Carriage Ban Adopted to Implement Sulphur 2020 Limit

Shailaja A. Lakshmi
Sunday, October 28, 2018

An amendment to support consistent implementation of the forthcoming 0.50% limit on sulphur in ships fuel oil was adopted by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) on Friday (26 October), during the current session of the Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC 73).

The new 0.50% limit (reduced from 3.50% currently) on sulphur in ships' fuel oil will be in force from 1 January 2020, under IMO's MARPOL treaty, with benefits for the environment and human health.

The complementary MARPOL amendment will prohibit the carriage of non-compliant fuel oil for combustion purposes for propulsion or operation on board a ship - unless the ship has an exhaust gas cleaning system ("scrubber") fitted. Installing a scrubber is accepted by flag States as an alternative means to meet the sulphur limit requirement.

The complementary amendment is expected to enter into force on 1 March 2020.

The amendment does not change in any way the entry into force date of the 0.50% limit from 1 January 2020. It is intended as an additional measure to support consistent implementation and compliance and provide a means for effective enforcement by States, particularly port State control.

Most ships are expected to utilize new blends of fuel oil which will be produced to meet the 0.50% limit on sulphur in fuel oil. Currently, the maximum sulphur limit in fuel oil is 3.50% globally (and 0.10 % in the four ECAs: the Baltic Sea area; the North Sea area; the North American area (covering designated coastal areas off the United States and Canada); and the United States Caribbean Sea area (around Puerto Rico and the United States Virgin Islands)).

To assist ship operators and owners to plan ahead for the 0.50% sulphur 2020 limit, the MEPC approved guidance on ship implementation planning. The guidance is part of a set of guidelines being developed by IMO for consistent implementation of the MARPOL regulation coming into effect from 1 January 2020.

Categories: Energy Environmental Fuels & Lubes

Related Stories

Petrovietnam, Partners Sign PSC for Block Off Vietnam

Thailand's PTT to Buy LNG from Glenfarne's Alaska LNG Project

MODEC and Terra Drone Renew FPSO Drone Inspection Partnership

Yinson Production Closes $1B Investment to Drive Further Growth

Petronas-Eni Upstream Joint Venture to Take Up to Two Years to Set Up

Fugro Expands Geotechnical Testing Capabilities in Indonesia

CDWE Wraps Up Pin Pile Installation Job for Taiwanese Offshore Wind Farm

Azeri SOCAR Plans New Agreements with Oil and Gas Majors

TPAO, SOCAR and BP to Ink Caspian Sea Oil and Gas Production Deal

Fugro Lands Deepwater Gas Field Job in Southeast Asia

Current News

Centrica and Thailand’s PTT Ink Long-Term LNG Supply Deal

Petrovietnam, Partners Sign PSC for Block Off Vietnam

Japan Protests China’s New Oil and Gas Construction Activities in East China Sea

CNOOC Signs Hydrocarbons Exploration and Production Deal with Kazakhstan

Thailand's PTT to Buy LNG from Glenfarne's Alaska LNG Project

Woodside and Jera Agree LNG Cargoes Supply for Japan’s Winter Period

Petronas Expands Suriname Portfolio with Deepwater Block Acquisition

Japanese Oil and Gas Firm Enters Two Blocks off Malaysia

Yinson Production, “K” LINE Target Europe's CCS with FSIU and LCO2 Solutions

Woodside Agrees Long-Term LNG Supply with Petronas Unit

Subscribe for AOG Digital E‑News

AOG Digital E-News is the subsea industry's largest circulation and most authoritative ENews Service, delivered to your Email three times per week

https://accounts.newwavemedia.com