The Shipping Ministry on Tuesday said that the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas has been advised to follow fuel emission norms prescribed by the International Maritime Organisation (IMO). An official release said that IMO from the 1st of this month has reduced sulphur limit in the fuel oil to 3.5 per cent from 4.5 per cent. It said, the sulphur limit in the fuel oil has also been reduced to 1 per cent from 1.5 per cent in Emission Control Area (ECA).

The release added that the proposed regulation by IMO sets a required Energy Efficiency Design Index, EEDI, value to apply in four phases from the 1st of January, 2013 to the 1st of January, 2025.

India has already approved ratification of Marine Pollution, MARPOL- an international convention for prevention of pollution from ships, so as to avail the waiver of the requirements of compliance with the EEDI.

The release also said that parties to the MARPOL have the option to waive the EEDI requirement on their ships for a maximum of 4.0 to 6.5 years after the entry into force.