12SEP2019 - NEWS - Easing off the gas: Is the shipping industry ready for Sulphur 2020?

A new rule to cut sulphur emissions, coming into force next year, will require operational changes by ports and shipping lines. But some parts of the world are far from ready
By January next year, cargo vessels will have to switch to cleaner burning bunker fuel, a transition for which ports in some parts of the world are poorly prepared. The International Maritime Organization (IMO) has issued a ruling which says that from January 1, 2020 vessels will no longer be allowed to use bunker fuel that has a high sulphur content. Emissions must be reduced from the current 3.5% global limit to 0.5%.

Bunker fuel is the cheapest type of oil, which is largely why shipping lines use it. This fuel is also a significant contributor to air pollution, which governments around the world are increasingly concerned about. Shipping emits 3% of global CO2, according to The European Federation for Transport & Environment, and this could rise as high as 10% by the middle of this century as land-based transport reduces its own pollution levels. Now, regulators want ocean-going vessels to submit to similar requirements that govern trucks and delivery vehicles.