to improve port air quality is commendable, it should be noted that bunker fuel emissions from international shipping are not covered by the international regulatory framework as set out in the Kyoto Protocol.
The main international convention dealing with pollution from ships and covering different types of pollution (oil, chemicals, pollutants in packaged form, sewage, garbage), did not cover air pollution until 1997 when a new Annexe VI on "Regulations for Prevention of Air Pollution from Ships" was adopted at a special conference.
MARPOL Annexe VI came into force in May 2005 and, till June 2008, was ratified by 51 countries, representing approximately 80 percent of the world''s gross merchant fleet tonnage.
Interestingly, Annexe VI dealing with sulphur oxides, nitrogen oxides emissions and particulate matter does not cover carbon dioxide emissions causing global warming.
The carbon dioxide emissions are subject to separate discussions within International Maritime Organisation (IMO).
The IMO''s work on greenhouse gas emissions is still at an early stage. At its 56th session, the IMO''s Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) confirmed the need to update the IMO study on greenhouse gas emissions.
The study was first completed in 2000. It was felt that the new greenhouse gas study should analyse current global inventories of greenhouse gases and relevant substances emitted from ships engaged in international transportation, methodological aspects and probable future emission scenario, possible future measures to reduce the emissions after undertaking a cost-benefit analysis and the impact of shipping emissions on climate change.
The final report of the updated study, currently being conducted by an international consortium of research institutions in two phases, is expected by March this year for consideration of MEPC at its 59th session.
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2009/3/4