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IBIA: IMO needs to first define ‘HFO’ before Arctic ban

IMO needs to first define what is meant by ‘HFO’ as it isn’t clear what type of fuel the ban might apply to.
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The below is a statement from the International Bunker Industry Association (IBIA):

The IMO has agreed to start work to develop a ban on the use and carriage of heavy fuel oil (HFO) for combustion purposes by ships in Arctic waters, but first it needs to define what is meant by ‘HFO’ as it isn’t clear what type of fuel the ban might apply to. Fuel blends complying with the upcoming 0.50% sulphur limit may contain both distillate and HFO blend components, so it will be critical to have a clear definition.

The decision was made at the 72nd session of the IMO’s Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC 72), following majority support for a ban under the agenda item on “Development of measures to reduce risks of use and carriage of heavy fuel oil as fuel by ships in Arctic waters” which was added to the organisation’s work programme at MEPC 71.

A group of countries put forward a proposal to MEPC 72 to ban HFO use and carriage for use as fuel by all ships to which MARPOL applies when operating in Arctic waters no later than 2021, with a five-year delay in implementation for ships that have fuel tank protections in place. The ban would not apply to HFO carried as cargo.

Such a ban was resisted by some countries which were ready to identify measures to reduce and mitigate the risk HFO fuel spills, but not a carriage ban. There was also discussion on the potential impact of such a ban on maritime trade, in particular on Arctic communities and economies. MEPC 72 agreed that this should be assessed before adopting a future ban.

MEPC 72 agreed on the scope of work for the Sub-committee on Pollution Prevention and Response (PPR), which meets for 6th session in February 2019. PPR 6 has been tasked to develop a definition of HFO; prepare a set of guidelines on mitigation measures to reduce risks of use and carriage of heavy fuel oil as fuel by ships in Arctic waters; and on the basis of an assessment of the impacts, develop a ban on HFO for use and carriage as fuel by ships in Arctic waters, on an appropriate timescale.

What is ‘HFO’?
It has been widely reported that the use and carriage of HFO is already banned in the Antarctic (including as cargo). This is not strictly speaking correct: the Antarctic ban in Regulation 43 of MARPOL Annex I applies to heavy grade oil (HGO), which is defined as follows:

.1 crude oils having a density at 15°C higher than 900 kg/m3 ; 
.2 oils, other than crude oils, having a density at 15°C higher than 900 kg/m3 or a kinematic viscosity at  50°C higher than 180 mm2/s; or 
.3 bitumen, tar and their emulsions

PPR 6 has been instructed to take Regulation 43 of MARPOL Annex I into account when developing a definition of HFO. The key would be .2 in Regulation 43 (above).

For bunker fuels, the current HGO ban in the Antarctic would not apply to products with a density at 15°C below 900 kg/m3 or a kinematic viscosity at 50°C below 180 cSt.

This means all the grades meeting current ISO 8217 marine distillate (DM) specifications would be allowed for carriage and use in the Antarctic, while residual grades (RM) have a maximum density limit under ISO 8217 in excess of 900 kg/m3, which would not be allowed.

However, a number of RM grades sold today are below 180 cSt and it is possible that, despite a density limit above 900 kg/m3 at 15°C, some of these fuels could in fact have densities below this threshold.

With extensive blending of various components to meet the 0.50% sulphur limit in 2020, it is anticipated that many products will have viscosity below 180 cSt. Density may also be lower than we see for most RM grades today, though most fuels designated as RM grades would most likely have densities above the 900 kg/m3 at 15°C threshold.
If the IMO agrees to use the current HGO definition for the Antarctic ban to define what constitutes ‘HFO’, density would become the key differentiator between fuels that can be used globally, including the Polar regions, and fuel that cannot be used or carried for use in the Arctic.

Photo credit: International Maritime Organization
Published: 4 May, 2018
 

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LNG Bunkering

MOL and Seaspan sign annual LNG bunkering deal for car carriers in Port of Vancouver

MOL says North America is one of the key trade lanes for car carriers, and with recent delivery of new LNG-fuelled vessels, securing a stable LNG fuel supply in the area has become increasingly important.
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May 22, 2026

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MOL and Seaspan sign annual LNG bunkering deal for car carriers in Port of Vancouver

Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd. (MOL) on Thursday  (21 May) announced that MOL and Seaspan Energy have signed the first annual contract for LNG bunkering for car carriers at the Port of Vancouver, Canada. 

On 29 April, MOL completed the first LNG bunkering under this contract. Since completing the first LNG bunkering on the West Coast of North America on 1 March 2025 – the first by a Japanese shipping company – MOL has conducted several additional LNG bunkering operations in the region. 

North America is one of the key trade lanes for car carriers, and with the recent delivery of new LNG-fuelled vessels, securing a stable LNG fuel supply in the area has become increasingly important. This contract underscores the company’s commitment to establishing a stable and seamless regional LNG fuel procurement framework.

Seaspan expanded its LNG bunkering capabilities in 2026 from Vancouver to Long Beach, California, and continues to proactively support the growth of a clean marine supply chain.

Seaspan Energy President Harly Penner, said: “The relationship between Seaspan Energy and MOL is highly valued. MOL was the first car carrier operator to receive LNG bunkering services in the Port of Vancouver, and we are proud to continue supporting their operations in Vancouver through this annual LNG bunkering agreement. 

