IMO's Marine Environment Protection Committee has approved the revision of MARPOL Annex as regards emission from ships, PRESS CENTER OF Russia’s Ministry of Transport informs. MEPC 57 was held in London from 31 March to 4 April 2008. The most important issues which were discussed during the session included the evision of MARPOL Annex VI and the NOx Technical Code as well as Greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions from ships.
Two working groups (including Russian delegates) approved the following instruments: A revised MARPOL Annex VI and a revised NOx Technical Code, The NOx Technical Code (2008).
Both documents shall be formally adopted at MEPC 58 (October 2008) with an expected entry into force in March 2010. In addition, the draft revised Guidelines for Exhaust Gas Cleaning Systems including the interim washwater criteria for such systems were finalized.
The global sulphur cap will be
- reduced to 4.5% till 1 January 2012,
- reduced to 3.50% effective from 1 January 2012,
- reduced to 0.50% effective from 1 January 2020 subject to a review provision to be completed no later than 2018.
In Emission Control Areas (Baltic Sea and North Sea) the sulphur limitation will be
-1.5% till 1 March 2010,
-1.00% beginning on 1 March 2010,
-0.10% effective from 1 January 2015.
As for NOx, A three tiers system is adopted with regard to the performances, particulars and certification of new diesel engines (the first tier being the existing system into force under the current MARPOL Annex VI). Tier II applies to engines installed as from 1 January 2011 and tier III applies to engines installed as from 1 January 2016.
In addition, pre-2000 diesel engines (i.e., a marine diesel engine with a power output of more than 5,000 kW and a per cylinder displacement at or above 90 litres installed on a ship constructed on or after 1 January 1990 but prior to 1 January 2000) shall comply with the emission limits into force under the tier I (Revised MARPOL Annex VI, Reg.13(7)).
The report identified short term measures and long term measures (such as Mandatory CO2 Indexing for new ships and methodology for CO2 baseline in term of efficiency). It was agreed that several measures could lead to immediate reduction of CO2 emissions and should be implemented as soon as possible.
It was also greed that many identified measures should be carefully developped.
As a next step, an Intersessional Working Group will meet in Oslo (Norway) in June 2008.