The International Maritime Organisation (IMO) has been working to reduce the harmful impacts of shipping on the environment, setting progressively stricter limits on the sulphur content of fuel oils used by vessels. Failure to comply with these new rules can lead to substantial fines.
Recently, the IMO has adopted a 2008 resolution that introduces a reduced global sulphur cap on marine fuels. The current global limit of 3.5% mass/mass (m/m) shall decrease to 0.5% m/m from 1 January 2020.
While the new regulation has been welcomed by all, there are challenges in ensuring its full compliance and enforcement. This page is dedicated to provide Members with the resources necessary to overcome these challenges.
From 1 January 2020, the MARPOL permitted limit for sulphur content in ships’ bunker will be reduced from 3.5% m/m to 0.50% m/m (for ships operating outside designated emission control areas)
Members are referred to the Alert issued by the Association on 21/04/2017 relating to the Panama Canal Advisory A-15-2017: Modification to Fuel Requirements in Canal Waters.
The Club has learnt that Paris MOU, Tokyo MOU, Indian Ocean MOU and Black Sea MOU port state control (PSC) regimes have agreed to focus on the prevention of air pollution by ships during their forthcoming concentrated inspection campaigns (CICs) - 1 September 2018 and 30 November 2018.
The IMO's Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) set 1st of January 2020 as entry-into-force date of the 0.50% m/m global sulphur in marine fuel cap at its 70th session on 24th - 28th October 2016. In preparation for implementation of the limit, extensive work has been carried out by IMO and recently by its Intersessional Working Group that met during 9th -13th July 2018.
