Canada's International Maritime Industry Applauds New Measures to Reduce Air
Emissions from Ships

MONTREAL, March 31 /CNW Telbec/ - Canada's international shipping industry is pleased with the progress made last week at the International Maritime Organisation (the U.N. agency that regulates shipping). We welcome the decision to adopt a North American Emission Control Area (or ECA) to help reduce air emissions from ships. The ECA will improve air quality along North American coastlines by subjecting ships to strict environmental standards that will significantly reduce emissions of sulphur oxide, nitrogen oxide and particulate matter. Ships will meet these standards by using cleaner fuels and / or implementing treatment technologies such as scrubbers. The ECA, which was a proposal introduced by Canada, the United States and France in July 2009, will come into effect in 2012. This development illustrates how quickly the IMO can implement legislation, on a global basis, and represents an important step forward in the maritime industry's ongoing efforts to reduce its environmental footprint.

The Shipping Federation of Canada and the International Ship-Owners Alliance also welcome Canada's ratification of three annexes of the MARPOL Convention (the main international convention dealing with the prevention of pollution from ships), which will enable Canada to further enforce international standards related to sewage, garbage, and air emissions from ships. Given the essential role that international conventions play in providing shipping with a consistent global regulatory framework in which to operate, the industry strongly supports both this development and the future ratification of other outstanding conventions.

The Shipping Federation of Canada, which was incorporated by an Act of Parliament in 1903, is the pre-eminent voice of shipowners, operators and agents involved in Canada's world trade. Its key activities include protecting and promoting the interests of the ocean shipping industry; providing operational support to member companies; disseminating information to members, governments and the general public; and developing and delivering industry educational programs. The overall objective of all the Federation's activities is to ensure a safe, efficient, competitive, environmentally-responsible and quality-oriented marine transportation system.

The International Ship-Owners Alliance of Canada (ISAC) represents local and international merchant shipowners, managers and operators of ships who collectively control a fleet of over 500 ocean-going vessels. ISAC is a staunch supporter of the IMO and is affiliated with its global partner BIMCO (The Baltic and International Maritime Council) as well as the ICS (International Chamber of Shipping), INTERTANKO (The International Association of Independent Tanker Owners), INTERCARGO (The International Association of Dry Cargo Shipowners) and other international shipping associations.

For further information: Michael H. Broad, President, The Shipping Federation of Canada, [phone]; Kaity Arsoniadis-Stein LLB,LLM, President & Secretary-General, International Ship-Owners Alliance of Canada, [phone]