The new Sulphur Directive requires significant international control and enforcement. Denmark is among those taking the lead but the rest of the world must follow to ensure that ignoring the Directive does not become an attractive option. Not respecting the low-sulphur limits will be detrimental to both the climate, and to the competitiveness of Danish ships, according to the Danish Shipowners’ Association.Since January 1st 2015, ships sailing in areas such as the North and Baltic Seas and the English Channel have been required to reduce their sulphur emissions by 90 per cent. The reason for this is to improve air quality, so that the air we all breathe becomes cleaner and healthier. But the new requirements call for international enforcement to avoid the creation of economic incentives to cheat.“Danish shipping companies all agree on the need to protect health and the environment, and therefore support the imposition of new sulphur requirements. However, as recently highlighted by the media a key issue regarding the new requirements is enforcement. There is a lot of money to be made in circumventing the requirements of the Directive, and that makes effective international enforcement crucial. Without enforcement, we risk losing the environmental and health related ...
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