Environmental NGO Welcomes IMO Support for Action on HFO Use in the Arctic

by Ship & Bunker News Team
Friday July 7, 2017

The Clean Arctic Alliance today welcomed support from the International Maritime Organization (IMO) member states at the 71st session of the Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC 71) for a proposal to identify measures to help mitigate the risks posed by the use of HFO in Arctic waters.

The proposal, called "Measures to Reduce Risks of Use and Carriage of Heavy Fuel Oil as Fuel by Ships in Arctic Waters" was put forth by Canada, Finland, Germany, Iceland, the Netherlands, Norway, and the U.S., and was supported at MEPC 71 by the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, France, Poland, Singapore, Spain, and Sweden.

"The Clean Arctic Alliance welcomes the recognition by IMO Member States of the risks posed by an HFO spill to local indigenous communities and to the environment, and the broad support from members towards providing the protection required in vulnerable Arctic waters," said Sian Prior, Lead Advisor to the Clean Arctic Alliance.

"With the Arctic warming at an unprecedented rate, it is imperative that the IMO starts work on developing new measures, including a ban on HFO use in the region, without delay."

Concrete proposals for measures to reduce the risks associated with the use of HFO will be considered by MEPC 72 in April 2018.

In June, the Clean Arctic Alliance announced that the German Maritime LNG Platform had signed the Arctic Commitment, which calls for a ban on the use of HFO in Arctic shipping.