AP Moller - Maersk calls for strict enforcement of ECAs

“We think this is a game changer and the temptation not comply is significant,” Claus Hemmingson, partner and member of the board of AP Moller – Maersk, told the opening forum of Nor-Shipping 2013. “If enforcement is not sufficient those not following the rules get a competitive advantage.”

For an aframax tanker not using low sulphur can mean a cost difference of $15,000 per day and the difference can be even greater for containerships.

“The risk of not complying and getting caught must be real and the penalty must be considerable as this is necessary to ensure fair competition,” Hemmingson said.

Speaking to Seatrade Global Hemmingson explained, “So far I have not seen concrete procedures as to how countries are going to monitor and how they are going to control that the shipping lines trading those routes are actually living up to the regulation.”

He said that it was an issue for Port State Control regimes to ensure that the use of low sulphur fuel was enforced in ECAs.