Maritime emissions raise concern
The maritime sector could see its contribution to Hong Kong's air pollution rise in percentage terms as noxious emissions from the power sector were cut, the environment chief said yesterday.
Edward Yau Tang-wah, secretary for the environment, said power stations accounted for more than 90 per cent of total sulphur dioxide emissions in Hong Kong last year.
But he said that over three years this would be cut by 66 per cent and fall by a further 50 per cent by 2015 as power producers switched to cleaner fuels such as natural gas and incorporated clean air technology at power plants.
Speaking at a Hong Kong Shipowners' Association lunch yesterday, Yau said the port and shipping industry currently contributed between 7 and 16 per cent to the pollutants mix of sulphur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide and heavy particulates.
These percentages were likely to increase as pollution levels from the power sector fell, he said.
Yau said as emissions from power stations were tackled, the maritime industry 'will be emerging as a more important sector [as a pollution source] at least by percentage'.
But while he welcomed a voluntary initiative by container shipping firms such as the Tung family- controlled Orient Overseas Container Line to switch to low-sulphur marine fuel while berthed at Kwai Chung, he gave no timetable for regulatory controls on ship emissions.
Around 15 container lines signed the Fair Winds Charter under which they agreed to switch to low sulphur fuel from January 1 in an effort to put pressure on the government to introduce legislation to limit sulphur dioxide emissions. The voluntary scheme, which is costing some of the lines US$1 million a year in extra fuel costs, will run to December 2012.
Outlining other initiatives, Yau said officials were looking to see if Euro 5 low sulphur diesel could be used in local vessels. There are also plans to incorporate shore-side power at the Kai Tak cruise terminal, which would allow cruise ships to plug in to the Hong Kong electricity network and turn off their engines while docked.
Yau also confirmed that the government was looking at subsiding trials of hybrid buses, as it was the government's long-term goal for a zero-emission bus fleet.
But former shipowners association chairman Peter Cremers called for 'bold decisions' because '10 years seems a long time' to see improvements in the air quality. 'Pollution is affecting the general business climate in Hong Kong,' he said.
