Brussels, 21/11/2002 (Agence Europe) - Just as the pollution of the Spanish coast by slicks of oil having escaped from the "Prestige" is mobilising media attention (see page 13), the European Commission presented a strategy on Thursday that it proposes to the Union to combat another ecological scourge linked to shipping: aid pollution by seagoing ships. "It is not because we all have our eye riveted on the coasts of Galicia that the Commission must pass in silence over the strategy it proposes in the interest of the environment and human health", declared the spokesperson for Commissioner Margot Walstrrom, who took the initiative of the communication adopted by the College. The strategy defines goals, sets out measures and makes recommendations constituting a framework for action to reduce in the Union atmospheric emissions by ships by 2010, without, at this stage, setting out detailed measures. The emissions that the strategy attacks are mainly sulphur dioxide (SO2 or SOx), particles, nitrogen oxides (Nox) volatile organic compounds (VOCs), halons emitted by "ships of all sizes and for all uses on voyages in EU waters, ships, whatever their flags, on international, intra-Community and inland trips, including roll-on-roll-off ferries, fishing vessels leisure craft", according to the words of the communication.
A new draft directive, axed on the reduction of emissions of sulphur dioxide and particles directly linked to the content of sulphur in marine fuel, lies at the heart of the strategy (it is to amend Directive 99/32/EC on the sulphur content of liquid fuels). Here are the new value limits it will introduce for the content authorised of sulphur in marine fuels: - in the North Sea and the Baltic Sea: 1.5% for all ships, in compliance with the standards of the International Maritime Organisation (which is not in force but for which the Commission is encouraging ratification) so as to reduce the phenomenon of acidification and air pollution; - in all Union waters: 1.5% by 2007 for passenger roll-on-roll-off ships on regular routes from or to an EU port, so as to improve the quality of air near ports and coastal areas and create a sufficient demand for fuel of low sulphur content and guarantee sufficient supply in the EU; - in all EU ports: 0.2% for all ships in dock to reduce local emissions of sulphur dioxide and particles. In a press release, Ms. Wallstrom declares: "The Commission's new strategy to reduce ship emissions gives the maritime industry a timely opportunity to improve its green credentials. The stricter limits for sulphur in marine fuels that we are proposing to establish will reduce sulphur dioxide emissions in the EU by over 500,000 tonnes every year. These reductions will be targeted to deliver the greatest possible benefits - in ports and coastal areas close to where people live and in acid-sensitive ecosystems in northern Europe".
According to Nicola Robinson, expert in the DG Environment in the Commission, the quantified benefits to expect for human health are estimated at 2.7 billion euro a year, much more than the estimated annual cost of the measures to take, or 1.07 billion euro, that will be assumed by shipowners through a premium of 50 euro per tonne of low sulphur content fuel.
With this strategy, the Commission responds to the obligation made of it to reflect on new measures to reduce air pollution by the maritime sector, under the existing legislation (Directive 2001/18/81/EC on the ceiling for national emissions for certain atmospheric pollutants, Directive 1999/32/EC on the reduction of sulphur content of certain liquid fuels, and Directive 1994/63/EC relating to the fight against VOC emissions resulting from the storage of petrol and its transport between terminals and stations).