UAE Signs IMO Treaty

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has become the latest State to accede to the International Maritime Organization (IMO)instrument providing rules for the prevention of air pollution from ships and energy efficiency requirements.

This brings the total number of ratifications of MARPOL Annex VI to 93, representing 96.6% of world merchant shipping tonnage, said the UN body in a release.

MARPOL Annex VI limits the main air pollutants contained in ships exhaust gas, including sulphur oxides and nitrous oxides, and prohibits deliberate emissions of ozone depleting substances. It also includes energy-efficiency measures aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions from ships.

Ms. Rawdha Al Otaiba, Deputy Head of Mission of the UAE to the United Kingdom, met IMO Secretary-General Kitack Lim at IMO Headquarters, London (20 February) to deposit instrument of accession.

MARPOL Annex VI, first adopted in 1997, limits the main air pollutants contained in ships exhaust gas, including sulphur oxides (SOx) and nitrous oxides (NOx), and prohibits deliberate emissions of ozone depleting substances (ODS). MARPOL Annex VI also regulates shipboard incineration, and the emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOC) from tankers.