EMEA News
IMO Fuel Availability Study: French Media Question Nomination of Oil Major Employee as Country's Representative
French media has criticized the country's decision to nominate an oil major employee to sit as the country's representative at an International Maritime Organisation (IMO) steering committee for a fuel availability study scheduled for 2018.
The steering committee has been tasked with organising how a study, intended to assess whether the implementation of a 0.50 percent global sulfur cap for marine fuel should be delayed from 2020 until 2025, will be conducted.
Jade Lindgaard, writing for Mediapart, calls France's selection of Total SA employee Franck Chevallier an "embarrassing situation" due to a potential conflict of interest.
The oil major's activities include the production of sale of marine fuels, he notes, but the committee is tasked with organising a study to establish new environmental regulations that could "cost tens of millions of euros" to the oil company he works for.
"Under these conditions," questions Lingaard, "what is the real margin of appreciation and intellectual autonomy of this expert?"
Commenting on the situation, a spokesperson from Total said Chevallier was representing France as an expert to technically evaluate various proposals.
"Every expert in this group of 20 members aims to transmit technical and scientific evaluation of the tender, applying criteria and an evaluation grid set by IMO," said Total.
"The expert appointed for France also received a roadmap and specific instructions on the position.
"The final policy decision on the enforcement date will be taken by another IMO committee that will bring together all the countries concerned (more than 100 delegations)."
In April, Ship & Bunker reported that Dr. Rudy Kassinger questioned the practicality of the IMO fuel availability study.
