China has stepped up its efforts to reduce shipping emissions with its first ever rules on national standards, to be implemented in two stages.

The ministry of environment and the general administration of quality supervision have issued new regulations, which will affect the 172,600 ships operating in inland rivers and Chinese waters.

China’s new standards aim to cut emissions of greenhouse gas and other particulate matter from ships with an engine capacity of over 37KW, Chinese media outfit Caixin reports.

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