Low-Quality Fuel Is Causing Serious Pollution from Vehicle and Ship Exhaust; Experts Are Calling for Accelerated Upgrades

Introduction: With the continuous growth of motor vehicle ownership and the rapid development of the shipping industry in my country, vehicle and ship exhaust pollution has increasingly become a major source of smog. Experts believe that the long-term low quality of fuel is a significant reason for the severe exhaust pollution from vehicles and ships in my country, necessitating a focus on improving fuel quality, strengthening production and market supervision, and systematically promoting exhaust pollution prevention and control.

Vehicles and Ships "Puffing Out Clouds of Smog"

Vehicle and ship exhaust pollution is a major cause of smog in many cities. The "2016 China Motor Vehicle Environmental Management Annual Report" shows that in 2015, the number of motor vehicles in China reached 279 million, making my country the world's largest producer and seller of motor vehicles for the seventh consecutive year. Preliminary estimates indicate that in 2015, the national motor vehicle emissions totaled 45.322 million tons, including 560,000 tons of particulate matter (PM).

Data shows that the number of motor vehicles in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region and surrounding areas is around 60 million, making it a significant source of regional air pollution. In Beijing, motor vehicles account for 31.1% of local PM2.5 emissions, while in Tianjin and Shijiazhuang, the proportions are 20% and 15%, respectively. Feng Yinchang, director of the National Key Laboratory for Urban Particulate Pollution Control under the National Environmental Protection Agency, believes that with the rapid increase in motor vehicle ownership, urban air quality in my country has clearly begun to exhibit characteristics of combined pollution from coal smoke and vehicle exhaust.

Huang Haoyun, director of the Key Laboratory for Atmospheric Pollution Control at the Tianjin Academy of Environmental Sciences, believes that in addition to direct pollution, vehicle exhaust also has a catalytic effect, accelerating the conversion of other gaseous pollutants into secondary particulate matter, thus further worsening air quality.

Ship exhaust is a significant source of pollution in coastal areas. Data shows that seven of the world's top ten container ports are in China. The "White Paper on Air Pollution Prevention and Control in China's Ships and Ports" states that approximately 70% of ship exhaust emissions occur within 400 kilometers of the coastline and can be transported inland hundreds of kilometers under wind influence. Source apportionment analysis of PM2.5 in Shanghai shows that local ship emissions account for about 10% of pollution; preliminary estimates indicate that Guangzhou emits approximately 13,000 tons of sulfur dioxide annually from ships, accounting for 14% of total emissions. 

Low Fuel Quality and Ineffective Regulation

Experts believe that the persistently low fuel quality and ineffective regulation at the production and sales stages are the key factors contributing to severe pollution from vehicle and ship exhaust.

Ding Fuchen, Assistant President of Beijing Institute of Petrochemical Technology, believes that compared to Europe and the United States, my country's fuel quality has long lagged behind by 5 to 10 years. For example, the EU implemented the Euro V gasoline standard in 2009, while my country was still implementing the National III standard (equivalent to Euro III), with a sulfur content 15 times that of the Euro V standard. Even today, only a few provinces and cities in my country have begun implementing the National V standard (equivalent to Euro V), while most provinces are still implementing the National IV gasoline and diesel standard, with a sulfur content still up to 5 times that of the Euro V standard.

Marine diesel fuel has significantly lower fuel quality. It is reported that the sulfur content of my country's marine fuel oil is between 1% and 3.5%, which is 200 to 700 times that of National IV diesel fuel. According to calculations by the Shenzhen Environmental Science Research Institute, a medium-to-large container ship with a fuel sulfur content of 3.5%, operating at 70% maximum power for 24 hours, emits PM2.5 equivalent to 210,000 National IV heavy-duty trucks in a single day.

Industry insiders stated that diesel production companies generally prioritize production over inspection, with some failing to implement strict control throughout the entire process, leading to substandard product quality. Furthermore, fuel quality supervision is technically demanding, and grassroots supervisors are understaffed, have limited capabilities, and are easily held accountable. In some areas, there are signs of a lack of proactive supervision and attempts to cover up problems.

