On 1 January 2020, the International maritime Organization (IMO) implemented a new regulation for a 0.50% global sulphur cap for the fuel oil used on board ships came into force.
This known as “IMO 2020”, the rule limits the sulphur content in the fuel oil used on board ships operation outside designated emission control areas to maximum 0.5% m/m (mass by mass) against the previous limit of 3.5%.  This new limit is an effort to reduce the amount of sulphur oxide (SOx) and was made compulsory following an amendment to Annex XI of the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL).

The Emission Control Areas (ECAs) will remain at the 2015 limit of 0.1% sulphur content.

Most of the ships were burning heavy fuel oil which derived as a residue from crude oil distillation. Heavy fuel oil had a much higher sulphur content which after the combustion in the engine, will be exhausted ending up in ship’s emissions. Sulphur oxides are harmful to people’s health, causing respiratory, cardiovascular and lung disease. Once it has been released in the atmosphere, SOx can lead to acid rain, which impacts crops, forests and aquatic species and contributes to the acidification of the oceans.
The implementing reduction in sulphur oxide emissions from ships is having a great health and environmental benefits for the world. The air is cleaner, especially for the populations living close to the ports and coasts.

Challenges

• Availability of LSFO and HSFO
• Volatility in price of LSFO and HSFO
• Different refineries and suppliers are having different specifications to comply with the sulphur content and leading to unclear impact on technical aspects of vessel.

Responsibility

We have constantly in touch with refineries, cargo traders, national and independent suppliers to keep reviewing good track of IMO2020 fuel availability.

We work with reliable refineries, cargo traders and different suppliers to ensure that the compliance standard quality is supplied.

We have constantly in touch with shipowners, charterers, operators, technical and commercial managers, engineering manufacturers and shipbuilders to understand the needs of VLSFO and provide technical consideration reviews.

All fuel oil for combustion purposes on our own and charter oil tankers and supply barges must meet required fuel oil quality standards, as set out in IMO MARPOL Annex VI (regulation 18.3)

Mission

• Assist shipowners, charterers and operators to switch over high sulphur to low sulphur to comply with the regulation.

• Source different refineries and suppliers for good quality of VLSFO in compliance with the regulation

• Reduce air pollution and make air cleaner