Shipping Minister promotes the use of scrubbing abatement technology
14/03/2007
The UK minister with responsibility for shipping says emissions from shipping are still too high despite reductions of sulphur oxides (SOx) and nitrogen oxides (NOx) at the International Maritime Organization (IMO).
The Minister of State for Transport, Dr Stephen Ladyman, was addressing a shipping emissions roundtable event in London yesterday, organised by the lobby-group Shipping Emissions Abatement and Trading (SEAaT).
Ladyman recognised that shipping is by far the most CO2 efficient mode of transport for goods compared to rail and road. But while road transport has decreased emissions, shipping has stood still, he said.
Ladyman said the UK will push at the IMO for a reduction of the sulphur cap applicable in Sulphur Emissions Control Areas (SECAs) from the current 1.5% to 1% by 2010 and 0.5% by 2015, as well as actively promote the use of scrubbing abatement technology.
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