IMO's decision on sulphur will have big impact
Industry groups say the decision to impose the cap in 2020 removes the uncertainty over the industry, but expect enforcement of the cap to be a big challenge
Add BT as a preferred sourceLAST week, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) took decisions on two big issues facing the global shipping industry - cutting the level of sulphur in fuel content and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
Regarding sulphur levels, the IMO announced that a cap on sulphur content of the fuel oil used by ships will take effect on Jan 1, 2020, in a move it described as "a landmark decision for both the environment and human health".
Actually it is debatable whether cutting sulphur in fuel, and thus reducing particulate pollution in the atmosphere, is good for the environment. Some experts have argued that particulates actually reflect solar heat and thus counter global warming (albeit marginally). Cutting sulphur in fuel is essentially a public-health issue.
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