I refer to the April 10 articles headlined 'Ship pollution 'hidden' danger in HK' and 'Vessels 'raising risk of cancer''.
One inaccuracy must be put right. The International Maritime Organisation, a UN body, adopted Annex VI, Prevention of Air Pollution by Ships, to the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution by Ships in September 1997. This annex comes into force 12 months after ratification by 15 states, whose merchant ships make up at least 50 per cent of the world's fleet.
Seven years on, we are still awaiting ratification. Thirteen states have ratified so far, and we expect the annex to come into force sometime in 2005. Still, the industry has not, in the words of Bluewater Network's Russell Long, undermined all efforts to curtail emissions, but has actively encouraged states to ratify the annex as soon as possible.
Once the annex is in force, stricter standards can be introduced. The industry, actively promoting clean air, has been working on amendments - which must wait for the annex.
It is also significant that the industry lobbied for a much lower fuel sulphur content than that actually agreed in the annex. Owners would like lower sulphur content in fuel oils; high sulphur creates wear. It is also significant that the industry has been fitting engines designed to meet the NOx (nitrogen oxides) emission standards of the annex since January 2000. And the industry has been working on methods to restrict greenhouse gases, something that even governments have not managed to solve for land-based industries.
The article is correct in that the industry wants global standards. Our ships trade globally, and pick up fuel in different ports. Unless there is one common standard, then the fuel will not generally be available.
'Plugging in' ships to shore power does not solve air pollution when the power that is supplied is generated by a far greater polluting source than modern ship generators. Shipping is the most environmentally friendly way of transporting goods. Mr Long admits this on his website, and we should not ignore his grasping at straws when adding in cranes, trucks and other dock operations in guessing that particulate matter emissions in the dock area must be higher than estimated. Perhaps it is easy to suggest 'taxing' foreign ships, but maybe shore emission standards (sewage, garbage, oil, and air) should first be brought up to those of shipping.