16SEP2019 - NEWS - Maritime Regulator Says Shipping Environmental Efforts ‘Set to Go’

The maritime industry is moving full steam ahead toward overhauling how ships get their power despite dissent from some vessel owners over the impact to their operations and concerns from shipping customers over how costs will be shared across supply chains.

“We are all set to go,” said Kitack Lim, secretary-general of global shipping regulator the International Maritime Organization. “Compliant fuel will be available and it’s working very well in trial voyages.”

Mr. Lim’s assurance in an interview came as a major step in maritime environmental efforts nears with the implementation of a mandate starting Jan. 1, 2020, to sharply reduce maritime sulfur emissions. Ships will have to use cleaner fuels that are still under development and may cost up to 50% more than traditional fuel known as bunker, or they will have to be fitted with sulfur-trapping exhaust systems called scrubbers that go for as much as $10 million per ship.