EMEA News
UK Chamber: Position on ECA "Misrepresented"
The UK Chamber of Shipping fired back against UK transport minister Stephen Hammond, saying the group's views on new sulfur emissions rules were "misrepresented," industry news site TradeWinds reports.
Hammond recently said he was "disappointed that the UK Chamber of Shipping continues to react as if the sulphur limits are new and are somehow inherently undesirable, or else that the UK government should have avoided them."
Chamber spokesman Jonathan Roberts said Hammond is aware that the organisation supports the reduced limits on sulfur emissions within Emissions Control Areas (ECAs), which take effect at the start of next year.
While the industry has been aware of the change for years, Roberts said, retrofitting technology to reduce exhaust emissions has only become available in the last few months, and the installation of exhaust scrubbers will cost $10 million per ship and take 50 days
"There are too many ships and not enough time," he said.
The Chamber is warning that the jump in demand for low-sulfur fuel will exacerbate the increase in costs involved in the switch, potentially leading to a 20 percent increase in fares.
It is asking the UK to work with others in Europe to add flexibility in the introduction of the new rules.
Hammond made his remarks last week in response to legislators who called for the country to seek changes to the implementation of the new rules.
