Hong Kong ship regulation on sulphur dioxide emissions set to align with national level
Local authorities say under tweaks, levels of the harmful pollutant from marine sector can be cut by 6,340 tonnes by 2020, among other improvements
The tweak in regulations is set to align with Pearl River Delta emissions control which will take effect on the national level in January 2019.
On Monday, authorities told the Advisory Council on the Environment the move would help cut harmful sulphur dioxide emissions from the marine sector by about 6,340 tonnes and respirable particulates – called PM10 – by about 710 tonnes by 2020.
Both the Shipowners Association and the Liner Shipping Association have expressed support for the move as it would improve air quality and ensure a uniform policy for operators.
Under the new proposal, all marine vessels – naval or commercial ones outfitted with high emissions control technology are exempted – will have to burn fuel with sulphur content below 0.5 per cent by 2019.
Environmental advisors on Monday urged the government to tighten the standard to 0.1 per cent to avoid the trouble of having to alter it again later. The Ministry of Transport said it would assess this or introduce other control measures at the end of 2019.