PREVENTION OF AIR POLLUTION FROM SHIPS

The document argues that shipping emissions are increasing at an alarming rate and that current IMO policies, such as voluntary indexing, are ineffective. It highlights the contribution of CO2, nitrogen oxides, and black carbon to climate change and Arctic melting, while warning that IMO inaction is prompting unilateral measures in the EU and US states like California and Washington. FOEI requests the IMO implement mandatory speed reductions, weather routing, and fuel economy standards, while insisting that these efforts remain separate from MARPOL Annex VI revisions regarding toxic air pollutants.

• Global shipping emissions of carbon dioxide are estimated to account for as much as 5% of total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, which is higher than the airline industry's 2% to 3%.
• Ships contribute up to 30% of global nitrogen oxide emissions, totaling approximately 25.2 million metric tons per year, and serve as the primary source of smog-forming emissions over the open ocean.
• Black carbon emissions from ships, estimated between 50,000 and 71,400 metric tons annually, exacerbate Arctic warming and ice melting by absorbing solar energy.
• The IMO's voluntary CO2 Indexing Scheme is deemed ineffective for environmental management due to data gaps and significant voyage-to-voyage variations, with reports suggesting indexing alone will not achieve emission reductions.
• Due to IMO inaction, the European Commission has explored policy options including the Emissions Trading System (ETS), differentiated harbour dues, and mandatory unitary CO2 index limits for ships calling at EU ports.
• In the United States, California projected that ocean-going vessel CO2 emissions would rise from 8,000 tons per day in 2004 to 17,000 tons per day by 2020, leading to proposed measures like shoreside power and speed reductions.
• FOEI asserts that efforts to reduce greenhouse gases must be handled separately from MARPOL Annex VI revisions to ensure that GHG discussions are not used as a tactic to delay the reduction of nitrogen oxides, sulphur oxides, and particulate matter.

APA

Clean Air Task Force (2007). PREVENTION OF AIR POLLUTION FROM SHIPS. https://cdn.catf.us/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/21093044/4-8-FOEI-GHGs.pdf

Chicago

Clean Air Task Force. PREVENTION OF AIR POLLUTION FROM SHIPS. 2007. https://cdn.catf.us/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/21093044/4-8-FOEI-GHGs.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |author=Clean Air Task Force |title=PREVENTION OF AIR POLLUTION FROM SHIPS |date=4 May 2007 |url=https://cdn.catf.us/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/21093044/4-8-FOEI-GHGs.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{cleanairtaskforce2007prevention, author = {{Clean Air Task Force}}, title = {{PREVENTION OF AIR POLLUTION FROM SHIPS}}, publisher = {Clean Air Task Force}, year = {2007}, month = may, url = {https://cdn.catf.us/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/21093044/4-8-FOEI-GHGs.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }