Tag: Low-sulfur

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.

Shell agreed with Dutch tank terminal firm HES International to partially restart the operation of a German oil refinery mothballed since 2011, in order to address new restrictions coming into force on marine fuels from January 1st 2020. The plant is expected to process heavy, low-sulphur crudes, aiming to produce various products, including the 0.5% sulphur fuel oil or distillate marine fuels.

Unni Einemo, Director, International Bunker Industry Association comments on possible challenges that will arise due to the 2020 sulphur cap. Ms. Einemo notes that in the ideal scenario, enough fuels of acceptable quality will be available in order to meet future demand. However, this scenario is too optimistic and the shipping industry must prepare to deal with future issues.

Euronav will use one of its two ultra large crude carriers (ULCC) to store low-sulphur marine fuel ahead of the 2020 sulphur cap regulation. ULCCs can carry up to 400,000 tonnes of fuel oil, and this specific ULCC, 'Oceania', has been off Malta since January 12. Euronav stated that the use of the ULCC is just one of its IMO 2020 initiatives, which aim to give emphasis on the quality and quantity of compliant fuel supply.

Sinopec’s subsidiary refinery in Singapore's province of Hainan delivered its first shipment of low-sulphur bunker fuel, complying withe upcoming IMO 2020 sulphur cap regulation. Namely, a ship with 2,200 tonnes of low-sulphur fuel departed the Hainan refinery in late February heading to Ningbo on the east coast. The fuel will be put to pilot use at a maritime institution in Shanghai.

IMO’s Sub-Committee on Pollution Prevention and Response (PPR) met from 18 to 22 February at IMO headquarters and focused on finalizing draft Guidelines on the implementation of the 0.50% sulphur limit under MARPOL Annex VI. After discussions, the Sub-Committee agreed to the results below.

The International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) supports UN IMO's decision that safety or operational concerns on the quality of low sulphur fuels is a good reason for shipowners to be issued with a Fuel Oil Non Availability Report (FONAR) when the IMO global sulphur cap comes into full effect on 1 January 2020.

Hadi Haghshenas, deputy director of maritime affairs in Iran, supported, during the closing ceremony of the 26th conference on coordination of marine organizations in Tehran, that they expect the government's support in favour of using low-sulfur fuel in the country's fleet over the next ten months.

Wilhelmsen Ships Service has moved to an agreement with Hitachi High-Tech, to offer the company's handheld XRF sulphur content analysers to the maritime market. This technology helps vessel crews test the sulphur content in their fuel in detail. Hitachi High-Tech’s XRF spectrometers offer upstream and downstream quality control, requiring little sample prep, minimal training and providing almost instantaneous, verifiable results.