BUSAN, March 25 (Korea Bizwire) — Providing incentives to vessels that enter the Port of Busan at low speeds is leading to better air quality.
The Busan Port Authority reported Wednesday that the incentive program has led to a 26.2 percent drop in air pollutant emissions.
The program offers discounts to ships that enter and depart the southeastern Port of Busan, South Korea’s main maritime gateway, at a speed of 12 knots (22 km/h) or slower.
The program ran from December 1, 2019 to December 31, 2020, during which 42 percent (5,782 ships) of 13,723 vessels were participants.
The reduced speed of these ships lowered the amount of air pollutants by 42,862 tons, a 26.2 percent reduction compared to the estimated amount of pollutants without the reduction in speed (163,592 tons), the Busan Port Authority said.
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