Tag: 2020 sulphur cap

But ARA and Italian results still high Almost three months after the global 3.5% sulphur content limit for marine fuel came into force DNVPS says that sulphur levels are now stabilizing. However the company's tests a significant proportion of samples from ARA and Italy with more 3.5% sulphur.DNVPS says it is continuing to monitor the sulphur levels of commercial bunker samples tested at its laboratories and its latest update covers HFO samples (excluding low sulphur fuel samples) representing all viscosity grades bunkered in the two-week period between 3 and 16 March 2012. The data from week 10-11/2012 shows that 2.2% of the supplied fuels exceeded the global sulphur cap of maximum 3.50% m/m, compared to 2.7% in week 8-9/2012 and 2.0% in week 6-7/2012. DNVPS notes: "This indicates that the sulphur levels are now stabilizing."About 37% of the samples containing more than 3.50% sulphur have viscosity above 420cSt at 50C.According to DNVPS Rotterdam has seen an increase in the number of samples with sulphur concentration above 3.50% m/m, from 7.6% in week 08-09/2012 to 9.1% in week 10-11/2012). Amsterdam has also seen an increase from 28.6% to 29.4%.Singapore, on the other hand, has seen a decrease in the number of ...

International legislation regarding sulphur content in marine fuels The Ports of Hamburg, Antwerp and Rotterdam expressed their satisfaction with the European Parliament resolution to transpose international legislation regarding sulphur content in marine fuels into European legislation.This fits within the objectives of the three largest European ports to improve the air quality in Europe, make transport more sustainable and create a 'level playing field' for all European ports.The voting result of the Environment Committee concerns among others the permitted sulphur content in marine fuels (see table below) and seeks to declare that stricter sulphur standards should be applicable also outside the already existing Sulphur Emission Control Area's (North Sea, Baltic and the South and East Coasts of the United Kingdom).In addition to the SECA areas, from 2015 a general sulphur standard of 0.1% sulphur content in marine fuels will apply to the '12-mile-zone' along all coasts in the European Union. In 2015 and 2020 0.5% respectively 0.1% sulphur content in marine fuels will apply in the Exclusive Economic Zones and Pollution Control Areas of all European waters. Hamburg, Antwerp and Rotterdam support the principle that new SECA's are to be established by the International Maritime Organisation. The result of the vote ...

Say MPs More stringent limits are essential to cut sulphur emissions from ships, but the UK government must negotiate to ensure the EU Directive goes no further than the revised MARPOL Annex VI agreed in 2008, say MPs in a report examining a draft EU directive aimed at curbing this significant source of air pollution.Launching Sulphur emissions by ships, Louise Ellman, Chair of the Transport Committee said,"We endorse the Government's support for the more stringent regulation of sulphur emissions contained within the revised Annex VI because it will markedly improve air quality and deliver significant health and environmental benefits. These regulations were agreed on a worldwide basis through the International Maritime Organisation after several years of discussion.We believe that it's not appropriate for the Commission to go further than these globally-agreed limits by imposing tighter regulations on shipping operators at this time. We therefore endorse the UK Government's efforts to resist any additional requirements.We do not agree, however, with the Minister's assertion that the Government will not negotiate with the Commission on its proposals; the Government will have to forge alliances with other Member States. We recommend that UK negotiators focus on removing the tighter emissions limits for passenger ships ...

Worldwide 2.0% of the samples contained more than 3.50% but ARA precentages still high Testing service DNVPS says that worldwide, 2.0% of the bunker samples it tested between 4 and 17 February 2012 contained more than 3.50% m/m sulphur compared to 2.4% in the previous two weeks.DNVPS monitoring the development in the sulphur levels of commercial samples and its findings cover HFO samples, excluding low sulphur fuel samples, of all viscosity grades. As of 1 January 2012, the global sulphur limit was reduced to maximum 3.50% m/m in accordance with Regulation 14 of MARPOL Annex VI for ships not equipped with abatement technology or other compliance.According to DNVPS, ARA is still the area with the highest percentage of samples being supplied with sulphur concentrations above 3.50% m/m. Samples from Rotterdam came in at 14.3%, Antwerp 2.6% and Amsterdam 20.0%. Compared to the first week of 2012, Rotterdam has seen a marked improvement from the 57% reported by DNVPS. About 10% of the samples containing more than 3.50% sulphur have viscosity above 420cSt at 50C.However Singapore has seen an increase , to 3.6%, in the number of samples tested with more than 3.50% m/m sulphur, compared to 2.7% found in week ...

DNVPS shows big fall in non-compliant fuel in second week of year DNVPS says that it has found a big fall in non-compliant fuel worldwide in the second week of year but the the ARA region still provided the largest percentage of off-spec samples. A DNVPS study covering standard HFO samples of stems carried out in the first week of the year had shown that 6.5% of the samples worldwide exceed the new IMO global sulphur limit of 3.50% m/m. The survey excluded low sulphur fuel.Two weeks ago DNVPS said in its newsletter also said that 57% of the samples from Rotterdam contained more than 3.50% sulphur. In its latest newsletter the testing agency says that, during the second week of January the percentage of non-compliant samples, had dropped to 3.3% worldwide but ARA remained the area with the highest percentage of samples being supplied with sulphur concentration above 3.50% - Rotterdam 28%, Amsterdam 16% and Antwerp 4% .The figures suggest a non-compliance problem. The global sulphur limit was reduced to maximum 3.50% in accordance with Regulation 14 of MARPOL Annex VI for ships not being equipped with abatement technology or other compliance methods that are at least as effective ...

