[150113.EN.SEA] Liners Volunteered To Use Costly Eco-fuel, Now Want It Enforced On Call

HONG KONG's shipowners and operators are urging the city's Chief Executive CY Leung to announce a crackdown on exhaust emissions from all vessels in harbour when he makes his Policy Address this week.

This would mean the imposition of costly low-sulphur fuel that would also increase ferry charges for those living on outlying islands but work on Hong Kong Island, Kowloon and the New Territories. Marine Department tests have shown that low-sulphur diesel use contributes to greater wear and tear on existing ferry engines.

Other costs are also significant. Standard marine diesel costs US$600 per tonne; low-sulphur fuel costs US$1,000 per tonne. Fuel accounts for 50 per cent of a vessel's operating costs. While ocean carriers only have to use costly fuel when designated waters, ferries would have to use it all the time.

But shipping lines that undertook to accept higher fuel costs for sake of environmental enhancement on a voluntary basis, now insist that other carriers, which did not opt to accept the restrictions, be forced to accept them now.

"We are looking forward to some strong leadership and direction from the chief executive, the rest of the government and the Legislative Council - starting next week with the chief executive's policy address," said Roberto Giannetta, representing the Liner Shipping Association.

Hong Kong Shipowners Association managing director Arthur Bowring also urged Mr Leung "to set out a very clear agenda and timeline for the imposition of regulations that ultimately leads to a globally recognised emissions control area in the Pearl River Delta".

Mr Bowring said: "[That would] ensure a level playing field" among all shipping lines and not financially penalise environmentally conscious shipowners."

Most companies calling at Kwai Chung container port are members of the Liner Association, which was instrumental - along with the environmentally-focused Civic Exchange - in demanding low-sulphur fuel use - called the "Fair Winds Charter", reported the South China Morning Post.

Civic Exchange, with its mission to "invent a cooperative social enterprise", claims marine sources of sulphur dioxide accounted for 519 premature deaths a year in the entire Pearl River Delta, including 385 in Hong Kong.

But such figures appear counter-intuitive, given that Hong Kong's population is only 7.06 million yet suffers a disproportionately high casualty rate of 385 deaths contrasted with the low casualty rate of 164 deaths drawn 56 million people living in the Pearl River Delta, which has more factories and fewer environmental restrictions than Hong Kong.

Source : HKSG, 15.01.13.