NZ to sign up for new maritime regulations to reduce emissions

Subject to completion of the Parliamentary treaty examination process, New Zealand will sign up to Annex VI of MARPOL, an International Maritime convention for the prevention of pollution from ships.

New Zealand will sign up for new international maritime regulations to reduce ship emissions and lift air quality around ports and harbors, Associate Transport Minister Julie Anne Genter announced today.

Subject to completion of the Parliamentary treaty examination process, New Zealand will sign up to Annex VI of MARPOL, an International Maritime convention for the prevention of pollution from ships.

"Joining this convention will improve the health and environmental impact of shipping emissions, particularly around our port communities.

"It will give Maritime NZ the power to inspect foreign ships for compliance with new emission standards and take enforcement action if necessary.

"Signing up will also ensure New Zealand has a seat at the table as new global greenhouse gas emission maritime regulations are negotiated over the next few years.

"The convention's regulations limiting sulfur emissions from shipping are due to come into force on 1 January 2020. However, as the previous government did not initiate the process of signing up to this convention, there will be a longer lead-in time before these regulations apply to domestic ships.

"The treaty examination process means that New Zealand would sign up to Annex VI in late 2021. Stricter limits on sulfur limits would then apply to domestic ships from early 2022. This gives our shipping and fishing industries sufficient time to prepare for the new regulations," said Julie Anne Genter.

(With Inputs from New Zealand Government Press Release)