Hitting 2015 sulphur targets could increase harmful carbon emissions and cause loss of 2,000 jobs, according to new report
UK Shipping is ill prepared for the introduction of sulphur limits in the ECA’s from 2015, according to a new report commissioned by the UK Chamber of Shipping.
The report, published by consultancy firm AMEC, claims that the targets for shipping companies to reduce their sulphur emissions, could cause adverse environmental effects and result in the loss of 2,000 maritime services jobs, and place many more industrial jobs under threat.
From 2015, shipping companies operating within the North Sea and English Channel and the Baltic Sea Emission Control Areas (ECA’s) will be forced to use fuel with a sulphur content of less than 0.1 percent.
The UK Chamber agree that there is a clear and unequivocal need to reduce sulphur emissions from shipping for both environmental and health reasons.
However, they warn that the speed at which shipping operators would be required to meet reduction targets, at huge cost, without sufficient technology in place to support the changes, along with the failure to date for these targets to take account of the overall need to reduce carbon emissions that has been causing ship operators great concern for some time.
Following the publication of the report, the Chamber’s director of safety and environment, David Balston said that the Chamber was also concerned that in meeting the targets a number of longer ferry routes being no longer viable or competitive.
“We fully support the need to reduce sulphur emissions from ships,” said Balston.
“But we are particularly concerned that many routes will become non viable and for those vessels operating on them we seek transitional arrangements, including very tight time limited exemptions to allow technology to catch up and provide a realistic alternative.”
Additionally, the report also states how the targets will force more freight to be moved by road rather than sea, increasing carbon emissions and causing more road congestion, whilst contributing to an increase in the cost of road diesel of around 2.8p a litre. The targets could also mean a significant increase, up to 29 percent in some cases, in the cost of passenger and container route ticket prices.
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