Maersk Announces Solution to Meet sulphur cap
AP Moller Maersk ceo Soren Skou believes that best solution for meeting the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) 0.5% sulphur cap is for refineries to provide low sulphur to shipping.
Speaking at the 12th Singapore Maritime Lecture on Thursday Skou noted that there were multiple options available to the industry to comply with the new regulation including low sulphur fuel, scrubbers, and alternative fuels such as LNG.
This is an event that has major implications for our industry and individual shipping lines. We have to find solutions,” he said.
In the case of Maersk it believes that low sulphur fuels are the best option. “We think the most sensible solution is to have the refineries remove the sulphur from the fuel instead of us having to construct a desulphurizing plant on the ship, and these scrubbers are huge. So we would like to buy clean fuel from the refineries,” Skou stated.
Although agreeing with the need for the sulphur cap Skou also noted the high cost to the industry associated with its implementation. “We strongly believe that a sulphur cap is a good thing because sulphur is something that kills people today. But we also have to understand that the sulphur cap is something that will push upon our industry a very heavy burden.”