Asia/Pacific News
Shipowners Debunkering HSFO in Hong Kong Ahead of Carriage Ban: Platts
Shipowners in Hong Kong have increasingly been debunkering high sulfur fuel oil (HSFO) from their vessels this month ahead of the ban on the carriage of non-compliant fuels that comes into effect in March, according to price reporting agency S&P Global Platts.
Suppliers have been purchasing debunkered HSFO from shipowners at a discount to resell it to others with scrubbers equipped to their vessels, the company reported Friday.
The agency cited one supplier in Hong Kong as saying they are seeing the average size of debunkering requests falling this month, from several hundred tonnes in December to less than 100mt in January.
The International Maritime Organization's ban on the carriage of bunker fuel with a sulfur content above 0.50% by vessels without scrubbers is due to come into effect on 1 March.
