It’s a fact that the pollution which comes from vessels that navigate on the sea represents a great factor of causing diseases. International negotiators have hardly tried to reduce this pollution, but they have always come across shipping conglomerates.

If the new rules will be voted, the regulation will affect 43% of all the vessels that come to the United States or Asia and move through the harbors of Los Angeles and Long Beach. The harbors need to expand, but it seems that communities nearby won’t agree to bear the health risks.

Yet, the regulation could save 3,600 lives of the residents that live in coastal counties, during the first six years. It could reduce respiratory diseases and heart illnesses and also 80% less risk to have cancer which is associated to ship pollutants.

The winds carry the pollutants from west to east California, causing 20% cancer diseases. Soot particles and sulfur oxides seem to be the main causes. These come from construction equipment, locomotives, industrial engines and agricultural pumps. They are all under state regulation as to stop planet-warming greenhouse.

New rules will save California almost $6 billion a year in health expenses, but the shipping industry will lose between $140 million and $360 million a year. A typical vessel will pay nearly $30,000 more in fuel costs.

July 1, 2009, will begin with vessels requiring the use of diesel oil with a sulfur limit of 0.5% that will be reduced to 0.1% starting January 1, 2012.