The European Port group ESPO has said the deadline of 2020 for introducing a global cap of 0.5 percent sulfur content in marine fuels must be maintained to align the IMO timing with the E.U.'s Sulfur Directive timing. This would ensure a level playing field between the E.U. and its neighboring countries, ESPO says.

Limiting sulfur exhaust emissions can have a major impact on local air quality and would mean a big step forward for the maritime and port industry, ESPO says. By maintaining 2020, the IMO can show that an ambitious greening agenda is possible at a global level.

The Exhaust Gas Cleaning Systems Association says the marine industry has had ample time to get ready. "More than 10 years in fact, as IMO adopted the schedule for a global reduction in fuel sulfur down to 0.5 percent in 2008, with the regulation entering into force in 2010 as part of the revised MARPOL Annex VI," said director Don Gregory.

Read Full Article