As we approach the second month of 2019, global maritime industry experts continue to stress the importance of proactive preparations for the IMO’s 2020 global 0.5% fuel sulphur content
cap regulation effective January 1, 2020.

More recently, the CEO Aderco – a global leader in maritime fuel treatment solutions, urged others in the industry to carefully consider how much time is realistically left to thoroughly prepare. With less than a year left until the regulation is implemented, proactive preparations can eliminate avoidable fines and disrupted operations.

“The IMO sulphur cap starts on January 1 2020, but in reality the planning for compliance is just over a month away. By this March ship owners, ship managers and operators need to be lining up their treatments in preparation for the end of 2019 when they will be bunkering the new fuels.”

“Despite the recent highly publicized bans on open-loop scrubbers, fuel treatment remains the most cost-effective and simplest way to address compliance, as well as providing an extra bonus of helping to protect your marine diesel engines. In this vital run-up to the cap, flushing and cleaning of tanks prior to bunkering new fuel is the most imperative of the tasks needed to be tackled. Even the slightest amount of high-sulphur fuel remaining in the tank will mean non-compliance. Using fuel treatment from our recommended date of June this year should provide the necessary flushing and cleaning ready for the new fuel.”

“We have been advising our customers that compliance with the cap starts in the fuel tank and that now is the time to really start preparing for IMO 2020. With our fuel treatment solution, ship owners, ship managers and operators can rely on this proven method without having to worry about costly dry-docking or any off-hire. Our concern is that there will be some ships reaching the end of 2019 without being ready for the new fuels. The simplest and most cost-effective method is a fuel treatment.”

“With a strong focus likely to be on the shipping world and policing by Port State Control in the early part of 2020 for anyone not adhering to the new rules, the chances are that some will find themselves on the end of hefty fines and detentions for non-compliance. When all it takes is the addition of a fuel treatment it seems a small price to pay for peace of mind and operational efficiency.”

Source: Aderco