IMO 2020

MEPC 74: Lloyd’s Register issues update on IMO 2020 developments

Discusses approach to tank cleaning, quality concerns of VLSFO, draft amendments and various guidelines.

Published

7 years ago

May 22, 2019

Admin

Classification society Lloyd’s Register on Tuesday (21 May) issued an industry update on IMO 2020 developments.

It noticed many ship operators already putting in place preparatory plans and/or are busy working on their ship implementation plans, with the marine fuel industry preparing for change by announcing the availability of 0.50% S fuels (VLSFO – Very Low Sulphur Fuel Oil) in various ports around the world.

Various market surveys have indicated the majority of ship-owners and operators intend to comply with the MARPOL Annex VI regulation 14.1.3 by burning VLSFO).

The industry update is as follows:

MEPC 74 met last week (13 – 17 May) during which time the outstanding draft guidelines for the consistent implementation of the MARPOL Annex VI Regulation 14.1.3 and proposed revision for the Annex was completed for approval and adoption in due course. The consistent implementation guidelines includes the committees understanding of the matters relating to the safety and management concerns expressed on the use of VLSFO. The guideline would also address areas such as – key technical preparatory considerations, control measures by port States, control on fuel oil suppliers, fuel oil non-availability report (FONAR) template and handling non-compliant fuel scenarios.

Draft amendments to the MARPOL ANNEX VI have been approved by MEPC 74 to be adopted later by MEPC 75. The terms ‘in-use’ and ‘on-board’ sample has been defined. One of the major changes has been the amendments to the Sulphur Verification Procedure (Appendix VI) to handle accuracy and precision of test results of both current MARPOL sample as well as ‘in-use’ and ‘on-board’ sample defining when the max 0.50% sulphur limit is met. MARPOL (as delivered) sample would be considered ‘off-limit’ above 0.50% after following the verification procedure. However, for ‘in-use’ and ‘on-board’ samples, 95% confidence limit or test tolerance range of 0.53% would apply.

The guidelines for port state control are developed to handle scenarios such as when there is discrepancy between the BDN and independent ship results indicating non-compliant fuel has been loaded despite the declaration on the BDN contrary to this. Moreover, it was recognised that there will be a wide range of scenarios to address resulting on non-compliant fuel being on board, such as after application of a FONAR, including by both port and ship; the discretion ultimately remains with the inspection authority on a final decision. The emphasis being on the ship to make every attempt to avoid putting itself into such a position.

The guidance on best practice for member states /coastal states adds to the previously completed guidance for fuel purchaser/users and for suppliers mainly providing guidance for contingency measures for addressing non-compliant fuel oils and a focus on the expectations on suppliers on ensuring fuel quality acceptable for the receiving ship. MEPC also worked on the Guidance document in case of failure of a single monitoring instrument and recommended actions to take if the exhaust gas cleaning system fails to meet the provision of the guidelines.

For further information on MEPC 74 proceedings, please view the LR summary report.

What is the general approach to tank cleaning

Every ship can be different in their machinery management procedures, bunker tank design, and the quality of Heavy Fuel Oil (HFO) they have been consuming. Hence, an assessment should be performed on each HFO bunker tank(s) condition and a decision needs to be made on an appropriate course of action. There have been a few options being considered by the ship operators such as;

Flushing tanks with Distillate ultra-low sulphur fuels to naturally flush the tanks, piping and fuel system components of high sulphur fuel oil and sediment.
Using one or more bunkering’s of 0.50% VLSFO well before the enforcement date, again having a flushing effect.
Use of a specialist additive dosed over several bunker loads before the first 0.50% VSLFO is loaded to clean the tanks. (Note this approach may require at least six months if not more to be more effective)
Manual / physical cleaning.
A combination of any of the above

The effectiveness of any of the approach would depend on the final condition of the tank and how well it is executed. Ships are also recommended to carry out sulphur sample checks from the system periodically when first using the 0.50% VLSFO to provide indications of the tank’s compliance condition.

What are the major quality concerns with 0.50% VLSFO?

The main quality concerns with new 0.50% VLSFO are compatibility between fuels from different sources, their long-term stability, variability of certain physical parameters from different sources (such as viscosity / density), cold flow properties and combustion performance. Moreover, there is non-compliance risk as some suppliers may blend to the Sulphur to the limit.

Handling of these 0.50% VLSFO will be a bigger challenge in case there is lack of preparation and planning which include understanding the fuel properties and making necessary operational adjustments to ensure trouble free operations. Crew training will be important as ever because they are on the frontline handling various technical challenges and ensuring resilient ship operations. It is expected that increasing number of vessels will start trialling these 0.50% VLSFO from second half of 2019. LR FOBAS is monitoring the situation closely and as soon as there is significant take up, we will build a 0.50% VLSFO characterisation matrix.

