NGOs Again Urge IMO to Ban HFO Use in Arctic Waters

The Clean Arctic Alliance has issued a call for IMO to ban the use of HFO in arctic waters.

With the 70th session of the Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC 70) set to take place next week, green groups are once again calling for the International Maritime Organization (IMO) to ban the use of HFO in Arctic water.

In a statement released Wednesday by the Clean Arctic Alliance, a new coalition of not-for-profit organisations, the group underlined concerns previously raised by some of its members, which include Seas At Risk, Transport & Environment and WWF.

Chief among those concerns is that a HFO spill would be "virtually impossible to clean up" particularly in the cold Arctic waters.

Burning HFO also leads to the emission of "significant quantities" of black carbon, accelerating arctic climate change, the group said.

"The International Maritime Organization must begin the immediate phase-out of heavy fuel oils from Arctic waters," said Sian Prior, Advisor to the Clean Arctic Alliance.

"We urge the International Maritime Organization to adopt a legally binding instrument to end the use of HFO as marine fuel in Arctic waters by 2020."

A panel of Arctic indigenous speakers from Russia, U.S., and Canada will address the IMO during the MEPC meeting, says the Clean Arctic Alliance, in a 30-minute session that it notes will highlight the need for ongoing indigenous engagement from the IMO.

The Clean Arctic Alliance also says HFO should be phased out and replaced with cleaner, more efficient fuels, including liquefied natural gas (LNG) or lighter distillate fuels, and is calling for the shipping industry to move away from fossil-fuels all together to protect the arctic region.

Also on Wednesday, BIMCO, the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS), INTERCARGO, INTERTANKO, and the World Shipping Council (WSC) issued a joint call for IMO member states to take action in addressing shipping's CO2 emissions.