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Enforcement of the 0.5% sulphur cap for marine fuel was in focus at the meeting of the IMO’s sub-committee on pollution, prevention and response last week, MANA correspondent reported.

As part of discussion on enforcement IMO member countries agreed to make a submission to the Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) to prohibit carrying fuel with greater than 0.5% sulphur from 2020 unless a scrubber is fitted. The proposal for the MEPC meeting in April is currently being discussed and as matter of urgency could be adopted by October this year. The proposal would then need to be incorporated into MARPOL for it come into force.

“Danish Shipping is very pleased with the clear signal IMO has sent this week. Effective enforcement is something we have worked long and hard for together with our members and a handful of sister organisations. Therefore, it was also very positive that a joint international industry proposed a ban as a prelude to the meeting of IMO and it was very helpful that the Danish authorities were at the forefront of support,” said Maria Skipper Schwenn, executive director at Danish Shipping.

“Now IMO begins to work on the practical implications surrounding the implementation in order to ensure that bunker suppliers, ship owners and authorities have the right instruments and guidance to comply with the sulphur regulation. A one-week long meeting dedicated to the implementation of the sulphur requirements has been planned for July 2018,” she added.