From 1 January 2020, in accordance with MARPOL Annex VI, the sulphur content of fuel oil used on board commercial ships trading outside sulphur Emission Control Areas (ECAs) must not exceed 0.50% m/m. The 0.50% sulphur limit is a significant reduction from the current global limit of 3.50% m/m which has been in place since 2012.
If you are one of the many who have decided to comply with the new sulphur cap by using compliant fuel then you will need to think about what you might need to do to prepare your vessels so that you do not find yourselves in a non-compliance situation.
Once you have decided what technical steps you need to take and when, you will then need to check if your charter-parties reflect your preparation plan to ensure that everything goes smoothly, without any delays or disputes. If possible, it would be better to discuss this with your charterers and agree the plan of action. After all, it will be in everyone’s best interests to have a good plan in place and to avoid delay.
Even if you are operating vessels that have been fitted with scrubbers, you might still need to take steps to prepare your vessels for 2020, and your charter-parties.
Options: North P&I Club has put together the below three guides to help you prepare for the big switch (click on each image to download):
