On 10th October 2008, under MARPOL Annex VI, the IMO adopted the policy that with effect from the beginning of this year the sulphur content of emissions allowed in the Emission Control Areas (ECAs), including: the Baltic Sea, North Sea and English Channel, plus the USA, most of Canada, the US Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico, would be reduced. From 1st January 2015, every ship operating within the ECA areas must use higher quality fuels, the allowable emitted sulphur content decreasing from 1% to no more than 0.1%. Environmentalists and the international shipping community has in general supported this sound environmental improvement initiative. Vessels will now be required to use either a distillate fuel, an altogether alternate fuel or continue to use existing fuels but with the installation of a scrubber or gas cleaning system that removes sulphur from the exhaust after combustion. A number of international oil companies have moved to provide supplies of the regulated grades alongside their standard fuel products; for example Exxon now produces a compliant fuel known as HDME 50 which has similar properties to Heavy Fuel Oil (HFO) but importantly, complies with the 0.1% sulphur limits. Whilst this fuel is reportedly cheaper than Marine Gas...