The change is called IMO 2020. The intent of the regulation is to provide environmental and health benefits for ports and nearby coastal areas by progressively decreasing emissions produced by heavy bunker fuels, referred to by the IMO as “Sulphur Oxides (SOx) and particulate matter (PM).”
The 4 Pillars: SOLAS, STCW, MARPOL, AND MLC.
The latest regulation – commonly called IMO 2020 or Sulphur 2020 – took effect on January 1, 2020 to limit the amount of sulphur permitted in commercial ship fuel to 0.5% for ships operating worldwide. The previously permitted sulphur oxides (SOx) emission level was 3.5%.
Low Sulphur Surcharge – IMO 2020 (LSS) as of December 1st, 2019. LSS will be calculated as follow: LSS IMO 2020 = (0.5% FUEL PRICE PER TON – OCT 2019 3.5% HIGH SULPHUR FUEL PRICE PER TON) X TRADE COEFFICIENT* *The trade coefficient represents the fuel consumption per carried TEU.
the International Maritime Organization
ULSD is a cleaner-burning diesel fuel that contains 97% less sulfur than low-sulfur diesel (LSD). ULSD was developed to allow the use of improved pollution control devices that reduce diesel emissions more effectively but can be damaged by sulfur. It is also safe to use with older diesels.
The Low Sulphur Surcharge (LSS) covers the expenses related to the usage of low-sulphur fuel with a maximum sulphur content of 0.1% used in shipments transported completely or partially across the Sulphur Emission Control Areas. Emergency Risk Surcharge – ERS.
From 1 January 2020, the limit for sulphur in fuel oil used on board ships operating outside designated emission control areas is reduced to 0.50% m/m (mass by mass).
Maritime vessels use bunker fuel to power their motors, but depending on your vessel, it might not be regular white diesel. Some watercraft indeed use diesel and other, larger vessels marine gas oil (which is considered a low sulfur fuel oil or LSFO) as their source of bunker fuel.
Heavy fuel oils are referred to as low sulfur fuel oil (LSFO) if their sulfur content is below 1%. Usually these are marine fuel types IFO 180 or IFO 380, which have been desulfurized. Until the end of 2014, ships could still travel through Emission Control Areas (ECAs) with this type of marine fuel.
Reducing the sulphur content in vehicle fuels has many positive impacts on ambient air quality. Low sulphur fuels reduce tailpipe CO, HC, and NOx emissions from catalyst-equipped gasoline vehicles and PM emissions from diesel vehicles even without oxidation catalysts.
- Install a scrubber system which will allow vessels to use whatever fuel oil is available.
- Switch to low sulphur oil, for example Intermediate Fuel Oil (IFO) or Heavy Fuel Oil (HFO) that has been treated to reduce the sulphur content.
- Switch to a distillate fuel such as Marine Diesel Oil (MDO) or Marine Gas Oil (MGO).
Lakhs of students from class 1 to 12 appeared for IMO 2019 Level 1. Foundation had separate papers for both the dates of the exam.
Under the new global limit, ships will have to use fuel oil on board with a sulphur content of no more than 0.50% m/m, against the current limit of 3.50%, which has been in effect since 1st January 2012.
High Sulphur Fuel Oils are the most widely used marine fuels outside the Sulfur Emission Control Areas (SECA) zone, but from January 1st 2020 they can only be used by vessels equipped with Exhaust Gas Cleaning Systems (EGCS, known as “scrubbers”).
Residual wastes, such as sludge containing oil or petroleum wastes from the engine room, must be disposed of safely and responsibly and in full compliance with MARPOL regulations. Slop or sludge tanks on the vessel are to be used for the preliminary storage of such waste.
Emission Control Areas (ECAs), or Sulfur Emission Control Areas (SECAs), are sea areas in which stricter controls were established to minimize airborne emissions from ships as defined by Annex VI of the 1997 MARPOL Protocol.
This government body is under Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) which safeguards the maritime industry against unlawful interference in maritime and ship operations.
The International Maritime Organization (IMO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations that is responsible for measures to improve the safety and security of international shipping and to prevent marine pollution from ships.
VLSFO can be produced by blending ULSFO with LSFO or MGO with LSFO, and LSFO is produced by hydrotreating or hydroprocessing residual fuel oil.
The IMO — a United Nations specialized agency responsible for the safety and security of shipping and the prevention of pollution by ships — is calling, via the new regulation, for stringent limits on sulfur content in marine bunker fuels. But the implementation of IMO 2020 is complex.
The ECA fuel standard is 0.1 percent fuel sulfur (1,000 ppm). prohibition on scrubber operation under the CARB OGV Fuel Regulation. However, scrubbers cannot be used in lieu of distillate compliant fuel.
