Shipping industry bodies, environmental groups call for ban on non-compliant fuels

Shipping industry bodies, environmental groups call for ban on non-compliant fuels
Rebecca Moore 22 Jan 2018 http://www.tankershipping.com/news/view,shipping-industry-bodies-environ...

The industry proposals will be considered by the next IMO Sub Committee on Pollution Prevention and Response from 5-9 February

Several shipping industry organisations have joined with environmental groups in calling for a ban on the carriage of non-compliant marine fuels when the global 0.5% sulphur cap takes effect in 2020.

A joint statement ahead of an IMO meeting set for February this year – at which national government representatives will discuss proposals for a carriage ban – saw environmental and shipping organisations assert that banning non-compliant fuels will "help ensure robust, simplified and consistent enforcement" of the global sulphur cap.

Issued on behalf of Intertanko, International Chamber of Shipping, World Shipping Council, BIMCO, Clean Shipping Coalition, International Parcel Tanker’s Association and CLIA in addition to Friends of the Earth US, Pacific Environment and WWF Global Arctic Programme, the statement said that unless a ship is using an approved equivalent compliance method, “there should be no reason” for it to be carrying non-compliant fuels for combustion on board.

The organisations said that while the 2020 sulphur cap will provide “substantial environmental and human health benefits”, it will also “ignificantly increase ships’ operating costs and will present major challenges to governments that must ensure consistent enforcement across the globe.”

To secure the intended environmental and health benefits, the organisations said it is of “utmost importance that enforcement of this standard is efficient and robust globally. Any failure by governments to ensure consistent implementation and enforcement could also lead to serious market distortion and unfair competition”.

A number of international associations representing the global shipping industry, as well as the Cook Islands and Norway, have already submitted proposals to IMO to ban the carriage of non-complaint fuels. These proposals call for an amendment to Annex VI of the Marpol Convention, stipulating that ships should not carry fuel for propulsion with a sulphur content above 0.5% unless they are using an approved alternative compliance method.