BUSINESS NEWS


Royal Caribbean Cruises uses exhaust cleaning systems, or scrubbers, as its “principal strategy” to remove sulphur from heavy fuel oil


Lines bid to comply with sulphur emissions rules


Sector ‘on way to compliance’ but cost issues are a concern. Ian Taylor reports


All ships over 400 tonnes became subject to International Maritime Organisation (IMO) limits on sulphur emissions from January 1. These cut the permissible sulphur


content in ship fuel outside designated emission control areas (ECAs) from 3.5% to 0.5%. The limit remains 0.1% in these control areas – the Baltic Sea, the North Sea, North American coastal waters and the ‘US Caribbean’. The cruise industry accounts for


just 1% of shipping and 2% of global outbound travel but claims to be in the forefront of cutting emissions.


112 16 JANUARY 2020


However, the shipping sector has moved painfully slowly. The January limit on emissions of sulphur oxide – a toxic by-product of heavy fuel oil – was agreed in 2008. Cruise association Clia announced


last year that its members were “well on the way to full compliance”. However, the IMO warned of


“price volatility” until “supply and demand find a balance”, with the marine oil required to replace the heavy fuel oil commonly used by ships costing up to 50% more. There are concerns about supply


and about inconsistent enforcement, given the IMO limit is policed by ports and ‘flag states’ – the countries where ships are registered. Broadly, there are three ways


of complying: switching to marine fuel oil, investing in liquified natural gas (LNG) technology or installing exhaust cleaning systems. There are serious issues with all


three. Switching to marine diesel cuts the sulphur content but the fuel


Continued on page 110 travelweekly.co.uk


BUSINESSNEWS


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64  |  Page 65  |  Page 66  |  Page 67  |  Page 68  |  Page 69  |  Page 70  |  Page 71  |  Page 72  |  Page 73  |  Page 74  |  Page 75  |  Page 76  |  Page 77  |  Page 78  |  Page 79  |  Page 80  |  Page 81  |  Page 82  |  Page 83  |  Page 84  |  Page 85  |  Page 86  |  Page 87  |  Page 88  |  Page 89  |  Page 90  |  Page 91  |  Page 92  |  Page 93  |  Page 94  |  Page 95  |  Page 96  |  Page 97  |  Page 98  |  Page 99  |  Page 100  |  Page 101  |  Page 102  |  Page 103  |  Page 104  |  Page 105  |  Page 106  |  Page 107  |  Page 108  |  Page 109  |  Page 110  |  Page 111  |  Page 112  |  Page 113  |  Page 114  |  Page 115  |  Page 116  |  Page 117  |  Page 118  |  Page 119  |  Page 120