Reefs in Brief: Corals in the world's busiest port; container shipping is green

DPM Jaya cites S'pore as example: It has world's busiest port yet waters here home to 32% of world's corals in Possible to go green while doing business by
Goh Chin Lian, Straits Times 10 Jan 08;

A BUSY port and a diverse coral reef can co-exist in harmony.

Similarly, it is possible to reduce pollution in a strait that is being used by ships from many countries.

Such balancing of environmental and economic interests is sustainable, said Deputy Prime Minister S. Jayakumar yesterday at a maritime conference opening here.

He gave several examples which showed that in the rising tide of calls to protect the environment, economic interests need not be swept aside.

Take Singapore. It is the world's busiest transhipment port. Yet, its waters is home to 256 species - about 32 per cent - of the world's corals, and likely more than in Australia's Great Barrier Reef.

In the same vein, Prof Jayakumar sees a similar need to strike a balance between environmental and economic interests in the climate change negotiations to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Many port cities, for instance, require ships that approach their ports to use less polluting fuel.

'Bearing in mind that ships carry more than 90 per cent of the world's merchandise, a balance should be found in greenhouse gas emission reduction by ships, the need to maintain freedom of navigation and growth of world trade and economic development,' he said.

Ultimately, environmental concerns cannot be seen in isolation from economic interests.

Even global warming has its economic implications.

The melting of icecaps, for example, may open up new routes to the resource-rich Arctic and Antarctic regions. Already, some states are scrambling for a stake there.

full article on wildsingapore news


Container shipping public image make-over: 'the most environment-friendly bulk transport'
New push to make over shipping's public image by
Nicholas Fang, Straits Times 15 Jan 08;

'Shipping is actually by far the most environmentally sound way to transport goods in bulk.