Bimco calls for robust ECA enforcement

“The maritime industry will shortly experience an unprecedented rise in operating costs as countries bordering ECAs implement very low limits for sulphur content in the fuel oils used by ships," said Bimco president John Denholm.

“Bimco is calling on the governments of these countries to exercise robust enforcement of applicable sulphur limits to ensure a continued level playing field for ships operating in ECAs. Failure to do so would seriously expose compliant shipowners and operators who are bearing the high cost of ultra-low sulphur diesel oil.”

The distillate fuel that many ships will need to use to comply with the ECA rules comes at a price premium of around 50%, leading to worries that ships ignoring the rules would have a significant economic advantage.

Bimco is not alone in its calls for a level playing field, the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) called for a hamonised approach by port state control on the subject earlier this year and AP Møller Maersk led a discussion on the topic at a conference in Copenhagen October.