According to Reuters, Sinopec Corp’s refinery and petrochemical complex in Tianjin will shut down for two months, starting in early May, for a regular revamp with the aim to cut its crude throughput by about 2 million tonnes this year.
The Standard club has received reports that low sulfur fuel is not currently readily available in all Indonesian ports and that there are local shortages. Considering this situation, it is recommended that members take necessary precautions to source sufficient compliant bunkers prior to calling at Indonesian ports.
Reuters reports that China has approved a long-awaited tax waiver on exports of cleaner ship fuel, helping refiners to boost output. Yet, Beijing may initially limit shipments with the aim to focus on growing its coastal marine fuel market.
Maersk is now increasing fuel surcharge imposed on the transport of boxloads of goods as the implementation of the new environmental rules sent the industry’s costs soaring.
In fact, the Managing Director of the National Iranian Oil Product Distribution Company (NIOPDC)’s Markazi Department recently said that low-sulfur fuel oil needed for the country’s vessels is now fully supplied and distributed by the company.
As we are approaching the end of another exciting year for shipping, without a doubt the focus of everyone ahead of 2020 will be on IMO sulphur cap. This issue, along with decarbonization in general, has emerged as a main priority for the sector, with companies trying to find ways to cut their emissions. In this article, we take a look back at 2019, and we identify the key environmental moments that left their mark.
Recently, the Human Environment and Transport Inspectorate (ILT) from the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management installed an air quality sensor on Splitsingsdam at the Port of Rotterdam’s Maas Entrance; this is one of the additional measures of the ILT in order to monitor sulphur dioxide emissions from shipping.
The new low-sulphur bunker oil VLSFO has become extremely popular in Port of Rotterdam. In fact, half of all November bunker sales were for VLSFO, as seen from the bunkering notifications via the Port of Rotterdam Authority’s TimeToBunker App.
In his keynote address at the 2019 HANSA Forum in Hamburg, on Thursday, November 21, Bud Darr, MSC Group’s Executive Vice President, Maritime Policy & Government Affairs, highlighted the challenges shipowners face in meeting the goals and regulations in light of the ambitious goal set by the IMO to half sulfur emissions by 2050.
Taiwan fined four ships NT$ 100,000 each, which is around USD$ 3,300, for violating the new emissions control area (ECA) regulations, according to local media citing a note from the Ministry of Transportation and Communications.
