Rules and Regulations
Since the 1920s the merchant world fleet has shifted from using coal to sailing on diesel engines and marine oil engines. The shift from coal to oil was largely driven by increased efficiency, ease of handling and cleaner operations. However, within the last decade, focus has shifted to sulphur oxides (SOx) and nitrogen oxides (NOx) emissions from vessels sailing on diesel and marine oil, and the International Maritime Organization (IMO) has adopted a set of regulations for the prevention of air pollution from vessels.
Air Emissions
Ships generate emissions of sulfur oxides (SOx), oxides of nitrogen (NOx), particulate matter (PM) and carbon dioxide (CO2) as a result of the fuel used to power them. Ship generated emissions can be significant in areas subject to heavy marine traffic so many actions have been undertaken in recent years to significantly reduce air emissions from ships.
