New Online Tool Aids 2020 Sulfur Compliance

The new ‘Sulfur 2020 – Options Evaluator’ from Lloyd’s Register (LR) aims to help the industry identify the best strategy for compliance with the global sulfur in fuel oil limit of 0.50 percent m/m, which comes into effect on January 1, 2020.

According to LR, the ‘Options Evaluator’ aims to bring clarity to what the potential cost and investment implications could be for the various compliance strategies, such as transition from fuel oil to marine gasoil (MGO), use of scrubbers and high-sulfur fuel oil (HSFO) or use of other compliant fuels such as liquefied natural gas (LNG) or methanol.

Strategies to compliance are dependent on trading patterns, distance traveled, speed, size and type of vessels. With that in mind, the ‘Options Evaluator’ allows ship operators to compare different compliance strategies by reviewing emissions output and comparing the different capex and opex implications of each option.

LR’s Douglas Raitt, Regional Consultancy Manager Asia, commented, “2020 is around the corner and to date it appears most operators will transition from fuel oil to gas oil operations to meet the global sulfur in fuel oil limit. Scrubber uptake or LNG and Methanol as a marine fuel are slowly evolving, perhaps as a function of a ‘wait and see’ approach by the shipping industry. We developed the options evaluator to give some guidance to operators who have not yet fully considered their options to 2020 compliance.”

Justin Murphy, CEO International Bunker Industry Association, said, “IBIA is fully involved at IMO on all matters marine fuel related and for years has been the voice of the industry pushing for practical regulations whichever options industry players choose. This options evaluator tool, one of a number being developed, is an aid that may complement owners’ and operators’ future efforts to develop a compliance strategy.”