Asia/Pacific News
China Drafting Maritime Emissions Regulations
China's government is moving forward with plans to bring in legislation to control emissions from ships as the country looks to reduce air pollution, state media reports.
According to reports, earlier this week a draft amendment to the Air Pollution Law was tabled that would require ships travelling inland or river-to-sea waterways to switch to "standard diesel fuel" to reduce emissions.
The draft reportedly also requires ocean going vessels calling at Chinese ports to use fuels that conform to China's environmental protection standards.
The draft also calls for vessels to use shore power when berthed, and for ports to install the facilities.
In 2013, shipping reportedly accounted for 8.4 percent of sulfur dioxide emissions and 11.3 percent of nitrogen oxide emissions.
The move follows reports earlier this month that Beijing's Ministry of Environmental Protection was contemplating establishing an Emissions Control Area (ECA) off China's coast.
Also this month, China revealed a new potential tax on sulfur emissions, which proposed charging 1.2 yuan ($0.19) per 0.95kg generated.
