Russia succeeds in recommending postponed introduction of NOx emission limits in Baltic area
At the 65th session of the Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) held from 13 to 17 May 2013 at IMO Headquarters in London Russian delegation successfully insisted on reversal of the decision to introduce Tier III ships’ NOx Emissions Standard in the Baltic Sea from 2016. As IAA PortNews learnt from one of RF delegates, when discussing sufficiency of technology for this environmental step the Russian side managed to preset sound arguments proving prematurity of the decision and suggested that the introduction of limits be postponed for 5 years.
MEPC supported the proposal of the Russian delegation having coordinated the amendments with the MARPOL convention. They are to be approved under the established procedure at the 66-th session of MEPC scheduled for March 31 April 4, 2013.
The U.S. delegation proposed its own adjustment of the above amendments insisting on the date (2016) set forth for implementation of Tier III NOx Emissions Standard not to be changed exceptionally for North American ECA already approved by IMO.
MEPC 65 involved 103 delegations of contracting parties and 1 associated IMO member as well as 56 delegations of non-governmental international and regional organizations.
RF delegation included representatives of Russian Transport Ministry, Permanent Mission of the Russian Federation to IMO, Rosmorrechflot, Gosmorspassluzhba of Russia, Russian Maritime Register of Shipping, CNIIMF CJSC and National Shipping Chamber. The delegation was headed by Konstantin Palnikov, Director of the Transport Ministry’s Department of State Policy for Marine and River Transport.
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