Page 48: of Maritime Reporter Magazine (February 2018)

Global Sulfur Cap

The Time to Prepare is Now

BY JAMES BOND ith less than two years implica¬tions at a time when the form fur fuel oils (HSFO) from the January 1, for the composition of low-sulfur fuels until a global sulfur cap of future environmental regulation is 2020 deadline. The ban is proposed for will not be ready by the deadline.

on marine fuels comes uncertain, and getting it wrong could ships not equipped with an “approved Whether an owner/operator opts for

Winto effect, shipowners signi? ¬cantly disrupt operations. equivalent compliance method”, such as low-sulfur fuels, LNG/LPG as fuel or are facing some very tough decisions. But decisions must be made: the IMO exhaust scrubbers. exhaust scrubbers, thorough ? eet-spe-

For those considering exhaust scrub- has recently reiterated that the 2020 Some oil majors have warned that ef- ci? c evaluations of the technical options bers or conversion to gas or hybrid pro- deadline is ? rm. While it is not the role forts to create low-sulfur fuel by blend- and economics of each will take resourc- pulsion systems to comply with IMO of shipping’s governing body to ensure ing HSFO with distillates may lead to es and time.

Marpol Annex VI regulation by 2020, that adequate low-sulfur fuel stocks will incompatibility between fuels sourced Approximately 100 vessels with LNG- there are complex questions about retro- be available, it appears con? dent that from different bunker suppliers, result- fuelled propulsion systems are on order ? tting technology; for those considering suppliers will meet demand, and that ing in issues such as fuel instability in at global shipyards; another 100 are al- low-sulfur distillates (below the IMO- ? nes for non-compliance will be consis- the tanks and/or engine problems caused ready in operation. According to the lat- mandated 0.5% cap), availability of fuel tently levied across the globe. by high levels of catalytic ‘? nes’. est estimates from Clarksons, 240 ships will be a key concern. The IMO’s Subcommittee on Pollution For its part, the International Standards have been ? tted with scrubber systems,

Whichever route to compliance is Prevention and Response will this month Organization has said an update to its those vessels will spend much of their chosen, it will involve considerable (subs: February) consider an industry bunker fuel standard (ISO 8217) that time operating in emissions control areas capital expense and have long-term ? eet proposal to ban the carriage of high-sul- would help to set an industry benchmark (ECA) such as the Baltic Sea and across © Anatoly Repin/Adobe Stock 48 Maritime Reporter & Engineering News • FEBRUARY 2018

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