Antwerp and Rotterdam want stricter emission standards

The Antwerp and Rotterdam port authorities have joined forces to demand stricter nitrogen oxides (NOx) emission standards for new built vessels on the North Sea and English Channel from January 2016.

Europe’s two largest ports do not support a proposal by the Marine Environment Protection Committee of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) to postpone this already agreed upon regulation by five years until 2021.  The call for a delay in the Tier III limits was led by Russia, supported by Poland, Greece, Cyprus, Malta, Latvia and Estonia, while the USA has reserved its position on changing the effective date.

The issue will be discussed at the beginning of next month (April) by the IMO environment committee.