The Shipping Ministry today said that the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas has

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been advised to follow fuel emission norms prescribed by the International Maritime Organisation (IMO).

IMO from January 1 has reduced sulphur limit in the fuel oil to 3.5% from 4.5%, an official release by the Shipping Ministry said.

Also the sulphur limit in the fuel oil has been reduced to 1% from 1.5% in Emission Control Area (ECA), it said.

"The proposed regulation by IMO sets a required Energy Efficiency Design Index (EEDI) value to apply in four phases from 1st January, 2013 to 1st January, 2025," the statement said.

The statement said that India has already approved ratification of MARPOL (marine pollution)- an international convention for prevention of pollution from ships "so as to avail the waiver of the requirements of compliance with the Energy Efficiency Design Index (EEDI)."

"Parties to the MARPOL Annex VI have the option to waive the EEDI requirement on their ships for a maximum of 4.0 to 6.5 years after the entry into force," it added.