As part of its efforts to comply with the 2020 sulphur cap, South Korean shipping company HMM announced the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to establish a win-win fund for scrubber installation and to seek cooperation in the shipping-related industries.
In an event in late February, Bermuda-based Nordic American Tankers Ltd (NAT) reiterated that scrubbers are not a solution for the company, in view of the 2020 sulphur cap, and it will ‘not take on risk it does not have to’.
During the 219 SAFETY4SEA Cyprus Conference, Dr. John Kokarakis, Director Technical Business Development, HBSA Zone, Bureau Veritas, provided an in-depth overview of all the environmentally-friendly marine fuel solutions for compliance with the 2020 sulphur cap.
As IBIA reports, a standard IMO format for reporting non-availability of compliant fuel oil has been developed, as well as guidance for how such reports should be investigated by authorities. However, there is no resolution yet about how to deal with any bunkers that are over the 0.50% sulphur limit, which remain on board a ship when the carriage ban takes effect.
Euronav has chartered a tanker to bring a 30,000 tonne cargo of low-sulphur fuel oil from northwest Europe to Malta, where its megatanker, Oceania, is located since January 12. The tanker loaded the low-sulphur fuel from Antwerp and is expected to reach Malta on March 20, Then it will probably transfer the fuel onto the ultra large crude carrier via ship-to-ship operation.
Swedish tanker owner Stena Bulk announced it has made a major investment in scrubbers and will have 16 units installed before January 2020, on a total of 10 IMOIIMAXes, 5 Suezmaxes and one of standard MR. The move is part of the company’s plans to comply with the 2020 sulphur cap.
According to IBIA, a full review of the 2015 Guidelines on Exhaust Gas Cleaning Systems needs more time, as only elements regarding malfunction of the EGCS system or a monitoring instrument have been sent for approval by the IMO’s Marine Environment Protection Committee in May. MEPC 74 will also discuss about ways to address any potential environmental impact of scrubber discharges to water.
IBIA has been participating, consulting and contributing to IMO’s meetings, concerning amendments to MARPOL Annex VI that will ensure consistent implementation of the global 0.50% sulphur cap, developed at the 6th meeting of the IMO’s Sub-Committee on Pollution Prevention and Response (PPR 6).
As the world is preparing for IMO’s 2020 sulphur cap fuel regulation, oil major ExxonMobil’s marine fuels outfit is innovating to be at the forefront of the emerging low sulphur market, as Forbes reports. The oil major sees the sulphur regulations as an opportunity and not as an operational problem.
BP Marine announced that it will begin to retail low sulphur fuel that complies with upcoming MARPOL regulations which are limiting the sulphur content of marine fuels. Namely, BP will be introducing the new very low sulphur fuel oil, with a maximum 0.5% sulphur content, after conducting successful sea trials in the Amsterdam/Rotterdam/Antwerp and Singapore hubs.
