US Admiral: No Delay to IMO2020

by Ship & Bunker News Team
Wednesday April 3, 2019

There will be no delay from the US over implementing the 0.5% sulfur cap on bunker fuel which comes into force in under a year's time, a US admiral has said.

Speaking at a shipping event in the US, Admiral John Nadeua said that the US will enforce the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) regulation just as it had enforced the rules applying to emission control areas, maritime news provider Lloyd's List reports.

Hints of prevarication over the IMO2020 rule surfaced last year when it transpired that higher demand from shipping for distillate fuels could lead to price rises for US domestic consumers.

A mooted While House 'experience building' phase to the new regulation on bunker fuel could have led to implementation delays.

From the start of 2020, the global fleet must use bunker fuel capped at 0.5% sulfur unless vessels have the necessary emissions mitigation installed.

While adequate supply of compliant low sulfur bunker fuel is in hand, the impact of the change in the pattern of demand -- and subsequent price volatility -- remains an unknown.