The U.S. House of Representatives has approved legislation to to curb emissions from ships using diesel fuel, ABC News reports.

Under the House bill, the U.S. Coast Guard and EPA would be given the authority to develop and enforce emission limits on the thousands of domestic and foreign-flagged vessels that enter U.S. waters each year.

The International Council on Clean Transportation recently issued a report (executive summary PDF) finding that ocean-going vessels produce more sulfur dioxide emissions than all the world’s cars, trucks and buses combined, according to a story by GreenCarCongress (via Groovey Green).

In addition, a study from the International Maritime Organization predicts that emissions from the global fleet will increase 72 percent in the next 20 years as globalization leads to increased demand for bigger, faster ships, the Guardian reports.