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Displaying items by tag: Global Sulphur Cap

#GlobalSulphur - The International Maritime Organistions IMO’s Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) has reached an agreement on global sulphur cap.

The IMO last week agreed in favour of maintaining the deadline of 2020 for introducing a global cap of 0.5% sulphur content in marine fuels.

Responding to the breakthrough, the European Sea Ports Organisation (ESPO) congratulated the IMO on its decision. By setting 2020 as deadline for this global 0.5% sulphur cap, the IMO timing is being aligned with the EU timing as foreseen in the current Sulphur Directive. This will mean equal rules for EU and its neighbouring countries.

European ports are also convinced of the environmental and public health benefits of this reduction target.

Commenting on th decision, ESPO’s Secretary General Isabelle Ryckbost said “It is clear that limiting the sulphur exhaust emissions can have an enormous impact on the local air quality. This decision thus means a big step forward for the maritime and port industry and the people around the ports. In fact, 90% of European ports are very close to urban areas. Moreover, by maintaining 2020, IMO shows that an ambitious greening agenda is possible at global level. We must hope that IMO will demonstrate the same level of ambition when addressing climate change” 

Published in Ports & Shipping

Marine Wildlife Around Ireland One of the greatest memories of any day spent boating around the Irish coast is an encounter with marine wildlife.  It's a thrill for young and old to witness seabirds, seals, dolphins and whales right there in their own habitat. As boaters fortunate enough to have experienced it will testify even spotting a distant dorsal fin can be the highlight of any day afloat.  Was that a porpoise? Was it a whale? No matter how brief the glimpse it's a privilege to share the seas with Irish marine wildlife.

Thanks to the location of our beautiful little island, perched in the North Atlantic Ocean there appears to be no shortage of marine life to observe.

From whales to dolphins, seals, sharks and other ocean animals this page documents the most interesting accounts of marine wildlife around our shores. We're keen to receive your observations, your photos, links and youtube clips.

Boaters have a unique perspective and all those who go afloat, from inshore kayaking to offshore yacht racing that what they encounter can be of real value to specialist organisations such as the Irish Whale and Dolphin Group (IWDG) who compile a list of sightings and strandings. The IWDG knowledge base has increased over the past 21 years thanks in part at least to the observations of sailors, anglers, kayakers and boaters.

Thanks to the IWDG work we now know we share the seas with dozens of species who also call Ireland home. Here's the current list: Atlantic white-sided dolphin, beluga whale, blue whale, bottlenose dolphin, common dolphin, Cuvier's beaked whale, false killer whale, fin whale, Gervais' beaked whale, harbour porpoise, humpback whale, killer whale, minke whale, northern bottlenose whale, northern right whale, pilot whale, pygmy sperm whale, Risso's dolphin, sei whale, Sowerby's beaked whale, sperm whale, striped dolphin, True's beaked whale and white-beaked dolphin.

But as impressive as the species list is the IWDG believe there are still gaps in our knowledge. Next time you are out on the ocean waves keep a sharp look out!