China shipping heavy pollution on land transport

Report released Tuesday said that in addition to close or when docked in the port requires the use of cleaner fuels - such as the US or European ports - engaged in trading activities in China's maritime ports of vessels often use cheap fuel. This level of fuel contains a lot of sulfur, will be leaving obvious traces from fine soot, ozone, and nitrogen composition of sulfur contaminants.

The report said, "At present, China has almost no provisions to manage the ship emissions of air pollutants, other developing countries too."

Released together with a summary of the report, said, "As compared with the land use diesel, the sulfur content of marine fuels can be much higher, a ship sailing along the coast of China's diesel pollutant emissions from cargo ships, the equivalent of 500,000 new Chinese emissions from trucks in one day. "

Hong Kong consultant Feng Shuhui (Freda & nbsp; Fung) is one of four author of the report, she said in an interview, said valuation refers PM & nbsp; 2.5: a mixture of fine particles from the contaminants, it was shrouded in many Chinese above the city, causing respiratory problems and public anger.

Pingshu Hui said that the generation of pollutants on the overall maritime pollution caused great impact, but also some Chinese cities caused health problems. Reported that the world's 10 busiest ports in seven are in China, which is the busiest Shanghai; and, in general cargo in the world to go through about a quarter of China's 10 busiest ports. Other major port cities in China also include Shenzhen, Qingdao and Tianjin, and almost all of the port equipment use are diesel pollution is very serious.

"Because the Chinese port city is the world's most densely populated and busiest port city," the report said, pollutants, "compared with other ports in the region, where the ships and port activities are likely to be generated by the public health greater threat. "

Because of the presence of other sources of pollution, and the tracking state of health with a certain complexity, it is difficult to quantify the damage. However, lower diesel exhaust fumes and fuel oil produced may be more dangerous. This is because they are very small, but carrying dozens of chemical contaminants, some pollutants can reach thousands of miles away by air.

The result was "toxic mixture of diesel exhaust by carcinogenic and black carbon composition, over the long-entrenched in the port area of ​​development in China," Asia project director of the Natural Resources Defense Council Barbara Fei Namu (Barbara & nbsp; Finamore ) said in an email. According to a study cited in the report estimates that by 2008, contaminants from sailing on the ocean and river vessels had led to premature deaths of 1,200 people in Hong Kong.

冯淑慧 say, North America - especially in California - and more stringent standards in Western Europe, that is, when the ship docked at or near the port where they are going to use cleaner diesel driven engines, this fuel containing sulfur content is much lower. IMO (International & nbsp; Maritime & nbsp; Organization) is also set up for marine fuel sulfur standards in North America and parts of Europe.

However, the fuel is "the cheapest fuel, so long as there are opportunities for operators of vessels will choose it, unless someone asked them to use other fuels," Feng Shuhui said.

Because the public is very worried about pollution problems, prompting the Chinese government to take a tougher road transport fuel and vehicle standards. Pingshu Hui said she hopes the government will lead to the same pressure vessel issued against some of the more stringent requirements. She said that an independent legal system and the government of Hong Kong government has taken to reduce port usage fee incentives to encourage the use of boats docked there relatively clean fuel, mandatory restrictions proposed by the parties concerned are in the pipeline.

Shenzhen is a major port city in mainland China, near Hong Kong. Pingshu Hui said, Shenzhen has launched a number of programs, with intent to prevent the boats docked there most polluting diesel. She said, but other Chinese mainland port of relatively slow action, and if there is no concerted action by the international community, vessel operators is likely to be regulated after leaving port and waters, the use of fuel oil on the high seas.

She said, "If Shenzhen can do this, I hope that other important ports in China will eventually chain reaction occurs."