New study says available test evidence is insufficient to estimate compliance levels across the ECAs An interim report by the UK-based Seafarers International Research Centre has recommended that the country's Maritime and Coastguard Agency should test bunkers for sulphur content and not just rely, as at present, on documentary evidence.The report, Pollution Controls: the Case of the Governance of Ship Emissions is of a continuing study examines the effectiveness of international regulations on ships' sulphur emissions, based on observation of ship inspections in the UK and Sweden and on interviews with regulators, inspectors and industry stakeholders.The study finds: "There is currently a 'culture of compliance' in the industry, with the proportion of ship detentions as a percentage of Paris MoU inspections falling from 9% in 2001 to just 3% in 2010." It also says that only fragmentary lab-test evidence of compliance levels is available.It says that, in the first quarter of 2011, 18% of samples, collected in Western Europe and the Baltic and sent to one large commercial lab testing agency, proved to have non-compliant sulphur levels. Most of these samples were only marginally off-spec, and there were considerable local differences, with only 7% of Rotterdam samples being off-spec. Test ...

Linea Messina is the first ever vessel to operate commercially with a scrubber system Hamworthy Krystallon, the world leading marine scrubbing technology manufacturer, announced that the first of four vessels installed with the company's seawater scrubbers for leading Italian ship owner Ignazio Messina & Co has come on line.Linea Messina is the first ever vessel to operate commercially with a scrubber system, enabling Ignazio Messina to meet 0.1% sulphur emissions regulations in EU ports, as well as "future-proofing" the vessel for the impending 2015 0.1% Emission Control Area (ECA)."This is a landmark moment, not just for Hamworthy Krystallon, but the entire shipping industry," said Sigurd Jenssen, Managing Director, Hamworthy Krystallon. "Bringing Linea Messina on line highlights the validity of scrubbing technology as a viable and cost-effective solution to meet the stringent sulphur emissions regulations, that are serving to transform the shipping industry.By 2015, ship owners and operators operating in ECAs will have a simple choice - either pay the $300 to $400 price differential for costly distillate fuel or install a scrubber, which typically has a payback of less than 2 years. Messina has shown what the smart choice is." continued Jenssen.Ignazio Messina placed the world's first commercial order for ...

Vessels have to comply with a 0.1% limit on fuel sulphur content Trade association Interferry says that ferry operators in northern Europe face a near-impossible choice in trying to meet the 2015 deadline for ultra-low sulphur emissions from bunker fuel.The association also warns that the low-sulphur legislation will prompt an environmentally damaging modal shift from short-sea to overland transport and pose severe financial implications for the overall European economy.Under pending IMO and soon to be agreed European Union (EU) environmental requirements, vessels operating in the Baltic, North Sea and Channel Emission Control Areas (ECAs) will have to comply with a 0.1% limit on fuel sulphur content.Interferry says it acknowledges ferry operators' responsibility to reduce emissions and supports the move to lower sulphur limits globally by 2020 - but claims that the 2015 timescale is 'mission impossible´ due to unsustainable cost increases. It argues that, despite the ferry industry's efforts to develop alternative technologies and feasible alternative fuels, abatement technologies and financial support will not be available or sufficient enough to avoid a modal shift from sea to road. These alternatives are the elements in a 'toolbox' of technical and financial solutions proposed by the European Commission (EC).The toolbox suggests the ...

IBIA members concerned residual fuel produced in the Middle East currently exceeds the 3.5% limit Major bunker supplier and trader OW Bunker has assured its customers of sufficient availability of IMO compliant fuel after 1 January 2011 despite concerns over supply, particularly in the Middle East.DNV Petroleum Services has recently warned that suppliers will face a challenge in meeting the demand for fuel oil with a sulphur content of 3.5%. This follows the Marpol Annex VI regulation that will see the global sulphur content of fuel oil reduced from 4.5%. The global sulphur limit applies to all waters other than Emission Control Areas (ECAs), where fuel oil with a sulphur content of 1% must be used.Also, at the recent International Bunker Industry Association (IBIA) annual convention in Barcelona, several IBIA members pointed out that much residual fuel produced in the Middle East currently exceeds the 3.5 per cent limit. They were worried that, since none of the countries in the region are signatories to Marpol Annex VI, there might be nothing in place to force suppliers there to provide IMO compliant fuel. The general expectation at Barcelona was that bunker fuel taken on in the Middle East would continue to ...

Bunker industry to become more involved in the ongoing discussions on LNG as a fuel at IMO The International Bunker Industry Association's (IBIA) board has taken a formal decision to "become more closely engaged in LNG matters". The move was announced at last week's IBIA's Annual Convention, held in Barcelona, by its acting chief executive Trevor Harrison. He told delegates that the association would become more involved in the ongoing discussions on LNG as a fuel at the International Maritime Organization (IMO).The potential of LNG as a fuel for merchant ships received considerable attention. Several speakers referred to the issue while addressing industry concerns about the 2015 implementation of the 0.1% sulphur content cap in bunkers used within Emission Control Areas (ECAs). In addition one session was entirely devoted to the prospects for widespread use of LNG.While there were some cautionary voices, the focus on LNG reflected IBIA's considered view that now is the time for the bunker industry to become involved in the development of gas powered ships. IBIA board member Nigel Draffin is to work closely with the Society of International Gas Tanker and Terminal Operators (SIGTTO) to provide input into the development of IMO's Code for Gas ...