China issued a plan to cut sulphur dioxide emissions from ships in the Bohai Sea, the Pearl River Delta, and the Yangtze River Delta by 65% by 2020, and announced another plan by year’s end which will propose turning the two deltas and the Bohai Rim into Emission Control Areas (ECAs).

‘The Ship and Port Pollution Prevention Special Action Plan (2015-2020),’ issued by the country’s Ministry of Transport on September 8, also aims to reduce the emission of nitrogen oxides by 20%, and other particulate matter by 30% compared to the stats from 2015.

90% of working vessels in the area will have to use shore power when berthing by 2020, the plan says. Half of the container, cruise and ro-ro terminals in the regions will have to provide shore power to berthing ships.

The plan also actively promotes the use of liquefied natural gas (LNG) as primary marine fuel.

According to the latest statistics issued by the country’s Ministry of Environmental Protection, SO2 and NOx emissions from ships accounted for 8.4% and 11.3%, respectively, of China’s total emissions.

(From: World Maritime News)