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The California Air Resources Board (ARB) has fined Dojima Marine and Korkyra Shipping US$55,500 each for failing to use cleaner-burning fuel when less than 24 nautical miles from California’s shores.

“Burning dirty bunker fuel produces unacceptable amounts of particulate matter and sulfur dioxide,” said ARB Enforcement Chief James Ryden. “Requiring ships to burn cleaner fuel provides significant benefits for California’s coastal communities by reducing asthma triggers and airborne carcinogens.”

Japan's Dojima Marine and Croatia-based Korkyra Shipping are said to have cooperated and acknowledged that their individual ships operated in regulated California waters using intermediate fuel oil rather than the required cleaner marine distillate.

The money will go to the California Air Pollution Control Fund to support projects and research to improve the state's air quality.

The clean fuel requirement, adopted in 2008, reduced diesel-particulate matter from ships blowing over the state by 15 tonnes per day, an 83 percent reduction of the previously uncontrolled emissions from ships. The required shift to cleaner fuel also cut sulphur oxide emissions by 40 tonnes per day, a 95 percent reduction, and nitrogen oxide emissions by 11 tonnes per day, a 6 percent reduction.

The ARB conducts an estimated 250 ship inspections each year, checking for proper fuel usage, record-keeping and other compliance requirements, and takes marine gas oil or marine diesel oil samples for submission to the ARB laboratory to determine if the fuels meet ARB’s low-sulphur standards.

In 1998, the ARB identified diesel particulate matter as a toxic air contaminant based on its potential to cause cancer and other health problems, including premature death and a number of heart and lung diseases.

"Exposure to diesel PM is a health hazard, particularly to children whose lungs are still developing, and the elderly who may have other serious health problems. Health risks from diesel PM are highest in areas of concentrated emissions, such as near ports, rail yards, freeways, or warehouse distribution centers," the ARB said.

"ARB's mission is to promote and protect public health, welfare, and ecological resources through effective reduction of air pollutants while recognizing and considering effects on the economy. The ARB oversees all air pollution control efforts in California to attain and maintain health based air quality standards," it added.