Shipping giant Maersk Line has urged the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) to put in place a proposal submitted by the US and Canada that aims to regulate the emissions of ships operating in North American waters.
The proposal, which was initially submitted on 27 March, outlines further MARPOL regulations for vessels operating in US or Canadian waters, creating additional guidelines that would minimise and mitigate the effects of shipping on the environment.
In a statement, Maersk Line said that it supported the application as it placed a high priority on environmental considerations when managing its business, and urged the IMO to address the developments at its upcoming meeting in July.
'We view the actions taken by the United States Environmental Protection Agency and the Canadian authorities as the next logical step in addressing a vital issue facing our industry,' said Maersk Inc. chairman John Clancey. 'As I have said before, shipping is an international business – as an international organisation, we look forward to the continued leadership of the IMO in addressing these proposal standards on a global scale.'
