With the deadline looming for the new IMO regulations reducing vessel sulphur dioxide emissions, new research suggests that fuel costs for shippers on the Asia-Europe trades could rise as much as 50%.
The International Maritime Organization’s sulphur regulations will come into force on 1 January and see the sulphur content of ship fuel reduced to 0.5%.
It will force ship operators to choose between using more refined marine gas oil (MGO) instead of heavy fuel oil (HFO), or continue using HFO but put the engine emissions through a “scrubber” system that cleans it of the sulphur.