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Lines may switch to Shenzhen after HK clean fuel law kicks in

Lines may switch to Shenzhen after HK clean fuel law kicks in
Additional fuel bill costs of $600,000 to $1m a year for switching to cleaner fuel for vessels when legislation to make it mandatory kicks in next year may force lines to switch from Hong Kong to neighbouring Shenzhen, according to local media reports.

The government should consider extending a scheme that subsidises them for the extra cost of the clean fuel, the South China Morning Post quoted shipowners as saying.

Under a three-year incentive scheme that ends in September 2015, shipping lines willing to switch to low sulphur fuel at berth have half of their port dues waived. However, an official from the Environmental Protection Department said an extension is unlikely after the law is put into place at the beginning of 2015.