A modern fleet of ships does not so much make use of the sea as exploit a highway ~ Joseph Conrad

No Smoking, originally uploaded by Tim the sailor

Believe it or not, 16 of the world’s largest container ships can produce more sulphur pollution than all the cars on the planet. The International Maritime Organization allows super ships to use so-called bunker fuel, which contains up to 4.5 percent sulphur (4500 times more than the amount allowed in automobile fuel). The largest ships emit as much as 5000 tons of sulfur a year – equal to the emissions from about 50 million cars. But that’s not all. Every year, ships also contribute almost a billion tons of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere, which makes them as big a contributor to climate change as airplanes.

HAT TIP: puregreencars.com