Ports' Readiness for IMO 2020 gets Airing at IBIA Event

IBIA in Copenhagen (image credit/IBIA)

As a major bunkering centre, Singapore's plans to meet the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) deadline on 0.5% sulfur bunker fuel are well in advance of the 2020 start date.

Assistant director for bunker services at Singapore, Chew Siu Keong, will be on hand at the International Bunker Industry Association Convention ports' panel this week to flesh out the port authority's thinking on the issue

The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore has been liaising with physical suppliers over the supply of IMO 2020 compliant fuel and it aims to produce a list of those able to supply compliant fuel by the middle of next year, he will say.

For those ships with scrubbers installed and therefore sticking with high sulfur bunker fuel, there will be adequate facilities to dispose of scrubber-related waste. If ships fail to meet the requirement on low sulfur fuel, they risk detention as well as a fine.

The assistant director will say that the MPA is to employ a 'risk matrix' approach when inspecting vessels for compliance under the new rule, which comes into force from January 1, 2020.

In addition to Singapore, Istanbul and Panama will be represented by co-panellists Mustafa Muhtaroglu of Energy Petrol and Nicolas Vukelja Duque of Maritime Advisors.

The session will be moderated by Ship & Bunker's Senior Editor, Julian Macqueen.

As talk around the impact of IMO sulfur rule continues, commentators expect the big bunkering ports to have a relatively smooth transition in terms of managing the change. There are concerns, however, that smaller ports might find the change more difficult. The IMO ruling applies to the global fleet.

The ports' panel takes place on the third day of the conference, which runs in Danish capital of Copenhagen over three days starting on November 6.