Posted:
April 7, 2011
A federal court in San Francisco has upheld the state's Air Resources Board regulations, implemented in July 2009, requiring vessels operating within 24 miles of shore to use low-sulfur fuel.
The regulation was challenged by the maritime industry on the grounds that it is an unprecedented extension of the state's authority - normally considered to end three miles from shore. The California Air Resources Board estimates it will add $30,000 to port call costs per ship.
AMO National Vice President for Government Relations Michael Murphy said the regulation "is exactly the type of local management that is detrimental to the maritime industry because it means a ship has to try to conform to many different standards as it moves from port to port."
While ship operators acknowledge the importance of having environmental standards, state-by-state implementation of regulations creates a patchwork of rules to follow, causing unnecessary confusion and burden on the industry. Federal implementation of a uniform set of regulations would be far less burdensome.
Such a nationwide standard will come into effect in 2015 with the implementation of an Emissions Control Area, which will require similar emissions standards as the California regulation and in most cases will extend 200 nautical miles from shore. The ECA is modeled after international emissions standards.
"Ideally, California will see how disruptive their regulation is and align themselves with the implementation of the new ECA," Murphy said.
U.S. court: vessels must use low-sulfur fuel within 24 miles of state's shore
A federal court in San Francisco has upheld the state's Air Resources Board regulations, implemented in July 2009, requiring vessels operating within 24 miles of shore to use low-sulfur fuel.
The regulation was challenged by the maritime industry on the grounds that it is an unprecedented extension of the state's authority - normally considered to end three miles from shore. The California Air Resources Board estimates it will add $30,000 to port call costs per ship.
AMO National Vice President for Government Relations Michael Murphy said the regulation "is exactly the type of local management that is detrimental to the maritime industry because it means a ship has to try to conform to many different standards as it moves from port to port."
While ship operators acknowledge the importance of having environmental standards, state-by-state implementation of regulations creates a patchwork of rules to follow, causing unnecessary confusion and burden on the industry. Federal implementation of a uniform set of regulations would be far less burdensome.
Such a nationwide standard will come into effect in 2015 with the implementation of an Emissions Control Area, which will require similar emissions standards as the California regulation and in most cases will extend 200 nautical miles from shore. The ECA is modeled after international emissions standards.
"Ideally, California will see how disruptive their regulation is and align themselves with the implementation of the new ECA," Murphy said.