HFO Carriage Ban Brings "Huge Degree of Clarity" on IMO 2020

by Ship & Bunker News Team
Monday April 30, 2018

The proposed ban on carrying non-compliant, high sulfur bunker fuel once the "IMO 2020" sulfur cap comes into force brings a "huge degree of clarity" for shipowners and operators over how they should comply with the new rules, according to Bernhard Schulte Shipmanagement.

The global 0.50% sulfur cap on marine fuel comes into force from January 1, 2020, and there is still plenty of uncertainty among industry participants as to what its impact will be.

"There is also a huge degree of clarity now that it will be illegal to carry HSFO on a ship that isn't properly equipped with appropriate abatement systems," Angus Campbell, corporate director of energy projects at Bernhard Schulte Shipmanagement, told S&P Global Platts in an interview conducted during the recent Singapore Maritime Week 2018.

"So the scene is now set and everybody knows what to expect and each of them will look at their individual ships and come up with solutions that are appropriate for them."

There is now also an expectation that the new rules will be effectively enforced, he added.

Following IMO backing in February, the International Bunker Industry Association (IBIA) says it is now "very likely" the carriage ban will come into effect, albeit not until March 1, 2020 at the earliest.

As for its own plans, the shipowner and ship manager - who says it owns 100 vessels and manages about 620 vessels - will most likely choose low sulfur compliant fuel rather than install scrubbers.

Ship & Bunker News Team
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