World News
NRDC Urges Chinese ECA to Combat "Severe Air Pollution Crisis"
U.S. environmental campaign group Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) in a new report has called on China to introduce an Emissions Control Area (ECA) as part of a solution to alleviate the country's air pollution woes.
According to NRDC, most ships at China's ports, which include seven of the world's 10 busiest ports, emit high levels of diesel particulate matter, nitrogen oxide, and sulfur oxide.
Although Chinese authorities have recently hailed the introduction of ambient air quality standards for the county, NRDC says few notable air pollution schemes are underway at its ports.
The new report suggests that one box ship navigating the Chinese coast is free to pollute as much as 500,000 trucks under current rules.
The organisation said that declaring an ECA for China's waters could be one long-term strategy for the country, citing expectations of a 74 percent reduction in North American particulate pollution by 2020 as a result of its ECA.
"China's container ports are among the busiest in the world, yet their pollution is mostly unmonitored and uncontrolled" said Barbara Finamore, NRDC's Asia director.
"By embracing 21st century port and shipping emissions control systems, China can clean up its air pollution while enabling sustainable shipping industry growth for decades to come," she continued.
Local authorities in Shenzhen were recently reported to be pushing for a Pearl River Delta ECA.
Key Bunker Prices More
| VLSFO | MGO | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $/mt | +/- | $/mt | +/- | |
| Singapore | 645.00 | 2.00 | 767.50 | 11.50 |
| Rotterdam | 600.00 | 8.00 | 751.50 | 13.00 |
| Houston | 627.50 | 9.00 | 796.00 | 11.50 |
| Fujairah | 649.50 | 0.00 | 889.00 | 0.50 |
| Global 20 Ports Average | 665.00 | 0.50 | 864.00 | 6.50 |
| Global 4 Ports Average | 630.50 | 5.00 | 801.00 | 9.00 |
| Global Average Bunker Price | 722.50 | 2.50 | 922.50 | 3.00 |
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