Effective January 2020, the IMO 2020 regulations requires ships to utilize fuel containing less than 0.5% and a maximum of 3.5%. This regulation was established in 2016, and the industry players were given time to implement the regulation – hence IMO 2020.
As fuel testing specialist Conidia explains, the industry uses a wait-and-watch approach because of future uncertainties such as compliance options, fuel quality, and availability. Please read this post to learn the strategies of the IMO 2020 and how it affects the maritime industry.
What is IMO 2020, and Why Was it Introduced?
Also known as MARPOL 2020 or Sulphur 2020, the IMO 2020 is an official regulation implemented in October 2016 to reduce hazardous sulphur oxides (SOx) emissions from the maritime industry. Currently, over 60,000 shipping vessels fall into the IMO 2020 regulation.
IMO 2020 understood that the maritime industry was significantly contributing to air pollution. It addressed the air pollution problem by drastically decreasing the SOx from ship engines to provide numerous environmental and health benefits, especially to those who reside around coastal areas and ports.
The IMO predicts the IMO 2020 to realize a 77% reduction in SOx emissions from shipping vessels and a yearly decrease of around 8.5 million tonnes of sulphur oxides.
In 2016, the IMO’s research indicated that approximately 570,000 premature deaths could be prevented between 2020 and 2025 by implementing this sulphur restriction. It’ll also reduce the amount and severity of acid fall, which harms crops and increases ocean acidification, killing marine life.
Is It Possible to Evade IMO 2020?
MARPOL regulations apply to every ship. Any ship – regardless of the size – is required to adhere to the 0.5% sulphur limit as of January 2020. Since 2016, the fuel and shipping industries, along with regulators and other industry stakeholders, have been progressively working on the transition, and many shipping vessels have conformed with this regulation.
Additional regulations to support fuel oil suppliers and ship operators were also prepared to meet IMO 2020. The flag states and member states partnering with MARPOL Annex VI enforce compliance and monitor ships in conformity with IMO guidelines.
Shipping vessels violating these guidelines are barred from gaining port access and can face many sanctions and fines. If a ship cannot get compliant fuel, the operators should fill a Fuel Oil Non-Availability Report (FONAR). FONAR is usually considered by the port control authority when effecting penalties.
And even if the ship’s operators have the FONAR document, it’s not an easy way out or an exemption. They’ll need to remove the excess non-compliant fuel, which is time-consuming and expensive.
Fuel Carriage Ban
The fuel carriage ban was ratified in 2018 to support the ban on using non-compliant fuel as of March 2020. This ban restricts shipping vessels from carrying fuel containing more than 0.5% sulphur in their tanks. Port control authorities don’t need to prove the use of non-compliant fuel –they only check whether it’s present in the vessel’s fuel tank to prove a violation of the regulation.
The exception to this rule is to ensure the ship is retrofitted with a Sox-absorbing scrubber system. Scrubbers eliminate sulphur emissions from the ship’s exhaust before releasing it into the atmosphere.
How to Conform to IMO 2020 Guidelines
Shipping vessels can conform to IMO 2020 in two main ways:
- Utilize compliant fuel oil, like low-sulphur fuel with 0.5% sulphur or other sources of fuel like methanol or liquefied natural gas
- Install a gas cleaning system at the exhaust to allow the vessel to use heavy fuel by “scrubbing” sulphur oxides from the engine before being released
IMO 2020 regulations: Final Thoughts
IMO 2020’s objective is to enhance air quality by eliminating sulphur from ship’s emissions. The Global Maritime Forum (GMF) – including around 80 maritime, infrastructure, energy, and finance companies – has partnered with various organizations and government agencies like the World Economic Forum, the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, and the World Bank to form the Getting to Zero Coalition. This coalition aims to have commercially-sustainable zero-emission shipping vessels by 2030.
