This World Environment Day the focus is on air pollution and the call to #beatairpollution will get even louder from 1 January 2020, when ships and vessels operating globally must use low sulphur fuel.
We are responsible for implementing the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL) nationally, which includes a mandate for vessels to use fuel oil with a sulphur content of less than 0.50 per cent m/m.
It means anyone operating a vessel anywhere in the world, must refuel with a compliant product or use alternative fuels such as methanol, LNG or marine diesel oil for small vessels.
The idea behind the changes is to reduce the impacts of sulphur oxide emissions on the environment and human health, particularly for people living in port cities and coastal communities.