Asia/Pacific News
Call for "Immediate" Low Sulfur Rules at Australian Ports
Australian regional authorities may require visiting ships to switch to low-sulfur fuel in Newcastle, the Newcastle Herald reports.
The requirement is one of the options the New South Wales (NSW) Environment Protection Authority (EPA) is considering as it discusses methods of reducing pollution with the shipping industry.
About 80 percent of particle pollution in the areas around NSW ports is linked to shipping, and the EPA has been urged to require ships to use the low-sulfur fuel when entering Newcastle, Walsh Bay, Sydney, and Port Kembla.
''My view is that you need to start somewhere and Newcastle and Walsh Bay are the ideal locations because of the proximity of those ports to the local communities,'' said John Tate, chairman of the Newcastle Community Consultative Committee on the Environment.
"It's an ideal opportunity for Newcastle to take the lead on an issue of national importance."
The EPA said it plans to release a diesel strategy by the end of the year.
"The EPA is consulting with the shipping industry and other stakeholders on whether there are feasible, cost-effective measures available to reduce impacts on the community," a spokeswoman said.
"One option being considered is a stricter fuel sulphur content limit."
The move would mimic bans on high-sulfur fuel use that are already in place in some European and U.S. ports, as well as a rule that Hong Kong plans to implement next year.
