Sulphur Emissions – Does one ship pollute as much as 50 million cars?

A recent eye-catching headline that did the rounds in LinkedIn’s marine community suggested that one ship emits as much sulphur as 50 million cars. Another frequently seen statement is that the sixteen worst offending vessels create as much pollution as all the cars on the planet combined. Can this really be true? Was shipping not supposed to be the most environmentally friendly mode of transportation out there?   

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