-  Integrated scheme will be available to control emission sources of fine dust including vessels, cargo handling gears and vehicles. -

The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries (MOF; Minister Kim, Young-Choon)  announced that a plenary session of the National Assembly passed Special Act on Air Quality Improvement in Port and Other Areas on 13 Mar. 2019. 

The act, a countermeasure to diminish fine dust, stipulates port, fishing port, territorial waters, internal waters and contiguous zones  as its application coverage.

The newly passed act also includes the designation of Sox emission control area (ECA) and slow steaming area; creation of emission ceilings by cargo handling gears; and restriction on entry of old vehicles into port. Those are the tactics for an organized management of 3 major emission sources in port, alas vessels, cargo handling gears and freight cars.    

In addition, while purchasing eco-friendly vessels including LNG-powered ships goes mandatory targeting the central & local governments and public institutes, supporting supply of greenery cargo handling facilities is involved, like LNG yard tractors, under the act. Alternative maritime power and power receiving apparatuses are suggested on the act as a plan to build the eco-friendly infrastructure in port.  

Director General Song, Myeong-dal of Fishery Resources Policy Bureau stated that “This special act has an aim to introduce the master plan for fine dust control to halve the untractable evil in quantity by 2022 vis-a-vis that of 2017. We will endeavor to fully embody the intent of the act in the procedures of enactment of lower statues; implementation of the act; and secure & execution of its budget”.