January 24, 2018 - Danish shipping giant Maersk Line has welcomed a very strong signal from the NGOs and industry which called for an explicit ban on non-compliant fuel on board ships from 2020.
“I am very pleased to see this unprecedented and very strong signal from all sides, industry and NGOs, to support a global ban on high-sulphur fuels,” Søren Toft, CEO of Maersk Line, said.
“A ban is the best way to secure simple and robust enforcement. Only this will secure a level playing field and ultimately the health and environment objectives of the IMO Sulphur rules,” Toft added.
The global sulphur cap adopted by UN’s International Maritime Organization enters into force on January 1, 2020. The regulation will limit sulphur emissions from ships from 3.5 percent to 0.5 percent.
However, without robust and effective enforcement the regulation will put the global level playing field at risk, according to Danish Shipping.
Leading environmental organizations and the international shipping industry have joined forces and unitedly call for IMO Member States to support the proposal to ban non-compliant fuel on board unless the ship has a scrubber installation.
Two proposals on such a ban have been tabled by Norway and Cook Islands, as well a united international shipping industry. The proposals will be discussed at the upcoming Pollution, Prevention and Response (PPR) meeting at IMO in the beginning of February.
Source: World Maritime News
