Efforts to lower fuel sulphur content by Sox Emission Control Areas (SECAs) are not working. Instead the sulphur is merely being “redistributed”, according to Tore Morten Wetterhus, MD of Det Norske Veritas (DNV) Petroleum Services.
Addressing a workshop organised by the Centre for Maritime Studies of the National University of Singapore, Wetterhus alleged the North Sea SECA, together with the Baltic Sea SECA enforced since May 2006, made no impact on the August-December global marine fuel sulphur level, which has remained unchanged at 2.62% versus the April-August average.
“For the IMO and EU initiatives to work, we should obviously target at an overall reduction of Sox emissions, not redistribution. After all the environmental challenge we’re facing is truly a global one,” he noted. He urged shipping companies to make a concerted and thorough effort to reduce CO2 emissions before the onset of more regulations. Equally, he urged ship operators to come up with their own management and technological solutions – such as slow-steaming to cut fuel consumption.
Addressing a workshop organised by the Centre for Maritime Studies of the National University of Singapore, Wetterhus alleged the North Sea SECA, together with the Baltic Sea SECA enforced since May 2006, made no impact on the August-December global marine fuel sulphur level, which has remained unchanged at 2.62% versus the April-August average.
“For the IMO and EU initiatives to work, we should obviously target at an overall reduction of Sox emissions, not redistribution. After all the environmental challenge we’re facing is truly a global one,” he noted. He urged shipping companies to make a concerted and thorough effort to reduce CO2 emissions before the onset of more regulations. Equally, he urged ship operators to come up with their own management and technological solutions – such as slow-steaming to cut fuel consumption.