Ships 'emit more pollution than previously thought'

The 90,000 cargo ships that travel the world's oceans could be more damaging to the environment than the millions of cars on the world's roads, new research has suggested.

Carried out by Denmark's environmental agency, the report concluded that emissions from ships cost the Danish health service around £5 billion annually as more people develop cancer and heart problems due to pollution.

Now the Guardian reports that pressures are mounting on the global shipping industry to introduce stricter regulations. Especially since the US government last week approved the introduction of a 230-mile low emissions buffer zone along its coastline.

Additionally, recent data from the maritime industry showed that the fuel used to power the world's vessels could contain as much as 2,000 times more sulphur than the diesel contained in cars in the US and Europe, the newspaper highlights.

According to a study by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, particles omitted by ships' diesel engines are having a detrimental effect on the health of residents along the country's west coastline, reported the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.