“This partnership reflects our shared commitment to advancing lower-emission marine transportation and supporting the industry’s transition toward net-zero GHG emissions.”

Marine Fuel GX Division General Manager Daisuke Fujihashi, said: “We are very pleased to further strengthen our partnership with Seaspan Energy through this contract for LNG fuel procurement. 

“Looking ahead, we will continue to deepen our collaboration with Seaspan Energy in the field of clean fuels, including bio LNG, and remain committed to offering our customers more pathways toward cleaner supply chains.”

 

Photo credit: MOL
Published: 22 May, 2026

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Ammonia

MMMCZCS: MAGPIE Project confirms operational feasibility of ammonia bunkering

MAGPIE consortium completed a successful ship-to-ship ammonia bunkering simulation in Rotterdam on 12 April, proving that ammonia can be bunkered safely within an operating port.
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May 22, 2026

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MMMCZCS: MAGPIE Project confirms operational feasibility of ammonia bunkering

The Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller Center for Zero Carbon Shipping (MMMCZCS) on Thursday (21 May) said a new demonstration project in the Port of Rotterdam showed that ship-to-ship ammonia bunkering can be carried out safely within an active port environment. 

The demonstration is part of the EU-funded MAGPIE (sMArt Green Ports as Integrated Efficient multimodal hubs) project, and the report is now available, providing concrete learnings that industry can use to guide future ammonia bunkering and accelerate global port permitting.

The shipping sector must transition away from fossil fuels to meet climate targets. Ammonia is considered a promising alternative fuel, but its specific hazards pose significant safety, operational, and regulatory challenges. Without competent operators, fit-for-purpose equipment and robust safety and regulatory frameworks, ammonia bunkering cannot take place safely in ports.

Within the MAGPIE project, a full-scale simulation of a ship-to-ship ammonia bunkering operation was conducted in the Port of Rotterdam on 12 April 2025. The demonstration showed that ammonia bunkering within port limits is operationally feasible when carefully planned and executed within a robust safety and regulatory framework.

The learnings from the demonstration have now been consolidated by the Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller Center for Zero Carbon Shipping and project partners in a comprehensive ammonia bunkering demonstration report. This publication provides the industry with practical lessons and a validated port safety framework and tools that other ports can use as a blueprint for ammonia bunkering.

A key outcome of the project is the validation of the Port of Rotterdam’s port safety framework for ammonia as a fuel, as well as the International Association of Ports and Harbours’ (IAPH) Port Readiness Tool. The results demonstrate that these frameworks are fit-for-purpose instruments for ports considering the introduction of new alternative fuels.

“The project delivers practical learnings, validation sheets and recommendations that can be used by ports globally to build confidence in ammonia bunkering and to inform future port permitting and regulatory processes. The results support the EU’s ambition for green ports and the safe deployment of alternative fuels in the maritime sector,” said Bo Cerup-Simonsen, CEO, Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller Center for Zero Carbon Shipping.

“The energy transition requires new, integrated value chains. This ammonia bunker pilot is an important step in developing a complete value chain for alternative fuels, from import to application in shipping. Together with our partners, we demonstrate that innovation, safety, and scalability can go hand in hand. Rotterdam plays a connecting role as an energy and logistics hub for Northwest Europe,” said Boudewijn Siemons, CEO, Port of Rotterdam.

The learnings from MAGPIE contribute to a broader effort to accelerate sustainable, smart and multimodal port systems and results will be shared with the wider industry to support the global transition of the shipping sector.

Note: The report titled ‘Ammonia Bunkering Demonstration Report’ can be found here. 

 

Photo credit: Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller Center for Zero Carbon Shipping
Published: 22 May, 2026

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Environment

OliOil selects Elomatic as partner for autonomous oil spill response container design

A unique feature of the solution is that the container can be placed on both oil-carrying vessels and in ports, enabling rapid response capability.
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May 15, 2026

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OliOil selects Elomatic as partner for autonomous oil spill response container design

Finnish startup OliOil recently said it is developing an oil spill response container that enables advanced prevention of oil spread immediately after an incident occurs. 

Elomatic will design the system to meet performance and operational reliability requirements under challenging conditions.

The collaboration between Elomatic and OliOil focuses on developing the oil spill response container technology from pilot phase toward industrial manufacturing. 

In the preliminary design phase, the aim is to create a concept for a functional system where containerized boats deploy autonomously during an oil spill, using AI and robotics to position containment booms.

OliOil’s oil spill response container was created from a LUT University research project focused on Baltic Sea protection. 

What makes the solution advanced is that the container can be placed on both oil-carrying vessels and in ports, enabling rapid response capability. Boom deployment is the critical first step in any spill response, preventing the oil’s spread and enabling efficient oil recovery with specialized collection equipment.

Elomatic’s scope covers container design, boat hoisting systems, electrification, and ventilation. The team is also defining the boats’ technical specifications and designing their propulsion systems.

“Elomatic’s expertise in both industry and marine technology is valuable. It’s also important to us that Elomatic has experience in commercializing innovations in addition to engineering expertise,” said Kristian Laiho, Chair of the Board at OliOil.

“It’s great to work with a company bringing new solutions to environmental challenges. Utilizing our broad expertise in OliOil’s product development and commercialization is meaningful to us,” said Karoliina Joensuu, Head of Industry Business Unit at Elomatic.

 

Photo credit: OliOil
Published: 15 May, 2026

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