Environment Committee wants tougher limits on sulphur in fuels at sea

European Parliament's Environment Committee voted on Tuesday (15.03.05) to set stricter limits for sulphur content in marine fuels all over Europe. In a second-reading vote, MEPs backed rapporteur Satu HASSI (Greens/EFA, FIN) and reinstated the main demands adopted by the previous Parliament in 2003, thereby refusing to accept the laxer timetable and limits proposed by the Council. The committee vote was 35 for, 17 against and 2 abstentions.

The aim of the Commission’s draft directive is to cut emissions of sulphur dioxide and particulates, thus reducing the contribution of shipping pollution to problems of air quality and acidification. The Commission proposed laying down a 1.5% sulphur limit on marine fuels used by all seagoing vessels in the Baltic, the North Sea, and the English Channel 12 months after entry into force of the directive as well as a 1.5% sulphur limit on marine fuels used by passenger vessels in regular service to or from any Community port from 1 July 2007.

At first reading Parliament adopted a tighter timetable for imposing the limits and also added a second phase to the directive. On Tuesday the Environment Committee threw its weight once more behind Parliament's desire to set tight limits. It also insisted on an even tougher second-phase sulphur limit level. The figure must be reduced to 0.5 % by mass by January 2010 for all vessels in the Baltic, the North Sea, and the English Channel, and for passenger ships in all EU waters; and for all vessels in remaining EU waters by January 2014. The Council's response to Parliament's demand for second-phase limits had been to suggest pushing for tighter limits at the International Maritime Organisation in the context of a revision of MARPOL convention.

Ship emissions damage human health and pollute the environment. Emissions of sulphur dioxides, nitrogen oxides and particulate matter contribute to acidification, mostly in coastal areas, with northern Europe being more affected than southern Europe owing to specific climate and soil conditions. This latest directive follows successful earlier legislation on SO2 emissions from road traffic. Between 1990 and 2000, emissions of sulphur dioxide from land-based sources in the fifteen EU member states decreased by about 60 per cent, and by 2010 land-based emissions are expected to have decreased by 75-80 per cent. By contrast, over the last ten years, SO2 emissions from seagoing ships in European waters have increased by nearly 30 per cent.