IBIA Takes Case for Bunker Supplier Licensing to IMO

The discussion arose at the MSC meeting at the IMO's London headquarters last month. Image Credit: Ship & Bunker

Industry body IBIA has raised its support for wider licensing for bunker suppliers at a recent committee meeting at the IMO.

At the Maritime Safety Committee meeting last month, IBIA voiced its support for more authorities introducing licensing for bunker suppliers as a means of raising the industry's standards, the organisation said in a statement last week.

IBIA's comments came in response to a joint proposal from BIMCO, ICS, INTERCARGO and INTERTANKO suggesting more licensing would be useful in reducing the incidence of off-specification bunker fuel supply in poorer regions.

"We are very much supportive of the proposal in the document that relevant authorities should be encouraged to consider implementing and enforcing a licensing scheme for bunker suppliers operating within their jurisdiction," IBIA said at the meeting.

"The approach of the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore in connection with the recent case in Singapore of Organic Chlorides described in MSC 106/INF.19 is a prime example of the benefits of a licensing scheme."

But in last week's statement the organisation noted there was little support for the proposal among member states of the UN body.

"There was not, however, much appetite for pursuing bunker licensing among Member States," IBIA said.

"A few questioned the degree to which bunker licensing would be effective in preventing supply of off-spec fuels.

"Several noted that it is entirely the responsibility of the supplier to provide on-spec fuel."

Singapore has been running a licensing system for its bunker suppliers for many years, and IBIA and other industry voices have been arguing that more of these systems being rolled out around the world would help to improve the industry's standards and reputation.