The Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) met for its 65th session from 13 to 17 May 2013, at the IMO headquarters in London.

At the meeting the Russian delegation proposed a delay to the NOx Tier III amendments of five years, until 1 January 2021. The USA proposed that the North America and US Caribbean Territories NOx Emission Control Areas (ECA’s) should still be implemented on 1 January 2016 (with an exemption for yachts less than 500GT), but for no other NOx ECAs to be implemented before a five year delay of 1 January 2021.

The proposal would be sent as a formal amendment in due course to allow responses and for discussion at the MEPC 66 in March 2014. China and Russia did not comment on the USA’s intervention and the chairman merely advised that the matter would have to be considered at MEPC 66. Italy reserved its position. (http://www.ibinews.com, 22 May 2013)
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