EMEA News
Gothenburg Pays Out SEK 2M for Using Low-Sulfur Bunkers
The Port of Gothenburg said Wednesday that it has paid SEK 2 million ($315,000) to shipping companies that agree to use low-sulfur fuel.
The "Improved Fuel Quality" programme provides up to SEK 125,000 ($19,700) every six months to ships that use fuel with a maximum sulfur content of 0.1 percent.
The port said the subsidies helped reduce sulfur emissions by 100 tonnes last year and eliminated 60 tonnes of the pollutant in the first six months of 2013.
"The programme is a means of encouraging shipping companies to contribute to cleaner shipping and prepare for the stricter EU Sulphur Directive, which will come into force on January 1, 2015," said Anna Jivén, acting environmental manager at the Port of Gothenburg.
"The reduced sulphur emissions during the first six months of 2013 indicates that the emissions will be even lower than last year."
The payments, which are available to ships using either low-sulfur bunkers or alternative fuels including liquefied natural gas, come from a surcharge on ships using fuel with more than 0.5 percent sulfur content.
Companies participating in the programme include Maersk Line, Thun Tankers, Stena Oil, Top Oil, Scandinavian Shipping, and OW Bunker, and new companies signing on will receive payments in 2014.
Ports worldwide have been implementing rules and subsidy schemes, including a planned cap on sulphur content recently announced by Hong Kong, to reduce local pollution.
