Trident Alliance Calls for IMO Carriage Ban on Non-Compliant Fuel

Trident Alliance, a coalition of shipping owners and operators has called for the adoption without delay of IMO’s Carriage ban on non-compliant fuel.

The alliance believes that “robust and effective enforcement is vital if the full health and environmental benefits of the 2020 sulphur cap are to be achieved while also preserving fair competition.”

“The Trident Alliance stands firm on the need for robust and effective enforcement and views the carriage ban on non-compliant fuel as a very strong tool to secure that outcome,” Trident Alliance Chair, Roger Strevens, said.

The alliance explained that the 2020 regulation change would provide a reduction in the global sulphur cap of more than 80%, with considerable environmental and health benefits, as well as significantly increase shipowners’ operating costs. Therefore, robust and effective enforcement is vital to ensure fair competition is maintained.

At the next IMO MEPC meeting in October, the carriage ban on non-compliant fuel is on the agenda for formal adoption, to take effect in March 2020. The alliance informed that there are now attempts to defer implementation due to uncertainty over fuel attributes, matters that are already being addressed by the relevant IMO bodies, and which well-prepared shipowners have already taken into consideration.

“After January 1, 2020 it is not necessary to have high sulphur fuel in the fuel tanks of vessels without scrubbers installed. Therefore, the Trident Alliance cannot accept any postponement of the carriage ban. We strongly urge all Member States to stand firm on this,” Strevens added.