China extends sulphur cap to all Yangtze River Delta ports
The Chinese ministry of transport extended the sulphur cap Emission Control Area (ECA) from main ports of Shanghai, Suzhou, Nantong and Ningbo-Zhoushan, in Yangtze River Delta, to more ports in the area.
The new areas to be covered by sulphur requirement are Nanjing, Hangzhou and Taizhou.
According to the Ship and Port Pollution Prevention Special Action Plan adopted in September 2015 by China’s Ministry of Transport, all ports in Pearl River Delta, Yangtze River Delta, and Bohai-rim Waters were required to use fuel with a sulphur content not exceeding 0.50 per cent whilst berthed.
According to local media, the requirement for the three new areas in Yangtze River Delta was to enter into force starting from January 2018, but the authorities decided to bring it earlier, starting from September 1st 2017, in a bid to further boost green policy and emissions reduction in the shipping sector.