Ports of Antwerp, Rotterdam call for tougher NOX emission standards
THE Antwerp Port Authority and the Port of Rotterdam Authority are demanding that new vessels plying the North Sea and English Channel adhere to stricter nitrogen oxides emission standards from January 1, 2016.
Europe' two largest ports are opposed to a proposal to postpone enforcement of the new regulation by five years, as they are committed to improving air quality.
At the beginning of April, the Environment Committee of the UN's International Maritime Organisation will discuss this proposal, reported the American Journal of Transportation (AJOT).
Ships' engines complying with the new standards will emit 80 per cent less nitrogen oxide than vessels built at present.