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ABS issues Marine Fuel Oil advisory to help owners prepare for 2020

Written by Nick Blenkey
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JUNE 8, 2018 — A recent informal poll by ABS found 53 percent of shipowners and operators saying that their fleets were not yet ready to meet IMO’s upcoming 2020 global sulfur cap requirements. As the deadline for compliance approaches, says ABS, it is vital that industry consider the available options and the impacts on their fleets. To help industry in its preparations, ABS has issued a new Advisory on Marine Fuel Oil .

“The IMO 2020 sulfur cap requirement will introduce a significant demand change from heavy fuel to low sulfur fuel almost overnight. The industry currently is debating how to prepare as the consequences of this shift are difficult to predict,” said Dr. Kirsi Tikka, ABS Executive Vice President and Senior Maritime Advisor. “The ABS Advisory addresses concerns about the safety impacts and quality of the new blended and hybrid fuels that are currently not covered by the ISO fuel standard, and provides guidance on fuel selection, modification considerations and operational challenges.”

The ABS Advisory provides in-depth technical guidance covering a range of topics, from fuel properties to operational risks to potential preparations.

The available options to comply with the global sulfur cap include exhaust gas cleaning, burning compliant fuel or alternative fuels. In 2010 ABS provided guidance on switching from heavy fuel to 0.1% sulfur fuel when entering Emission Control Areas. This Advisory has been widely used by the industry and ABS has now updated this guidance to cover the regulation entering into force in January 2020.

The updated ABS Advisory includes background on air emission regulations and evaluates several relevant fuel types and the associated impacts and operational challenges for each.

Download the ABS Advisory on Marine Fuel Oil HERE.

 

 

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