A sampling survey of gas stations conducted by the Shandong Provincial Administration for Industry and Commerce in January of this year showed that nearly 10% of gasoline and diesel samples were substandard, with only 67% of diesel fuel from independent gas stations meeting the standards. Some gasoline samples exceeded the sulfur content standard by 19.6 times, and some diesel fuel samples exceeded it by 46.3 times. Substandard fuel was also found at some independent gas stations in Tianjin.

The problem of substandard marine diesel fuel is even more prominent. In 2014, the Guangzhou Maritime Safety Administration inspected 733 marine diesel fuel samples, with a failure rate of 49.8%. In 2015, a total of 1095 marine diesel fuel samples were inspected, with a failure rate of 35.98%.

Furthermore, diesel vehicles are the main contributor to vehicle exhaust pollution. For example, although heavy-duty diesel vehicles account for only 4% of the total number of vehicles in Beijing, they account for over 50% and 90% of total vehicle emissions of nitrogen oxides and particulate matter, respectively. Currently, the market offers a mix of National V, National IV, and National III diesel fuels. Many truck drivers believe that ordinary diesel is cheaper and more powerful, and consciously use the more polluting ordinary diesel instead of vehicle diesel.

Strengthening Supervision and Ensuring Supporting Facilities

Experts believe that improving fuel quality is key to controlling vehicle and ship exhaust pollution, and the pace of upgrading needs to be accelerated.

First, the refining industry needs to be optimized and upgraded. According to relevant plans, starting in January 2016, 11 provinces (municipalities) in eastern China began supplying gasoline and diesel fuel meeting the National V emission standard; starting in January 2017, the entire country began supplying National V standard gasoline and diesel fuel one year ahead of schedule; and starting in July 2017 and January 2018, the entire country began supplying ordinary diesel fuel meeting the National IV and National V standards, respectively.

Currently, my country's refining industry cannot guarantee a comprehensive supply of high-quality gasoline and diesel fuel. Some local refineries have not yet completed the necessary upgrades to meet the National V standard, and some refineries no longer meet the conditions for such upgrades. Experts suggest that policy support and price guidance should be used to encourage refineries to quickly acquire the capacity to supply high-quality gasoline and diesel fuel on a large scale.

Secondly, production and market supervision should be strengthened. Experts believe that the current fragmented regulatory system is not ideal and a strong coordination mechanism and regulatory system are urgently needed. Measures should be implemented to regulate or shut down unlicensed refining enterprises, and illegal production and blending of refined oil products should be severely punished; illegal additives and the use of ordinary diesel fuel to impersonate vehicle diesel fuel should be strictly investigated and dealt with. A relevant official from the Shandong Provincial Bureau of Quality and Technical Supervision believes that prohibited substances can be easily added at any stage of refined oil production, transportation, wholesale, and retail. He suggests expediting the formulation of national standards for various prohibited substance testing methods to change the current situation where there is no legal basis for action.

Third, improve relevant supporting measures. In January of this year, my country established three ship air pollutant emission control zones in the Pearl River Delta, Yangtze River Delta, and Bohai Rim waters, gradually implementing measures higher than current emission control requirements within these zones. Experts recommend further developing emission standards and corresponding tiered implementation plans and timelines for urban coastal waters, port waters, and inland waterways. They also suggest introducing relevant incentive policies and supporting measures to strengthen the production and supply of low-sulfur fuel oil, and providing policy incentives for ships using low-sulfur fuel oil, shore power, ship upgrading, and the application of clean energy. Furthermore, upgrading vehicle fuels complements upgrading vehicles. Vehicles meeting the pre-National I standard, which account for 1.6% of the total vehicle fleet, emit more than 30.0% of the four major pollutants. Along with fuel upgrading, the elimination of old vehicles, especially those with high emissions (yellow labels), should be accelerated.