Big Boats = Big Pollution
REPORT: Pollution from 15 of world's biggest ships equal that of world's 760m cars
Says James Corbett, professor of marine policy at the University of Delaware: "Ship pollution affects the health of communities in coastal and inland
regions around the world, yet pollution from ships remains one of the least regulated parts of our global transportation system." It sounds serious,
but how bad could it be? Staggeringly, if a report by the UK's Guardian newspaper is to be believed. According to their story, just one of the
world's largest container ships can emit about as much pollution as 50 million cars. Further, the 15 largest ships in the world emit as much nitrogen
oxide and sulphur oxide as the world's 760 million cars.
The problem isn't necessarily with the ships' 109,000-horsepower engines that endlessly spin away 24 hours a day, 280 days a year. In fact, these
powerplants are some of the most fuel efficient units in the world. The real issue lies with the heavy fuel oil the ships run on and the almost
complete lack of regulations applied to the giant exhaust stacks of these container ships.
The good news is that pressure is building from various governments around the world, including the United States, which just recently introduced
legislation to keep these ships at least 230 miles away from U.S. coastlines. Similar measures are likely to follow in other countries like the United
Kingdom.
I love the US plan to combat this; "Keep away from our shores!"
I wish my lawn was Emo, and cut itself |
1 Robot
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posted on 6-3-09 at 12:42 AM «:|:» 
