Page 58: of Maritime Logistics Professional Magazine (May/Jun 2018)

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REGULATORY WATCH

The Global 0.50% Sulfur Cap: 30 months and counting down …

Credit: EXXON

Industry frets about the coming deadline. Shipping desperately wants to be ready, but will global shore-based infrastructure and refning capacity match the de- mand that is sure to come? And … are regulators listening to industry’s concerns?

By Tom Ewing n early June, the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) and U.S. En- • Reporting when fuel is unavailable. CG/EPA wanted vironmental Protection Agency (EPA) held a public work- comments on a proposal to create a “Fuel Oil Non-

Ishop in Washington to help the agencies prepare for the Availability Reporting” (FONAR) system.

January 1, 2020 deadline for worldwide implementation of very • Compliance and verifcation, particularly regarding low sulfur marine fuel that meets the new 0.50% sulfur cap as “bunker delivery notes.” set forth by the International Maritime Organization (IMO). • Methods and procedures that port States might adopt to

More specifcally, the workshop was part of a larger pro- facilitate a level playing feld. (Emphasis added.) cess to prepare for a July “intersessional working group meet- • Ditto for fag States facilitating a level playing feld. ing” of the IMO’s Marine Environment Protection Committee (Emphasis added.) (MEPC). That intersessional work will advance to the MEPC’s • Guidance for implementation and a level playing feld.

73rd session in October. Wayne Lundy, Senior USCG Marine

Engineer, moderated the June workshop, along with the EPA’s Stakeholders & Sticking Points

Chris Laroo. Lundy said that agency staff, in preparation A total of 36 people attended with a few more dialing in via for the MEPC meeting, want solutions that are mindful and telephone. Fifteen were from various government agencies, watchful of US maritime shippers’ concerns and priorities. including, EPA, Coast Guard and MARAD. Non-governmen-

In advance of the meeting, the USCG and EPA listed seven tal attendees included representatives from maritime and ship- broad discussion topics: ping groups, such as Intertanko, the World Shipping Council • Plans and procedures to ensure readiness by January 1, 2020. and from petroleum-based trade groups and individual attor- • Safety and machinery impacts associated with blended fuels. neys and consultants attending on behalf of clients.

58 Maritime Logistics Professional May/June 2018 | |