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The world's most polluting cargo ships could soon face higher
fees to dock at some of the world's largest ports under new
proposals being considered by the International Association
of Ports and Harbours (IAPH).
The news comes as over 50 ports from around the world last
week committed themselves to working to reduce CO2
emissions and improve air quality at a conference
in Rotterdam.
Under the terms of the agreement, the IAPH
will now begin investigating measures for cutting emissions
ahead of a follow-up meeting in Los Angeles in November. Conference
chairman Ruud Lubbers said that the aim was to deliver "concrete
international measures" that could be adopted by all large
ports.
Proposals being considered include plans for a standardised
method for measuring CO2 emissions from
ports and harbours and a global indexing system for ships.
Hinting that such a scheme could usher in emissions-based
docking fees for ships, the IAPH said that the index would
allow ports to "to reward the clean and climate friendly ocean-going
ships and punish the polluters".
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