Tag: 2020 sulphur cap

The seventh session of the IMO’s Sub-Committee on Implementation of IMO Instruments (III 7) has brought no further clarity regarding on what basis authorities can determine that a ship’s fuel is non-compliant with MARPOL Annex VI sulphur limits, says IBIA.

It is known that the industry has coped remarkably well with the implementation of IMO 2020. However, variable approaches to enforcement of the 0.50% sulphur limit continues to cause a lot of problems and uncertainty for the shipping and fuel oil supply industries.

Following IMO's implementation of sulphur cap regulation, Dick Farrel Camoying Technical Manager of Skuld insurance association explained that the number of claims reported to the club are not significantly higher for VLSFO compared to other fuel.

The 0.5% sulphur limit is valid for ships equal to or greater than 400 gross tonnage operating in Venezuela, but vessels under the special permit regime, engaged in coastal and domestic navigation, will continue to use fuel by national supplier, until there is availability of IMO-compliant fuel.

In the first quarter of 2021 high-sulphur fuel oil (HSFO) has been the only bunker fuel to experience year-on-year growth in Singapore, the world's largest bunkering hub, explains Mr. Peter Sand, BIMCO's Chief Shipping Market Analyst.

It is known that the use of scrubbers has split the shipping industry. To date, several ports and regions have stated that they will not allow the discharge of washwater from scrubbers.

The IMO’s Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) has published a review on the quality of marine fuels supplied, following a year since the introduction of the 0.50% sulphur cap.

Indications are that the transition to 2020 sulphur cap has been ‘’extremely smooth, a testament to the preparations of all stakeholders prior to the new rules entering into force", IMO said on the occasion of one year of implementation of the IMO Sulphur Cap requirement

Singapore-based independent test and research facility Maritec is advising shipowners on how best to meet IMO 2020 fuel testing requirements following reports of excessive sulphur in some very low sulphur fuel oils.

Although all lights are shed on COVID-19, let’s not forget that last year the long anticipated IMO Sulphur cap became effective. Now, after one year of implementation,  it is time to come to conclusions; in that regard,  in our Sea Sense column,  in association with The North of England P&I Club, we ask global experts to make their assessment whether we succeeded or not: