Being Well Prepared For 2020

The new IMO 2020 global 0.5% fuel Sulphur content cap regulation will commence 1^st January 2020. This new cap represents a significant reduction from the current 3.5 per cent limit and presents the marine industry with a new challenge for compliance.

Ship operators / owners have a few options to choose from for them to comply with the regulation. The options usually include the following:

• Low-Sulphur distillates such as marine gas oil (MGO)
• The continued use of High Sulphur fuel oil (HSFO) in conjunction with a scrubber
• Very Low Sulphur fuels (VLSFO)
• Liquefied natural gas (LNG)
• Installation of Exhaust Gas Cleaning Systems (Scrubbers)

Every operator or owner will need to make his or her decision on a vessel-by-vessel basis.  Determining the most effective and cost-efficient option will be based on an evaluation of factors such as vessel type, route, age and engine. Thus far, there is no single formula to compliance: vessel operators could choose to use a compliant fuel, or have a scrubber fitted if they wish to continue burning high-Sulphur fuel oil.  The key is that they need to make their compliance methodology decision fairly soon given that time is ticking toward the 1^st January 2020 deadline. 

Once they have decided on their compliance methodology, they will need to start working on the transition. 

From the perspective of a lubricant solutions provider, Gulf Oil Marine which already has a comprehensive portfolio of cylinder oils ranging from BN40 to BN140, developed to optimise two-stroke engine performance whichever compliance methodology chosen by ship operators/ owners post 2020, feels that the bulk of preparation is in the planning for the transition.

To help customers plan the transition, Gulf Oil Marine launched a new documentation platform- 2020 Ship Implementation Plan Toolkit (gulfmarine2020.azurtane.com). This is a documentation platform to help our customers conveniently plan and prepare their ship specific implementation plans for the IMO’s emission regulation.  On top of that, Gulf Oil Marine has a series of “2020 Transition Seminars” around the world to share the technical issues considering a number of preparatory and transitional issues surrounding the shift to the new 0.5% limit from 2020.

Please contact our technical representatives at 2020@gulf-marine.com for information on the above.