IMO takes up greenhouse gas emissions

IMO takes up greenhouse gas emissions    Reduction of greenhouse gases from international shipping will be a major focus for the International Maritime Organization's Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC), when it meets this week at the IMO Headquarters in London.
   Also high on the agenda will be the expected adoption of a set of amendments to the MARPOL international convention for the prevention of pollution from ships, which will formally establish a North American Emission Control Area, in which emissions of sulphur oxides, nitrogen oxides and particulate matter from ships would be subject to more stringent controls.
   The MEPC is expected to consider, in the light of the outcome of the United Nations Climate Change Conference held in Copenhagen in December 2009, the enacting of the technical and operational measures to reduce carbon dioxide emissions from international shipping.
   The MEPC will discuss mandatory application of these measures based on a proposal by Japan, Norway and the United States to add a new section on energy efficiency to MARPOL Annex VI Regulations for the prevention of air pollution from ships.