12 Carriers in ECA Enforcement Alliance

Strevens said the alliance will announce all its members in two weeks

Twelve major shipping companies have agreed to a framework for a new organisation, the Trident Alliance, that will work for strong enforcement of sulfur limits in Northern European emissions control areas (ECAs), industry news site ShippingWatch reports.

The only members of the alliance that have been publicly named are Wallenius Wilhelmsen Logistics (WWL) and Maersk, but organisers say carriers from Sweden, Germany, Japan, and South Korea are also part of the group.

The companies agreed to a set of principles at an initial meeting last week in Copenhagen.

"We principally agree to establish the Trident Alliance and we have formulated the basis for the alliance," said Roger Strevens, vice president and global head of environment at WWL.

"We will now each of us present this basis to our respective companies, our legal team, just as it will need to be anchored among the CEO's of the companies.

"We've given ourselves two weeks for this process, after which we'll be able to announce the names of the members of the Trident Alliance."

European Union (EU) officials and leaders of European governments have said the alliance could help prevent fraud among carriers operating in ECAs.

"I absolutely believe that this will make a difference, when several major carriers join forces to call for increased control of shipping in national and international waters," said Danish Minister for the Environment Kirsten Brosbøl.

"I look forward to hearing the alliance's proposals on how to make sure that the new sulphur regulations are respected by everyone."

Announcing plans for the meeting last month, WWL said the alliance would help prevent distortion of competition that might occur if some carriers find it easy to break the rules.