ICS releases sulphur cap guidelines

The ICS guidance, produced with the support of ICS’s regional partners, the Asian Shipowners’ Association and the European Community Shipowners’ Association, incorporates the latest IMO decisions addressing issues such as fuel oil non-availability reporting, fuel safety and fuel quality. The updated guidelines will help ships avoid port state control difficulties that might arise and enable shipowners and crews to overcome practical challenges.

Guy Platten, secretary general of ICS, said that the new regulations were good for human health and good for the environment. “With just six months to go before implementation these free ICS guidelines will help shipping companies with the vital task of preparing for compliance,” he said.

The free resource, Compliance with the 2020 ‘Global Sulphur Cap’, contains details of the new requirements to allow onboard sampling to verify fuel oil compliance, includes a new section on managing different fuels, an updated FAQ and a new appendix with the IMO standard template Fuel Oil Non-Availability Report.

“It is absolutely vital that everyone concerned, including governments, oil producers and bunker suppliers, redouble their efforts to ensure that safe and compatible fuels will be available in every port worldwide,” concluded Mr Platten.