[020318.EN.BIZ] Pressure Mounts For Delay of UN's Ballast Water And Low-Sulphur Rules

THERE'S growing pressure to delay the enforcement of costly environmental - ballast water treatment rule and low sulphur fuel mandate - owing to the delicate financial state of the shipping industry, says the Korean Register (KR) classification society.

"The prolonged maritime downturn of the last decade and the expenses of meeting requirements have led to heated debates at IMO [UN's International Maritime Organisation], with many calling for postponement of implementation," said Korean Register executive director Kim Yeon-tae.

The first convention to allow postponement was the Ballast Water Management System (BWMC). The two-year postponement of the installation of the Ballast Water Management System (BWMS) was agreed at the 71st Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC 71) last July.

Korean Register, a member of the International Association of Classification Societies (IACS), acknowledges there is a problem.

The number of member states that have ratified MARPOL Annex IV is eighty-nine (89), and the number of states objecting the postponement of implementation is likely to be more than 30. With the EU member states objecting, the likelihood of postponing the implementation of the Sulphur Cap 2020 convention seems very low," Mr Kim said.

Because of the obstacles to implementation of the BWMC, such as the lack of facilities to install BWMS onboard, the application of NEW G8 and US Coast Guard approval, the decision was made to postpone its implementation, said Mr Kim.

"Now the eyes are turning to the Sulphur Cap in 2020. There is now significant doubt that the convention will actually come into effect as scheduled," he said.

"With less than two years before the sulphur convention comes into force, it is evident that the relevant parties are far from being fully prepared.

"Refineries are not expected to produce a sufficient amount of low sulphur fuel oil (LSFO) for ships. These factors are similar to those when it came to complying with the BWMC, and so many have voiced a need to postpone the implementation of Sulphur Cap 2020," he said.

There will likely be a regional shortage of LSFO after 2020, he said. "If LSFO is not available, under MARPOL Annex IV/18.2, the ship is simply allowed to be exempt from compliance.

"Some ships will be fitted with exhaust gas cleaning systems (EGCS) to comply with the Sulphur Cap 2020. The availability of EGCS may not fully meet the demand before the year 2020. In such cases, a ship will be allowed to use LSFO until it is equipped with an EGCS," he said.

Source : HKSG.