With the active involvement of the HELCOM member states including all Baltic
Sea countries, the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) Marine
Environment Protection Committee (MEPC 66) has agreed on a compromise on the implementation dates of existing as well as future Nitrogen Oxide Emission Control Areas (NOx ECAs) under the MARPOL Convention, reports
HELCOM.
The establishing of such a control area is expected to mitigate pollution since emissions from shipping constitute a significant source of airborne nitrogen deposition to the Baltic Sea.
The adoption of the compromise amendments includes the retaining of the implementation date of 2016 for the already designated North American and US Caribbean NOx ECAs; postponing the effective date of superyachts in operation in these areas to 2021, and leave the implementation dates of future NOx ECA areas to be decided on a case by case basis. As for the Baltic Sea, an application document has been prepared by HELCOM Maritime Group since 2008 and regarded as ready for submission since 2012.
“The designation of new Emission Control Area is important in order to reduce NOx emissions from shipping. I believe the amendment adopted by MEPC 66 has clarified the conditions for new NECAs and will facilitate the discussions of an application to IMO to designate the Baltic Sea a NOx ECA“, says Ms. Anna Petersson, Chair of HELCOM Maritime Group.
Shipping in the Baltic is the source of over 13000 tons of airborne nitrogen deposited to the sea annually, close to the total contribution of land based airborne emissions in countries like Russia or Sweden. If the Baltic Sea would be established as a NOx ECAs it is expected to reduce Nitrogen pollution of the Baltic Sea by around 7000 tons annually.
The intensive negotiations that took place last week in London on Nitrogen emission control, have been based on several submissions from IMO member states.
Read the whole story here: http://www.baltic-course.com/eng/transport/?doc=90158
Source: The Baltic Course