China’s Ministry of Transport on 8 September announced a plan to cut SOx emission from ships by 65% in the Pearl River Delta, Yangtze River Delta, and Bohai Sea by 2020.
The move, as part of the implementation plan on Special Campaign to Prevent Ship and Port Pollution (2015-20), targets to enhance regulations on prevention of ship and port pollution, emissions reduction, and clean energy usage, stated the ministry.
According to the plan, emissions of NOx and other particles discharged from ships in the Pearl River Delta, Yangtze River Delta, and Bohai Sea must be slashed by 20% and 30%, respectively, and 90% of working vessels should use shore power when berthing.
The plan also requires that 50% of container, ro-ro, and cruise terminals in these areas to provide shore power, and all coal and ore depots to have wind-dust prevention facilities or enclosed storage.
The ministry also plans to promote the use of LNG fuel and shore power in these areas.
China has taken an active step in tightening regulations on ship emissions. In June the government released the Limits and Measurement Methods (second version) for exhaust pollutants from marine compression ignition engines (marine engine standards) for public opinion.
SO2 and NOx emission from ships amounted to 8.4% and 11.3%, respectively, of the country’s total emissions, according to data released by the Ministry of Environmental Protection.
This post was sourced from IHS Maritime 360: View the original article here.