An update from ISO & CIMAC fuels working groups

The work on the ISO/PAS 23263:2019 (Considerations for fuel suppliers and users regarding marine fuel quality in view of the implementation of maximum 0.50% S in 2020) is almost complete and right now a draft document is undergoing a balloting process as per ISO procedures. It is expected that the PAS 23263 will be finalised and available as reference for ship operators and suppliers by end of September.

Overall, the ISO working group’s main focus has been to address the 0.50% VLSFO stability and compatibility i.e. being able guard against unstable fuels and providing better indicators as to the compatibility between one fuel and another. Informative Annex’s are expected to include additional guidance on the composition of fuels, general requirement, stability, commingling of fuels. Other fuel characteristics are also considered though not in great detail mainly due to tight deadline to finalise the PAS. CIMAC WG 7, working alongside ISO SC4/WG6 will be coming out with a more detail technical document covering fuel stability and compatibility.

A series of earlier MEPC 74 coverage by Manifold Times, focusing on developments, have been organised below:

Photo credit: International Maritime Organization
Published: 22 May, 2019

Ammonia

AM Green plans to build green ammonia plant at Indian port

Initiative also includes development of green ammonia handling, storage and bunkering infrastructure, pilot bunkering operations, safety procedures and training programmes, says VOC Port Authority.

Published

1 day ago

June 3, 2026

Admin

VO Chidambaranar (VOC) Port Authority on Friday (29 May) said it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with India’s ammonia producer AM Green Ammonia to collaborate in the development of a green ammonia production plant.

The plant will have a capacity of one million tonnes per annum (MTPA) at Tuticorin.

The initiative also includes development of green ammonia handling, storage and bunkering infrastructure, pilot bunkering operations, safety procedures and training programmes.

The project is expected to support the development of green fuel corridors connecting VOC Port with major ports in Europe and Asia, thereby strengthening India’s position in the global green fuels value chain.

VOC Port also signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Bureau Veritas (India) Pvt. Ltd., to collaborate on Green Port certification, emissions accounting, ESG reporting, safety validation, development of green bunkering practices, and establishment of a Centre of Excellence for green fuels and sustainability.

The port also plans for an upcoming 750 m³ green methanol bunkering facility.

Photo credit: Naveed Ahmed on Unsplash
Published: 3 June, 2026

Port & Regulatory

Study: Major drop in ship sulphur emissions confirmed following IMO regulations

National Centre for Atmospheric Science study found that the average sulphur content in ship fuel dropped nearly tenfold in open ocean areas following IMO’s 2020 regulation.

Published

6 months ago

December 8, 2025

Admin

Recent global regulations have significantly reduced sulphur emissions from ships, helping to improve air quality in coastal regions – confirmed by a recent international study led by researchers at the National Centre for Atmospheric Science.

The research, published in Environmental Science: Atmospheres, used aircraft and ground-based instruments to measure sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxides emitted by ships in the North-East Atlantic and European coastal waters between 2019 and 2023.

The team found that the average sulphur content in ship fuel dropped nearly tenfold in open ocean areas following the International Maritime Organization’s 2020 regulation, which capped sulphur content in marine fuel at 0.5%.

Before the change, many ships exceeded the previous 3.5% limit. After 2020, only a small number of ships were found to breach the new standard.

In European sulphur Emission Control Areas (SECAs), such as the English Channel and the Port of Tyne, sulphur levels were even lower – well below the stricter 0.1% limit. Interestingly, ports outside these zones, like Valencia in Spain, also showed low sulphur levels, likely due to EU rules requiring cleaner fuel when ships are docked for extended periods.

This is the first study to use aircraft-based measurements and predictions from the Ship Traffic Emission Assessment Model (STEAM3) to assess ship emissions outside of sulphur control zones since the 2020 regulation came into effect. The findings support the widely held view that ships now emit around seven times less sulphur than before the rule change – an important step toward cleaner air and healthier coastal environments.

Note: The research, titled ‘SO2 and NOx emissions from ships in North-East Atlantic waters: in situ measurements and comparison with an emission model’ can be found here.

Photo credit: shraga kopstein on Unsplash
Published: 8 December, 2025

Interview

IBIA Annual Convention 2025: ‘Exciting times’ for post IMO 2020 bunker suppliers, states Equatorial

Choong Sheen Mao, Chief Operating Officer, Equatorial, describes to Manifold Times the pre/post IMO 2020 challenges and evolution of bunker suppliers.

