EU regulators expect battle with shipping firms over new pollutant law

[LONDON] Northern European regulators will face a battle with many shipping companies over new EU rules aimed at cutting pollution from ship fuels as some owners are likely to find it cheaper to pay fines than to comply.

Ships are typically powered by heavy fuel oil or bunker oil, both of which produce harmful pollutants such as sulphur dioxide which can cause respiratory and heart problems.

Such fuels contain 2.5-3 per cent sulphur on average, which is up to 3,000 times the sulphur content of road fuel in Europe, according to marine campaigners Seas at Risk.