Americas News
Canada, Marshall Islands Highlight "Other Impacts" from Arctic HFO Ban
A rush to ban the carriage of heavy fuel oil from Arctic waters could have "other impacts", according to Canada and the Marshall Islands.
The issue -- for discussion at the International Maritime Organisation's next environmental meeting in London in April -- is when to implement such a ban.
A heavy fuel oil spill is seen as potentially very harmful to the sensitive Arctic marine environment and Finland would like to see a carriage ban in place by 2021.
However, Canada and the Marshall Islands while supportive on a ban want the IMO meeting to consider "economic and other impacts to Arctic communities associated with the restricction or phase-out of heavy fuel in Arctic waters", the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation has reported citing documents obtained by Radio Canada International.
The Finnish proposal to apply the ban to all ships operating under the International Convention for Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL) has the support of Germany, Iceland, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Sweden and United States.
Green groups which favour an outright ban have voiced their support for the global 0.5% sulfur cap on fuel oil as moving in the right direction.
