Connect with us

IMO 2020

IMO: The chance of postponing 1 January 2020 deadline is zero

The Director of Legal and External Affairs at IMO talks to BIMCO Bulltein about FONAR, scrubbers, and more.
Admin

Published

7 years ago

on

5d0b0596570f4 1561003414

The following article entitled ‘IMO: The chance of postponing 1 January 2020 deadline is zero’, which BIMCO has shared with Singapore bunker publication Manifold Times, first appeared on the June edition of the BIMCO Bulletin here.

The Bulletin met with Frederick Kenney, Director of Legal and External Affairs at the International Maritime Organization (IMO), to talk about why there is no chance that the 2020 sulphur limit deadline will be pushed, what will happen if ships experience operational problems because of the new fuels, and why regulation of open-loop scrubbers should be consistent rather than regional.

While the industry – from shipping and refinery to bunker and ports – is preparing, head-on, for 1 January 2020, many questions still cannot be answered, such as those surrounding the new types of low-sulphur fuel.

To other questions, there are crystal-clear answers; for example, whether the deadline of 1 January could get a last-minute push if the industry – or the refinery sector, for instance – finds that it is not ready.

“The chance is really zero. Procedurally, there is no mechanism that would allow the 0.50% regulation, as it stands right now, to change from 1 January 2020,” says Kenney at the IMO’s headquarters in London.

He explains that, if a member state wished to postpone or change the requirement in the future, they could do, but the process would have to start all over again. If all went as fast as it possibly could, that would take 22 months from start to finish.

“But there is no procedural way to even start that right now. Not until next year. You would be talking about four to five years down the road if everything went perfectly smoothly,” Kenney adds.

No request for change from member states

The decision to set the 0.50% sulphur limit deadline at 1 January 2020 was made in October 2016, when the Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) confirmed a decision taken when amendments to the IMO’s MARPOL convention Annex VI were adopted in 2008. The treaty has since been amended, so the provisions to reverse that decision no longer exist. A change of deadline would require amendments to the MARPOL convention by the MEPC and would need the support of member states – the same states that supported the 1 January 2020 deadline with an overwhelming majority.

“Any thought of trying to postpone the date would have to overcome that majority – and, from a practical and political stance, that would be a very, very challenging task,” Kenney says.

“In addition, we had the Marine Environment Protection Committee meeting in May, and no-one made that proposal; no-one put it on the table. It cannot just be an ad hoc proposal, so it cannot be done, procedurally. There is just no way to postpone the 1 January 2020 implementation date.”

The framework is in place, the rules are clear

According to Kenney, the IMO has produced a tremendous amount of guidance to assist shipowners in implementing the requirements, which should offer a good basis for preparation with seven months to go.

“The framework is in place and the rules are clear. This is a tremendous opportunity for the industry – a chance to clearly demonstrate its commitment to the environment and to human health. It is something of which everyone in the industry should be proud,” he says.

“If any shipowner is unaware of the regulations and what will be required, it is getting fairly late in the game. The regulation for a 0.50% sulphur limit in fuel from 1 January 2020 was adopted in 2008 – so this has been a long time coming.”

Ship implementation planning guidance, to help shipowners prepare, has been issued by the IMO and covers such things as cleaning out tanks in preparation for low-sulphur fuel oil, which should be loaded well before 1 January 2020 – so, in the latter part of 2019.

Spring meetings to deal with potential 2020 issues

Should ships experience operational problems because of the new low-sulphur fuels under development – or with segregation of the fuel or other issues – these will be reported to the port state control or the flag states.

If evidence suggests that changes or adjustments are needed, either on an urgent basis or over time, the issues can be brought to the attention of the MEPC meeting in April 2020, or the Maritime Safety Committee (MSC) meeting in May 2020.

“The committees will be meeting very early on in the implementation process, and will consider any information about implementation or safety issues and see whether further action is required,” says Kenney.

He adds that it is important for the industry to understand that the Fuel Oil Non-Availability Reports (FONAR) are not an implementation strategy people can use simply to avoid complying. Ships can use FONAR if they cannot get compliant fuel, and to provide evidence that they have done what they could and taken the steps necessary to comply.

It is within the port states’ discretion to take the information in a FONAR into account when considering any sanctions for non-compliance.

“The ultimate goal of the IMO is to have global regulations that are implemented uniformly and enforced consistently. That is our objective here,” Kenney says.

Scrubbers discussions on the table

Global regulations and consistency in implementing them are also core to the IMO when the topic is scrubbers. Several states have banned or restricted the use of open-loop scrubbers – including Singapore, Belgium, Germany and Norway – and the list is expected to grow. The IMO, however, believes global consistency ought to be the way forward.

“The IMO secretariat’s view is that global regulations – implemented consistently and enforced uniformly – are the best way to go. When you see local and regional action being taken, it can be a cause for concern if it is inconsistent with IMO regulations. We need a level playing field, and that is what we are here to do,” Kenney says.

The MEPC is starting to discuss the impacts of the discharge from open-loop scrubbers, after a proposal by the EU to discuss and identify issues surrounding the equipment. Open-loop scrubbers are not banned by the IMO, but there are guidelines for the installation and use of systems.

Published: 20 June, 2019
 

Related Topics:
Continue Reading

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.

Admin

Published

2 months ago

on

June 3, 2026

By

india flag

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

Continue Reading

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.
Admin

Published

8 months ago

on

December 8, 2025

By

shraga kopstein on Unsplash

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

Continue Reading

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.
Admin

Published

9 months ago

on

October 31, 2025

By

Sheen Mao MT

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.

 

Photo credit: Manifold Times
Published: 31 October 2025

Continue Reading

Trending