The National Environment Agency (NEA) has engaged a consultant to study the impact of emissions from ships that navigate Singapore waters.
Although the Republic is one of the world’s busiest ports, with as many as 1,000 ships calling at any one time, it is not known exactly how much pollution they contribute, said Mr Joseph Hui, director-general of the environmental protection division of the NEA.
So the agency has engaged a consultant to study the impact, the results of which could be released by the end of this year.
Mr Hui was speaking at the ongoing Better Air Quality Conference at the Suntec Convention Centre.
Scientists such as Dr Nguyen Thi Kim Oanh from the Asian Institute of Technology have said industry fuel standards around the world lag behind those of the auto industry, for example.
This is partly due to the fact that shipping takes place out at sea, away from populations who can readily see the impact that emissions have on the environment.
Most ships run on bunker fuel, which is cheaper than distillate but more polluting, with pollutants such as sulphur.