Published

7 months ago

October 31, 2025

Admin

The International Bunkering Industry Association (IBIA) will be hosting its flagship Annual Convention in Hong Kong at the Hong Kong Convention Exhibition & Convention Centre between 18 to 20 November 2025, as part of Hong Kong Maritime Week.

Choong Sheen Mao, Chief Operating Officer, Equatorial Marine Fuel Management Services (Equatorial), speaks to bunkering publication Manifold Times about the challenges of a post IMO 2020 bunker supplier.

MT: How does Equatorial continue to offer customer assurance and maintenance of marine fuel quality to ISO8217 standards despite increasing complexity of bunker fuel blends?

We maintain our focus to provide compliant, quality and competitively priced products to our customers. There is no shortcut. We source our products from a wide range of cargo producers and suppliers. We continue to be strict and vigilant with our testing programme for our products before delivering them to our customers. Equatorial has deepened our engagement with the wider industry to have a better and up-to-date understanding of the existing and new marine fuels.

MT: Can you share the evolution of commercial marine fuel procurement, blending and trading strategies on the back of increasing fuel types (pre/post IMO 2020)?

Pre IMO 2020, the main types of marine fuel procured and consumed by vessels were high-sulphur fuel oil, marine diesel oil and marine gas oil. Trading strategies were therefore closely linked to that within the oil industry.

However, many of the new fuel types are from other industries. For example, biofuels, methanol and ammonia are mainly products from the chemical and agriculture industries. There are marked differences between these industries and the energy industry (in particular, the marine fuels industry). LNG is from the gas industry which is distinct from the oil industry.

Without an existing liquid paper market for many of these commodities (especially as a marine fuel), the price risk management is less straightforward. Furthermore, commodity prices are no longer the sole consideration for price itself. The price of compliance must be considered. This could range from guaranteeing the origin of the marine fuel, its sulphur properties as well as its carbon intensity. The list goes on.

MT: Operational wise, what are the changing role and responsibilities of a bunker supplier to date, compared to before IMO 2020?

The role and responsibility of a bunker supplier have evolved. Fundamentally, it has been about providing quality marine fuels at competitive prices. Quantity assurance has been a critical concern which led to the mandatory implementation of the mass flow meter system for bunkering in the Port of Singapore. Interestingly, due to the nature of credit terms in the bunker industry, bunker suppliers also performed the role of “bankers” by extending favourable credit terms to shipowners and charterers.

These days, post IMO 2020, things have become even more complicated. Today, a bunker supplier retains the abovementioned roles and responsibilities, and much more – it has to ensure compliance with a plethora of rules and regulations. Compliance not only with sulphur cap requirements, but with international and regional sanctions and restrictions unrelated to the quality of the marine fuel itself. In fact, especially with alternative low- and zero-carbon marine fuels, this means compliance with standards, rules and regulations on sustainability such as the European Renewable Energy Directive and/or International Sustainability and Carbon Certification. There is also the need to comply with increasingly stringent safety regulations on both conventional and alternative marine fuels.

In addition to the above, a post IMO 2020 bunker supplier is still expected to supply compliant and quality fuel at competitive prices.

MT: Equatorial is Singapore’s largest local-born supplier; what is the next big thing for the company?

Equatorial continues to adapt and improve with the times, while maintaining its core values – Integrity, Teamwork, Commitment, Proficiency and Quality, and Safety and Environment. The bunker industry is a highly competitive one, and it is our intention to keep our competitive edge and remain relevant. This means that we have had to step out of our comfort zone and embrace the two mega trends of our time – digitalisation and decarbonisation.

We have been early adopters and developers of the electronic bunkering note as part of our own digital bunkering efforts. We have diversified our product offering to include low carbon marine fuels and are proud to be one of the pioneers for bunkering B100 biofuels earlier this year. This was made possible by the arrival of our IMO Type II chemical and oil bunker tankers. These same bunker tankers are also capable for carrying and delivering methanol. Equatorial has invested in an LNG bunkering vessel (LBV) newbuilding that is set to be delivered in Q3 2027. We are also involved in a study to develop low- or zero-carbon ammonia bunkering in Singapore.

These are exciting times.

Note: Choong Sheen Mao is amongst panellists featured in ‘Session Three: Bunker Sellers Panel’ at the IBIA Annual Convention 2025.

Join the Conversation

With over 300 delegates expected, the IBIA Annual Convention 2025 is set to be a defining moment for the marine fuels industry. Registration is now open via the IBIA Annual Convention website.