Industry laments on cleaner shipping laws
One wonders whether the 50,000 Europeans who die prematurely each year as a result of ship pollution would agree with industry laments on green laws for the sector.
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Monitoring of bunker fuel consumption
Monitoring of fuel consumption and GHG emissions from international shipping is currently under discussion at the EU level as well as at the IMO. There are several approaches to monitoring, each with different characteristics. Important differences exist with regards to the costs of the equipment, operational costs, the accuracy of the measurements, and the potential to monitor emissions of gases other than CO2. Moreover, some approaches offer more opportunities to improve the operational fuel-efficiency of ships and fit better to possible future policies than others.The following report discusses these approaches.
A robust Polar Code is more important than ever
Opinion by Antoine Kedzierski. It would be wrong to say that nobody benefits from global warming. Some people may end up doing quite well out of it because of the changes it brings. And one of these changes is that melting ice in the Arctic opens up new trans-polar shipping routes. Ideally, they wouldn’t exist, because global temperatures would have stayed within acceptable levels. But because the Arctic is already warming twice as rapidly as the rest of the globe, these routes do exist.
Unconventional wisdom on Arctic shipping
In this first of two blog posts, policy officer for clean shipping, Antoine Kedzierski questions the wisdom of some often-repeated statements on Arctic shipping and looks at the urgent need for decisive progress on the Polar Code.
European Environment Agency critical of shipping air pollution
The shipping sector has been described as ‘one of the most unregulated sources of air pollution’. In a report on shipping, the European Environment Agency (EEA) says emissions from the sector have ‘increased substantially’ over the last two decades. Nitrogen dioxide and particulate matter (PM2.5) levels have risen by as much as 35-55% between 1990 and 2010, and nitrogen oxide emissions could increase so much in the coming years that they could be equal to land-based sources by 2020.
Hong Kong – a green port?
Hong Kong could become the host to Asia’s first marine emissions control area. The chief executive of the city says he wants to create a ‘green port’ in the Pearl River Delta, once he has achieved his aim of making it obligatory for all ships in the delta to use low-sulphur fuel. The plan has the support of the Hong Kong ship owners, and the city’s policy institute Civic Exchange described it as ‘a major policy breakthrough in ship emissions control’. Comments from the cities of Guangzhou and Shenzhen also supported the idea of a ‘green port’ as part of efforts to develop a low-carbon Chinese economy.
The real story behind the latest EEA emissions figures (part 1)
A closer look at Europe's latest annual emissions figures reveals some reasons for concern. In the first of a two-part blog, T&E's Director Jos Dings explains the reality behind the EEA's numbers.
Progress at Durban but no action for nine years
The ‘Durban Platform’ may become as commonly known as the Kyoto Protocol, following a loose agreement at this month’s Durban climate change summit on a plan to work towards a global climate strategy. The plan is to agree the strategy by 2015 and for it to start in 2020.
Total clean-up?
Companies involved in maritime accidents that lead to major oil spills can be liable under EU waste law for the environmental damage caused, according to a preliminary finding at the European Court of Justice.
Record fine
The French oil company Total has been given the largest-ever fine imposed in Europe for damage caused to the environment. At the end of a long trial, a criminal court in Paris last month found Total guilty of ‘ecological prejudice’ and recklessness over the oil spill from the tanker Erika off the coast of France and Spain in 1999. Total and three other parties were ordered to pay €192 million for the environmental damage caused, after evidence was presented showing they ignored risks in the ageing tanker. Total has said it may appeal, but it might also face claims for more damages.