The aim is to set up economic incentives for ships to produce low emissions, managing wastewater and ballast water in a sustainable way, using environmentally friendly technologies etc. HELCOM Recommendation 28E/13 encourages application of economic incentives and gives examples of rebate schemes for reducing emissions. There are different – and very often complex - port/fairway dues systems in the Baltic Sea countries. The economic incentives have a potential to bring the biggest results when implemented in a larger geographical area, not limited to a specific port or a country. There is also a question of competitiveness of ports. There are also other means to encourage emission reductions, such as awards, ship specific environmental indices, voluntary agreements with ship owners, and promotion of use of alternative fuels. The Energy Efficient Design Index (EEDI) of the IMO could serve as a tool to implement and measure the emissions reduction. The HELCOM Maritime Group has noted that the use of alternative fuels and addressing the existing ships to reduce NOx emissions through e.g. economic incentives are important topics, which will be addressed at the HELCOM Maritime Group meetings, also taking into account the upcoming HELCOM Ministerial Meeting in 2013. The reduction of NOx emissions from new ships will be dealt with according to the planned designation of the Baltic Sea as a NOx Emission Control Area (NECA).