INTERCARGO Expresses Safety Concerns With Respect To 2020 Global Sulphur Limit Implementation

With 1 January 2020 less than five and a half months away, INTERCARGO expresses its growing concern in view of the magnitude of the challenge lying ahead for the industry and the need for a smooth transition.

The main concern is the global availability of safe compliant fuels which still remains question. As 1 January 2020 marks a sea change in the marine fuels’ supply chain, the requirement for the sulphur content of fuel oil used by ships operating outside designated emission control areas not to exceed 0.50%.

The compliant fuels have so far been made available only in a limited number of ports and under unfavorable terms for voluntary early testing by ships, as Charterers/Operators are not currently obliged to purchase future compliant fuel which is a case to worry. Hence, the practical testing of new fuels and crew training, which is only possible under real conditions aboard ships, is very limited and pushed to the end of year – this situation creates significant safety implications for the operation of ships, which could eventually threaten the safety of seafarers, ships, and cargoes, as well as the marine environment.

In anticipation of the new fuels made available for practical testing aboard ships well before the end of 2019, it is urged that:

• the fuel supply industry provides the market with significant volumes of compliant fuels at many ports around the world, so that all sectors can be serviced, including the dry bulk sector
• the Charterers/Operators start purchasing these fuels
• the Publicly Available Specification (PAS) related to the 0.50% limit is made available as soon as possible to provide guidance on the application of the existing ISO 8217 specification for marine fuels
• the ship Owners/Operators enhance crew training. Seafarers deserve our special consideration, as the industry will largely rely on their skills for managing the new compliant fuels aboard ships on the high seas to ensure a smooth implementation of this drastic change.

Reference: intercargo.org

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