Denmarks new emissions action plan

The action plan is an extension of the Danish Government’s Plan for Growth in the Blue Denmark, which contains an initiative entitled “Improved enforcement nationally and globally”.

On 1 January 2015, when the new stricter requirements for ships’ sulphur emissions take effect compliance with the regulations is of importance. But, at the same time the Danish Maritime Authority (DMA) said that it is important to Danish shipping that no shipowners get a competitive advantage by speculating in cheating with the content of the fuel. Therefore, efficient and consistent enforcement of compliance with the regulations is decisive.

“With the action plan, Denmark takes an important step in the struggle to ensure efficient enforcement of the sulphur regulations. It is of decisive importance to quality shipping that our control is sufficiently efficient. Efficient enforcement benefits both the environment and the competitiveness of a responsible shipping industry,” said Andreas Nordseth, director general of the Danish Maritime Authority.

As part of the action plan, new initiatives have been identified in dialogue with the Danish Environmental Protection Agency and the Danish Shipowners’ Association, and continued cooperation is envisaged.

The action plan is based on four focus areas – International cooperation, the development and use of new technology, improved statistics and documentation on non-compliance as well as sanctions.

In order to ensure that non-compliance does not pay, another initiative listed in the action plan involves a closer scrutiny of the size of fines as well as legal prosecution of ships not calling at Danish ports.