The world economy is highly dependent on shipping, which provides approximately 85% from the whole global transport demand. With the increase of transported global trade and the volume of sea transport the resulting issue of environmental pollution is very essential. Pollution by ships can travel long distances, which affects not only the marine environment, but also terrestrial environment.
Ships can be considered as one of the cleanest transport means, but in spite of that ships are responsible for approximately 109 tonnes of CO2 emission per year, about 3.3% of the total world emission of CO2. As the HELCOM, the shipping emits approximately 9% of total NOx emission in the Baltic Sea. According to recent forecasts, if nothing will be done to reduce emissions from ships, the amount of air pollution from ships will double by year 2020 and will be more than all land-based sources together. The environmental issues concerns also other pollutions from ships.
The pollutions caused by ships are regulated by IMO’s International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL 73/78 Convention). The Convention includes requirements addressing pollution from chemicals, other
harmful substances, garbage, sewage and, under an Annex VI adopted in 1997, air pollution and emissions from ships.
In the same time the European Union institutions adopt various measures to support prevention of environmental pollution. Such measures are focused not only to the transport sector, but to all energy sources that cause environmental pollution. Therefore, the European Union is imposing strategies which not only improves the environment quality, but also from which it follows a number of other strategies objectives, which are related to the efficient use of resources and energy in the European Union.
Many countries cannot tackle effectively environmental issues caused by shipping industry and give full and complete effect to the EU and IMO’s adopted measures for various reasons. ITDA experts has experience as well as the Associations goal it to support countries in implementing and effective compliance with the shipping industry regulatory framework. The ITDA
assists countries towards implementation of sustainable development policies in order to secure environmental resources and in the same time promote socio-economic development.