Stricter rules for emissions of sulfur from ships are adopted by the International Maritime Organization (IMO).
The new rules were adopted at a meeting of the countries of the IMO Marine Environment Protection Committee in London on Thursday. The countries agreed that ships must not use fuel containing more than 0.5 percent sulfur.
– This decision will have major positive benefits for the environment and health. Sulfur causes 100,000 premature deaths each year, particularly in densely populated coastal areas in Asia, says Jan Kjetil Paulsen of environmental organization Bellona.
Today up to 3.5 percent sulfur is allowed in fuel for ships. The new limit will be applied starting from 2020.
Some of the participants at the meeting in London wanted the decision to be postponed to 2025, but this proposal was rejected.
According to Bellona several major Norwegian ship owners are positive about the decision since they have already prepared themselves for stricter rules of sulfur emissions.
Source: NTB scanpix / Norway Today
