Los Angeles: Foreign-flagged and US ships sailing off California will face the world's toughest rules on marine fuel-use under new regulations just adopted by the state's Air Resources Board.
The board says it decision will eliminate 15 tonnes of diesel exhaust daily from ocean-going vessels, and will substantially reduce cancer rates and premature deaths associated with living near seaports and trade corridors along California's coast.
The rule from the state Air Resources Board (ARB) will require ocean-going ships to use low-sulphur marine distillates within 44.4 kilometres of the California coast.
"This regulation will save lives," said board chairman Mary Nichols. "At ports and all along the California coast we will see cleaner air and better health."
Both US- and foreign-flag vessels will face a two-step sulphur content reduction in 2009 and 2012, when a sulphur content will be limited to 0.1% sulphur content. [29/7/08]
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