Five shipping companies were reported for violating sulfur requirements, which came into effect on January 1, 2015, according to the Danish Ministry of Environment and Food.
Based on oil samples, the five companies, which operate on fuels with high sulfur content, were reported to the police.
Relevant authorities are now scheduled to conduct investigations into the reports, following which, the matter would be taken to court.
Under the requirements for ships’ sulfur content in the fuel, which aim to reduce air pollution, ships sailing in the North and Baltic Seas need to sail using fuels with a 90 percent lower sulfur content.
The ministry said that it recently intensified control of sulfur in ship fuel, which led to five new reviews.
The Danish Maritime Authority checks the ships’ fuels on behalf of the Environmental Protection Agency. The authority takes oil samples from vessels in Danish ports which determine the content of sulfur.
Additionally, Denmark’s measures also include aerial surveillance via a “sniffer” which is installed on the Great Belt Bridge and on a small plane and can detect whether ships in the Danish waters are using illegal fuel.
Over 200 oil samples were taken and analyzed since the implementation of the requirements.
World Maritime News Staff